Committed Pursuit

I am reading another book (All In) by one of my favorite authors, Mark Batterson. I always enjoy his challenging thoughts and the word pictures. He has a way of writing that is complex and yet simply expressed at the same time.

He shared a manifesto about going all in and going all out for God. I've heard him express it before, but it's a worthwhile challenge which still conveys great thoughts.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.

Set God-sized goals. Pursue God ordained passions. 

Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.

Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God.

Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution.

Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.

Stop playing it safe and start taking risks.

Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey.

Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can.

Live like today is the first day and the last day of your life.

Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God.

Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails.

Don't let fear dictate your decisions. Take a flying leap of faith.

Quit holding out. Quit holding back.

Go all in with God. Go all out for God.

Soulprint by Mark Batterson

I have been a Mark Batterson fan since I first read In a Pit with a Lion on a Snow Day, and was excited to read his new book, Soulprint. I was certainly not disappointed in his latest work and gladly recommend it to fans and first-time readers alike. It was a challenging and yet encouraging book that has given me a renewed perspective on who I am and what God is doing in me and through my own life.

The basic premise of his book is that we all have a specific uniqueness that has been given to us by God and it is a combination of our gifts and talents, our experiences and our character. All of this is specifically designed by God and is intended to draw us close to Him and allow us to fully utilize who we are in His great plan. We are all a work in progress and we can be shaped through all of our experiences to discover our true identity and destiny. Batterson explains that God already has this design and is working for our benefit as Christ-followers to reach that end saying, "So while you live your life forward, God works backward."

Batterson uses the Biblical example of the life of David and how God used his weaknesses as well as strengths to strategically position him for spiritual growth. He shares how God was able to redeem David's mistakes and develop his character through his mistakes and still have him leave this earth as a man after God's own heart. It is an encouragement to me to see how God worked so clearly in the life of David and know that He has that same passion for me.

I would highly recommend this book for church and ministry leaders as well as anyone who wants to focus on developing into the unique and Spirit-led Christ followers we were created to be.



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