Reclaiming Memories-Tribute to Jim Ward

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Reclaiming Memories is a tribute to Jim Ward during his birthday month, celebrating his faithfulness and humility in passing on his personal understanding and experiences regarding God’s unfailing love and plans for His children. Sharing a loving marital relationship, parenting and a long life of ministry showers me with joy. I consider Jim my partner as I recount what he said, wrote and did as I continue our ministry.

Everyone struggles with forgetfulness to some degree. So, no matter our age, we all need guidelines for remembering. Personally, Intuitives will bear this out, that writing down what you don’t want to forget, helps to fasten ‘don’t forgets’ onto one’s mind. When ideas and chores come to me in the night, I grab the pad and pen on my bedstead and write down a few words to remind me. I rarely have to look at the pad; writing it down is all I need to do.

But after reading an article about forgetfulness or inability in remembering names, what was said and events is not solely age-caused but more often due to lack of retrieval—review, I planned to run it by Mac’s during our Friday morning chat. But before I brought that up, Mac told me about an article that he had read that forgetfulness was not caused by age as much as by rehearsed, failure to rehearse facts and figures. We both laughed about reading the same sort of article.

Then, I shared with him an unusual experience I’d had earlier that week which hinged on retrieving memories of more than seventy years ago. After hearing my story, he encouraged me to write a blog on it, being especially impressed with the inner workings of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. He also encouraged me to use this blog as a tribute to Jim on his birthday month. This is my experience.  

While I was routinely reading devotionals and journaling, a name from the past--Dawson Trotman—fluttered across my mind. I’d better write his name down, I said to myself, and put it in my ‘names’ file before I forget it.  I couldn’t ascertain any reason why his name was currently on my mind, because he was more Jim’s friend, than mine. Nevertheless, I followed my vibes and began a mental review of Jim’s account of knowing Dawson and the few times I had any contact with Dawson.

After Jim graduated from High school in 1951, he spent a year with his maternal grandparents in California enrolled in an auto mechanics class in a local college and actively involved in a church youth group. The leader of that group took a bus load of his youth group to attend a Dawson Trotman conference. That was all of the personal information I had on Dawson Trotman at that time—just a name. But being part of that youth group was a significant part of the rest of Jim’s life.

Because Jim was a year older than the majority of youth, George, the youth minister, leaned on him for assistance. As George observed Jim’s spiritual hunger and ease in working with the youth, he asked Jim if God had called him to the ministry. Jim’s simple answer was, “I’ve never thought about it.” George asked him if he’d ever heard of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Jim’s honest answer was “no”.
“Well, Moody Bible Institute, tuition free, would be a good school for you to attend to find out if God is calling you to pastor.  It’s August, and pretty late to enroll, but I know someone there who could help you get in. I’ll cover your registration fee.” Jim said, “Okay”.  He dropped everything and headed for Chicago.

I had two impersonal encounters with Dawson. The first happened during the summer vacation from Moody next to our last year when I was doing mission work in Waverly, Ohio and Jim was driving butane trucks for his uncle in Texas. We were in love.  I was excited-no-end to receive a letter from Jim, who was not a letter writer, inviting me to attend a conference in mid-August in Colorado Springs. He would cover the conference cost. Could I find a ride?  He would drive there from Odessa and we would go back to Odessa; his parents had agreed to drive us back to school for our final year.  

I didn’t know what conference it was, but I would go anywhere to see Jim. Fortunately, a family nearby going to the same conference offered me a ride. Jim and I were delighted to be together. I had never been to gorgeous Colorado, so that was exciting. There was a men’s dorm, a women’s dorm and a married dorm. Meals were served cafeteria style. Morning and afternoon sessions were offered and a worship service each evening. The crowd was huge.

Jim and I met for breakfast each morning and we attended zero sessions, only evening worship services, choosing rather to tour Colorado Springs and just be together. We were madly in love, and I fully expected Jim to pop the question at any time.  As I wrote in an earlier blog, we visited beautiful springs, breathtaking views and even Pike’s Peak. What better places to propose? But Jim passed them all up.

We were sitting on a bench (probably too closely) before going into the worship service--and a gentleman paused in front of us and asked, “Are you two married.” Jim said “no”.  When the man walked away, Jim said, “That was Dawson Trotman”.  That was my first meeting.

The second meeting occurred at the tail end of Jim’s and my first date, which was attending our senior class party, Jim said, “I want you to meet someone.” We walked to another building where a few guy-students were in a meeting. Jim introduced me to the leader--Dawson Trotman. That was it.

However, as Jim walked me back to my dorm, he described the Navigator scripture memorization plan that Dawson was presenting and asked If I’d be interested in doing it. I had memorized scripture on my own but welcomed a plan. Jim and I began the Navigator Memorization program together—learning three verses a week. As Jim and I stood in line for dinner, we’d say our memorized verses to each other, a routine that not only served to grow us spiritually but also knit us together as a team as we engaged in the most important and solid personal spiritual growth and discipline in preparation for ministry.

Last week, to settle my curiosity, I Googled Dawson Trotman’s name. As I pored over his life-story, I was so astounded by what I learned that I texted Kay a couple of times about my discoveries. The most important one was that Dawson Trotman actually founded the Navigator Scripture Memorization Plan, he didn’t just present it.  And I concluded that the conference in Colorado Springs was a Navigator conference.

I learned from his Google information that Billy Graham hired Dawson to come up with a plan to do follow up work in 1948 after his Hollywood Rally, and from then on after all his rallies.  Trotman was also involved in encouraging Bill Bright who authored the Transferable Concepts that Jim and I taught to members and new Christians at Temple Baptist Church. I was indeed deeply indebted to Dawson Trotman without knowing.

To top it off, Dawson was associated with Jack Wyrtzen, an evangelist, owner and director of The Word of Life Camp ministries in the Adirondack mountains and was the camp’s leader many times.  My Uncle Fred and Aunt Lurabelle were friends with Jack Wyrtzen and met Dawson through him. They were using as well as supporting Dawson’s ministry. They sponsored my brothers and me for a week of camp every summer.

In 1956, when Dawson was the key speaker at Word of Life Camp for the week, he and his wife were sitting on a blanket at Schroon Lake, when he shared with her that he’d had a premonition in the wee hours of the morning that he was going to die soon, so he went over finances with her telling her things she would need to know. Soon after that, he joined some campers in a speed boat ride. They hit some choppy water which threw a female overboard, who couldn’t swim. Dawson dove in holding her up until she could be safely pulled into the boat. But then he was gone. Billy Graham speaking at Dawson’s funeral said, “Daws died the same way he lived—holding others up.”

Just as Jim and I were indebted to Dawson Trotman’s faithfulness in sharing his unique ideas about the important of memorizing the scripture in order to understand the scripture fully, I consider Jim’s faithfulness the same way in his spiritual ministry as a husband, father, relative, neighbor, church member, visitor, but also his unique ministry as a priceless contribution to many others’ spiritual growth as a member in Optimist Club for many years.

Through rehearsal, retrieval—sharing--with others, we not only reclaim memories but we become aware of our deep indebtedness to others’ ministry who’ve taught us as well as becoming aware of the inner connection of the Holy Spirit who, through His unfailing love and presence He provides direction, comfort and joy. I thanked the Lord for discovering my indebtedness to Dawson Trotman’s life and ministry.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, (the scripture) so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. I Peter 2:2-3 (NIV).

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory…amen. Eph. 3:20—21 NIV.