January always feels like a sacred pause.
It is the first month of the year. A reset. A recalibration. A moment to decide not just what we want to do but who we are willing to be.
At Elizabeth Baptist Church, our word for the year is Committed, anchored in Acts 2 verses 42 through 47. That passage is not aspirational language. It is a lived example of what happens when conviction community discipline and generosity come together. People devoted themselves fully to God to one another and to a shared mission.
That word committed has been sitting with me deeply.
For me commitment is not about impressing anyone else.
Commitment begins as a promise you make to yourself for yourself before anyone else ever benefits from it.
Commitment Starts With Conviction and Capacity
I am framing this year around two C words.
Conviction and Capacity.
Conviction is heart work. It forces you to ask
What do I truly believe
What change do I want to see
What change do I want to maintain
Capacity is honest work. It asks
What do I actually have the time energy discipline and margin to sustain
What must I say no to in order to say yes well
True commitment lives at the intersection of conviction and capacity. Anything else is performative.
26 Commitments for 2026
I am building a list of 26 commitments for the year 2026. These are not resolutions. They are rooted decisions. Some are about growth. Some are about protection. Some are about maintenance.
Here are several that already anchor my year.
Committed to God in the Name of Jesus
I am committed to my relationship with God. The Bible remains the most truthful relevant and transformative book ever written. Last year I read the Bible in a year. I am committed to doing it again.
Learning the past helps me steward my present and shape my future. Faith is not passive. It is practiced.
Committed to My Marriage
I am committed to being a faithful and loving husband to my wife.
Love is not just an emotion. Love is a decision. A daily choice to sacrifice to listen to protect and to prioritize. Commitment shows up long after feelings fluctuate.
Committed to My Daughters
I am committed to being present engaged and intentional with our two daughters. Not just cheering them on but modeling what discipline faith integrity and love look like in real life.
Committed to Relationships and Fundraising
The work we do at LEAD Center For Youth exists because of relationships and trust. Families are counting on us. Coaches are counting on us. Young people are counting on us.
I am committed to developing and maintaining relationships so that we can raise the resources required to do this work with excellence and sustainability.
Committed to the City of Atlanta
We recently moved into the city of Atlanta and I take that seriously.
I am committed to being an engaged citizen. An active partner with Atlanta Public Schools. A contributor through Leadership Atlanta to the eleven county region via the Atlanta Regional Commission. A servant leader at the state level through Leadership Georgia.
Place matters. Stewardship matters.
Committed to the Marathon
On March 1 2026 I will run my first marathon before turning fifty.
This commitment represents discipline health humility and perseverance. It is not about pace. It is about promise keeping.
Committed to Wealth Building
I am committed to stewardship and long term wealth building not for excess but for impact stability and generational responsibility.
Committed to Black Diamonds
I am committed to establishing LEAD Ambassadors Black Diamonds as a top 10 baseball team in the country built entirely with Black boys.
Black diamonds are rare. But rarity alone does not create value. Diamonds require specialized cutting to reveal their brilliance.
That is our work.
Through LEAD we
Launch them to educational opportunities
Expose them to pathways on and off the field
Advise parents through a complex system
Direct them using the legacy of those who came before them
Our goal is not just Major League players but Major League citizens.
Forward With Intention
January is not about doing everything at once.
It is about deciding what deserves your yes.
I am excited about this year. Excited to continue refining this list of 26 commitments. Excited to walk with conviction honesty discipline and faith.
Commitment is not loud.
Commitment is consistent.
And this year I am committed.
photo credit: City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office