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

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More About This Book

Overview

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

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781590527153
  • Publisher: The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 11/28/2006
  • Pages: 192
  • Sales rank: 54,406
  • Product dimensions: 5.30 (w) x 8.45 (h) x 0.50 (d)

Meet 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.

Read an Excerpt

Locking Eyes with Your Lion

You are responsible forever for what you have tamed.
—Antoinede Saint-Exubery

There is an obscure passage in Scripture that I doubt any Sunday school teacher has ever assigned as a memory verse. It wasn’t exegeted in any of the systematic theology classes I took in seminary. It has absolutely no bearing on any major biblical doctrines. You may have read it a few times in a one-year Bible, but it probably didn’t even make a blip on your radar screen.

Buried in the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel, the twenty-third chapter, the twentieth and twenty-first verses,
is one of the most inconceivable and inspirational passages in Scripture:

There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two of Moab’s mightiest warriors. Another time he chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it. Another time, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.

It’s easy to read verses like this in the comfortable confines of your home or office and totally miss the monumental acts of courage displayed by Benaiah. Have you ever met anyone or heard of anyone chasing a lion? Sure, Barnum & Bailey have lion tamers. But lion chasers? Benaiah didn’t have a hunting rifle or Land Rover. And this was no game-park safari.

Scripture doesn’t tell us what Benaiah was doing or where he was going when he encountered this lion. We don’t know the time of day or Benaiah’s frame of mind. But Scripture does reveal his gut reaction. And it was gutsy. It ranks as one of the most improbable reactions recorded in Scripture. Usually, when the image of a man-eating beast travels through the optical nerve and registers in the visual cortex, the brain has one over-arching message: Run away.

Normal people run away from lions. They run as far and as fast as they possibly can. But lion chasers are wired differently.

For the vast majority of us, the only lions we’ve ever encountered were stuffed or caged. And few of us have experienced hand-to-hand combat that forced us to fight for our lives. But try to put yourself in Benaiah’s snow shoes.

Out of the corner of his eye, Benaiah sees something crawling. I don’t know how far away the lion is—and their vision is probably obscured by falling snow and frozen breath—but there is a moment when Benaiah and the lion lock eyes. Pupils dilate. Muscles tense. Adrenaline rushes.

What a Hollywood moment.

Imagine watching it on the movie screen with THX surround sound. Your knuckles turn white as you grip the theater seat. Blood pressure escalates. And the entire audience anticipates what will happen next. Lion encounters tend to script the same way. Man runs away like a scaredy-cat. Lion gives chase. And king of the beasts eats manwich for lunch.

But not this time! Almost as improbable as falling up or the second hand on your watch moving counterclockwise, the lion turns tail and Benaiah gives chase.

The camera films the chase at ground level.

Lions can run up to thirty-five miles per hour and leap thirty feet in a single bound. Benaiah doesn’t stand a chance, but that doesn’t keep him from giving chase. Then the lion makes one critical misstep. The ground gives away beneath his five-hundred-pound frame, and he falls down a steep embankment into a snow-laden pit. For what it’s worth, I’m sure the lion landed on his feet. Lions are part of the cat genus, after all.

No one is eating popcorn at this point. Eyes are fixed on the screen. It’s the moment of truth as Benaiah approaches the pit. Almost like walking on thin ice, Benaiah measures every step. He inches up to the edge and peers into the pit. Menacing yellow eyes stare back. The entire audience is thinking the same thing: Don’t even think about it.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you do something crazy and ask yourself in retrospect: What was I thinking? This had to be one of those moments for Benaiah. Who in their right mind chases lions? But Benaiah now has a moment to collect his thoughts, regain his sanity, and get a grip on reality. And the reality is this: Normal people don’t chase lions.

So Benaiah turns around and walks away. The audience breathes a collective sigh of relief. But Benaiah isn’t walking away. He’s getting a running start. There is an audible gasp from the audience as Benaiah runs at the pit and takes a flying leap of faith.

The camera pans out.

You see two sets of tracks leading up to the pit’s edge. One set of foot prints. One set of paw prints. Benaiah and the lion disappear into the recesses of the pit. The view is obscured to keep it PG-13. And for a few critical moments, the audience is left with just the THX sound track. A deafening roar echoes in the cavernous pit. A bloodcurdling battle cry pierces the soul.

Then dead silence.

Freeze-frame.

Everybody in the theater expects to see a lion shake its mane and strut out of the pit. But after a few agonizing moments of suspense, the shadow of a human form appears as Benaiah climbs out of the pit. The blood from his wounds drips on the freshly fallen snow. Claw marks crisscross his face and spear arm. But Benaiah wins one of the most improbable victories recorded in the pages of Scripture.

