Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Getting Into the Story

     Yesterday, I wrote about my decision to not do the 90 Day Bible reading challenge because of an alternate plan our pastor shared with us this weekend.  For me, it's much more doable.
     So here's the plan, and seriously, if I can find a way to use this with/adapt it for my kids come fall, I'm going to!  (Secular reading of course.)  This is such a solid way to learn.

Sunday:  Read one entire Gospel (I chose Luke) to get the big story, choose one story from that whole.
Truth, I got bogged down in this, started thinking of other things, and since I'd  found my story to tell early on, I quit about 2/3 through.  I chose a story, The Parable of the Sower from Luke chapter 8.

Monday:  Read the story to yourself three times, consider different translations
I read The Message, NIV and NLT.
NLT's was my favorite.

Tuesday:  Read the story out loud three times.  Read with feeling as if you were there.
That's tonight, right after posting this.

Wednesday:  Tell the story three times, use pictures to help remember the important parts. 
Pictures will help with this one.
(path, rock, thorns, soil)

Thursday:  Find an audience and tell your story.
Okay, so I'm married to a minister, not too intimidating.  Truth?  He asked me on Monday to tell him what I remembered, and he was very encouraging.
Ask them three questions:
1. Who do you think the story was about?
2.  What happened to the main character(s)?
3.  How did that person(s) change?
Now there are more, and better questions, but I'll just start with these three for now.

Friday:  Soak (just think of the story.)

Saturday:  Analyze and pray.  

This is my third night into this and the story is sticking with me.  It's not about verse memorization, it's about the story, and in this story I see myself.

7/1/2011: Because this post has received so many comments, and, more, because this experience has been so impactful on  me, I am linking up here:

Mama Made it Look Easy

12 comments:

Gretchen said...

OOH OOH OOH can I use this?

I am trying to get my kids to understand the concept of a book report.

Sadly, I stink at explaining it. Quadratic equations? No problem. Geometric proofs? Piece of cake.

How to do a book report? Uh....

And by, "read the gospel", which one are you reading? Matthew Mark Luke or John? Or all four?

Beth Zimmerman said...

So ... when you say read the whole Gospel (3 times) .... you mean the whole book (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), all 4, or just one story within the book?

Ellen aka Ellie said...

Beth and Gretchen, good questions. I just did some editing to make that more clear.

One story from Luke, his gospel only.

Pam C said...

For my new position at work I am soaking up information from a wide variety of books - textbooks, memoirs etc and I often find myself reading for quantity, not quality. I try really hard not to do that - I know my brain needs time to consolidate all of the info so I love the Friday night soak idea! (With all of this new info I think I will need a nightly soak!)

Rebecca Jo said...

Wow - that is definitely a way to make a message, or scripture, or a story stick! Love it!

Daenel T. said...

Glad you found a program that works for you. I don't think the method of reading the Bible matters so much as that you receive the message.

ALI said...

What I learned in school (or more accurately - out of school) is the best learning is doing. And with the Word, you cannot do so much as you can read, absorb, repeat, recite.

And that sounds like a plan that will enable to consume, not just read what is written.

Good luck!

Ellen aka Ellie said...

I just sat alone and told my story out loud three times. Such fun! Tomorrow I share it with Brad. Eep!

Anonymous said...

Great inductive technique. I may have to pass this on! I love the story of the sower, too.

Stacy said...

I'm finally getting around to reading this. I like it! I wish I'd had it back when I was a youth leader...would have been a great tool to use with the kids we were mentoring as leaders. I'm going to have to give it a go...maybe next week. I love the idea of spending so much time savoring one story...getting everything you can out of it.

Jennifer said...

This is an amazing idea. I've always just tried to sit down and straight read the Bible and I just can't do it, but taking time to absorb what you are reading makes so much more sense.

Thanks so much for linking up.

leslie@gleaninggrace said...

Wow! I really love that idea! I'll have to try it sometime.
In order to stay "in the Word" i have to stay involved in a local women's bible study. It helps hold me accountable and introduces to books I haven't read before or at least not read in depth :-)