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Grace upon Grace: Nine Decades of Stories from a Farm Boy, Midshipman, Officer, and Evangelist
The autobiography of Jim Wilson.
Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
19 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Jim Wilson
20 books74 followersJim Wilson has worked as a pastor and director of Community Christian Ministries (Moscow, Idaho) for over forty years. Before that, he served in the Navy as an officer for nine years and then with Officer's Christian Fellowship for another twelve years. Jim has authored a number of books, including How to Be Free from Bitterness, and is well-known for his practical Bible teaching on relationships and evangelism. He was married to his wife, Bessie, from 1952 until her death in 2010, and is the father of four, grandfather of fifteen (one of whom is in heaven), and great-grandfather of twenty-five and counting.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 20, 2019
I'm not crying, you're crying. OK, I'm totally crying. And laughing. And giving thanks for the blessing of Jim Wilson and all the blessings that have flowed downstream from him. We will never know the full measure of them this side of glory, but we get a good sampling in this book. This isn't a volume of elegant prose. It's the plain words an old saint, slowed only by age, not by inclination, telling his stories to anyone who will listen. And listen you should. Even if you've never heard of Jim, as long as you've heard of Jesus, you'll be blessed by reading this book.
I don't often sneak a not-yet-published book onto Goodreads, but someone asked today what was the best book I read in 2019, and I realized I needed a place to point him.
I don't often sneak a not-yet-published book onto Goodreads, but someone asked today what was the best book I read in 2019, and I realized I needed a place to point him.
May 28, 2022
Jim Wilson received his "Well done, good and faithful servant" two nights ago, so it was time to revisit this book and remember just how well deserved that "Well done, good and faithful servant" was. The Lord sowed grace upon grace into Jim's life and reaped glory upon glory to Himself.
November 8, 2020
Everybody is concerned about the election, but whenever Jim Wilson goes home to be with the Lord, it will be a bigger deal than whether Trump or Biden is in the white house.
This is probably a book which I come into with interests and expectations that are totally different from 90% of people. Jim Wilson was my mother's spiritual mentor while she was in the navy, I have probably been influenced by his son (Doug) more than by another writer or thinker, and I am a friend of many of his Jim's sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons. So I come into this book with a lot of biases, and that brings me to probably the one failure of the book: it includes a lot of unnecessary information. Weirdly enough, the early chapters about Jim's childhood were some of the least interesting and include a lot of details about his growing up that make the price of admission slightly steeper than it deserves to be. If anyone is put off by the size of this book, they shouldn't be: even though it is 500 pages, you can easily skip certain parts such as the letters and just go straight to the cool stories.
Anyway, this is a super encouraging book for many different reasons. Jim Wilson is a very strange and unusual man to talk to, at least as long as I have known him (which is for about ten years now). He did not cry when his wife died, and not out of heartlessness, but just simply because he really trusts Jesus a lot and so he knew he would see her again. His personality quirks are important to know to read this book. Jim Wilson recognized very early on that theology often is a chance for people to be quarrelsome and so he (unhelpfully) chose to never engage with certain questions and (helpfully) he focused that much more on the Gospel. I can't do this myself: I am with his sons, Doug and Evan, that this is a big enough issue and that God gave us minds to explore these questions. But as someone who asks a lot of questions and is semi-intellectual, I recognize now that Jim is right to see certain questions as being a temptation to pride, quarrelsomeness, and even just things that seem godly (like being into theology) and not being godly or righteous at all. They're just fun.
At any rate, Jim Wilson is really the best kind of mere Christian, who wants total obedience and would tell people to obey anything they found in Scripture, even if they were uncertain that it was a command in Scripture. He says that, and now I am convinced that it's the better error to fall into. He has evangelized tons and tons of people and this book will encourage you if you feel like nobody gets saved nowadays.
Now a book like this can in fact be a discouragement to some people. I have never shared the gospel with someone and been used by God to bring them to faith. I don't have all the remarkable answers to prayer that Jim does (though I can count a few special cases of God's special and remarkable favor in circumstances). But I don't remember any miracles, except that one of my sisters was probably saved by an angel at one point. So I feel often like I muddle my way through reality, that miracles don't happen to me, and my job is just to get my work done at the office and to love my room-mates. Many people read about super-godly men like Jim and about the miracles he does and when they don't feel like such things happen to them or that they can contribute anything to the kingdom or like Jim's on a different level, they get into real trouble.
