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

Mark Batterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication 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 Paster

“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: 192 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (October 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590527151
• ISBN-13: 978-1590527153
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.5 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (154 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chase the Lion, October 16, 2006

By 

Heather Zempel (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars (Paperback)

What do you do when opportunity roars? According to Mark Batterson, we must rediscover our chasing gene, lock eyes with our lion, and sprint directly towards it.

In the first chapter of In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, Batterson weaves a thrilling tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat and the adrenaline pumping. Then, you discover it's actually a re-telling of a Biblical story. It's the story of Benaiah and his rise from lion chaser to David's chief military advisor. It's a story we may have read a hundred times before and breezed over without fully experiencing its drama and passion. (We do that with a lot of the Biblical texts, don't we? When did we make the Bible boring?) But in the opening pages of this entertaining and at times unsettling book, Batterson breathes new life into this ancient tale in a creative, thought-provoking, and challenging way.

We've all seen lion tamers. But lion chasers? That's just plain crazy. And yet that is what God is calling us to be. People who realize that Jesus did not die on the cross just to ensure that we could live safe lives. In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day dares us to go back to Biblical faith, which is risky, uncertain, and dangerous. But it always leads to God.

Batterson uses Benaiah's encounter with the lion as a backdrop to explore seven lion chasing skills:

* Overcoming adversity
* Unlearning fears
* Embracing uncertainty
* Calculating risks
* Seizing opportunities
* Defying odds
* Looking foolish

This book challenged the way I think about faith, and I hope it will find expression in the way I live out my faith. As Yoda challenged Luke Skywalker, I must unlearn what I have learned. I need to realize that my action regrets will pale in comparison to my inaction regrets.

Sprinkled with references to pop culture and ancient culture, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day digs out Biblical principles and helps us understand their relevance in our everyday-walking-around lives in the 21st century. But ultimately it's not Mark Batterson's story. And it's not even Benaiah's story. It is God's story and it is one that he wants to write in and through each of our lives.

This book made me want to jump out of my chair and start running after God with more intensity and focus than ever before. It's a fast and funny read, and it will leave you with lots of good stuff to chew on.

Get it and begin your lion chasing training today.

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

C. Schefer "Lion Chaser" (Northern VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars (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!!!!!

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

C. Groeschel (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars (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.