...We are amazed.

In an effort to ward off bad behavior and encourage the good, I've made various "behavioral charts" for Jayden and Zachary. One of them is called a "Heart Chart" which was inspired by a Bible Study I did last fall by Beth Moore on the Fruit of the Spirit. Every time Jayden did something that displayed one aspect of the Fruit she received a heart and I'd have her repeat, and eventually recite, Galatians 5:22-23.

Sometime ago God drove home in my own heart that it was His word changing Jayden's behavior and not the chart activity itself. So I really began praying that God would inspire me to create a way that Jayden (and eventually Zachary) could absorb scriptures. As Christian parents we are commanded in Deuteronomy 11:18-20 to

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates".

And in Proverbs 7:1,3 God says that we are to

"keep my words and store up my commands within you. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart."

So seven weeks ago I had the inspiration to make a "verse chart" to help us memorize a new scripture each week (we took 1 week off for vacation). It seemed obvious to start in the beginning and then navigate our way through every book of the Bible. We are just finishing Joshua 1:9 and I will be selecting a verse from Judges for Monday.

We are absolutely astounded and amazed at how quickly Jayden memorizes each verse and how she can recall all of the old ones. She looks forward to practicing and will often say "lets go do my verse now." Zachary loves to put the star on the chart and I believe he is absorbing the words as well.
My encouragement to all you parents reading this is to not underestimate your child's ability to take in, grasp and be changed by scripture nor to underestimate God's command for us to be feeding His Word to our kids and babies. I hope you will pray and allow the Holy Spirit to inspire you with a creative way to be doing something like this in your own home.