{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Jim Towey | Founder of Aging with Dignity | Serving the Poor and Powerless with Faith and Grace","description":"Jim Towey is the former lawyer for Mother Teresa and the founder of Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit based in Falls Church, Virginia. He is the creator of the widely used Five Wishes advance directive. His story is as unique as it is powerful\u2014marked by a journey from Capitol Hill to Calcutta, from chasing influence in Washington to walking alongside Mother Teresa and advocating for those society often forgets. As a former lawyer to Mother Teresa, White House staffer, and spiritual seeker, Jim has seen the best and worst of power, and ultimately chose a path of service, faith, and purpose. In this episode of The Wow Factor, Brad sits down with Jim for a moving conversation about transformation\u2014from a young man caught up in ambition and worldly success to a servant of the poor and advocate for dignified end-of-life care. Jim opens up about his early struggles, his encounters with the allure of political power, and the life-altering moment he met Mother Teresa. Through that relationship, Jim discovered a deeper faith and a calling to live a life not for himself, but for others. The conversation explores themes of spiritual poverty, humility, leadership, and what it truly means to be prepared for both life and death. \u201cI learned that a life not lived for others is not worth living.\u201d \u2013 Jim Towey \u201cMother Teresa saw Jesus in his distressing disguise of the poor.\u201d \u2013 Jim Towey \u201cShe used to say that If you're too busy to pray, you're too busy.\u201d \u2013 Jim Towey This Week on The Wow Factor: Jim\u2019s early years in Jacksonville, Florida, and how basketball, ambition, and family challenges shaped his character The emotional spiral after achieving \u201csuccess\u201d on Capitol Hill\u2014and how it left him feeling empty and morally lost His first encounter with Mother Teresa and the moment that changed everything at her Home for the Dying What it means to move from \u201cgathering\u201d to \u201cgiving,\u201d and how Mother Teresa invited him into a life of self-sacrifice Why even Mother Teresa needed a lawyer\u2014and how Jim helped her open AIDS homes, fend off fraud, and navigate immigration issues The spiritual darkness Mother Teresa experienced and what it taught Jim about faith, suffering, and perseverance Jim\u2019s creation of Five Wishes and how it helps millions of families plan for end-of-life care with dignity, clarity, and compassion Why acknowledging mortality and spiritual legacy is one of the most generous things you can do for loved ones Jim Towey\u2019s Word of Wisdom: Look at what you have\u2014and be grateful. Gratitude is a choice. You can focus on what you\u2019re missing, or you can give thanks for the opportunities you've been given to enrich the lives of others. Leaders are led, and the greatest leaders live with humility and gratitude at the center. Connect With Aging with Dignity: Aging With Dignity Website Aging With Dignity YouTube Aging With Dignity Facebook Aging With Dignity LinkedIn The Five Wishes To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa (Simon and Schuster 2022) Connect with The Wow Factor:   WOW Factor Website   Brad Formsma on LinkedIn    Brad Formsma on Instagram    Brad Formsma on Facebook    X (formerly Twitter)    ","author_name":"The Wow Factor","author_url":"https:\/\/www.thewowfactorpodcast.com","html":"