Each month this year we are encouraging our students and their families—and anyone else who would like to join us—to learn and master (or relearn and refresh) something we call, “Heart Holds.” Heart Holds are specific and basic teachings that all Christians should be able to refer to at any moment. They may be items to memorize, or Scriptures to read during the month, or concepts to understand and mentally grasp or to put into practice.  Each month will be a different type of something for you to “hold on to” to help you stay firm in your faith.


Below, you will find additional resources to accompany our Heart Holds.


Click here for a complete list of this year's Heart Holds.

10 Scriptures for 2023

In addition to our 2023 Heart Holds, we have provided 10 passages of Scripture to focus on this year. You will find the list below.


You can commit to reading the Scripture 10 times during the month, commit to reading it once per week, followed by a time of prayer, or commit to memorizing all 10 of these Scriptures if you want to! The point is to focus on each passage for an extended period of time, letting God’s Word fill your heart and mind.


As we work on Heart Holds together, may God strengthen our hearts so that we will remain steadfast in Him. 


February: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

March: Matthew 28:19-20

April: Acts 2:37-39

May: Joshua 1:9

June: Isaiah 53:3-5

August: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

September: Exodus 34:10

October: Galatians 5:22-25

November: Psalm 16:5-6

December: Philippians 4:6-9

Learn about the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt

Read one of the passages listed below each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the month. 


After reading each Scripture, draw a line on the map to the next place where the Israelites traveled in that day's passage. 


Download a printable PDF of this month's Scriptures and map! 


Week 1

Monday, May 1: Exodus 12:37 & 13:17-22

Wednesday, May 3: Exodus 14 & Numbers 33:8

Friday, May 5: Exodus 15:23-26


Week 2

Monday, May 8: Exodus 15:27

Wednesday, May 10: Exodus 17:8-16

Friday, May 12: Exodus 19-20


Week 3

Monday, May 15: Numbers 33:35, Deuteronomy 2:1-7

Wednesday, May 17: Numbers 13

Friday, May 19: Numbers 20:14-21


Week 4

Monday, May 22: Deuteronomy 2:24-25

Wednesday, May 24: Deuteronomy 34:1-3

Friday, May 26: Joshua 3


Week 5

Monday, May 29: Joshua 6

Read the Miracles of Jesus

Each day in April, read about one of the miracles performed by Jesus! Some days include readings of more than one miracle and other days include the same miracle recorded in different Gospels. 


Download a reading calendar here.

Read the Book of Matthew in the New Testament

Read through the Gospel of Matthew this month! The book of Matthew is the first book in the New Testament and is one of the four Gospels. It tells about the life of Jesus, from his genealogy and his birth to his teachings and to his death and resurrection.


In Matthew, we see that Jesus is the Messiah from the line of David. He is Immanuel, which means “God with us.”


There are 28 chapters in Matthew, so read 1 chapter per day. Your reading plan will look like this:


March 1: Matthew 1

March 2: Matthew 2

March 3: Matthew 3

March 4: Matthew 4

March 5: Matthew 5...

and so on, until March 28 when you finish
the book of Matthew!


Try to stay on track and read a chapter each day, but if you get behind, you will have March 29-31 to finish reading the book.


We have a printable sheet hang up so you remember to read a chapter each day, and we also have a printable bookmark! Click on the links below for our printables.


Download a March Bookmark

Download a Reminder Sheet

Memorize the Old & New Testament Books of the Bible

For this Heart Hold, memorize all 39 books in the Old Testament and all 27 books in the New Testament that you see listed below. 


Knowing all the books in the Old and New Testaments will allow you to easily find that book in your Bible whenever you need it!


To help make memorizing easier, you can sing the list in a song. Check out the songs in these videos!


OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi



NEW TESTAMENT

Books of the New Testament Song from Alameda Church of Christ on Vimeo.



Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation