Book review - "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day"

I just finished a book titled "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" written by Mark Batterson. The subtitle is “How to survive and thrive when opportunity roars.”

I thought I’d write down some of the thoughts I gleaned from this book in hopes that it will spark an interest in you to read this book.

Not all of the following thoughts come directly from the book. Some are thoughts that I have summarized from thoughts that the author sparked in my thinking:

“Uncertainty creates adventure.”
“Bad days enable us to love & appreciate good days.”
“No problem = No miracle“
”You/Others intended ___________ for evil for me, BUT God intended it for good!“
”He (God) has not forgotten me.“
”No risk = No reward”
“Risk-free faith does not exist.”
“We need to criticize by creating.” Michelangelo

“The biggest risk were the greatest opportunities.”
“Lion-chasers are always on the lookout for God-ordained opportunities.”
“Faith gives us the dimensional freedom to overcome our human limitations by exiting space-time via prayer.”
“God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go... If you keep in step with the Spirit.”
“To the infinite all finites are equal.”
“Don’t accumulate possessions; accumulate experiences.”
“Are you living life in a way that is worth telling stories about?”

“But here’s the catch: Opportunities often look like insurmountable obstacles.”
“Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God.”

“A fascinating study done by Professor Vicki Medvec reveals the relative importance of subjective attitudes over and above objective circumstances. Medvec studied Olympic medalists and discovered that bronze medalists were quantifiably happier than silver medalists. Here’s why: Silver medalists tended to focus on how close they came to winning gold, so they weren’t satisfied with silver; bronze medalists tended to focus on how close they came to not winning a medal at all, so they were just happy to be on the medal stand.”

“Faith doesn’t reduce uncertainty. Faith embraces uncertainty.”

“Let me tell you something about stepping out in faith. You almost always second guess yourself.”

“Prayer helps us catch the opportunities God throws our way.”

“We are called to conform to Christ. And Christ was a nonconformist. So conforming to Christ results in nonconformity.”

There is much more to glean from this book, but you’ll have to read it for yourself. VERY encouraging and the challenge to live a life of wise risks is very clear.

You're not forgotten!

I listened to a message by Scot McKnight today as I ran. The point of the message was that God has not forgotten us. What a breath of fresh air!

In light of today’s economy, and so many people out of work and wondering about the future, realizing & recognizing that God is still present in all of the details of life is a very encouraging truth!

Scot really encouraged me, especially in light of our situation: that of having returned to the USA without a clear answer from the Lord as to what is on the horizon.

God has not forgotten you, either. Many times in history, people experience waiting on the Lord. In the waiting, the Lord does what He needs to in order to prepare us for the work to which He has called us. (Eph. 2:10)

You are not forgotten - no matter the feelings, the lies, the situation - you are not forgotten.

Hating the waiting?

Waiting. Oh, how I (sometimes) despise the word. I don’t mind waiting if I know that I will be waiting a specified amount of time. For instance, if I schedule an appointment with the doctor and am told that I need to arrive 30 minutes early to fill out forms and such and then I can see the doctor - I can wait. I’ll bring a book to read in the meantime.

But, if I’m told that my appointment is at 7:30 a.m. and at 8:00 a.m., I’m still waiting for the doc, I start getting a little antsy. By 8:15, I’m getting frustrated and at 8:45, I’m starting to steam.

Do you ever feel that way?

I know that it must have been hard for Abraham & Sarah (at the time Abram & Sarai), when God promised them offspring and years passed before any sign of pregnancy took place. I mean, when GOD says something is going to happen, IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN! The thing that we often miss is the TIMING of the promise. Nowhere at the initial mention of the promise of offspring did God promise Abram & Sarai that they would have a child during the following year.

I repeat the statement from the book, “Learning to Wait” by John Ortberg, “What God does in us while we wait is as important as what we are waiting for.“ Bad grammar, I know, but a true statement nonetheless. Nothing of good quality takes place without thorough preparation.

Still, waiting for several years for an answered promise from the Lord is difficult.

So, I can’t really complain when I look at our situation and see that we’ve been back in the U.S. only 2 months and have spent the better part of the time waiting.

One thing I’ve noticed is that waiting can be passive or active. I can wait impatiently or I can wait ”in the Lord“ and let Him do what He wants to do in me while I wait.

When I wait ”in Him,“ I wait expectantly for Him to do IN me what He wants to do in order to prep me for the work that He has prepared me to do (Eph. 2:10).

Preparing for something is as important as doing the ”something.“ Often it doesn’t seem that way, but good things or great things don’t just happen, they are the results of good or great preparation.

When I realize that, I don’t hate the wait - I anticipate the wait.

Personalized prayer

I just got off the phone with a brother who has recently gone “through the mill” in life. In the past year, he has lost his wife due to cancer among other things.

He made one statement that has rung in the hollows of my brain ever since. “I’ve been counseled to pray ”In Your name“ as opposed to ”in Jesus’ name.“ the point is the emphasis on a more personal communication. Rather than praying in the name of Jesus as in the 3rd person, I am to pray in the 2nd person - ”in Your name.“”

Makes sense, doesn’t it?