Colossians in a Year!

Memorization.  When I was in high school, a buddy of mine and I memorized the whole book of Ephesians.  Those verses still come back to me...they pop into my head just when I need them, a gift from the Lord from so long ago...proof that the word is living and breathing and always there and available to us. 
But for some reason, now that I am all grown up...in do not take the time, or truly...the desire...to sit down and really do the work.  When I do...the verses seem to just wander away into a fog.  I may remember the idea...but not the actual words.

Then a dear friend said to me, "Memorizing is having it (the Word) in my heart to defeat the devil when my Bible is not open."

And I thought..."Memorizing is a way to KEEP the Bible open IN your HEART!"

That same day, I received my daily
e-mail from Ann Voskamp!  I love her blog, her worshipful, simple way of encouraging us all.  Her post for the day challenged us to develop the habit of memorization.  Two verses a day, for a whole year, and you will have the book of Colossians written in your heart.  Here is was, a gift from the Lord.  A tool for memorizing, that may actually work for silly foggy little ole' me.

As we memorize, we may also learn to pray through verses...have you ever prayed through verses?  Another powerful discipline to develop in your life.  And so as we attempt to read through the Bible in a year...why not memorize the book of Colossians while we are at it!

So here is what we pray for you....

"...that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding...

... so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,

...to please Him in all respects...

...bearing fruit in every good work

....and increasing in the knowledge of God:

...strengthened with all power....according to His glorious might,

...for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience..."

And we...

"joyously give thanks to the Father" for you all..."who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints"

Col. 1:9-12

A promising way to start a new habit, for a new year!