Saturday, May 12, 2007

Chase that Lion!

One of my favorite blogs to read is by pastor/author Mark Batterson. His book, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day is without doubt one of my favorite books that I've read in at least the past 2 years. It has challenged me, made me think, and has helped to light a newfound fire under me. In a recent blog Batterson listed his "chase the lion manifesto". It gives you a little taste of the book. I've listed it below for you to consume, chew on, and then put into action. If you will adopt it as your own and apply it to your mindset, it will change your approach to not only ministry, but life itself. Let me know what you think.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. 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!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is easy to get caught up on the blame game or simply complain about any little thing that comes our way. When I read the following phrase "Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution" reminds me of a conversation I had last week and something that has become a daily goal to me: instead of complaining, though sometimes I don't even notice, I thank God for something I have (anything) and if there's something I can do to solve the problem I can look for ways to accomplish it. Being positive is not a quality is a decision you make everyday before you get up. God bless!

Jeff Bumgardner said...

Great point, Jaime. Negativity destroys. A positive attitude encourages and accomplishes. As you said, it's amazing that when we take the time to thank God for the things He's doing in our lives we begin to notice His provisions more...as opposed to taking them for granted.