Speaker: LTC & Mrs. Joel Eberly, ARNG (Ret.)
After doing some really cool stuff in the Army, Joel decided to return home for college and had a 10 year successful career in the corporate world while serving in the Army National Guard part-time. Joel felt the calling to volunteer for an active duty deployment after 9-11 and stayed active until he retired at 31 total years (Legion of Merit, Bronze Star,…).
Joel has been mentioned in articles and a book, on the news several times and radio, the featured speaker or contributing presenter at numerous events, published articles, founded and led an activity group for special needs kids in the Raleigh area, volunteered in high school as a soccer coach, volunteered with numerous non-profits through the years beginning in college, is a former WMD advisor for 2 state committees – worked with Secret Service/FBI at Super Bowls and Presidential events as Commander of a special Army unit, has a Master’s Degree, started an annual 200 mile bike ride to help wounded troops/military kids,… and started numerous other events through the years. Joel is/was on the council of a non-profit, board member of another, former President of another, speaks weekly at 2 drug/alcohol addiction centers and cooks a pig for them monthly, started 7 Bible studies,… and is constantly helping people behind the scenes. Those around him truly can’t keep up with all he has done and still does that people have no clue about – people drop in/text/email/call him for encouragement/advice often.
He loves making others laugh (at his expense and doesn’t care much about what people think of him), can fix about anything, hangs out with all types of people, is an avid outdoorsman (takes people fishing and hunting), loves to play (not watch) sports, and is crazy (rode bulls in the rodeo and illegally jumped solo out of civilian planes with no formal training/certification). He reminds people he has made a ton of mistakes and still does-says he is not special and thinks he does not do enough for others but I say he is a one of a kind.
Author of The Three Hardest Things In Life (Amazon)
Topic: “The Three Hardest Things In Life”
- Part 1 – Most people think they are a good person, even if not religious, but are you? Also, should we settle for being average or try to be great at a few things? Who defines “good person or good Christian” and why is it so hard?
- Part 2 – People in relationships/marriage for a long while will tell you that it is tough to always call it “great” and some will even sadly say it was often bad. We will share deep tips from each other and of course, the Bible.
- Part 3 – Any idiot can have kids and put in little effort to raise them to the point where they can take care of themselves – the third hardest thing in life is to raise them right. How do you define “right”?
Guest Ambassadors: TBD