1 John 4:7-21 and "Verse of the Week" Future Plans

As many of you know, two years ago we started doing the "verse of the week", where each week we would write a Bible verse on the "door" chalkboard in our kitchen and recite it at mealtime and/or in the car, with the goal of memorizing one verse each week. 

Our theme verse for this endeavor is Deuteronomy 11:18-20
 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. ²⁰ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

During the school year, we memorize the verse that goes with our Bible lesson from BSF (Bible Study Fellowship).   In the summer, when BSF is not in session, we have done different things.  Last summer, the kids took turns picking a book of the Bible and then we would memorize a verse from that book.  Last May, we decided to attempt memorizing an entire passage over this summer, adding on one verse each week while keeping up the previous verses.  We picked 1 John 4:7-21, as love is a great topic for siblings to be memorizing about ;).  I wasn't sure how it would go, as it was a rather lofty goal for a 3 and 4 (almost 5) year old, but both kids exceeded all expectations (their memories are AWESOME at this age) and we did it!  There is nothing like teaching a verse to kids to help ME learn right along with them - I too can recite the entire passage (with maybe two helps from Summer ;) ).  To memorize the verses we often put actions with the words or tried singing the verse to a song such as "Oh When the Saints Go Marching In" or other songs whose rhythm fit the words of the verse. 

This is the passage we memorized:

1 John 4:7-21
 ⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
¹³ We know that we live in him and he in us because He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ In this way love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment because in this world we are like Him. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ If anyone says I love God yet hates a brother, he is a liar. If anyone does not love his brother, whom he has seen, he cannot love God, whom he has not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Without further ado,

Here is Summer reciting 1 John 4:7-21



Here is Colton reciting 1 John 4:7-21



And here is a cute one of them saying "the Colton verse" (the one talking about loving your brother ;) ) together.



I am so proud of their perseverance in memorizing these verses and am so excited they have God's Word hidden in their hearts!

Our future plans for Verse of the Week are slightly different for this coming fall.  We are actually not going to be attending BSF this fall, as Summer is starting half-day kindergarten (more on that later!) and the pick-up time for the end of her day (11am) conflicts with the BSF ending time (11:30).  Instead, I am VERY, VERY, VERY excited for this years plans to continue their Bible training through AWANA on Wednesday nights.  Colton will be in the Cubbies program (with Paul as his leader) and Summer will be in the Sparks program (with me as her leader).  In these programs, kids have handbooks with scripture memory, community service projects, and stories that teach them more about God, his Word, and how to love others.  As they pass sections in their handbook, they earn awards.  Furthermore, the evening is filled with fun games, a message, and lots of fun!  I know first hand, because I went through the program and LOVED it and credit AWANA as the biggest contributor to my knowledge of the Bible and understanding of the salvation message.  I am beyond ecstatic for my kids to have this same experience! 

We picked up their handbooks and vests at the Awana Registration Night tonight!

My sister and I as Cubbies!

My sister, two cousins, and I as Sparks :)

 
SO, our future for the "verse of the week" this fall?  We will use our verse of the week chalkboard for Colton's weekly Cubbies verse, and I will work individually with Summer to help her memorize the longer verses she has in her handbook.  I am so excited!