I had the opportunity to review the digital ebook from Brookdale House called Memorize Psalms for Praying. I was looking for something that would help me draw closer to our Lord and this seemed perfect. I decided to have my nine year old daughter join me as I thought it would be a wonderful way for having some bonding time. My daughter has actually been catching on to the passages quicker than I have been.

I received the ebook version of Memorize Psalms for Praying ($12.99), though a print copy is also available ($14.99). This Scripture memory system is great for adults and children, elementary age and above, as the child has to be able to write the Scripture out. The recommendation in the book was teens and adults; however, I have found that it is most definitely possible for younger children to participate. In order to use the ebook version you will need to be able to print it out.

In this book we are studying several different psalms, chosen by the author for their ability to help us remember who God is and how to pray to Him. We will be working on the following psalms: 1, 8, 23, 27, 51, 91, 121, and 139. Each psalm is divided into workable chunks which are to be focused on for one week at a time (or two if you choose to take longer). These psalms are spread out into 24 weeks of lessons, which can be stretched out to take 48 weeks, almost a whole year of focusing on God through the psalms.

Every day, Bible time should be started with prayer. The first day the psalm is to be read out loud a few times and then written on the lines that are provided. While writing, it is important to remember to say the words out loud. The reasoning behind this is to have a multi-sensory experience to aid in learning.  On the second day the same steps are followed; however, you are then supposed to fill in the blanks to complete the passage on the next page. These same steps are followed on days three and four; however, the fill in the blank portion becomes trickier as more words are removed. The second day 25% are missing, the third day 50% are gone, and then on the fourth day, 75% of the words are missing. If there are lines that prove to be more difficult to remember, it is suggested to find some keywords to help you jog your memory. On the final day of the week, it is expected that you be able to write the entire passage from memory.

We have been working on our verses slowly. I am so glad the author allowed for flexibility in using this book. Instructions are given regarding slowing down and speeding up the pace. My daughter and I were taking turns reading the passage. Sometimes we would alternate within the passage, other times we would each read the entire passage. In this way we were both getting a chance to say the verses and we both were able to hear it in different ways. Then we wrote out the entire passage and worked on the fill-in-the-blank.  I admit, it can be a lot of writing, which is why, especially for younger children, I appreciate the fact that we can wait til the next time to do the fill-in-the-blank.

The way this plan works reminds me of the way we used to memorize Scripture in the adult class at Vacation Bible School years ago. I always thought that it was a wonderful way to learn Bible passages.  I like the way this book keeps the blanks all the same length to ensure you are truly memorizing the Scripture and not just word identification.  This is a great Bible Memory System for children, teens and adults. However, I would recommend going at a slower pace for younger children so they don't get overwhelmed with all the writing. I highly recommend Memorize Psalms for Praying as a way to draw closer to the Lord.

- Product review by Karen Waide, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June, 2016