The US Migration South Brought Me a Friend

By Dr. Steven D. Bagley

In the US, people are migrating south. They are discovering the country's diverse cultures, some polite, others quiet and reserved, and some rude and defensive, just like people with different personalities. When they come face to face, you never know if a battle will occur involving the police, or if peace will reign in your corner of the world.

“When I looked in the mirror each morning, all I saw were my own insecurities staring back at me. I was convinced everyone would reject me once they saw what I was, so I rejected them first.

I did find one friend, or rather, he found me. He was the new kid in my class because his dad had transferred jobs. He was starting fresh and didn't care what I thought of myself because he operated on a different level. He liked me right from the beginning, and I couldn't convince him he was wrong.

He was the exception to my rules. I never really understood him, but I did notice how free and easy his relationship with his parents was. They laughed a lot and really talked to each other, a new experience for me. His dad spent more time with him than his mother did, and sometimes they would even forget for a moment that I was in the room. When they realized they had left me behind, they would both apologize and reconnect with me, inviting me into their conversation. It was wonderful to be sought out, looked for, and then to be warmly invited into the inner circle.

Often our own insecurities have driven us away from what we desperately need in our lives. Start your search for what you know is out there - acceptance and support - by asking two things of God. First, ask the Lord to change your pattern of being the first to reject others into being the first to invite others. Second, ask God to connect you with three other men who need to break their mirrors that reflect your insecurities, replacing them with real live men who will tell each other the truth and are ready to apologize when they realize they left someone behind.

"Power of 4" is a book that encourages men to find the support they need to live purposeful lives by not going it alone. Let us know if we can be of help.