Words from the Heart

Why Memorizing Scripture as a Child Matters: A Psalm 23 Story for Families There is something uniquely powerful about words learned in childhood.Songs we sang as kids, rhymes we repeated, and stories we heard again and again often stay with us for life. Scripture is no different, except its impact is far deeper. When children memorize God’s Word, they are storing up truth long before they fully understand it. They may not grasp every phrase or picture in the moment, but those words take root. They become familiar. Safe. Known. And one day, often unexpectedly, they bloom into understanding and comfort. Memorizing Scripture as a child is simply easier. Their minds are open, flexible, and naturally wired for repetition. What might take an adult weeks to commit to memory can be absorbed by a child through gentle, consistent exposure. Even if the meaning feels abstract at first, the rhythm and truth of Scripture settle into their hearts. And when life becomes difficult — when fear, pain, or uncertainty appear — those hidden words often surface. I’ve seen this firsthand in our own family. When our kids were little, my husband Ted always enjoyed doing the bedtime routine. He worked all day, so those quiet evening moments were precious to him. He would play games with them, read books with them, and pray with them. He also began choosing passages from the Bible and helping them memorize Scripture — not just single verses, but entire passages. Night after night, line by line, they repeated them together. Before long, they could recite sections of Scripture without missing a beat. Psalm 23 was one of the very first passages they learned by heart. Years later, we saw just how important those early memories really were. When our daughter Kallie was 22, she broke her leg — a complete fracture of the femur — in a wakeboarding accident. That night in the hospital, as we waited for surgery, she asked me to recite Psalm 23 with her again and again. She had memorized those words as a child. They were written on her heart. And on one of the most painful and uncertain nights of her life, those familiar verses became a source of comfort for both of us. They reminded us we were not alone. They steadied our thoughts and gave us peace in a moment we couldn’t control. That experience reinforced something I already believed, but now understood more deeply: when God’s Word is planted early, it stays. Children may not fully understand every word right away — and that’s okay. Understanding grows with time. The important thing is planting the seed. When Scripture is hidden in their hearts, it will be there when they need it most. That is the heart behind our upcoming Psalm 23 book. I wrote it to help families slow down, read together, and gently commit these sacred words to memory. To create simple moments at bedtime, around the table, or before school where Scripture becomes familiar and comforting. To give parents an easy way to help their children carry truth with them wherever they go. Because challenges will come.Uncertainty will visit.Life will have hard days. But when those moments arrive, a child who has hidden Scripture in their heart will not be empty-handed. They will remember. And when they remember, they will know their Shepherd is near.  

When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching the Jordan River, he made a declarationthat captures the whole mission of Christ in a single sentence: “Behold, the Lamb ofGod who takes away the sin of the world!” — John 1:29 Some translations say “Behold…” others say “Look…” but the meaning is the same.John the Baptist, whose purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah, identifiedJesus not first as King, Lord, or Teacher, but as a Lamb. Why Did John Call Jesus a Lamb? In Scripture, a lamb symbolizes innocence, purity,and sacrificial offering. From the Passover lamb in Exodus to the lambs offered daily inthe temple, the image consistently pointed to substitution: one life given so anothercould live. By calling Jesus “the Lamb of God,” John was saying: Jesus is God’s chosensacrifice; provided by God Himself, not by human priests; Jesus came to remove sin,not just cover it temporarily; and Jesus’ mission from the start was sacrificial, aimed attaking away “the sin of the world.” This was not poetic language. It was theological truth: Jesus came to die as the perfectoffering for humanity. But, John 10:11 offers an amazingly divine contrast. In anothermoment, Jesus described Himself in a completely different way: “I am the goodshepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” — John 10:11Here, Jesus is not the lamb. Here, He is the shepherd. A shepherd who protects,guides, and willingly gives His life on behalf of His flock. This creates a profound andbeautiful paradox: Jesus is both the Lamb who is sacrificed and the Shepherd whosacrifices Himself. At the cross, Jesus fulfills both identities: 1) As the Lamb, He offers Himself as thespotless sacrifice to take away sin; 2) As the Shepherd, He lays down His life out ofdeep love for His sheep. The Shepherd becomes the Lamb so the lambs may becomechildren of God. In Jesus, God reveals a redemption plan beyond human imagination: aLamb who saves, a Shepherd who dies, and a Savior who holds both identitiesperfectly. Only God could unite those two images in one person and design such a perfect storyof love, sacrifice, and salvation, where Jesus is both the Lamb and the Shepherd. By Ted Karr Image:  This is another one of the beautiful pieces of artwork from Jamie that will be in our Psalm 23 book.

