Having a consistent quiet time has always been a struggle for me.  I’ve tried various devotions and Scripture reading plans, but for some reason, I’ve not been able to stick with any of them.  Then I discovered Scripture writing.  It’s really simple—literally just writing down Bible verses word for word—but it had never occurred to me to try it.

As I was browsing Facebook one day, though, I saw a post for a Scripture writing challenge.  It looked interesting, so I decided to try it, and I was hooked!  I found that adding Scripture writing to my daily devotions really helps me in many ways. 

With my memory, it helps me to read, then write it down.

Virginia

Why should you write Scripture?

1. When we read Scripture, we often read quite a few verses in one sitting, which may be overwhelming when trying to pick out a single thought to meditate on.  Scripture writing, however, often focuses on just a couple of verses, allowing us to really absorb what we read and meditate on it through the day. 
2. When we read the Bible, we tend to rush through it rather than really taking our time and focusing on what we’re reading.  When we write out the verses, we must slow down and really pay attention to the word choice, word order, punctuation, etc., all of which can help us better understand the text.
3. We can interact with the text better as we write it.  It’s hard to really do that if you just read it.  With Scripture writing, you could underline what seems significant, or you can circle certain words or phrases that stand out to you.  You could even use different colored pens or pencils to really emphasize the different parts of the verse.  You may also find it helpful to write down a few notes about what the passage means or how you can apply it.  If you are more creative, you can draw pictures or decorate your journal in any way you want.

I enjoy writing scripture because it helps me focus on specific words. When certain words pop out I can look up the meaning or another scripture and write those down in my journal. I then have something to turn back to when sharing with others or reviewing myself. I love having a record and also I can decorate words etc. to help with understanding. Also I often times add a prayer at the end of the scripture should God bring something to mind at that time. I love using different color markers!

Cindy

If you have never tried writing Scripture, you may be wondering how you can get started.  Here are a few ideas.

1. Choose a prewritten plan.  There are many great Scripture writing schedules out there that can be found by merely searching Google.  Some focus on a certain topic, while others take you through a given passage or book of the Bible.  Choose one that interests you and jump in!
2. Write out the focus verse from a devotional book.  Many devotions start with a Bible verse, and some even include additional verses that allow you to study the topic in more depth. That gives you several verses to choose from when deciding what to write.
3. Choose a key verse from the passage that you are reading.  As you are reading through your Bible, try to identify a key verse, or a verse that really stands out to you, and copy it.

So, that’s it.  Just grab a pen and a note book, and start writing Scripture!

Have you ever tried Scripture writing? If so, what do you enjoy about it? If not, what tools do you use to help you with your daily devotions? Please let me know in the comments below!

Writing scripture forces me to slooow down. No speed reading! It also requires that I focus on phrases and words and even quotation marks when someone has spoken. As a visual learner, I retain much more information when I write it – hearing it with my ears and processing in the brain and transferring it to fine motor skills in my fingers makes a difference, and using color ink pens makes it even better!

Karen

If you need a place to start, you can download these Scripture writing plans that I put together just by clicking the links below:

Books of the Bible:

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians

Colossians

2-3 John

Topics:

One Another Verses

Encouragement from the Psalms

Benefits of Being in Christ

Attributes of God

I’d love to have you join my Scripture writing group on Facebook, where I post new challenges every month!  To join, just click below:

She Lives Worthy Scripture Writing Group