What We Love Wednesday – Scripture Typer

Growing up, whenever I would ride with my dad, I would flip through these small AWANA verse packs he kept in his car.  I was always amazed that I could flip to any verse, give the reference and he could say the verse.  He certainly found a method of memorizing scripture that worked for him, but as an adult I struggled to find a method that worked for me.  I tried journaling, notecards, highlighting – nothing seemed to give me the consistency of hiding God’s Word in my heart like I wanted.

Then a few years ago during Navigators at West Point, a friend introduced me to Scripture Typer!

Scripture Typer is kind of like a video game for Bible memory.  You earn points for memorizing and reviewing verses.  It is the only method of Bible memorization that has worked consistently for me as an adult.

It is really simple: plug verses in and then work to master each one. You can even choose preset groups of scripture based on topic.  It has three levels of helps to build you up to typing the verse completely on your own.  You don’t even have to type the whole verse – just the first letter of every word, which makes it quick and efficient.

Then once you master a verse, it automatically sets up a review schedule for each mastered verse, ranging from every day to once a year.  (I cap mine at to review every six months.)

You earn points for your verses, can work to earn badges and see your progress against others on the leaderboard.

It has been very effective for me.  If I run across a verse I want to memorize while I’m reading or listening to a sermon, I simply plug it in to have for later.  Then I spend about 10-15 minutes each morning (most of the time before I even get out of bed) reviewing the verses for the day.

A few years ago I was challenged to memorize the book of James and this app gave me the tools to do it!

It’s not just for adults – it’s perfect for kids too!

Check it out here!

What ways have you found to be most effective for memorizing Scripture?

Acts twenty24 Ministries

It’s Missionary Monday!  My dream for these post would be that each of these featured ministries would gain new supporters and prayer partners through these posts.

Today I’m happy to feature Austin and Lindsay Wilson today!  September 11 seemed like a perfect day to talk about their ministry since they are both veterans, they live right outside the gates of West Point, which is less than an hour north of New York City.  Austin and Chad were classmates and our families were fortunate to be neighbors when we returned to West Point in 2012.  Austin and Lindsay are now full-time missionaries, serving the cadets and surrounding community of West Point.

The one word that always comes to mind when I think of the Wilsons is selfless.  I have never met a more selfless, humble couple that seek to honor the Lord with their family and ministry.  Their kind, gentle spirits shine in everything they do.

Lindsay is a busy homeschooling mom of six! She and Austin just welcomed their sixth child, Mercy Gabriella, on August 1st.  She joins her big sisters, Millie, Claire, Ruthie, Selah and big brother Praise.

 

 

Austin & Chad in their cadet days!

 

 

 

Here is a little more about their ministry:

Stephanie: What is your story? How did you land as missionaries at West Point?

Lindsay: We have been doing home church since we got married 9 years ago.  When we were at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, we could not find a community of people to learn and serve with, so we gathered up friends and other classmates of Austin’s to have church together in our homes.  Since then, the Lord has continually opened that door for us and we continued to have church in our home for years.  As Austin’s commitment came to a close in the Army we felt God telling us he wanted us to leave active duty to go into vocational ministry.  Our hearts were open to go anywhere, yet for some reason we felt God saying to stay where we were… at West Point.  I remember asking God: Why West Point, when I am offering to go ANYWHERE in the world?!  The answer I heard blew me away… “You speak their language.”  I know that meant more than just English.  Austin being a West Point grad as well as an Army brat who lived at West Point for  more than 11 years total, and me being prior Air Force… the military is a “language” that not everyone understands unless you have been there, done that.   We are still willing to shift or change locations as God leads, but for now we feel absolutely PRIVILEGED to minister to many of America’s future leaders.

Stephanie: What is the heartbeat of your ministry?

Austin: Our heartbeat is to see no place left at West Point–meaning no place left that hasn’t heard or had a chance to respond to the good news of our Jesus.   In addition, we seek to make disciples of Jesus who carry on the vision of No Place Left to wherever they go.  We see West Point as a concentrated leader hub with the potential to send out missionaries “fully funded” by the United States government to the Army and the world.  (Romans 15:23)

Stephanie: What is on the horizon for you guys and your ministry?

Austin: Our hope is that we can see the whole church (every believer) at West Point embrace the vision of no place left so much so that we have to move on to another region of the world.

Stephanie: How can people pray for you?

Austin: We are continually praying for more laborers that are willing to give their whole life to Jesus and abide so deeply in Him that they can’t help but share Jesus with everyone they come in contact with. And the Lord’s prayer for us: that His Kingdom would come to West Point in an even greater way…and all the way through the prayer 🙂

Stephanie: What is your biggest need(s) as a ministry/family?

