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My mother sketched out Psalm 1 and Ephesians 6 by hand on an over-sized notepad. At dinner, we would repeat the passages using her illustrations as a guide. To this day, her drawing of a gleaming Roman helmet comes to mind when I read Paul’s admonition for believers to put on the full armor of God.
Illustrations aid in memory. My mother knew that and found a way to help her family understand and apply God’s Word using pictures.
Today, I am excited to share with you a tool by Heart Binders Innovations that will not only help your family remember what God’s Word says but what it means and how it applies to everyday life – all through illustrations. Plus, there’s an amazing giveaway at the end of this post! GIVEAWAY CLOSED. Winners announced below.
An Illustrated Bible Memory System
Vicki Palaganas is the founder and artist at Heart Binders. She creates illustrated Bible memory systems that dig deep into Scripture.
Currently, she offers complete curriculum sets for Psalm 91, a Proverbs series based on the self-confident fool, and the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-21.
Each system includes hand-drawn pictures of each verse to help children visualize the Scripture.
We tried out the Ps. 91 system and I was blown away by how well my five-year-old boys retained and understood this iconic passage.
The first day we read through some of the cards, they understood and repeated words like ‘pestilence!’ And while they sometimes ask me to help them with the first word in a verse, I am amazed how much they can remember from the pictures alone.
Here’s my son, Zach, saying Ps. 91:1-13.
When they are fearful at night from bad dreams, we now have common ground from which to discuss God’s protection. They can now picture themselves nestling under his feathers. They can visualize God standing over them like a stone fortress, and they know God is victorious over the serpent and the fowler.
That’s big truth and big comfort for little ones! That’s what God’s Word does when we internalize it. The Spirit causes it to increase our faith!
Why I love Heart Binders
Each curriculum is an entire memory system. This system is a homeschooling household’s dream! The Psalm 91 passage came with illustrations for all 16 verses, a study guide, an e-book including tests, a guided teaching CD, a workbook, flashcards, and a storybook. Because my boys aren’t reading yet, we simply used the flashcards. But for readers, there is no end to the ways this system allows you to reinforce the truth they are learning.
The system digs into Hebrew and Greek. Fellow word nerds rejoice! This was my favorite part of the Heart Binders system. Vicki provides definitions and explanations for almost every Hebrew word in Ps. 91. In fact, the workbook includes space for children to write out the Hebrew and its meaning for each verse.
It was such a joy to sit down and talk about the meaning of the names of God (Almighty and Most High) with the boys, and it was even more thrilling for them to find out what some of the military terms meant like “snare of the fowler” and “buckler.” What a big view of God they both have because of this material!
I can’t wait to start her Proverbs series next, which includes 41 different Scriptures on wise and foolish behavior, highlighting five different types of fools we are warned against. After the boys finish this system, they will have been introduced to 150 new vocabulary words!
Her most recent system, the Christmas Story, was designed for families and groups, such as Christian schools or churches. Can you imagine a Christmas play using all Scripture? What a blessing to both the students and audience!
Want to win a system? Vicki is generously providing an entire memory system of Psalm 91 to 3 lucky Hive Resources readers! That’s a $70 value! Please enter to win below. (Open to US residents only. Contest ends Feb. 6 at midnight!) GIVEAWAY CLOSED. The winners are announced below. You each have 24 hours to contact me with your address before another winner is chosen. Info {at} hiveresources {dot} com.
Thank you for entering! I love Vicki’s heart and passion for God’s Word. Would you help grow her ministry by sharing this post on Facebook or pinning it to Pinterest?
Find out more about Heart Binders by visiting them online or their Facebook page. Special thanks to Heart Binders for providing me with a copy of her material to preview. I’m linking up with Thought-Provoking Thursday and Faith-filled Friday!
“Let no mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about they neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.” Proverbs 3:3
Melissa, this sounds wonderful! I love filling my kids with Scripture. We usually just do straight memorization, but this sounds fun and educational. What a great giveaway. Thanks!!
We use music, like songs for saplings or seeds of praise. It’s so sweet to hear my little one say truths from God’s word!
Megan, I love both those resources! Thanks for sharing!
Many thanks to you for sharing! I am always seeking creative ways to bind scripture to my children’s hearts.
thanks for stopping by Emily!
What a neat resource! We teach our kids using music. It really helps them to remember it.
Betsy – do you have any other sources you use for that besides Saplings and Seeds? I’d love to hear!
I need this for learning and memorizing miself,, but it will be great to learn and memorize together!
Tracy, I was surprised by how much of Ps. 91 I remembered too as I worked with the boys to memorize it! This tool could definitely be used for moms, too! The older I get, the more ‘help’ I need!
Beautiful illustrations, and what a wonderful resource!!
We use song to best memorize scripture. Thanks for this!
I didn’t get saved until now at 25, and not by choice but for lack of the gospel introduction. My family is catholic so it was not very common for us to learn outside of Sunday school, which we were bored and stopped going. My son is 2 and just hearing his little voice pray fills my heart that he has the knowledge of truth so early. I want to strive to teach my son real joy, and to establish a connection with God so he may never feel alone, or scared
Hi DiAna – thanks for stopping by. Teaching our children to apply God’s Word brings them such joy! Keep up the good work!
We simply read a verse over and over. Would love to see what the Heart Binders system is all about!
I teach the girls their Bible verses through song and repetition. Brie has The Books of The Bible, down pat, as long as she can still sing them. This looks very exciting, and I may need to add it to my library of goodies. I wish I had memorized more scripture as a child, because then I would have more verses to lean on in my time of need. Thank you for sharing this wonderful resource.
Hey, Jess, what song do you use to teach the kids the books of the Bible? My boys don’t know them yet, but it would be fun to teach them!
We usually use resources that have a story tied to the scripture and then practice them over breakfast each morning. This resource looks great!!! Thanks for sharing!
oh, i love that your day with Scripture! We do it during the day, but I would love to start earlier in the day so that it impacts your perspective!
We do pictures and illustration cards!
Melissa, Judy Rogers has some great song that teach Bible truths. You can check her out at JudyRogers.com. Click on lyrics to see the words of her songs. (I loved the video of Zach.)
Thank you Shirley! I will check out her site!
I love this giveaway! I used to teach my children scripture passages through copywork, posters, and songs (I love Steve Green). My auditory learner learned them best through songs. My visual learner learned best through seeing them. I think this memory system would work really well for visual learners and possibly other learners as well.
We use music and visual Bible verses on our learning wall. None of my children are readers, so we use visual as well as written mediums for teaching God’s Word.
Hi, I am really impressed with this system. Thanks for sharing.
I have printed some of the verses and hung them in the dining area and my children will repeat before and after meals.
I hope you don’t mind. I blogged about this fantastic giveaway today! I just had to share it. Thanks so much for hosting it.
This looks like a fantastic system for visual learners!
What version of the Bible are they in?
Hey Joy! Currently, she offers KJV and NKJV. We used the NKJV because it really is my favorite translation. Great question!
I have just entered your giveaway! Thank you so much!