I just need to be real with all of you today.

The summer Bible memory challenge has not been as easy as I had hoped. It has actually been hard.

One night last week, I decided to review the past few verses with my youngest. The oldest was out-of-town on a mission trip and honestly, he has really struggled with some of these. As we went verse by verse together, my youngest and my husband both would nod or repeat or say that they might not have really ‘memorized’ all of that one, yet I plodded on.

Finally, as we read verse six together, (which is one we all knew!) my youngest stops me mid-sentence and says, “Hey Mom, this week could ‘Jesus wept‘ be our verse?”

He giggled. I sighed. And, my husband may have laughed out loud.

Then, I giggled and posted it on my Facebook page.

By morning, several others shared in our laughter while others honestly shared how hard it had been in their homes at times to help their children follow through with the memorization of each one.

Then, I realized that many of you might be thinking that this whole challenge had been a breeze for my family. That maybe somewhere along the way the enemy had convinced you that you were behind or less than or defeated over all this and that we were rockin’ along learning every single one.

Truth be known, we are not really rockin’ at all.

We might be barely creeping at this point.

So, this week, I realized that ‘Jesus wept’ could actually be the perfect verse for all of us.

One we could actually successfully remember!

It is so short and simple in many ways, but really long on love and deep in meaning.

One way we have survived the Bible memory work is to simply carve out a few minutes to talk about each verse. To read the verses before and after or the story the verse is found in. To possibly look at other verses that might be similar in nature or meaning.

Reading the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and how it impacted our Lord and Savior to see His friends grieving can only touch your heart!

Really knowing and recognizing how deeply He cares about our cares and concerns is eye-opening.

Too often, I think we all view Jesus as someone so different from us, rather than God in the flesh who lived as a man. He experienced deep feelings and hurt as we often do.

Yes, when our hearts ache, His does, too.

Don’t let the enemy cause you to think that if you aren’t memorizing each scripture that the entire plan is for naught. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Talk about the scripture.

Pray about the scripture.

Write it on their mirrors or put it in their snack sack, but don’t you dare worry that simply sharing these verses with our families might not be enough.

I love verses 10 and 11 of Isaiah 55.

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Every single little time we dive into scripture this summer it is a win, my friends!

Because of God’s plans and purposes.

Thankfully His ways are perfect, unlike mine.

And, memorization is a perk, not a requirement.

Grateful that His power is made perfect in my weakness.

Even with the summer Bible memory verses!