In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars [Paperback]

Mark Batterson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 16, 2006

Your greatest regret at the end of your life will be the lions you didn't chase. You will look back longingly on risks not taken, opportunities not seized, and dreams not pursued. Stop running away from what scares you most and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path. In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day is inspired by one of the most obscure yet courageous acts recorded in Scripture, a blessed and audacious act that left no regrets: “Benaiah chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it” (2 Samuel 23:20 -21). Unleash the lion chaser within!

What if the life you really want, and the future God wants for you, is hiding right now in your biggest problem, your worst failure…your greatest fear?

Story Behind the Book
“Our best days often start out as our worst days. And our greatest opportunities are often disguised as our biggest problems. You can land in a pit with a lion on a snowy day, and it will seem like the end of the road. But God is in the recycling business. He recycles past experiences and uses them to prepare us for future opportunities. That is the story of my life. And that is the story of your life. Look in the rearview mirror long enough and you’ll see that God has purposely positioned you everywhere you’ve been—even when it seemed you’d taken a wrong turn.”
—Mark Batterson

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

“A thoughtful and energetic leader, Mark Batterson presses us to consider how we live out our faith in the world around us. When Mark has something to say, I am quick to listen.”
-Frank Wright, PhD, President and CEO, National Religious Broadcasters

“Mark Batterson is one of the outstanding younger leaders in the U.S. today. As a pastor, he demonstrates his gifts and character in leadership and preaching. As a writer, he communicates wisdom and hope with both energy and clarity.”
-Brian McLaren, Author and activist

“As a leader and teacher, Mark Batterson brings imagination, energy, and insight. Mark’s genuine warmth and sincerity spill over into his communication, combining an intense love for his community with a passionate desire to see them living the life God dreams for them. I appreciate his willingness to take bold risks and go to extraordinary lengths to reach our culture with a message that is truly relevant.”
-Ed Young, Senior pastor, Fellowship Church 

“Mark Batterson is one of the church’s most forward thinkers. In this book, he compels us to look both behind and ahead to discover answers to the ‘whys’ in our lives. In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day helps us make sense of this beautiful mess we call life.”
-Lindy Lowry, Editor, Outreach magazine

“Mark Batterson is down-to-earth and humble—yet constantly pushes me to grow. I follow him as a leader, admire him as an innovator, and love him as a friend. Mark has become one of the most important voices for a new generation. Anything he touches changes lives. Read this book and you’ll see what I mean.”
-Craig Groeschel, Pastor of Lifechurch.tv, author of Chazown and Confessions of a Pastor

“Mark’s passion for God and our generation is contagious. His writing is honest and insightful. Go ahead—chase the lion!”
-Margaret Feinberg, Author of What the Heck Am I Going to Do With My Life?

About the Author

Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church ( www.theaterchurch.com ) in Washington DC . Targeting emerging generations, 73 percent of NCCers are single twentysomethings that live or work on Capitol Hill. Currently one church with three locations, the vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters @ metro stops throughout the DC area. The theaterchurch.com podcast is one of the fastest-growing church podcasts in America . Mark is also a daily blogger @ www.markbatterson.com . Mark lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and three children.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books; First Edition edition (October 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590527151
• ISBN-13: 978-1590527153
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.6 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (213 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,621 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #30 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Spirituality > Inspirational
  • #86 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Theology

More About the Author

Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington DC . Targeting emerging generations, 73 percent of NCCers are single twentysomethings that live or work on Capitol Hill. Currently one church with three locations, the vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters @ metro stops throughout the DC area. The theaterchurch.com podcast is one of the fastest-growing church podcasts in America . Mark is also a daily blogger @ www.markbatterson.com . Mark lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and three children.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 54 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Let it snow..... November 6, 2006

By C. Schefer

Format:Paperback

I thought this book would be a quick read. However, each chapter is so packed with revelation and wisdom it takes time, well spent, to take it all in. There are a few themes that have really stayed with me as I have read this book:

God will turn my bad break into a big break!

Do the best with what you have where you are!

When it comes to God, there are no degrees of difficulty!

If we learn from our mistakes, there is no failure (my favorite)!

Faith is embracing the uncertainties of life!

No problem = no miracle!!

The more challenges we face, the more God can use us!

CHASE THE LION!!!!!

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Let it ROAR! October 22, 2006

By C. Groeschel

Format:Paperback

Warning. This book will challenge you! (It definitely pushed me!)

Some books start strong and lose steam. This book starts strong and gets better with each turn of the page. I read it in two sittings and hated when it ended.

Mark's writing is fun and engaging. His content is rich. His illustrations are unforgettable. His application of Scripture is life changing.

I felt like a wise mentor was encouraging me to see more than I've seen, do more than I'm doing, and believe God for more than I could imagine.

As a pastor, I'm ordering a bunch of boxes of this book to get into the hands of the members of my church and staff. This is a must-read.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Exciting Moments of Life are Spent Chasing Lions October 27, 2006

By Brenton Balvin

Format:Paperback

Chase the lion!

That is the recurring theme that stalks and roars at readers as they consume the meat of Mark Batteron's new book "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day."

Alright, enough with the lion jokes.

Based on an obscure passage in the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel (23:29,30) Mark Batterson challenges his readers to face the lions in their lives head on with courage and faith. He centers his book on the story of an Israelite warrior who encounters a lion in a pit on a snowy day. The twist is that rather than running away from the lion as most people would be prone to do, this courageous solider jumps into the pit and kills it.

It is a bold move, a fearless and counter-intuitive act. And it is an act that perfectly illustrates the kind of life Batterson believes should be the norm for people who follow Jesus Christ. People whom Mark labels: lion chasers.

The majority of the book is built on the seven skills that Batterson believes will help people "climb out of the slipperiest pits and chase the biggest lions." These skills are: overcoming adversity, unlearning fears, embracing uncertainty, calculating risks, seizing opportunities, defying odds, and looking foolish.

Each of the chapters in the book highlights one of the seven skills and describes how it applies to a life of lion chasing. The chapters are easy to read and the main points in each one are clear and well illustrated. Using an effective blend of intellect, humor, candor and Scripture he artfully makes his case for the necessity and development of each skill. Coupled with a writing style that is both easily understandable and doable, Batterson provides his readers with needed insights on how to develop the 7 habits of highly effective lion chasing.

Throughout the book Batterson skillfully blends a mixture of scientific discovery, psychological research, Biblical narrative, and personal experience into a coherent whole. He has also been blessed with the wonderful ability to creativity make the Biblical text come alive. More than once he imaginatively describes the life experiences of Benaiah the lion killer, as well as many other Biblical stories, in such a way that it almost makes the reader feel as though he/she were near the snowy pit when Benaiah jumped in. And in the end, you walk away looking to pick a fight with some invisible feline king of the jungle.

Batterson is right when he points out that we will all face lions in our lives at one time or another. These lions might come in pits on snowy days, but rather, they could be disguised as possible career changes, risky decisions that must be made, difficult conversations that need to be had, big crazy God-sized dreams we'd like to pursue, or longstanding habits that have to be broken. Whatever lions are in your life, Mark Batterson's book will help you develop the skills you need to jump into the snowy pit and face them head on.

This is a very readable book for people everywhere who are looking at their lives and wondering if there might be something more than what they are currently experiencing. Batterson's writing is stirring, challenging, truthful, reverent, informational, and entertaining all at the same time. It will make you laugh, it will amaze you, it will inspire you, and it will bring you closer to God.

Chase the lion.