How can anyone truly comprehend the love of God? He’s our Father, our Creator, the One to be revered, perfectly just, infinitely merciful, and overflowing with love. In fact, God is love itself. If you ever need proof, read 1 Corinthians 13 and replace every instance of “love” with “God.” It’s powerful. His love for us stretches far beyond human understanding. Yet, every now and then, we get tiny glimpses of it through the love we experience here on earth — little reflections of the power of God’s love. One of the first times I caught even a speck of what God’s love might look like was through my parents. I grew up in a home where love wasn’t just spoken, it was lived. Never once did I question whether my parents cared for me. They nurtured, guided, and cherished my siblings and me, even in our not-so-lovable moments. If flawed, imperfect humans can love so deeply, through toddler tantrums, teenage attitudes, and all the chaos in between, how much greater must God’s perfect love be? He is our heavenly Father, loving us as His precious sons and daughters. The love you feel from family, no matter how strong, isn’t even a sliver compared to the boundless love God has for you. Another way I’ve encountered God’s love is through my husband. This love is different, not parental, but chosen. Parents don’t get to pick their children, but in marriage, you intentionally choose someone and commit to love them for life, come what may. The Bible tells us that a husband and wife are to leave their father and mother and cling to one another (Genesis 2:24). Marriage is a covenant, a sacred promise before God. The love my husband and I share is imperfect but steadfast, a conscious decision every single day. Sometimes I marvel at how deeply my husband loves me, so patiently, so unconditionally, and then I remember that God’s love is even greater. That thought completely blows my mind! God chooses to love us, not because we’re perfect, but because it’s in His nature to love without limits. Recently, I’ve experienced another layer of understanding God’s love, through my baby girl, born this past July. She can’t yet say, “I love you,” but my heart overflows for her in ways I can’t describe. I’d do anything for her. And even if, someday, she pushes me away, says hurtful things, or walks a path that breaks my heart, I know I’ll still love her. Always. That’s how God feels about us. We sin, we ignore Him, we forget to pray, we fall short, yet His love never wavers. When I hold my daughter and realize God loves her even more than I do, and that He loves me that much too, it leaves me speechless.  Maybe you didn’t grow up with loving parents. Maybe you’ve never experienced a healthy marriage, or you don’t have children of your own. Maybe the word “love” feels distant or unfamiliar. If that’s you, please hear this: God loves you deeply, right now, just as you are. God proved His love through Jesus Christ, His one and only Son. Jesus, fully God and fully human, willingly took on our sins and died on the cross so we could be forgiven and restored. He did that for you, for me, for everyone. That’s love beyond comprehension,  the kind that dies for people who don’t even love back. And if you ever doubt that love, look around. Watch the sun rise, listen to the waves crash on the shore, walk through a forest, gaze at a glowing sunset, or look up at the stars twinkling in the night sky. Every bit of beauty on this earth is a love letter from your Creator, a reminder that your Father delights in you. No matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, God’s love for you remains unshaken. You can run from Him, deny Him, even curse His name, and still, He waits with open arms, ready to forgive and embrace you. His love isn’t fragile or conditional; it’s fierce, relentless, and eternal. You are never too lost, too broken, or too far gone for His grace. God doesn’t love you because you’re worthy, His love makes you worthy. That’s the miracle of divine love: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So if you’re wondering today whether God truly loves you, the answer is simple and unchanging, yes, more than you could ever imagine. Madison Mote