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Right at the outset, let me share one of my core convictions: God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. A sense of destiny is our birthright as followers of Christ. God is awfully good at getting us where He wants us to go. But here’s the catch: The right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time.

Can I understate the obvious?

Encountering a lion in the wild is typically a bad thing. A really bad thing! Finding yourself in a pit with a lion on a snowy day generally qualifies as a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. That combination of circumstances usually spells one thing: death. I don't think anyone would have bet on Benaiah winning this fight—probably not even the riskiest of gamblers. He had to be at least a one-hundred-to-one underdog. And the snowy conditions on game day didn’t help his chances.

Scripture doesn’t give us a blow-by-blow description of what happened in that pit. All we know is that when the snow settled, the lion was dead and Benaiah was alive. There was one set of paw prints and two sets of footprints.

Now fast-forward two verses and look at what happens in the next scene.

2 Samuel 23:23 says: “And David put [Benaiah] in charge of his bodyguard.”

I can’t think of too many places I’d rather not be than in a pit with a lion on a snowy day. Can you? Getting stuck in a pit with a lion on a snowy day isn’t on anybody’s wish list. It’s a death wish. But you’ve got to admit something: “I killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day” looks pretty impressive on your résumé if you’re applying for a bodyguard position with the King of Israel!

You know what I’m saying?

I can picture David flipping through a stack of résumés. “I majored in security at the University of Jerusalem.” Nope. “I did an internship with the Palace Guard.” Nada. “I worked for Brinks Armored Chariots.” Thanks but no thanks.

Then David comes to the next résumé in the stack. “I killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day.” David didn’t even check his references. That is the kind of person you want in charge of your bodyguard. Lion chasers make great bouncers.

Now zoom out and look at the story through a wide-angled lens. Most people would have seen the lion as a five-hundred-pound problem, but not Benaiah. For most people, finding yourself in a pit with a lion on a snowy day would qualify as bad luck. But can you see how God turned what could have been considered a bad break into a big break? Benaiah lands a job interview with the King of Israel.

I’m sure the bodyguard position was the last thing on his mind when he encountered the lion, but Benaiah wasn’t just chasing a lion. Benaiah was chasing a position in David’s administration.

Here’s the point: God is in the résumé-building business. He is always using past experiences to prepare us for future opportunities. But those God-given opportunities often come disguised as maneating lions. And how we react when we encounter those lions will determine our destiny. We can cower in fear and run away from our greatest challenges. Or we can chase our God-ordained destiny by seizing the God-ordained opportunity.

As I look back on my own life, I recognize this simple truth: The greatest opportunities were the scariest lions. Part of me has wanted to play it safe, but I’ve learned that taking no risks is the greatest risk of all.

Giving up a full-ride scholarship at the University of Chicago to transfer to a small Bible college was a huge risk. Asking my wife, Lora, to marry me was a huge risk. (Of course, not as big a risk as Lora saying yes!) Packing all of our earthly belongings into a fifteen-foot U-haul and moving to Washington DC with no place to live and no guaranteed salary was a huge risk. Each of our three children was a huge risk. Jumping into a church plant with zero pastoral experience was a huge risk, both for me and for the church.

But when I look in the rearview mirror, I realize that the biggest risks were the greatest opportunities. Some of those life-altering decisions caused sleepless nights. The steps of faith were accompanied by acute fear that caused nausea. We experienced some financial hardships that required miraculous provision. And we had to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off after falling flat on our faces a few times.

But those were the moments that I came alive. Those were the moments when God set the stage. Those were the moments that changed the trajectory of my life.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 50 )

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 50 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 11, 2007

    This is a MUST READ for spiritual wimps!

    Batterson puts life's challenges in perspective. He encourages self exploration through trust in God and ACTION on His principles. 'In A Pit With A Lion' is a summary of several self-help books, both Christian and secular. He incorporates the principles of Peale's 'Positive Thinking', Robbins' 'Awaken the Giant' and 'Unlimited Power', and King David's heart and spirit. A must read for one who needs the Spirit to blow out the spiritual dust of years of a broken mind or troubled heart. It has been a while since an author put me to tears. Batterson achieved it.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 17, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    What a great book!

