I picked up In A Pit with a Lion on a Snow Day when it came out late last year, but finally got around to finishing it last week. This book is superb! I am an avid follower of Mark Batterson’s blog, Evotional.com. Mark is the senior pastor of National Community Church (AKA Theater Church) in Washington D.C. In a Pit with a Lion is challenging, yet brings you along easily and slowly. Mark makes this statement at the beginning and it basically sums up the entire book,

“As I look back on my own life, I recognize this simple truth: The
greatest opportunities were the scariest lions. Part of me has wanted to play it safe, but I’ve learned that taking no risks is the greatest risk of all.”

I’m as guilty as the next guy at finding the safe thing to do, in spite of what God may be leading me to do. This book really kicked my butt on a few things. If there was no risk in doing things for God, why would we need faith? Basically I need faith to help me get through the risky things God has called me to do. As I grow older, I feel the old person inside of me saying, “This is too risky”, “You’ll make a fool out of yourself if you do that”, “What would everyone think?” In a Pit really challenged me to throw out the excuses and to honestly ask God what he would have me to do, and challenges me to ask myself the question, “If God called me to do something, would I obey?”

I also found this Manifesto for 2007 that Mark Batterson created to go along with the book.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Grab life by the mane. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you’re not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion!