THE PRACTICES

Even though the Scripture sermon series has ended, we encourage you to continue practicing what you have learned about reading, Life Journaling, Meditating, and Memorizing the Scriptures. 

For your review:

LIFE JOURNALING

LIFE Journaling is a simple structure by which you can pay attention and respond to what you’re reading. In your personal journal (handwritten or in a notes app) record 2-3 sentences for each step: 

1. Listen:

Read the assigned Scriptures with an open and humble heart. When the Holy Spirit draws your attention to a verse or phrase, write these at the top of a page in your journal, making note of the reference.

2. Investigate:

Consider the context, logic, and details of the Scripture/phrase you identified. What does it tell you about God, about you/us, about God's purposes? In 1-3 sentences, write your observation about what you are understanding about the concern and response being addressed in the text

3. Follow:

As you build a bridge between the original hearers and your own experience, what do you sense God calling you to hear, see, or do? In 1-3 sentences, write your thoughts.

4. Engage:

What do you sense your mind and heart wanting to say to God about what you have read and heard? In 1-3 sentences, write down your simple prayer response to God.

MEDITATION

Meditation is similar to Life Journaling, but is best done with a small portion of Scripture, e.g. 4-10 verses, and writing is optional. 

1. Read

Read your chosen text slowly and prayerfully, multiple times. Engage your imagination: What sights, smells, sounds, emotions do you sense? Who are you in this story or picture?

2. Ruminate

When a word, phrase or image strikes you, camp there, reflecting on it. Repeat it, ponder it, speak it, breathe it. What emotions, memories, images, hopes or desires does it evoke in you? What do you sense God communicating to or asking of you?

3. Respond

Prayerfully express yourself to God. What do you want to say to the Lord in response to what this word has said to you?

4. Rest

Sit in God’s presence and receive his loving gaze and embrace. Words are not necessary. Be at home, at peace, and content with being quiet with God.

MEMORIZATION

Memorizing Scripture is a way of training yourself to make God’s thoughts your own. The key is repetition over time, and multiple memory aids. You will retain the things that you repeat over multiple days.

  • Days 1-2: Choose a translation you find easy to understand or pleasing to your ear, and read/pray the Scripture multiple times. Sense and speak out the "rhythm" of the text. Create or search out a tune by which you can "sing" the text.
  • Days 3-5: commit segments of the Scriptures to memory (line by line, verse by verse), adding on each day.
  • Days 6-7: practice your memory work with others (such as family or Apprentice Group).
  • Ongoing: return to your memorized Scriptures for review, such as incorporating into your times of prayer.
  • Use all these steps 2-3 times a day, at key transition points in your schedule (as you walk in to work, as you break for coffee or lunch, before bed, etc.).
    • In Week Eight, you are encouraged to memorize Psalm 1:1-3, where David reflects on the life-giving power of God’s Word in his life.
    • In Week Eleven, we will be memorizing Jesus’ call to apprenticeship in Mark 8:34-35.
    • As indicated in the Reading Plan, be sure to continue reviewing all the verses you’ve memorized. You may choose other verses that you’d like to memorize as well.

READING IN COMMUNITY

When we listen to Scripture read out loud to our whole community, we remember

    • that Scripture is primarily God’s VOICE, not just a book,
    • that the gospel is communicated not just to you (as an individual apprentice), but to "y'all" - the people of God as “a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God” (1 Peter 2:9), the family of Jesus (Luke 8:21), with a common love and mission in the world.

Try to read the assigned Scriptures with others (family, spouse, friends, Apprentice Group) at least once a week, in whatever quantity your listeners (i.e. children, teens) can tolerate.

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At the beginning of 2021 we invite you to join our church in journeying through God's Word through the two-year Life Journaling plan. You can purchase the Life Journal, with or without writing pages, through the NLCC Office or on a Sunday morning at the Info Desk (when in-person services are permitted). You can also access the Life Journal reading plan as a PDF on our website:

NLCC Life Journaling