Psalm 23 for Teachers Beginning a New School Year

As a new school year begins, I have written the following prayer specifically for teachers but also for all learners and staff members. The prayer is a paraphrase and amplification of Psalm 23.

We ask you, O Good Shepherd, to empower our teachers so that they may shepherd their learners in Christ-like ways.

May they have everything necessary to meet their own needs, as well as those of students, parents, and colleagues.

May they, during the intensity of a new school year, find times for “green-pasturing” and “still-watering” to renew both body and soul, so that they may be refreshed and go forward in the right direction.

May they teach with confidence
and courage, knowing that you are with them, even through the dark valleys of physical danger, threats from without or within, discipline concerns, curricular challenges, and physical exhaustion.

May they have the wisdom and humility to recognize the ways in which you are guiding and even correcting them as if by a shepherd's rod and staff.

May they receive inner strength, support, and healing through the anointing power of the Holy Spirit

May it be evident that they, because of your shepherding guidance and grace, are overflowing with the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

And, finally, may they have the sure confidence that You are with them, day in and day out, ensuring that the impact of their teaching is making a difference in the lives of their students forever. Amen.

The accompanying image is from a YouTube video entitled, Prayer for Teachers at the Beginning of a New School Year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-788MU30Eg

Joy Through the Meditation and Memorization of Scripture

Bible meditation and memorization go hand in hand. It is difficult for me to do one without the other. Of course, there are times when memorizing Bible topics is separate from meditation. These include areas such as memorizing the names of the books of the Bible, proof texts for theological teachings, and Bible verses for sharing the Gospel. But, generally, meditation lacks substance without biblical content, and Bible memorization lacks personal meaning apart from meditation.

From a personal perspective, meditation motivates my memorization and makes it a joy. As I meditate on a Bible passage over time, it becomes fixed in my memory. The more time that I spend meditating on a text, the more I am motivated to commit it to memory and the easier it is to memorize. I wish you the same sense of peace and joy that this process brings into my own life.

This presentation identifies Scriptures related to Bible meditation and memorization, defines biblical meditation and memorization, suggests approaches to meditation and memorization, and provides a starter list of Bible passages. The suggested passages are those on which I meditate daily and have memorized as foundational for my own journey of faith. They are given with the hope that you will build a list of your own.

Scriptures about why Bible meditation is worth doing

The person blessed by God, “…meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:2-3).

“Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely
o them, that your progress may be evident to all”
1 Timothy 4:15.

Scriptures about why Bible passages are worth memorizing

“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Bible Meditation Defined

“Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God…” (J.I. Packer, Knowing God [Downers Grove, IL, InterVarsity, 1973], 23).

How to meditate

• Set aside a specific time and place. (Evening in a recliner is best for me. Many prefer early mornings.)
• Be in a quiet place that is free from distractions.
• Have selected Bible passages available for reading and reflecting. (I have them on my iPhone screen. Other options could be an open Bible, a journal, or 3” x 5” cards.)
• Choose a Bible passage(s) that speaks to a need or area of concern in your life.
• Read the text, re-read it, and ponder it. Examine the text in relation to life. Reflect on the order and meaning of specific words and phrases. Identify how the text may be leading one to think or act differently. Ask what the text says about God and how to serve and worship God.
• Keep reflecting on the same text each day for as long as it continues to speak to your soul in a meaningful way. This may be for months. I have been meditating on some texts every day for years.
• Memorize the text. This becomes a natural, easy, and desirable process when the text is reviewed daily.
• End with prayer.

Bible Memorization Defined

Bible memorization is learning a passage by heart. It is committing to memory the words of Bible verses to the extent that they can readily and accurately be recalled for reflection or recitation.

Bible Memorization Described

• Choose a passage that is meaningful.
• Read the passage (and surrounding verses) several times in order to begin understanding its context and meaning. What is the passage about? What does it mean? Why is it important?
• Break the passage down into smaller pieces, such as individual words or phrases.
• Memorize the passage one phrase at a time. Once you have a phrase memorized, move on to the next one. Don't try to memorize the entire passage all at once.
• Use different techniques to memorize a passage. This could include writing out the passage, saying it out loud, making flashcards, using mnemonic devices, and linking and chaining.
• Two Specific Techniques for Memorization

1. Mnemonic devices help by making mental associations. These associations could be through acronyms, imagery, or other memory aids that help with recall.
2. Linking and chaining bring together new material with what was previously memorized. New text is added while continuing to recite an entire passage from the beginning.

• Review the passage (or group of phrases) regularly.
• Pray, meditate, and apply a passage. Pray about its significance in your life. Meditate on its deeper meaning. Ask how the passage impacts your thoughts, actions, and relationships.
• Make it a joy! Do it in a way that allows you to look forward to the pleasure of knowing the passage by heart.

