THE VERSE JOURNAL – GET THEM ONE
Deuteronomy 17:17-19 NIV
When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees.
A few days ago, I was rummaging through the closet looking for something I thought might be there. As I was digging around on the shelves, I glanced up at one of the higher shelves and noticed several books, which sparked my curiosity. I reached up, pulled them down and low and behold they were three journals that my daughter had written in when she was a young teenager. They were dated 1996, ’97, ’98 and ’99. I opened them and discovered verse after verse after verse, on almost every page, that she had written down each day from her Bible readings.
I have to admit it made me very nostalgic, vividly recalling the days they lived at home and filled my heart with great joy, to see that she had been so diligent to write scripture verses in her own hand, in her own journal. It was a window straight into her heart and the things God was impressing on her soul during her early teen years. I was amazed at the many verses she had written down and how God was speaking to her, shaping her through them.
Actually, these journals were a result of a very specific habit that my wife and I had worked to instill in each of our children while they lived at home under our care. It was a daily assignment we gave to each child, that we began soon after each one could read and write. This concept was taken from the passage in Deuteronomy at the beginning of this article: To get them each a copy of the Bible to read, and then in their own handwriting, to make it a goal and practice to write down a verse each day that stood out to them from their daily reading. I went to the store and purchased each of them their own special journal, so they could fill them with the verses God gave to them each day.
My wife and I believe in the tremendous power of the Word of God. We believe faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We believe as Isaiah 55:10-11 states, that His word will not return empty, but will accomplish the purpose for which he sent it. We believed God would shape their hearts, minds, and souls as they read God’s word, and wrote it down. We believed this practice of writing down verses in their own journal would more deeply imprint God’s truth on their soul and impact their life, faith, and character. This was in fact one of our most important parenting tools!
My wife and I understood that we only had them in our homes for a very short period of time and then they would be gone, living lives of their own. We believed this practice, that we insisted they do, would reap great, long-lasting fruit in their lives. We believe God used it in each of our four children’s lives to deeply imprint their faith, and their love for Jesus Christ.
I would encourage each of you dads and moms to do the same thing with your children as long as they live in your home. I am confident you will not regret it, and your children will reap wonderful benefits from this daily habit.
As I leafed through the pages of the journal I found in the closet, this was written on one of pages of my daughter’s journal beside a verse, it was dated April 26, 1998, she was 13. Today, April 26th, I decided to be a disciple, on mission for Jesus Christ and to reach my lost friends. And to really want to follow him more and more and to do what he said to do. I am going to do it for him!! Because he did it for us!
Twenty five years later she still remains faithful and in love with the Lord Jesus!
For forty years I have been carrying this verse around with me. It highlights the tremendous value of the verse journal habit and its impact on your children’s lives. It’s never too late to get them started!!
Mark 4:24 AMP
And he {Jesus} said to them, “Be careful what you are hearing. The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear, will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you, and more besides will be given to you who hear.”
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
