FAITH IS FEAR THAT’S SAID ITS PRAYERS, words of wisdom created by a master teacher, a college professor , our son’s Godfather , and a gentleman and a scholar.
Back in the day when I was a young , yet passionate , English teacher at Winder-Barrow High School, I was privileged to have him as my mentor, role model, and dear friend who made my journey so much easier. His name was J. Fred Power, but, fondly, known as “J-Bone ” by students and staff alike.
“J-Bone ” taught high school English, high school business, and moved on to become a professor of English at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus. He was , by consensus , considered the college poet laureate and taught there until his retirement in 1983.
One of his students happened to be Franklin/Hart counties’ very own Georgia Representative , Alan Powell.
But here’s my story.
” J-Bone ” wrote the class poem for the WBHS graduating class of 1962 and in it is the line, FAITH IS FEAR THAT’S SAID ITS PRAYERS.
Has there ever been a more profound , albeit simple, statement of what faith is truly all about ?
Our nation and our world are in turmoil. Our elected officials at the national level seem more concerned with standing ground than reaching consensus. Our churches are losing membership and attendance. Our politics is over-reaching and hostile. Our TV talking heads lead us down a rabbit hole, both left and right. Our patriotism seems to be at an all-time low. Peace seems a far-reach.
But ” J-Bone ” said it best.
The answer is the faith that comes from our darkest fears, the very faith that carried our founding fathers and our grandparents and our churches and our good folks through other trying times. It is the faith that sustains us when turmoil is the greatest. Perhaps it is safe to say that the frightening state of our world and nation does not lie so much with naysayers and evil-doers as with those of us of little faith.
Maybe we all need to look in the mirror and say, ” Is it I, Lord ? ”
Perhaps you know a better way, but for me and mine, I believe that faith through prayers is the answer to our fears.
And what better time of the year to put our faith to work , allay our fears, and be thankful for the good things.
Lo, those many years ago, at Winder-Barrow High School, a much-loved teacher penned these parting words for a senior class : FAITH IS FEAR THAT’S SAID ITS PRAYERS.
Thank you, ” J-Bone ” !
Beautiful, Diane! You always have the words.
Love you dearly
Love you back , Jerri, my dear, dear friend , who has always been there for me. !!!!!
Lover this…♥️
Thank you, Patty. He said it all.
So very profound!!!!
Thank you. I believe that he was right on——-and what a gift to those graduating seniors.
Amen.
I have fond memories of Mr. Power and Mr. Rhodes when they managed the city pool.
Byron and I were life guards at the city pool the summer following my first teaching year. A great experience……..
Dusty was a special friend and peer, too. He, Bob Dixon, Charlotte Ingram, the BIG O and others remain near and dear to me in my memories. Sad that not one of them is still alive.
J-Bone was the epitome of a true scholar, and I loved him dearly.
As always, beautifully said! Our world definitely needs a lot more of surrendering its fears in prayer so that it instead becomes full of faith! Thank you for the encouragement and the reminder.
And thank you for your kind words. I am an admirer of you and your Christian leadership and have appreciated your words of wisdom in the several sermons I’ve heard you preach. I love the fact that our many denominations may offer different journeys, but the destination is the same ! And that’s all that matters. Merry Christmas to you and yours.