Dawson Trotman Salvation Story

Dawson Trotman's salvation story highlights the importance of memorizing scripture. This would be great to use with COCUSA staff to highlight the importance of memory verses.

Trotman's high school years featured impressive credentials. He was class valedictorian, student body president, chairman of the student council, and captain of the basketball team.

However, the next several years saw Trotman's life drift dangerously. He gambled. He drank. He became a noted pool shark. However, a late night encounter with a local policeman was the catalyst for a spiritual encounter with Jesus Christ.

Drunk and unable to find his car, Trotman was arrested at an amusement park. Fortunately, the officer saw a deeper problem than alcohol.
"Son, do you like this kind of life?" the officer questioned. "Sir, I hate it," Trotman replied. The policeman returned Trotman's keys and encouraged him to change his lifestyle.

Two days later, Trotman attended a youth gathering at a local church where contests were conducted for Scripture memorization.
Given ten verses on salvation, Trotman was the only person in the group who memorized them for the next week's meeting. Given ten more verses to memorize on spiritual growth for the next week, Trotman quickly grasped them as well.

Several weeks later, one of the Scripture verses on salvation flashed through his mind. And it was then that he asked for Christ to change his life. "Oh God," he said, "whatever it means to receive Jesus, I want to do it right now."

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