Between the Lines: "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" Chapter 1

I try to be disciplined in my reading. Seldom do I read without a pen in my hand. I write all over the books I read. A friend of mine once "loaned" me a book to read only to force me to buy him a new copy because I marked it up pretty good.

I'm currently reading, "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson. As I have begun to read, I have found pearl after pearl of challenging thoughts that I am compelled to share with others. Often, I will "tweet" it or post it to my Facebook page in an attempt to share the thought with like-minded people. However with this book, there's too much information and not enough space (< 140 characters) to share it effectively.

So, I've turned to here. I want to post some of the nuggets that I find here for the random reader. I hope they make you think as they have challenged me to do the same.

• "God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time...The right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time."
• "God is in the resume'-building business. He is always using past experiences to prepare us for future opportunities. But those opportunities often come disguised as man-eating lions."
• "Goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. Those who simply run away from sin are half-Christians. Our calling is much higher than simply running away from what's wrong. We're called to chase lions."
• "When we don't have the guts to step out in faith and chase lions, then God is robbed of the glory that rightfully belongs to Him."
• "What sets lion chasers apart isn't the outcome. It's the courage to chase God-sized dreams. Lion chasers don't let their fears or doubts keep them from doing what God has called them to do."
• "Spiritual maturity is seeing and seizing God-ordained opportunities. Think of every opportunity as God's gift to you. What you do with those opportunities is your gift to God. I'm absolutely convinced that our greatest regrets in life will be missed opportunities."