Meeting the Goal

Several months ago I started memorizing scripture. Now, I didn't do this own my own...I was challenged by my friend, Lynn. For a while, we learned them together. Some of them so God-ordained it wasn't even funny. Taking my cue from Lynn, I got some note cards that are neatly put together with cute little rings. I took my time writing each scripture out so I could review them everyday. I did ok at first. I was able to easily memorize the first few verses, but had a problem holding onto the addresses. Eventually, I laid them down and forgot what I had learned. UGH!!!!

I'm the kind of person that needs a constant reminder of all things that are true and good in my life. With my background and present struggle with depression, it is easy for my to slip into believing Satan's lies over the truth. SO, I decided to pick the scripture memory back up. I was bound and determined that I was going to do this. I set a goal for myself to memorize 25 verses AND their addresses. The first few were not all that hard because it was basically just reviewing what I had already done with Lynn. Those verses came back to me easily. Then I began to search through the Word on my own. I'll admit, I was skeptical. I didn't want to just randomly pick a verse and memorize it, I wanted it to speak to me, to mean something. Several times I was very tempted to throw in the towel, and then I would remember my goal. I didn't want Satan to win. So I kept memorizing the Word and asking God for each new verse. It seemed that the more I learned, the easier it was to remember them. I was amazed. I knew it had to be God because not only was I remembering the verses, BUT their addresses were sticking this time. I was thrilled. But it still seemed my goal was a long way off. Many times I would get frustrated and lay them down, only to be drawn back to them days later. I know God was the one doing the drawing because He has used these verses in my life already. There are times that the only way I can get through a particular moment is to recall the verses He has given me. The best times have been when my frame of mind was so crazy and the verses just popped into my head. There was no thinking about them, trying to recall them, they were just there. Those are the sweetest times. The Lord promises that His Word will not return void and He has proven that in me. When I have needed His Truth, it has been there. Thank you Lord!!!!

Fast forward to today....

Here I am sitting here bored out of my head and decided to get out my cute little verse cards and do some practicing on my new verse. I haven't counted the number I was up to lately so I decided to check out my progress and guess what??????? I AM ON #26!!!!!!!!! Thank You Lord! I have reached my goal!!!!! Yay! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Not only have I stuck with it and put in the work (with God's help), but I have done it without anyone holding my hand. This has turned into a personal thing, not one that I have depended on someone else to do for me. That is just as much a victory for me as learning the verses. I am not writing this to brag on me...but on the Lord. He has done a work in me and it is good. I would not have gotten this far if it were not for HIM and Him alone!!!

26....I'm amazed and thankful. Thankful to the Lord for His faithfulness. He has been with me each and every step of the way. He has given me each verse and used them in my life when I needed their truths to reach into my heart and be a salve to the hurts that are hidden there. BUT, I am also thankful to Lynn. She is the one who taught me the importance of having truth to draw from to replace the lies that Satan throws at you. She encouraged me and taught me how to memorize scripture. Even though I have been "on my own" for the last several months, this is a victory that I can't wait to share with her. She believed in me long before I believed in myself. She spoke truth to me long before I believed it and had it hid inside my heart. This is her victory too. Thank you Lynn....I will be forever grateful!!!

Now to set a new goal....

Crystie