    The title of the book caught my attention right away. It is inspiring as well as thought provoking. A lot of churches and pastors these days shy away from the Old Testament. I am so thankful that Mark Batterson chose to embrace this man's story and expound on how to apply it to our lives today.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 17, 2012

    Awsomeone

    Name......awsomeone..........awsumness level........100,000,000,000,000,000.........role........being awsum..........personality.......awsum..............loves to........be awsum

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 13, 2012

    Robinwing

    Appearence: light brown tabby she-cat with sparkling blue eyes. Personality: kind, loving, and caring. Hobby: destined to be a medicine cat.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 10, 2012

    Blazeshadow

    Name-Blazeshadow. Personality-Keeps tabs on everything and anyone. Is a night cat, stealthy, and precise. Appearance-Black she-cat with blazing blue eyes and silvery streaked tail. Mm

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 18, 2012

    To larkpaw

    Ceaderstar isnt here right now biut you can join at the firat result

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 9, 2012

    Nightclaw

    Name: nightclaw mate: sunblossem kits: none yet apperence: pure black tom with dark blue eyes story: early life was filled with violence. Parents killed soon after apprentaceship and two brothers (volcanofang and shatterstar) killed not too long ago personality: likes to be on his own and goes out for a night hunt EVERY night no matter what.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 9, 2012

    Ceaderstar info

    VvvCederstarvvV
    GENDER:male MATE:falcontail KIT(S): ashtail bramblestripe iceclaw heartglaze STORY:named ceaderkit when born and was the only survior after a attack on his clan. Named leader of fireclan after nightstar died. Was given his nine lives and was given powers to defeat the darkforest. Killed ballstars evil spirit and changed him back to normal. Falcontail and i had three more kits. Adopted heartkit. Adopted no name kit. (Not known at least.) ENEMIES: darkclaw, silerdeath, and tigerdeath

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted January 18, 2012

    Outstanding Book

    Mark Batterson's In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day owes its title and central argument to Benaiah, an often overlooked person, mentioned in 2 Samuel. Benaiah, eschewing the normal response when coming face-to-face with a predator in the wild, chases a lion into a snowy pit and kills it. Eventually Benaiah would rise from lion chaser to David's bodyguard all the way to commander-in-chief of the armies of Israel. All because he was the kind of person who looked on adversities as opportunities Batterson postulates that God is calling us all to be lion chasers as well. For us to embrace our lion chasing skills, Batterson explores seven required skills: Overcoming adversity Unlearning fears Embracing uncertainty Calculating risks Seizing opportunities Defying Odds Looking foolish He mentions, several times, the importance of stepping out in faith. “Most of us want absolute certainty before we step out in faith. We love 100-percent money-back guarantees. But the problem with that is this: It takes faith out of the equation. There is no such thing as risk-free faith. And you can't experience success without risking failure.” I know I am guilty of second guessing myself and wanting to be 100% sure when I make a decision. It almost never comes to 100% certainty and I know I have missed out on a number of opportunities because I was unwilling to make the final leap of faith. This book challenges you to do just that, and does so in a very accessible and enthusiastic way. Lion chasers “recognize that the best you can do if you run away from a lion is break even. You might save your skin, but you won't have a lion skin hanging on your wall either.” What an outstanding read! FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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  • Posted December 16, 2011

    Lion Chaser!

    Mark Batterson does an excellent job of being inspirational without being a cheerleader. This book is a perfect mixture of sound theological thought, biblical basis mixed with "ordinary" people that aspire to great things. I find his humor refreshing and necessary. Necessary because some of his insight is so deep it literally made my brain hurt.
    In a Pit focuses on a seldom used passage concerning one of David's might men named Benaiah and his chasing of a lion into a pit on a snowy day. One creature survives the tussle, of course being one Benaiah. While the thought of David's mighty men has been over played in conferences and by many a church leader, Batterson's treatment is refreshing. If you enjoy deep thinking written on an easy to digest level, this book is certainly for you. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions are my own.

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  • Posted December 1, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Go chase your lions!!!

    In this book, Mark Batterson does a great job of challenging the reader to believe that God can do great things through "ordinary people". He takes a very obscure passage of scripture, one that most people would simply overlook, and makes a great case for the amazing things that God can do for someone who would be willing to believe. In this book, Mark gives us seven things that "lion-chasers" need to do:

    * Overcome adversity

    * Unlearn fears

    * Embrace uncertainty

    * Calculate risks

    * Seize opportunities

    * Defy the odds

    * Look foolish

    This book will challenge your faith and give you courage to face the things that come your way. An opportunity is always in front of you if you will just learn to see it and embrace it. Using stories from his own journey and the journey of others, Mark gives great examples of how to chase lions and be an overcomer.

    I had seen this book recommended for a couple of years now and I had been wanting to read it. I am so glad that I did. As a pastor, it is something that every church member should read. As one that is often times afraid to take risks this book gave me courage to go after the lions in my life. Mark encourages the reader to look for opportunities before us that could advance us in our lives. You never know when by chasing a lion into a pit on a snowy day your whole life will change. So, read this book and go chase a lion.

