Mark Batterson's Blog, page 13

Idiosyncrasies

Like everyone else, I have my fair share of idiosyncrasies. I don’t know why, but I always set my alarm clock to an even number. An odd number would totally mess me up. I always start shaving on the right side of my face. I never drive off after pumping gas without checking my left-hand…

Offend Pharisees

Who are you going to offend? That is one of the most important questions a man has to ask and answer. This I promise you: you’re going to offend someone! So who will it be? If you’re afraid of offending people, you’ll offend God. If you’re afraid of offending God, you’ll offend people. It’s one…

Wonder

One of my goals as a father is to infect my children with childlike wonder. Arthur Gordon is one of my role models when it comes to wonder. I read his incredible book, Wonder, on our fifteenth anniversary trip to Italy—making it all the more meaningful. In fact, we saw one of the natural wonders…

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

If nothing is tougher for men than baring their souls and revealing their true feelings, then a true tough guy is someone who does just that. Real men cry. In twenty years of leading National Community Church, I’ve tried to be strong and courageous. And that often means putting on a brave face and soldiering…

Do Hard Things

When you hike the Grand Canyon or build a mud hut, you discover muscles you didn’t know you had. And that’s precisely the point. You’ve got to put yourself in positions that will push you past your previous limits. That’s how you grow. “That which doesn’t kill us,” said Friedrich Nietzsche, “makes us stronger.” Or…

Joy: Choose Joy

A Small Cloud

For three long years, there was no puddle jumping in Israel. Then the Lord promised Elijah that He would send rain, but like every promise, Elijah still had to circle it via persistent prayer. So Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, fell on his face, and prayed for rain. Six times he told…

Praying Through

Our generation desperately needs to rediscover the difference between praying for and praying through. There are certainly circumstances where praying for something will get the job done. I believe in short prayers before meals because, quite frankly, I believe in eating food while it’s still hot. But there are also situations where you need to…

Vague Prayers

A few years ago, I read one sentence that changed the way I pray. The author, pastor of one of the largest churches in Seoul, Korea, wrote, “God does not answer vague prayers.” When I read that statement, I was immediately convicted by how vague my prayers were. Some of them were so vague that…

All Bets Are Off

As I look over my shoulder, I’m grateful for the miracles God has done, and I’m keenly aware of the fact that every miracle has a genealogy. If you trace those miracles all the way back to their origin, you’ll find a prayer circle. Miracles are the by-product of prayers that were prayed by you…