Jim Showers Jim Showers is the executive director of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.
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Three Spiritual Journeys How the gospel transforms lives
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ISRAEL MY GLORY
was born into a Christian home and grew up learning about God and His Word. As an 8-year-old in summer Bible school, I understood for the first time that having Christian parents or attending church did not make me a Christian. Nor did obeying my parents and treating others well. I knew I sometimes did things I shouldn’t; that my sin made me unacceptable to God; and that the Good News was that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, paid the price to redeem me from my sin. All I had to do was admit to God I was a sinner, ask Him to forgive me, and trust in Jesus Christ. The gospel is simple enough that I could understand it even as a child. I prayed that evening and have followed Jesus ever since. From that day on, I knew the gospel had changed my life forever. My father was a pastor, but I had no desire to follow in his footsteps. I had too many things I wanted to experience, so I went to college, earned a degree in accounting, and began a career in business. God graciously gave me many of the desires of my heart, but I soon learned the things of this world do not satisfy. In my 30s, I struggled with contentment; and God began changing the trajectory of my life. Proverbs says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” (16:9). As God showed me the temporary things of life don’t compare with the eternal treasure of serving Him, I sensed a clear call to full-time ministry. I quit my job and moved my wife and two young children 600 miles east, away from family and friends, to enter seminary. It was a challenge, but a rewarding one. After graduating, I served for a few years at the school before God led me to The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry 20 years ago. Were it not for the gospel, I would still be serving myself, rather than others. Over the years, I have come to appreciate Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Looking back, I can see how God used each step I took to prepare me for the ministry I hold dear today. The gospel can change the course of our lives. God directed me on a path I never could have imagined or engineered on my own, and I can never do enough to thank Him for giving His one and only Son for me.
