What's a Lion Chaser, Anyways?

Hey All,

I am constantly blown away by the ways God brings the perfect encouragement at the right time. He is faithful, and I am blessed. I've had several conversations in the past few weeks that can't be anything but divine appointment! I've had people I haven't talk to in years, months, (or really talked to at all) say the things I've needed to hear at just the right moments. Talk about encouragement from every angle.

I can tell that the reality of leaving is starting to sink in, finally. I have 159 days left in Texas before I leave for training in Arizona. That leaves 129 days until my full payment is due. Yeah, those numbers are getting smaller and smaller--really fast. As much as I want to worry, I know that there is no reason to. He will bring the funding in when it's the right time, not when I kindly remind Him that I still need a solid six grand. For all the friends who've told me that fundraising alone will stretch your faith--they were not joking. They've been spot on, and I thank them for their honesty.

A few people who've seen (or even noticed) the "Chasing After Lions" reference in my blog website have assumed it was a pun based on the fact that I'm going to Africa. ...Africa, chasing lions...get it? As much as I wish I could take credit for being that clever, the title is actually something much more meaningful. There's a little known story in the Old Testament (yeah, people still read that sometimes) about a man named Benaiah. For some of you Biblical History folk, you  may recognize his name as being the leader of David's army. That's an awesome job title, but that's not where his story starts.

In 1 Chronicles, chapter 11, there's one verse that summarizes Benaiah's accomplishments. Consider it his resume.

"Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion."

Wait--what? In a loose, modern-day equivalent, it's saying "BTW--killed a lion today. NBD. It was kinda snowy though, so it was cold and stuff..."

And that's exactly what he did. It doesn't say he was chased by a lion and fought it off. It also doesn't say he had his crazy-swole group of mighty men with him to put a hurtin' on some little lion cub. It says he WENT DOWN into a pit, and fought the lion. Oh, and it was snowy and he was alone and he didn't just fight it, he killed it dead. I can't even begin to think of the  best way to kill a lion, but I'm guessing that being in a pit with snow in it would be a bit of a disadvantage.

There is an awesome book written about this guy and the God he serves. It's called "In a Pit With a Lion on A Snowy Day". Don't let the preposition-ridden title fool you though, this book is fantastic. It analyzes Benaiah's characteristics and what kind of crazy person chases after a lion. That's where this insane story meets up with my life (and all of ours, if we let it). Running into a lion in the middle of a snow storm is NOT what I'd call an "awesome opportunity". To me, it just sounds like a nightmare. But, because of Ben's instinct to chase after the lion (literally), word gets around to King David about what he's done. He ends up the commander of David's army. What we'd think of as a nightmare ended up being one of the biggest highlights of Ben's resume. It got him to the place where God wanted him to go. Are you starting to piece it all together yet?

I won't summarize the entire book--but trust me, it is worth a read. The "lions" in our life often look like failure. They look like us, miserably crashing and burning and grasping at straws because we have no idea why our life is suddenly falling apart. The scary, huge problems in our lives can be our lions. The situations that we think must be too hard or too difficult for God to use can actually be exactly where we need to be. Not only are we supposed to accept these challenges, we're supposed to chase after them. To fight them. To allow God to bring us the unthinkable victory at the last minute. Yeah, it's dramatic. It's intense. But it's the life of a lion-chaser.

Some people naturally have and recognize these characteristics, others don't--or don't know it yet. When I think of "lion-chasers" that I know or have heard of, I think of people who start Bible studies in their living rooms with a few guys and a guitar. That Bible study is now called Breakaway--and serves thousands of Aggies every Tuesday in Reed Arena. I think of people like Levi Benkert, who sell their possessions and uproot their families to move to Ethopia; all to save the lives of children and heal the hearts of widows. I think of Ms.Rhonda, who runs an orphanage in Honduras and has brought more hope and healing to that community than you'd think possible. These are the type of people that I'd consider full-fledged, badge-wearing, lion-chasers.

But we all could stand to be a little more courageous in our lives. There's a part in each of us that longs to live a sold-out life for Christ that doesn't ask questions--that just acts on faith. I think there's something in our hearts, instinctively, that knows we're made for more than just the 9 to 5 kind of job. But I have to warn you, should you find yourself to be a lion chaser...you might end up a little--restless. I have to remind myself that not everyone spends their time browsing the internet for international ministry jobs instead of doing their Biology homework (Mom, Dad, if you're reading this..just know that my homework will still get done!)

You might find yourself a somewhat confused, because God is interfering in your life in a BIG way. You might even feel overwhelmed, like the desire in your heart to serve others is taking too much time away from other things. You might feel like you have NO idea where to start, what your "lion" is, or what you're supposed to do.But if you find yourself starting down challenges with an open mind, you believe that playing it safe is too risky, you'd rather act now and consider the odds later, and you know that you are guaranteed uncertainty--you might just be a lion chaser. And you might just learn to love it. I encourage you to read the book, and of course to pray. His biggest challenges and our hardest trials can turn out to be the very thing that puts us on track to the life He has planned for us; sometimes it just takes a little adjusting.

I am so thrilled at the ways God is working in the lives of so many people that I know, and in my life as well. There is much to be excited for, and I can't wait to see what's next. 159 days to go.

2 Timothy 2:7; For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.