Author: Jonathan Blundell

I'm a husband, father of three, blogger, podcaster, author and media geek who is hoping to live a simple life and follow The Way.

Facing the Lion

Our series next month at encounter will deal with “Facing the Lion” based loosely on a book by Mark Batterson, In the Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Batterson shares this Lion Chaser’s Manifesto today on his blog:

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 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 a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you’re not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

What do you find yourself running from? What’s holding you back from being yourself? Where can you expand your horizons?

Lost and Found

If you haven’t subscribed to the SoundCorps podcast you’re really missing out.
The stories are so personal and touching and I’m sure they probably mean even more to the family members who get to do the interviews and hear the stories.
This week’s podcast is another great one:

During World War II, the U-S military ran prisoner-of-war camps across the country. Jean Thackeray grew up near one of these camps. She came to StoryCorps to tell her daughter-in-law, Susan, about a POW who came to work on her father’s farm.

Free 411 service

Still paying your phone company for operator assistance.
Stop giving them extra money and use Goog-411.
Call 1-800-Goog-411 and get information and be connected for free through Google.
I’ve been using a similar service through text messaging for several years now. Love it.
But now I can call and use voice prompts instead.
Very nice.

Update from CWF

Just got an e-mail from Philip “The Bishop” Barron about the CWF trip in Nigeria:

Not much time but all is going well. Mike has become ill with dehydration but we have seen over 300 people get saved. We still have another week!! All the children at TH were asking for you. Many people on the team have been asking about you as well. Will love to show you pics and go over my journal with you when I get back. Hows marriage treating you? HOLLA HOLLA!!! I miss you and will see you soon. We get back on friday oct 19 around 1:30pm. Talk to you soon.

Quote of the day

“You have to question Gov. Romney’s claims of being a fiscal conservative when he’s contributing $20 million of his own money and is polling nationally at 11%,” said Mike Huckabee Press Secretary Alice Stewart. “Gov. Huckabee has sustained his campaign with a strong conservative and consistent message, results-driven record and vision for America’s future – and we’re proud to say he’s at 8% nationally in the polls, and climbing.”