Joel Jackson

At the start of the pandemic, Chaplain Joel Jackson offered words of encouragement in his role as pastoral care director at Baptist Health Paducah. He reminded the team of caregivers that “this is our mission moment” — a time to overcome fear and show love to those in need.

The longtime chaplain was overwhelmed with the positive response, which included a note from the hospital system’s CEO asking him to share his inspirational words across all of Baptist Health. “I have been truly blessed because of the love shown to me simply because I was just doing my job, and for that I am grateful,” he says.

It’s especially important to embrace gratitude during difficult times, according to Joel, who believes those who are grateful tend to be happier. “They realize that it is just as easy to focus on the good as it is to focus on the bad. They send out positive energy, and that energy can be felt by others.”

God, family and work are Joel’s priorities in life, and he’s grateful every day.

“Gratitude can turn what we have into enough and more,” he says. “It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity. It has the ability to turn a simple meal into a feast, make a house into a home and turn a stranger into a friend.”

Gratitude can turn what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity.