Part 5 of THE RIGHT NEXT STEP Series
“Men need to be around men… when we do it alone, it doesn’t turn out well.”
Matt was doing what he knew to do best, working hard and creating a good life for his family. And he was doing it well, just like his dad did. But when his friend Nolan from church took THE RIGHT NEXT STEP to start a BetterMan® group with the help of Noble Warriors, Matt realized his definition of what good looks like might be missing the point. The BetterMan® study showed him not what good looks like but what great looks like, and he was surrounded by a group of guys who understand the most important things in life.
What is Good?
By all accounts, Matt has had a successful career and provided well for his family. His dad was a great example of leaving a physical legacy, and Matt followed well in his footsteps. But sometimes what we think good looks like is set by the world’s standards or our own experience.
And as Matt discovered, our definition of what good looks like might be falling short.
A New Legacy
Matt jumped on opportunities that would set him up nicely throughout his career, always with a plan to scale back after a few years. But when those few years would pass, another opportunity would arise that he saw as a way to provide even better for his family.
But saying “yes” to each of those opportunities often meant saying “no” to time with family.
In 2020, COVID hit a great reset button. He was able to go for over 18 months before picking up his travel schedule again, compared to 2019, when he had taken 144 flights. He had more time with his family and reassessed his time to invest in his younger kids. As a husband and dad to eight kids who range in age from under 1 to 24 years old, Matt wanted to pursue creating a different legacy for his younger children.
But a great job opportunity is hard to turn down, especially when it hits all your hot buttons: an incredible offer, a great product, and a good cause. Matt received another offer, a scenario where he could spend “just a few years” building a team and then take a step back and spend more time with his family.
But in “just a few years,” he would have lost that precious time with his little ones. He’d be going back to 144 flights per year.
This time he wasn’t alone in making the decision. Thanks to Nolan and his BetterMan® group, he was surrounded by other men who understood what was most important. It ultimately made choosing THE RIGHT NEXT STEP easy for him.
Matt knew that in turning down the new opportunity, he was making a decision for Christ.
“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1a
Noble Warriors: The Hardware Store of Men’s Ministry
“It’s hard to build a house unless you have a Home Depot around.”
And it’s hard to build men without the right tools. Matt’s story is a ripple from the impact that Nolan began, and he testifies that it wouldn’t have happened without Noble Warriors getting resources into the hands of men and other ministries.
“They are putting the tools into our hands.”
Mission: Build Men
If you think your RIGHT NEXT STEP might be to join or even begin a group of your own but are hesitant, Matt’s suggestion is to start as a participant/observer. In time, you’ll find you have guys around you who have your best interest in mind.
If you think your RIGHT NEXT STEP could be to help make more impact stories like these possible, you are in the right place. Supporting Noble Warriors helps equip men and churches with the resources they need to walk with Christ and lead well. For men like Nolan and Matt, those resources make a difference for their families and spiritual legacies. Like Matt, men need other guys around them to point them to Christ in each step they take. Relationships matter most. We need men around us who will encourage us, hold us accountable, and pick us up when we are down.