But we have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, one spirit, one church. The body has many members, and Jim's job was to have the gift of getting disciplined by God very directly and to be used to bring some people to faith. The big thing that I took away was that Jim totally believes God and trusts in Him, and it took a bit of time for that to sink in. So many of us instead of taking our fears and insecurities to God in prayer and thanking God when we make our requests, just wallow in the situation. That's something that we can all do: we can thank God when we ask for help. In fact in one particularly good story Jim describes God not letting his car start until he learned this particular lesson of giving thanks while making petitions. Jim needs to evangelize a few more people; you probably just need to take out the trash and to love your neighbor by doing so.
So read this book, share the gospel, love your neighbor, and obey God. I took that away from this book and felt like I understood my parents better and that I had a spiritual grandfather. Also, I was pleased to see stories about Larry Moyer (saved by Jim, also an Evangelist) and the Buckinghams (someone my family prayed for over the years). Also, it's fun to hear stories about Doug and Evan as kids.
This is probably a book which I come into with interests and expectations that are totally different from 90% of people. Jim Wilson was my mother's spiritual mentor while she was in the navy, I have probably been influenced by his son (Doug) more than by another writer or thinker, and I am a friend of many of his Jim's sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons. So I come into this book with a lot of biases, and that brings me to probably the one failure of the book: it includes a lot of unnecessary information. Weirdly enough, the early chapters about Jim's childhood were some of the least interesting and include a lot of details about his growing up that make the price of admission slightly steeper than it deserves to be. If anyone is put off by the size of this book, they shouldn't be: even though it is 500 pages, you can easily skip certain parts such as the letters and just go straight to the cool stories.
Anyway, this is a super encouraging book for many different reasons. Jim Wilson is a very strange and unusual man to talk to, at least as long as I have known him (which is for about ten years now). He did not cry when his wife died, and not out of heartlessness, but just simply because he really trusts Jesus a lot and so he knew he would see her again. His personality quirks are important to know to read this book. Jim Wilson recognized very early on that theology often is a chance for people to be quarrelsome and so he (unhelpfully) chose to never engage with certain questions and (helpfully) he focused that much more on the Gospel. I can't do this myself: I am with his sons, Doug and Evan, that this is a big enough issue and that God gave us minds to explore these questions. But as someone who asks a lot of questions and is semi-intellectual, I recognize now that Jim is right to see certain questions as being a temptation to pride, quarrelsomeness, and even just things that seem godly (like being into theology) and not being godly or righteous at all. They're just fun.
At any rate, Jim Wilson is really the best kind of mere Christian, who wants total obedience and would tell people to obey anything they found in Scripture, even if they were uncertain that it was a command in Scripture. He says that, and now I am convinced that it's the better error to fall into. He has evangelized tons and tons of people and this book will encourage you if you feel like nobody gets saved nowadays.
Now a book like this can in fact be a discouragement to some people. I have never shared the gospel with someone and been used by God to bring them to faith. I don't have all the remarkable answers to prayer that Jim does (though I can count a few special cases of God's special and remarkable favor in circumstances). But I don't remember any miracles, except that one of my sisters was probably saved by an angel at one point. So I feel often like I muddle my way through reality, that miracles don't happen to me, and my job is just to get my work done at the office and to love my room-mates. Many people read about super-godly men like Jim and about the miracles he does and when they don't feel like such things happen to them or that they can contribute anything to the kingdom or like Jim's on a different level, they get into real trouble.
But we have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, one spirit, one church. The body has many members, and Jim's job was to have the gift of getting disciplined by God very directly and to be used to bring some people to faith. The big thing that I took away was that Jim totally believes God and trusts in Him, and it took a bit of time for that to sink in. So many of us instead of taking our fears and insecurities to God in prayer and thanking God when we make our requests, just wallow in the situation. That's something that we can all do: we can thank God when we ask for help. In fact in one particularly good story Jim describes God not letting his car start until he learned this particular lesson of giving thanks while making petitions. Jim needs to evangelize a few more people; you probably just need to take out the trash and to love your neighbor by doing so.