Suggested Passages for Meditation and Memorization

The following is my current list of memorized passages for daily meditation. It is modified as I feel the spiritual need. The passages are listed with the hope that others will develop lists of their own.

Numbers 6:24-26
Psalm 23
Psalm 46 (selected verses)
Isaiah 40:31
Micah 6:8
Matthew 5:3-10
Matthew 6:9-13
John 3:16-17
Romans 8:35,37-39
2 Corinthians 4:14, 16-18, 5:1

2 Corinthians 13:14
Ephesians 3:16-21
Philippians 4:4-9
Colossians 1:15-20
Hebrews 13:20-21
1 Peter 2:9, 10
Prayer of St. Francis
Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A #1

Summary

This blog has described the connection between Bible meditation and memorization, highlighting how the two practices complement each other. I have shared from my personal experience how meditation motivates my memorization and brings joy. Suggestions were made for how to meditate and memorize effectively, including specific techniques such as mnemonic devices and linking or chaining. I concluded with a list of memorized passages for daily meditation, expressing the hope that readers will compile their own collections.

Click on the following link to view this presentation as a narrated YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/2gRciaNTBs8

References

Biblical Meditation. Tarrants, Thomas A. https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/biblical-meditation/ (includes descriptions of the meditation process of Lectio Divina and of George Müller.)

Successful Scripture Memory and Review. Spurgeon, Charles. https://www.spurgeongems.org/bmg.htm

Memorize the Mind of God. Mathis, David. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/memorize-the-mind-of-god

Topical Memory System, The Navigators. https://amzn.to/3OuTeR7

Life-Changing Bible Verses You Should Know. Lutzer, Erwin & Rebecca. https://amzn.to/47kGRQp

Supplementary online resources that may have been consulted include ChatGPT, Google Search, Google Bard, Bing, and Wikipedia.
Church And School Education (CASE) Resources is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, of affiliate advertising designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com

K-W-L Strategy for Teaching Bible Content

 K-W-L strategy is an approach to learning that involves activity and interaction between
students and teachers. K-W-L was originally developed for elementary reading teachers. Because so much of Christian education involves reading passages or stories from the Bible, K-W-L can also be a useful way to teach Bible content.

Donna Ogle, a Reading Specialist, developed K-W-L. She has said that K–W–L was inspired by the Bible’s use of storytelling and questioning. (See, "K-W-L: A Teaching Model That Develops Active Reading of Expository Text" by Donna Ogle, published in the journal The Reading Teacher in 1986.) Following is a description of the strategy and an example for teaching a Bible passage.

The strategy has three parts:
K - stands for what the students already know,
W - represents what the students want to learn,
L - relates to what the students have learned.

To use K-W-L, teachers first ask learners what they already Know about a topic. This helps students to activate their prior knowledge and identify any gaps in their understanding. Next, teachers ask students what they Want to learn about the topic. This allows teachers to set goals for learning and to focus student attention on areas of greatest importance. Finally, teachers ask learners to reflect on what they have learned. This assists with confirming learning and identifying any areas where further instruction is needed.

To illustrate the use of K-W-L in Bible teaching, we will look at the story of David and Goliath
(1 Samuel 17). Before reading the story, the teacher might ask students what they know about David and Goliath. And then, what they want to know about the story. After reading the story, the teacher could ask students to reflect on what they have learned.

Here are representative questions that could be generated by learners in a Bible lesson on this passage.

K (What I Know/Think I Know):
• What do I already know/think I know about the Bible story of David and Goliath?
• Who was David?
• Who was Goliath?
• What brought them together?

W (What I Want to Know):
• What started the fight between the Israelites and the Philistines?
• Why did Goliath want to fight someone from the Israelite army?
• What was David’s life like before he faced Goliath?
• What made David think he could face Goliath?
• How did the king, the other soldiers, and the people react when David said he would fight Goliath?

L (What I Learned after reading or hearing this story/What I still need to Learn):
• David defeated Goliath, a giant and an experienced warrior, with just a slingshot and stones. With God’s help, I will be able to fight and conquer some of the “giants” in my life.
• After David killed Goliath, things would never be the same in his life. In what ways did his life change? (This was one of the first big steps toward David’s becoming king of Israel.)
• I learned about being brave and having faith in David’s life. How would being brave and having faith in God change my own life?

Additional Suggestions

Use the KWL approach in conjunction with other teaching methods, such as discussion, group work, and hands-on activities. This will help to keep participants engaged.
Involve students in the lesson by having them read the Bible passage and write answers to the questions. Worksheets may be used for students to write what they know, want to learn, and have learned.
Encourage participants to share their answers with the group. This will help to create a sense of community and to foster discussion.

