19 Jul 2015 Starting the school year with a Scripture Box

by Laurie Green

Back to school has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I love all the new, must-have items that come out each season. From Lisa Frank felt and sparkle notebooks to battery-powered locker chandeliers, school shopping is fun! In my school days, the top-of-the-line item we had was an erasable ink pen that didn’t even work very well. Who remembers that? Seriously, it makes me a little sad to know we didn’t have all the cool stuff that our kids have today.

This will be the first time in 13 years that I won’t be snatching up my Greenbrier school supply list from Walmart and shopping until I drop. With all four kids in college, they care more about practical than pretty. Hot pockets and mac and cheese have replaced all the cute binders. However, there is one cherished item that I will make sure my kids start the school year with — the Scripture Box.

The first time I had ever heard about a Scripture Box was at a New Life Church ladies weekend. I sat at a table filled with books, Bibles, index cards, pens and colored Sharpies and I felt at a total loss. As I listened to Stephanie Ward explain the purpose of these boxes, I felt inspired yet overwhelmed. The best way to describe a Scripture Box is that you write a verse of scripture on an index card, place it inside an index card holder and have easy access to the word of God.

Over the years, my box has become more and more special to me. As I grew in faith, my Scripture Box grew. I learned that instead of lying in bed worrying, I would write scripture down. Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” was put into full action in my Scripture Box. To this day, some of my most treasured moments were sitting with my kids and spending hours writing down God’s word.

We learned when we faced a struggle, we could open the box and pull out a card and apply the word of God to our problem. My son struggled for years with a fear of storms. The moment a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning happened, he went hysterical.

So we found him a scripture, Isaiah 41:10, and wrote it on a card. He taped it on his bed and during every hint of bad weather, he read those words over and over. I can’t remember how fast it happened, but I know that he is no longer afraid of storms. Even more so, I have witnessed him speak this verse over others who were afraid.

So what better time than back to school to start a project with your child that will spill over into their adulthood. In my opinion, the word of God is one of the most essential items we can ever equip our children with. So as you shop for all this year’s latest and greatest school supplies, go ahead and fill your basket with the items needed to create their special Scripture Box. The rewards will be eternal.