So read this book, share the gospel, love your neighbor, and obey God. I took that away from this book and felt like I understood my parents better and that I had a spiritual grandfather. Also, I was pleased to see stories about Larry Moyer (saved by Jim, also an Evangelist) and the Buckinghams (someone my family prayed for over the years). Also, it's fun to hear stories about Doug and Evan as kids.
September 18, 2021
What a joy to spend 500 pages with Jim Wilson. Grace upon grace indeed. I’ve learned so much from these pages.
- Read the Word. Love it. Stick it in your heart. Look at what it actually says and commands.
- People are so hungry for God. Share the joy of Him with them.
- Books are powerful.
- Pray and thank God even as you ask.
I’m looking forward to reading it again in the future.
- Read the Word. Love it. Stick it in your heart. Look at what it actually says and commands.
- People are so hungry for God. Share the joy of Him with them.
- Books are powerful.
- Pray and thank God even as you ask.
I’m looking forward to reading it again in the future.
July 15, 2020
What a book. What a man. What a God. I’ve had the blessing of meeting one-on-one with Jim Wilson on several occasions, and he has alway shared the stories of God’s grace in his life and put free books in my hand. My first reaction to his autobiography was, “I’ve just been hanging out with Jim Wilson for several hours. Cool!” Then I corrected that. “I’ve been hanging out with Jesus for several hours.” I’ve seldom met a more faith-filled man. This book is a steadfast companion for walking in obedience. Read it and meet Christ.
October 17, 2022
During the memorial service for Jim Wilson*, his grandson N.D. Wilson gave a eulogy:
It's not an exaggeration to say his life impacted thousands of people. Some famous (Louis Zamperini and Corrie ten Boom) and some unknown beyond their small circle.
* I watched Jim Wilson's memorial online and felt total vindication - it began with singing. 10 hymns that Jim had picked out. (I keep adding music I want at my service and people tell me that it can't be done. Oh, it *can* be done!)
My grandfather was a blunt man. Not blunt like an edged tool that has gone dull. He was blunt like a force. Blunt like something with no edges at all. James Irwin Wilson was blunt like a tree is blunt: blunt and virtually immovable. In the end — the long slow end — even the stump was hard to pull. James Wilson was blunt with his honesty, with his counsel, with his gospel preaching. Blunt with his kindness. Especially his kindness. Because the kindest thing he could ever think to do was to insist that everyone he met repent and turn to Jesus. Including people who already had [smiling] ... just in case. [snip] My grandfather was kind and blunt. A kind and blunt port for any wayward ship in any storm. [snip] His money was everyone's money. His books were, and are, everyone's books. [snip] But books were just a vehicle. Jim Wilson wanted his joy to be your joy, his hope to be your hope. [snip] We now mark the falling of a blunt old tree: courageous and kind and honest, a mighty oak that gave much to many. And those of us among his descendants count ourselves chief among the blessed.This is a remarkable story about a remarkable man. He supported his family as a teenager when his father was disabled. There are stories about farming, the navy, missionary work, courting Bessie Dodds (a missionary 8 years older), raising a family, and ministry.
It's not an exaggeration to say his life impacted thousands of people. Some famous (Louis Zamperini and Corrie ten Boom) and some unknown beyond their small circle.
* I watched Jim Wilson's memorial online and felt total vindication - it began with singing. 10 hymns that Jim had picked out. (I keep adding music I want at my service and people tell me that it can't be done. Oh, it *can* be done!)
June 17, 2022
Charming, refreshing, and convicting. Jim Wilson’s stories are a testimony to simple and straight forward faith and obedience. He shows the Christian life for what it is: joyful and clean. If you are in Moscow, ID or are interested in it, read this book. It’s the backdrop for the Christian work here.
November 12, 2023
It’s hard to believe a man like this existed. This biography will be an encouragement to every believer who reads it.