Summary

The K-W-L strategy is an interactive learning approach that was initially developed for elementary reading teachers but is also applicable in teaching Bible content. It involves three
stages: K (what students know), W (what students want to learn), and L (what students have learned/still need to learn). By activating prior knowledge, setting learning goals, and reinforcing understanding, teachers can effectively use K-W-L to teach Bible-related topics. This approach encourages active engagement through questioning, storytelling, and Bible study. Combining K-W-L with discussions, group work, and hands-on activities enhances its effectiveness, creating an interactive and enriching learning experience.

Resources
Ogle, Donna. K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. The Reading Teacher, 39(6), 1986, pp. 564-570.
KWL Literature Review. https://studylib.net/doc/25511060/kwl-literature-review
Strategies for Reading Comprehension: KWL. https://web.archive.org/web/20080731032222/http://www.readingquest.org/strat/kwl.html

YouTube version of this blog: https://youtu.be/F1T2UvuyFJ8

Supplementary online resources that may have been consulted include ChatGPT, Google Search, Google Bard, Bing, and Wikipedia

Church and School Education (CASE) Resources is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com

Reflections on Our Family British Isles Cruise, June 24 - July 10, 2023

Burt and Marlene Braunius, Stephen, Lisa, and James Braunius; Danny and Petra Gonzalez

Following is a day-by-day summary based on the notes and Facebook postings of Lisa Braunius along with my own comments and edits.

Day 1: Saturday, June 24

After an 8-hour flight from Detroit, we landed at Heathrow Airport, where we took the London Underground to Victoria Station. From there we walked to our motel, Comfort Inn Victoria. By around 3:00 PM (London time), we were on a double-decker, hop-on-hop-off bus to see the city’s highlights (Big Ben, London Bridge, Parliament Buildings, Westminster Abbey, etc.), and finally, a boat ride down the Thames River.

Day 2: Sunday, June 25

Our previous day's bus tour did not go past Buckingham Palace. So, at 6:00 AM, on a beautiful, quiet sunny Sunday morning, we hiked to the Palace from our hotel and got some great cloudless and crowd-less pictures. After breakfast, a coach took us from London to Windsor Castle, where we saw St. George Chapel and marching royal guards. From there we were transported to the Southampton Cruise Terminal to board the Regal Princess, our home away from home for the next 12 days, for a 5:00 PM departure.

Day 3: Monday, June 26

We arrived in the Channel Island, St. Peter’s Port ,in Guernsey, England and took a tender into the town. We hiked to the Underground Military WW 2 Museum (all uphill, especially when your map app brings you to the topside of the museum, but we all got our steps in).

There was a lady we read about, Mrs. Warren Caine, who spoke “Heil Churchill” and was then sentenced to 4 months imprisonment by the Nazis. She became known on the island as Mrs. Churchill. We had a formal night for our dinner and enjoyed a musical show.

Day 4: Tuesday, June 27

Our next stop was Port of Cork, Ireland, where we visited the Blarney Castle and Kinsale were the places we visited. Marlene and Lisa walked the beautifully-manicured grounds of Blarney Castle, while the rest of the group climbed the Castle tower and kissed the Blarney Stone. We then traveled to the quaint town of Kinsale and had the most incredible fish and chips at Kitty O’Shea’s. This is such a beautiful country with green rolling hills dotted with happy cows and sheep in the fields.

Day 5: Wednesday, June 28

Dublin, Ireland was the next port of call. Burt and Marlene stayed on the ship to rejuvenate from the intensity of the previous days. Stephen, Lisa, Petra, Danny, and James took a train into the city and had a bit of rain, but it did not prevent them from thoroughly enjoying the city. They visited Trinity College, Christ Church Cathedral, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), the author of Gulliver’s Travels, preached at St. Patrick’s and was known for his 4-hour sermons. He had his pulpit put on wheels and would have himself wheeled up to people who were sleeping.

Day 6: Thursday, June 29

Back in England, we were at the port of Liverpool, the birthplace of the Beatles. We had been immersed in their music over the previous few days with evening productions on the ship. In Liverpool, we all went to stroll through “The Beatles Story,” an interactive experience about their beginnings and the evolution of their music and their lives.

Then we hopped on a double-decker bus and explored the city of Liverpool, saw James Street, along with several churches and beautiful architecture. The evening show aboard ship was a hilarious British comedian. People often arrived late to the shows, so this comedian called out to one of the latecomers, saying, “Can I get you anything…..like…..a watch!?!” Another good day!

