CMP Review 2025-03-27

March 27, 2025

Many of us know Greg Rolling by his voice — his expressive reading has been for us the sound of H. W. Household, Arthur Burrell, and others on the Charlotte Mason Poetry podcast.

But I also know Greg from a different context — he was a participant with me in the first Idyll Challenge nearly ten years ago. I had the privilege of interacting with him and several other men each month as we discussed Charlotte Mason’s volumes. He explained that one point in particular struck home with him.

He wrote an article about it entitled “A Look in the Mirror.” In it he describes a disconcerting realization: “I suddenly understood the problem of my morning devotions, and how I could read faithfully and walk away forgetting what I had read.”

To address this problem, he began the practice of making written narrations of his daily Bible reading. At the time I thought it was a wonderful and inspiring idea, but surely not something I had time to imitate myself.

In the years since, however, I have learned that in there is another kind of narration besides oral and written narration: mental narration. For several months now I have been “mentally narrating” my daily Bible readings and the practice has transformed my relationship with God’s word. I’ve experienced firsthand the difference between reading and knowing.

If you missed Greg’s article when it first came out, I encourage you to check it out. But when you read or hear it, consider that mental narration is also a powerful option. Find his inspiring message here.

@artmiddlekauff