January 19, 2022
I know Jim personally and have had many conversations with him. He is one of the most godly men I know and the most gifted evangelist I know. So my two stars do not reflect my opinion of the man in the least. For that matter, they don't even entirely reflect my enjoyment of the book--I enjoyed the book much more than I otherwise would have since I know Jim personally. But as a book for the general public, this needs a lot of editing. It reminds me a lot of the booklets that my grandpa writes. Every few years, he writes a booklet for posterity filled with random, short stories from his past, each story no more than one or two pages. The stories are unrelated and written with simple, unadorned prose--just as he might speak when telling us grandchildren stories in the car. As his grandchild, I enjoy reading the booklets because I know him. When I read his stories, I'm essentially reading my own history. But I would not enjoy these booklets nearly as much if they were written by somebody else's grandfather. Similarly, this book reads like a collection of random memories recorded for posterity's sake rather than a biography for the general public.
First of all, the stories in this book are disconnected. There is no story arc--rarely does Jim connect a later story to a previous one. Moreover, as far as the stories are concerned, Jim went for quantity over quality. Many of the stories are not interesting enough for the general reader, and those that are he does not develop well. I wish he would have told fewer stories and developed those stories more. This book feels much more like a book of "information" than a story. His matter-of-fact style of storytelling is very much like his style of evangelism--not with "lofty speech or wisdom." I appreciate this style of his in many contexts, but it is not suited well to an autobiography. For an example of Christian autobiography done well, see Corrie Ten Boom's "The Hiding Place" (Jim knew Corrie well, by the way).
Regardless, no one can read this book without being edified. See other reviews for details why. What a man.
First of all, the stories in this book are disconnected. There is no story arc--rarely does Jim connect a later story to a previous one. Moreover, as far as the stories are concerned, Jim went for quantity over quality. Many of the stories are not interesting enough for the general reader, and those that are he does not develop well. I wish he would have told fewer stories and developed those stories more. This book feels much more like a book of "information" than a story. His matter-of-fact style of storytelling is very much like his style of evangelism--not with "lofty speech or wisdom." I appreciate this style of his in many contexts, but it is not suited well to an autobiography. For an example of Christian autobiography done well, see Corrie Ten Boom's "The Hiding Place" (Jim knew Corrie well, by the way).
Regardless, no one can read this book without being edified. See other reviews for details why. What a man.
October 5, 2020
There are a lot of things to love about this book. There's a lot of wisdom in these pages, and so much good gospel sense to soak up while reading. That said, I'll focus on two particularly unique pleasures that make this book different:
1) "Nine Decades of Stories" format: Many biographies are written to make a particular point or lesson clear (even if it's just "be holy"), and stories that don't contribute to that goal are not present. This book had no such editorial razor applied. Plenty of stories are here just because they're fun, weird, or interesting. Jim Wilson and his editors understand that God takes a real interest in the whole world and all the strange things therein, not just in abstract "holiness," or something like that.
2) Historical interest: Closely related to the above, there's a lot of straight-up historical interest in this book. It put flesh and bones on many historical events that usually float several inches above the ground in my head, so I came out, not only having learned about Jim Wilson, but also about the prior generation.
1) "Nine Decades of Stories" format: Many biographies are written to make a particular point or lesson clear (even if it's just "be holy"), and stories that don't contribute to that goal are not present. This book had no such editorial razor applied. Plenty of stories are here just because they're fun, weird, or interesting. Jim Wilson and his editors understand that God takes a real interest in the whole world and all the strange things therein, not just in abstract "holiness," or something like that.
2) Historical interest: Closely related to the above, there's a lot of straight-up historical interest in this book. It put flesh and bones on many historical events that usually float several inches above the ground in my head, so I came out, not only having learned about Jim Wilson, but also about the prior generation.
Want to read
April 24, 2020See more here.
January 9, 2023
Excellent encouragement to trust God.
September 12, 2023
Jim Wilson’s “How to be Free from Bitterness” was life changing for me. I really enjoyed reading about his life. He was a wonderful man of God and a faithful evangelist. To God be the glory.
November 5, 2022
Wonderful.
March 25, 2025
This book had me absolutely weeping through portions. Hearing stories of how the Lord faithfully keeps His saints through massive hardships and trials never ceases to make me ponder the beauty of how the Lord is our heavenly Father. He withholds no good thing from those who love him.