Day 7: Friday, June 30

Belfast, Northern Ireland and the Giant’s Causeway were on our agenda for today. We left the ship and took a bus through the most beautiful landscape of rolling hills, green meadows, and rock walls. Sheep and cows were grazing in lush fields. The Causeway is a UNESCO site, comprised of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. Burt and Marlene took a shuttle, while the others hiked down to the shore and walked around on the columns. We then stopped for lunch in a little town, where we had our takeaway fish and chips. We ended the day with dinner together, at which time the ship's multicultural staff sang a rousing rendition of happy birthday to Steve (3 times…a little slower each time, yes, he was blushing). What a gift to have this dinner time each day where we share pictures, stories, and memories!

Day 8: Saturday, July 1

Scotland is another beautiful country. Our trip brought us to Glasgow. We started with the Glasgow Cathedral, the burial place of St. Mungo and also a memorial to John Knox. This former Roman Catholic cathedral was converted to and remains today a Presbyterian church. The second stop of the day was the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. One of its famous paintings is "Christ of Saint John of the Cross" by Salvador Dali.

July 1 is the day for the annual Orange Walk. The Orange Walk is a public parade organized by the Orange Order, an exclusively Protestant fraternal organization, celebrating the victory of the Dutch Protestant Prince William of Orange over the English Catholic King James, on July 12, 1690 at the Battle of the Boyne. There were many parades throughout the city that we were able to see and experience; obviously, this was a politically controversial event. 

The day ended with a double rainbow.

Day 9: Sunday, July 2

Today was a day at sea. We worshipped with our Fellowship Church family online, rested, relaxed, and had a special dinner on the ship at its Italian specialty restaurant, Sabatini’s.

Day 10: Monday, July 3

Our port was Invergordon, Scotland. Our bus tour traveled to Loch Ness, where we boarded a boat in search of Nessie. The views were breathtaking, from the rocky shoreline to the deep, dark water. This Loch is 22 miles long, one mile wide, and 750 feet deep in the middle. The weather was cold, windy, and rainy. We braved riding in the upper level of the boat for a short time, but then we gladly moved to the warmer inside seats. But, alas, no Nessie sightings!

We also explored St. Andrews Cathedral, still a very active church, including children’s activities and programs for seniors. Knitted mice were displayed throughout the church, part of a scavenger hunt for kids, which made us smile as we walked through the church's interior.

Day 11: Tuesday, July 4

A tender took us from our ship to the port, where we then boarded a bus into Edinburgh, Scotland. As we made our way into the city, we saw Princess Anne go by in an escorted motorcade. We found out that King Charles and Queen Camilla were scheduled to be in town the next day. Preparations included blockade gates and businesses painting their signs in order to get the city ready for the royal visit.

This was another historic and magnificent city. Some of us spent time at the National Museum of Scotland (Molly, the first cloned sheep, is stuffed and on display), while the rest of us enjoyed walking the streets and exploring the city. We learned that the architecture of public buildings, schools, and castles provided Edinburgh native J.K. Rowling's inspiration for the buildings in the Harry Potter series. The city is also the resting place of the body of John Knox.

Day 12; Wednesday, July 5

This was our second and final “at sea” day. We were nearing the end of the cruise. We welcomed the time to sleep in, kick back, and begin packing.

Day 13: Thursday, July 6

Our final stop was the port of Le Havre, France. From here, we boarded a bus to tour the landing beaches, cemetery, and visitor center of the Normandy invasion area. It was an overwhelmingly somber, yet rich, experience to walk the ground where 10,000 servicemen died, to be among the thousands of white crosses, and to view the artifacts of a war in which so many lives were sacrificed for the freedom that we enjoy today. Our last stop was Omaha Beach with the Le Braves Sculpture embodying "Wings of Hope," "Rise. Freedom!," and "Wings of Fraternity."

Days 14-17: Friday - Monday, July 7 - 10 

The ship returned to Southampton, and we disembarked by 7:30 AM for transfer to Heathrow Airport. Our plane left on time for JFK Airport and a connecting flight to Detroit. At JFK, however, we discovered that our flight to Detroit had been canceled due to "potential storms." The only next available flight was Sunday, July 9. This meant a two-night layover in New York City. We were able to get a Comfort Inn in the vicinity of the airport. Stephen, James, Petra, and Danny used the delay to explore NYC. Lisa, Marlene, and Burt stayed at the hotel to rest. 

On Sunday, we got to the airport and onto the plane, but the plane was not permitted to leave because of "weather issues." We sat on the runway for two and a half hours before returning to the terminal with instructions to take our bags with us. Finally, after hours and hours of exploring options (including two rental cars) with little success, our plane was finally cleared to board at around 7:00 PM. We eventually took off at 9:30 PM, arriving in Detroit near midnight, then driving back to Holland and getting home at 4:30 AM on Monday.

 We say, "Thank you, Lord, for an incredible, epic, amazing, once-in-a-lifetime rich family- shared experience!" 

Each of us concluded that we would do it all over again in a heartbeat!