DALTON, Ga. — In the Book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament, the Lord speaks to the Israelites who have been taken from Jerusalem and exiled into Babylon and tells them words that have become part of graduations and cards of encouragement. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

That was the Scripture that Fred Stokes — a Super Bowl winner with the Washington Redskins in 1991 and a two-time national champion at Georgia Southern in the 1980s — based his message on Sunday morning during a special program at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church. 

“Sometimes, depending on life’s situations and the current political climate, people get stressed out because of the changes,” Stokes said. “We were creatures of habit, and when that gets disrupted it can get us out of our comfort level. But there is always a plan — God’s plan.”

Stokes might be a testament to a journey he had no idea he was about to begin when he finally decided to play football in his senior year at Vidalia High School in middle Georgia. Since he had never played football before his final year in high school, few knew of his talent. But under the direction of Buck Cravey, who was a head coach in Georgia for more than 20 years, Stokes developed and caught the eye of the fledgling Georgia Southern program coached by Erk Russell. 

After playing on the Eagles’ first two national title teams in 1985 and ‘86, Stokes was a late-round gamble by the Los Angeles Rams and coach John Robinson, drafted in the 12th round. Later, he would play for coach Joe Gibbs in Washington, where he won the gold and diamond-filled Super Bowl ring he was showing off to the congregation on Sunday. 

“I’ve been blessed with some strong male role models,” Stokes said. “I got an opportunity to talk to Coach Russell and Coach Cravey, too, and just share with them the impact they had on my life before they both passed and went on to be with the Lord. Coaches and teachers have such tremendous influences on their kids and sometimes they don’t get immediate dividends. Years later, they have kids that come back and tell them ‘thank you,’ and I was able to do that with both of those men. And I still get to see Coach Gibbs down at the Daytona 500, and it is just neat to have those kind of influences in your life.

“There are few bigger influences than the ones held by teachers and coaches,” he said.

Stokes has remained a positive influence as well. While his family was living in Vidalia after his professional career ended, he ran Fred Stokes Youth Ranch, Since moving to Florida he has been active in his church and with the Edgewood Children’s Ranch. He also runs Fred Stokes Sausage, which supplies chains and restaurants as well as Westgate Resorts with south Georgia-raised sausage. 

And he is handling another change in his life now as he and his wife Regina are empty nesters after their youngest recently went off to college. 

“It is just another part of the plan,” he said. “When I sit down and take account of my life and some of the things I have been afforded and have been allowed to do, it gets overwhelming sometimes, in a good way. I can look back at my life and say I am grateful. I have had some things that have happened — and I don’t know if I would change them because they have made me who I am today — but I am grateful and I have been tremendously blessed.”