Lindsay: More time…lol…jk.  Anyone want to come be a live in cook?…jk again.  God actually just provided one of our biggest needs in a full-sized van!  So we are so blessed and provided for even though we have never been at 100% of our monthly budget.  But God has always provided, even during months where we didn’t know what was going to happen.

Stephanie: How can people follow you and learn more about your ministry?

Austin: We have a website at actstwenty24.org  That’s the best place where people can check us out, support our ministry and sign up for our newsletter.

Thanks for stopping by!

Missionary Monday

Serving

Helping

Indigenous

Ministries

 Serving Christ by Helping Indigenous Ministries in India and Myanmar.

 

Chad and I are extremely blessed have a strong Christian heritage.  On the first installment of Missionary Monday last week, I shared about my Pa-paw and today I am honored to share with you the ministry Chad’s grandparents – Norm and Sharron Monroe – have built over the last 25 years.   (If you are a pastor, small group leader or Sunday school teacher – please take time to read about this ministry.  It is a worthy investment!)

While living in Minnesota in 1991, a pastor friend, Dr. Roger Peterson, approached Grandpa Monroe with the opportunity to go to India on a short-term trip to teach in a Bible college.  Feeling the Lord’s call to go, Grandpa Monroe took his first trip to India January 1, 1992.

For three years, his trips consisted of teaching in the Bible College and building relationships with local pastors and believers.  In 1995, he began preaching in evangelistic meetings, flying to towns and villages throughout the surrounding areas, in addition to teaching in the Bible College.

Since that first trip, he has taken 64 trips to India – that averages out to 3-4 trips per year!  This year, Grandpa Monroe turned 80 years old, yet he says he feels more like 40.  He attributes his health and stamina during these frequent, long trips to the Lord (and maybe a little to Grandma Monroe’s muffin’s and workout regimen : ).

Here is more of my interview with Grandpa Monroe:

Stephanie:  What is the heartbeat of your ministry?

Grandpa Monroe:   Obedience to the Great Commission is the heartbeat of the ministry. The purpose of my trips to India the last 25 years has been to evangelize the lost, edify the believers, establish churches and to equip STRONG and STEADFAST students to be SKILLFUL servants of Christ.”

Acts 14:21-23 states:
“ And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

In training local pastors and leaders, we seek to carry out II Timothy 2:2:

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

In one of his most famous speeches during WWII, Winston Churchill called on America, saying:

“Give us the tools and we’ll finish the job.”

We cannot do the work of the local pastors and believers in India.  We work with indigenous people to teach and equip them to reach their own people with the gospel of Christ.

Stephanie: What’s something the Lord been done in your ministry lately?

Grandpa Monroe:  One of the biggest needs of for the local pastors is funds to help some of these rural pastors purchase small plots of land on which to put up small buildings for worship. Many Indian people will not come to a house for Bible studies. Through generous donations of some of the individuals here in the States, we have been able to supply three local pastors with funds to help them in this process.

Stephanie: How can we pray for your ministry?

Grandpa Monroe: For the pastor and believers in India the greatest prayer is for their safety.  In 2008, militant Hindus killed approximately 100 Christians and burned down countless churches.  Thousands of Christians were displaced, so to this day because it is unsafe to return to their villages.  While the constitution technically allows the freedom of religion, believers still face great persecution.  Accepting Christ and being baptized in the Hindu culture means a believer will be disowned from their families, lose their jobs and be cut off from society.

For Grandma and I, just pray for our continued good health to carry on this work.

Stephanie: How can people donate to your ministry and partner with you?

Grandpa Monroe: We pass on 100% of the donations we receive directly to the local pastors in India.  Having retired as an Air Traffic Controller with the Navy, we are blessed that we do not need to keep any of the funds for living expenses or operating costs.  We are simply a conduit to organize and funnel resources from God’s people here to the believers there.

An ongoing gift of $100/month, can support a local pastor in India.  Typically, a foreign missionary family needs $80,000-$90,000 a year of support to stay on the field.  For just $100/month we can support a local pastor to reach his own people.

In addition to needing funds for land and church buildings, Bibles are needed.  They cost about $3 each in local languages purchased in India.

We are also happy to travel to churches to share our work and more about our ministry.  To schedule us for a missions conference or service at your church, to give to our ministry or to receive our newsletter, people can contact me directly here.

 

Grandpa & Grandma Monroe are extraordinary examples of how age does not define our ability to serve in the kingdom of God.  I pray that many of your will partner in this work!