Personal Testimony Regarding Scripture Memory

by Madeline Trotman - Used by permission

Note from Lois about Madeline: Madeline has faithfully been ministering to international students at the University of Virginia for about twenty-eight years.  Because of her great love for them, as well as her gospel witness, many internationals have put their faith and trust in the Lord.  Many have also gone back to their native land as a witness for Jesus.  She keeps in contact with quite a few international graduates after they leave, as they continue to look to Madeline for mentoring in the faith.  She's an amazing lady!

Recently I was discussing with a friend the benefits of fixing the Word of God in our hearts.  We were e-mailing, and I decided to put my personal experience into my communication with this person.

I wanted to share it with you, because I want to encourage you and be open about my own experience regarding Scripture memory.

"Dawson has started the book, Borden of Yale...from the 1800's.  He read a thought to me last night, which has really grasped my attention.  Borden said he wanted to be God-governed, not self-governed.  This hit me between the eyes -- because the upshot of Scripture memory brings about the changing of our thought patterns.  To me, to be God-governed...the bottom line is the way we think.

For example, at one time in my life, I deeply lacked His peace, because of accusing thoughts from the enemy...to drag me down and keep me from experiencing God's love and the renewing of my mind from His Truth.  When I was younger, even in elementary school, any little party I went to, or a group I would be around, I always thought I was not as good as the rest of the girls, or that I was unimportant.  I never saw myself as an equal, and I always felt other girls didn't like me.  This may have resulted because of being raised in a poor family, and a family where my papa never hugged me or showed affection, or praised me, or cheered me on.  And he was angry most of the time.  So I lacked peace within.

Consequently my Heavenly Father had a big job to do in my mind and my thoughts...to change my thought patterns and teach me to think according to His love, the way of His Spirit, His love upon me, His call upon me, His purpose and worthiness of me because He dwells in me.

So I learned to repent of thoughts that were not Scriptural...and the enemy seems to know how to get us to focus on ourselves, rather than to think according to what He has said to us, revealed to us, and taught us.  Deeply I had to seek God about my thoughts.  I claimed Romans 8:1 in the King James.  There is now NO CONDEMNATION (putting self down) to those who are in the Spirit.  So God showed me that to be following the Spirit I was to repent of thoughts that were evil (down on myself), and claim, believe, and stand on the proclamation of His love, His heart for me, His substance within me.  So. you can see that I had plenty of warfare to see the enemy defeated.  And God tells us the Sword of the Spirit is His Word.

Praise HIM!  It was reviewing, hiding, fixing His truth in my heart...and meditating on this, believing it, digesting, applying it, that changed my thought patterns and my life!!

WOW!  How I praise HIM for the beauty and power of His Word."

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds." ~ Deuteronomy 11:18
"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly..." ~ Colossians 3:16
"...the Word is very neat you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." ~ Deuteronomy 30:14
"Be renewed in the spirit of your mind." ~ Ephesians 4:23
"...be transformed by the renewing of your mind." ~ Romans 12:1
"I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." ~ Psalm 119:11