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Publishing February 3, 2026 | Paperback | 154 pages
John Fela never had a close relationship with his father, but one piece of advice he gave him changed his life forever: Don’t Panic.
These two words from his father became his mantra, carrying him through as he traversed marital troubles, raised a son with special needs, and experienced job insecurity. Eventually, a men’s group at a new church allowed him to find acceptance in Jesus and navigate the challenges still ahead. His experiences and his newfound faith led him to a life lived in service of both his true Father and other families with special needs children. Now, he spreads the Gospel through his writing and participates in advocacy work to raise awareness and guide others through what he has already overcome.
John’s relationship with his father boiled down to only two words, but those words changed his life. Faith like My Father explores how that phrase inspired John’s journey to be the dad and person he wished his father could have been. Throughout everything, he just had to remember his father’s advice—Don’t Panic—and have faith that he was exactly where he was meant to be.
John Fela (EdM) is a national disability advocate who works with both faith-based and non-faith-based disability organizations. He previously worked for Joni and Friends, a global disability ministry. Prior to that, he spent almost twenty years in education, serving in a variety of roles as a teacher in both public and private school settings, as a mentor, and as a school director. He holds certifications in both Montessori and traditional teaching methods and has trained in a variety of specializations, including ESL and special education. He is a public speaker, a blogger for a variety of disability advocacy platforms, and the author of Faith like My Father, a memoir of his journey as a parent of disability. John lives in Lyons, Illinois, with his wife, Faith, and is father to his son, Christopher (ASD/NS). Follow John on his website: www.johnfela.com.