    This book is a very easy read. I had a hard time putting it down. I got a lot of great quotes and illustrations from this book. It's one of those books that will need to be reread when one needs a good faith-lift.

    Disclosure: WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group sent me this book for free for this review - the views expressed are my own.

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  • Posted October 16, 2011

    Fight Your Lions

    In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
    *The following review is my own and not that of any other. I received a complimentary copy for this review*

    This was a fabulous read as I started it on Friday night and finished it Saturday morning. Not only was I anxious to keep reading but the content was well written.

    The premise of the book is what does a person do when faced with an opportunity: fight or flee? Does he/she face the lion in a pit or does he/she run? Mr. Batterson challenges the reader to fight the lion, whatever the "lion" may be.

    Why look back over your life with regret because of lost opportunity? Instead, accept that God has placed circumstances in your life to strengthen, instruct, mold, and challenge you. Fight your lions and see what miracles God can do through you. That is the intent of this book and it was presented well.

    I highly recommend this book for those that need encouragement to continue in a difficult time and for those that are fearful of unforeseen outcomes. A very good read.

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  • Posted August 26, 2011

    Motivating!

    Awesome read! Encourages you to not only push beyond your limits but to pursue what appears to be unattainable. More specific-God size dreams/goals. Always aware that when you do, you set the stage for a miracle. For what is impossible with man is possible with God!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 16, 2011

    Okay

    In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson is a book about chasing after your God-given dreams. While I think there were a few good things said, I didn't feel like this book really said a whole lot that helped me. I feel like the book focused too much on us and not enough on God. It's one of those books that takes people from the Bible and tries to make them modern. The whole tone is very casual, and I think Batterson is also trying to amuse you as well as teach you.

    The book does indeed have some sentences that can make you think. It talks about fear, and it talks about taking a step of faith. Batterson often uses stories from the Bible to make points or get you thinking, but he doesn't include many Bible verses or passages.

    In short, I believe there are a few good points here and there, but a good amount of the book is fluff. And it didn't help me a whole lot in my walk with God.

    I received my copy of this book free from Blogging for Books.

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  • Posted July 4, 2011

    In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson

    Mark Batterson writes about taking on the opportunities that come about in life like Benaiah faced and killed a lion in 2 Samuel 23:20. Mark stresses the need to live a Spirit-led life of risk and uncertainty rather than playing it safe and missing God-ordained opportunities. In short, be a lion-chaser in seeing opportunities, taking risks, and trusting God.

    This book was a great inspiration and challenging for my walk in taking opportunities "by the horns" in my walk of faith. The one frustration and criticism I have is that I felt like Mark added details to the story of Benaiah. There were many things that Mark talked about concerning Benaiah's interaction with this lion, but cannot be seen in the Scripture reference. Other than these occasional imaginations, I thought it was a good read. I would recommend it to a friend, especially if they are struggling with purpose in life or their work.

    I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

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  • Posted June 21, 2011

    An easy read with some great insights and practical suggestions for growth

    This is one of those rare books that has an absolutely ridiculous sounding name but is actually very good to read. In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day is all about seeing your daily struggles as God-ordained opportunities to mature your own faith and grow His kingdom. The title is a reference to the Biblical character Benaiah, who is found in II Samuel 23:20-21. Benaiah (for those of us who have never heard of him) was a man who literally killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day - hence the name of the book.

    Batterson introduces his thesis by sharing the story of Benaiah and examining it in some detail. Then he sets out seven skills needed to properly view obstacles as God-ordained opportunities to thrive, spending a chapter examining each one: Overcoming adversity, Unlearning fears, embracing uncertainty, calculating risks, seizing opportunities, defying odds, and looking foolish. The irony of reading this book for me is that I've got a couple of challenges I'm facing now in my jobs, and just last week (before I even picked up the book!) I was sharing with my wife that while the challenges seem to be great in many ways I also feel that God has placed these in my path for a specific reason. In short, I feel they are God-ordained opportunities for me to guide and help others while at the same time growing in my own faith.

    The only complaint I had about the book is that at times I felt like I was re-reading Soulprint because there were some sections that seemed as if they were verbatim from his previous book (which I reviewed). Batterson's style is easy to read and enjoyable yet at the same time he raises some great points which require careful and deep consideration. I'm going to recommend reading this book if you need help seeing your every-day circumstances as God-ordained opportunities to grow in Him, giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

    One disclaimer, I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review, but am not required to post a complimentary review in exchange for it.

