“But the noble make many plans, and by noble deeds they stand.” - Isaiah 32:8

We all want our children to be noble and make a positive impact on the world and those around them. To do this we must go beyond their current behavior and their minds—we must reach their hearts.

Let’s learn not to fear together and then let’s teach our kids to grow to be fearless too.

Here is what God tells us about fear.

This month, at our Seven Virtues of Manhood Breakfast, we talked about what it means to be a Pacesetter. We said Pacesetters are driven by values, not by their own ambitions or desires. True Pacesetters see the world as God sees it. Pacesetters see what should be rather than what is. They know God made all humans in his image. Pacesetters are not deterred by false barriers or excuses about why something can’t be done. Pacesetters fight for what God calls them to do—no matter what opposition stands before them.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was that kind of man — a true Pacesetter. He believed all men and women are created by God and in the image of God, and he believed that standing up for the oppressed and marginalized was worth dying for.

Happy New Year! The new year is a time when many of us think about setting new goals. And many of our goals — expressions of the kinds of people we want to be — are shaped by the people around us whose examples we want to follow.

Fittingly, the virtue for January is the Pacesetter — the one who sets an example for others by following the example of Christ.