It's important to set realistic goals when trying to memorize 7,958 verses. One website I came across had a schedule for memorizing the entire NT in 5 years. I chose 20 years and discovered that even 20 years was too much for me.
I believe that I could have memorized the NT in 5 years if:
1. If I would only memorize 5 new verses a day (every day) and did not keep up with verses I had already memorized in the past. I would forget most of what I had memorized in the past.
2. If I had hours a day to memorize - which I don't have. At best I was able to carve out 45 minutes a day to memorize, and most of that 45 minutes was spent in testing myself over past memory verses (90 in total every day) so I wouldn't forget what I had already memorized.
3. If I had photographic memory or amazing skills in memorizing - which I don't have.
Because I don't have enough time or brilliance to memorize the NT in 5 years, I chose to try to memorize one new verse a day for just over 20 years. As it became more and more stressful to forge out 45 minutes a day to memorize, I cut it down to 6 days a week, then 5, then 3, and finally quit altogether after I had memorized almost 1/2 of the NT.
GOAL ONE - ONE VERSE A DAY
I suggest one verse a day for anyone who starts memorizing.
GOAL TWO - 45 MINUTES A DAY
You won't be spending 45 minutes a day for a few weeks or even for a month or two. At first it will be just 10 minutes or so a day. But after you begin memorizing entire books, you will need the time to go back to review in order to keep what you have.
GOAL THREE - 20 to 30 YEARS
This seems daunting, but I have learned through experience that 20 years does come and go quickly - and it will for you. After you have been going at it for awhile, you will be able to pace yourself better and set new and more realistic goals. Even if you decide to go for 40 or 50 years, go for it.
I have been in several 26 mile marathons, several 13 milers, and one big triathlon. I was average for the marathons and came in last place for the long distant triathlon (1+ mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13.1 mile run). In all these, I finished, I reached my goals, and I felt great when I reached the goals.
In my triathlon, it didn't matter that I had come in last place, because while training, I set a realistic goal for my body and I reached that goal - and I loved it. My goal was to finish this race without failing, and without slowing down from exhaustion. Granted, most of the others were younger, had better equipment and could swim 2 times as fast as me.
In preparing, I considered my health, my age, the time I had for training, and so on; and in preparing, I adjusted my goals accordingly.
It's the same with memorizing the NT. Forge out a realistic amount of time every day (you may have to cut out an hour of T.V.). In forging out your time, consider your abilities.
GOAL FOUR - CONSIDER YOUR ABILITIES
Most people undersell their abilities to memorize. A few people oversell.
If you think you could never memorize so much scripture, you are probably underselling yourself. You can do a lot more than you realize... most people can. To you I say, "Stop telling yourself you can't do it, and try for a few weeks - you will be surprised."
To those who oversell their abilities, "Try out for a few weeks and when you realize you are not as good as you think you are, slow down a bit and reset your goals for the long run."
Like running or swimming, you won't know how much you can do until you jump in and give it a try. Because you are not used to rigorous exercise, you may sink or want to quit quickly; but if you start slowly and build up, you eventually get into the routine and once in the routine you will be able to learn how much you can handle and how much is too much.
GOAL FIVE - DO NOT LOOK AT THOSE AROUND YOU
If in this journey you find others who can memorize a lot better than you, don't get discouraged and quit. In all likelihood, they will quit long before they reached their goals and you will then be able to pass them up. When I was in the triathlon, there were several people who were much faster, younger, and better than I, but they quit during the triathlon for different reasons. I beat them only because I endured and kept to the pace I knew I could handle.
In reality, you will probably not run into anyone else who will run the NT marathon with you. Why not? Most people think its too hard and too much. But you will know better, once you start yours.
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