Some of the stories Mr Wilson shared had me laughing, others crying, and still others left me in contemplation for some time afterwards. Highly recommend this. Don't let the length scare you away.
Some of the stories Mr Wilson shared had me laughing, others crying, and still others left me in contemplation for some time afterwards. Highly recommend this. Don't let the length scare you away.
June 5, 2021
This feels very much like sitting on the porch talking with your grandfather as he tells stories. This books has all the highs and lows of a conversation like that (laughter, tears, mild boredom, et. al.). The faithfulness of God and Wilson’s humble service ooze out of every page. It was enjoyable and likely more so for those interested in or connected to the Moscow Movement.
January 20, 2024
Really enjoyed this one. Few live to their mid nineties and fewer still live that long life in glory and dedication to God. Jim Wilson tells his life story from a young age on the farm to an old age as a widower living with his children, and the thread that is constant through it all is the faithfulness of God through the obedience and trusting of one of His children. This is also a complication of Wilson’s stories from his life, so if you have ready any other books by Jim, you probably are going to hear those stories again, but I promise you won’t mind it.
September 19, 2020
It was hard to put this book down! So many surprising and wonderful stories of God's work! Reading about God's grace in Jim Wilson's life reminded and encouraged me to trust God with the daily details of my life. Also, I was reminded of how important it is to be willing to share the good news of the gospel and tell others of God's grace in your life.
December 13, 2025
Wonderful book! Encouraged me to share the Gospel all the more: “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” - Matthew 9:37-38
January 31, 2021
Simply written, but so much meat.
April 16, 2021
Challenging--- practical Christianity, less-about-the local church, a ton more about faithful, deliberate, faith-expectant witness and discipleship.
May 19, 2022
I listened to the audiobook on Canon+. Great book and very edifying.
June 19, 2022
A very encouraging look at a real, modern evangelist's life and legacy.
August 9, 2022
Such an encouraging, engaging book. Tim Stevenson's audio narration was also excellent.
July 13, 2024
Really encouraging. Humbled me from looking down on Christian’s I disagree with
November 6, 2024
5 stars for content, encouragement, and edification.
Given the layout and repeats, it took a lot longer to read than I anticipated.
Given the layout and repeats, it took a lot longer to read than I anticipated.
April 24, 2025
Inspiring!!
December 31, 2025
Jim Wilson lived a storied life and tells about it in very simple, frank and often blunt ways. There’s not a lot of elegance in his writing, but it’s very forceful. He tells about his whole life, his conversion to Christ, his experiences in military service (the Navy), his courtship and marriage to Bessie Dodds, his ministry throughout the years in CHristian bookstores and churches, and how he and his family ended up in Moscow, Idaho.
Our children went to college in Moscow, Idaho, attending New Saint Andrews College, which was started by Jim Wilson’s son, Douglas Wilson. We visited there often and I have memories of seeing the elderly Jim Wilson seated outside during the Farmer’s Market days, handing out Christian literature. He was an evangelist at heart from the very beginning and had a passion for it all his days.
There are lots of great stories in this long book, many of them told as if you were sitting in his room asking, “Grandpa, tell us about the time you…” He had the most amazing stories to tell about people coming to faith in Christ. The Lord made him fruitful in his witness, that’s for sure. And he was constantly innovating and being productive everywhere he went.
At times, the book seemed to be a little disjointed, not always strictly chronological.
The appendices at the end were worth reading - just a few short ones.
Our children went to college in Moscow, Idaho, attending New Saint Andrews College, which was started by Jim Wilson’s son, Douglas Wilson. We visited there often and I have memories of seeing the elderly Jim Wilson seated outside during the Farmer’s Market days, handing out Christian literature. He was an evangelist at heart from the very beginning and had a passion for it all his days.
There are lots of great stories in this long book, many of them told as if you were sitting in his room asking, “Grandpa, tell us about the time you…” He had the most amazing stories to tell about people coming to faith in Christ. The Lord made him fruitful in his witness, that’s for sure. And he was constantly innovating and being productive everywhere he went.
At times, the book seemed to be a little disjointed, not always strictly chronological.
The appendices at the end were worth reading - just a few short ones.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews