At Jimmy Carter’s state funeral on January 9, 2025, his grandson Jason Carter said his grandfather’s life was “a testament to the goodness of God.” The line grew out of a song Jason said was sung in his church, and it captured the way his eulogy joined intimate family memories to Jimmy Carter’s public and humanitarian life.
What did Jason Carter say about his “Pawpaw”?
Speaking at Washington National Cathedral, Jason began with a lyric: “From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head, I will sing of the goodness of God.” He then applied that thought to his grandfather: “From the moment that he woke up until he laid his head, his life was a testament to the goodness of God.” The Associated Press transcript records both sentences in Jason’s remarks (AP transcript).
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Jason was describing his own understanding of Jimmy Carter’s life, not offering a measurable or independently verifiable test of faith. In the eulogy, the claim was a tribute: Jason saw his grandfather’s daily life and public commitments as reflecting the goodness named in the song.
What song did he quote?
Christianity Today identifies the song as “Goodness of God,” associated with Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson (Christianity Today). The detail directly established by Jason’s speech is that his church sang the lyric he quoted; the song identification is the publication’s reporting.
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How did the eulogy connect family life with public service?
A familiar figure at home
Jason recalled everyday scenes from his grandparents’ home in Plains, Georgia: Jimmy Carter answering the door in shorts and Crocs, family photographs covering the refrigerator, and a rack used to dry Ziploc bags for reuse. These details presented “Pawpaw” as a recognizable family member, not only as a president. The AP transcript preserves these recollections (AP transcript).
Faith expressed through public work
Jason also placed the Carters’ faith alongside their public service, referring to human rights, democracy, environmental concerns and humanitarian work. He described efforts against Guinea worm disease as a long campaign shaped by local partnership and respect. Those points are part of Jason’s account in the eulogy; his words frame how he understood his grandfather’s work rather than independently establishing every historical detail.
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Why the funeral setting matters
Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s grandson, delivered the remarks at the former president’s state funeral at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, 2025. ABC News identifies the setting and lists video of the remarks (ABC News). In that formal national ceremony, Jason’s song reference and domestic anecdotes supplied a family perspective alongside the public legacy being remembered.
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- Author: jimmy-carter.
- Publisher: Fisicalbook
- Pages: 288
- Publication Date: 2002
- Edition: Illustrated
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