Joel Waters

I have someone you need to meet. His name is Joel Waters. Oh, you might have heard of him. Or his brother Wyatt. Or his son Swayze. And if you’re a “Little” helped by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi, you probably owe him a hug.  He’s the executive director there.

Joel’s a good man from a good family. I know for sure I respect his mama (Mrs. Lucy) very, very much.  And I wish I had 1/10th of his brother’s talent.

Yesterday I visited with him on my radio show. He talked about all the good work the Big Brothers Big Sisters is doing. We talked about how the economy has affected them like every other charity out there.  And then he talked about how personal adversity has shaped him and made him the person he is today.

Joel has one of the most amazing attitudes of any person I’ve ever met.  And it was a positive attitude literarily forged by fire.  When he was a little boy, he fell into a fire and burned most of the outside and inside of his body.  A neighbor miraculously appeared (an angel according to Joel) and pulled him from the fire.  What followed was pain, surgeries (14 plastic surgeries over his childhood years) and one amazing family rising to the challenge.  Joel was on my radio show yesterday and talked about those challenges and lessons he learned from that part of his life.  He talked about how the other kids would taunt him (as kids can do) and how his parents taught him how to handle with the bullying.  He learned how to laugh at himself, laugh with the bullies and defuse them. He learned (thanks to his mom) that it’s not what happens to you — it’s how you react to it.

Joel is a man of great faith and sees God’s hand in his life — and it gives him comfort. He uses that inspiration and pays it forward. I know first hand — A random note or invitation for coffee with motivating words from him have touched my life several times over the past few years right some of the darkest moments of my life.

It’s easy to get caught up in the negative world. As I write this, the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky report is being released — the ultimate betrayal of children.  But in this seemingly fallen world,  it is comforting to know that there are still a few good people out there making a difference.

Joel Waters is one of those good people.