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  • Posted May 21, 2011

    It's all about initiative!

    "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?" This is the tagline of the book by Mark Batterson, "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day." The book is based on a biblical character named, Benaiah. He once chased a lion into a pit while it was snowing, and killed him (2 Samuel 23:20, 21). With this in the background, Mark writes nine chapters on this simple verse in the Bible. Simply put, this book is fantastic if you are struggling with confidence or fear about a decision in your life. The stories that Mark shares are a true encouragement to get out there and chase after your dreams. The book is filled with great one liners and inspiring stories, all designed to help you be courages and take some initiative and chase your dreams. Or a lion. The downside to the book is that it seemed a little on the repetitive side. After all, it's hard to write on nearly any topic with only a one-line story as inspiration. At times the book felt like it would have made a great article or series of blogs, but not necessarily a book. So you need to be ready for some repetitive language and some concepts that will repeat themselves. Overall, this is a great book for those needing that extra nudge of encouragement to chase something in their life. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

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  • Posted May 21, 2011

    It's all about Initiative!

    "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?"

    This is the tagline of the book by Mark Batterson, "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day." The book is based on a biblical character named, Benaiah. He once chased a lion into a pit while it was snowing, and killed him (2 Samuel 23:20, 21). With this in the background, Mark writes nine chapters on this simple verse in the Bible. Simply put, this book is fantastic if you are struggling with confidence or fear about a decision in your life. The stories that Mark shares are a true encouragement to get out there and chase after your dreams. The book is filled with great one liners and inspiring stories, all designed to help you be courages and take some initiative and chase your dreams. Or a lion.

    The downside to the book is that it seemed a little on the repetitive side. After all, it's hard to write on nearly any topic with only a one-line story as inspiration. At times the book felt like it would have made a great article or series of blogs, but not necessarily a book. So you need to be ready for some repetitive language and some concepts that will repeat themselves.

    Overall, this is a great book for those needing that extra nudge of encouragement to chase something in their life. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 9, 2011

    This book was nothing short of amazing!

    I admit that before reading this book I don't think I had ever read the story of Benaiah. I love it when you finally uncover one little jewel in Scripture that means so much-and that is exactly what this Scripture is. Batterson did a wonderful job breaking down the Scripture and applying it to everyday life. What I loved the most though, was how he gave so much history to the story which increased its value and message. I felt like this book was a collision of the Old Testament and modern day psychology with a God twist. Batterson really did his homework when tackling the subject of fear. This book was nothing short of amazing!It helped me as a wife, understand my lion chaser husband, and it inspired me to chase my own lions. If you want to tackle some fears, or step out in faith on something, this is the PERFECT book for you.
    I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I give my review honestly and am in no way bias or required to give a postive review.

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  • Posted April 28, 2011

    In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day

    I enjoy the obscure passages in the Bible. Stories of the lesser-known's such as Shamgar and Jabez intrigue and encourage me. Whether defeating an entire army with a simple farm implement or verbalizing a prayer that asks God to move heaven and earth, their lives demand attention. The story of Benaiah, told in 2 Samuel 23:20-21 is no different. It is the story of lion chaser. It is the story of an odds defyer. It is the story of a man who chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day, a won. In his book, "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day; How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars", National Community Church pastor Mark Batterson expands and sheds light on a very obscure passage in the Old Testament. He tells the story of Benaiah, an Israelite warrior who fought Moabite warriors and killed an Egyptian warrior. In this book, Batterson deals with opportunity. Each one of us have to determine what we will do with every opportunity presented to us. Using the phrase "lion chasers', Batterson challenges each believer to go after and seize every God-given opportunity. He clearly shows there is a difference lion tamers and lion chasers. He skillfully points out that we all face lions of some sort in our lives. These lions come in the form of life-changing decisions, career moves, and economic opportunities. He encourages the reader to jump in the pit with the lion and tackle it head on. Batterson focuses his writing on seven lion-chasing skills needed to take advantage of every opportunity. These skills are overcoming adversity, unlearning fears, embracing uncertainty, calculating risks, seizing opportunities, defying odds, and looking foolish. "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snow Day" is not a new book, but I believe it is one of those books that remain for a long time and make an impact for years to come. I greatly enjoyed this book. Batterson's style of writing is balanced, clean, precise, and inspirational. He mixes scripture, ancient custom, and personal experience artfully in such a way that makes this book an easy and consuming read. The wisdom expressed in this book has the potential to be life-changing. I recommend this book to those who are dreaming God-sized dreams, yet are reluctant to climb into the snowy pit. I received a complimentary copy of this book Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest review.

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