Start the Summer with a Mindset Toward an Unabashed Adventure

The name Mark Batterson may be appearing multiple times on this blog- If you go to my favorite page, you’ll find his New York Times Best Seller, The Circle Maker right up front. That book should be on everyone’s bookshelf.

Mark is a Missouri boy who took a leap of faith over 20 years ago when he and his wife ventured to Washington DC to start a church and what I would say was pioneering a revolution.
(Check out www.theaterchurch.com to find out more.) He is an excellent writer, and I should know because I read enough to make an appropriate criticism or praise as in this situation.

Below are some of the key concepts from his new book, A Trip around the Sun. In this short read, Mark shares the journey with his mentor, Dick Foth. He shares of their common mantra in how they pursue life: “CHOOSE ADVENTURE” (I love that).

It made me think, what IS my mantra on living life? I personally had never given any thought to one year of my life equating to a “journey around the sun,” but it’s a cool way to think about it and perhaps sparks a challenge to make my next 47 years even more adventurous. Here we go… I promise if you are a reader you will love this book!

In each chapter, whatever the focus, Dick shares his story and then Mark does – I liked the ease of this pace!

Here are my 13 Key thoughts, lessons, dog-eared pages, and in no particular order: (italicized are my commentary)

“Adventure doesn’t happen by accident. It has to be intentional.” It is our job to engineer those experiences.
“YOU may be the only Bible some people ever read.” So the question is, Are you a good translation?
“A trip around the sun can be 365 days of an unabashed adventure.” Let’s start this summer with that mindset.
“Ruth and I decided early on that if we had to choose between giving our kids experiences or things, we would give them experiences.” Amen to that!
“It intrigues me that Jesus spent so much time eating with people.” (note to self: He role modeled for us sharing experiences …often.)
“When each of our children turns thirteen, I take them on an adventurous trip to celebrate their grand entrance into teen hood. I did a version of this for my boys… it is so important!
We so quickly and so easily lose sight of what’s really important in life. In the words of Stephen Covey, “Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant.” This reminds me of a phrase someone shared with me a few years ago, “Every choice to spend a dollar somewhere is a choice to not spend it somewhere else.” (i.e. Do we really need to stay in this nicer hotel or could we stay in a lessor hotel and give the money to a family in need.) I use that lesson often.
“It is between our ears that we decide how easily offended we will be. If from the outset we decide that life is not just meant to be survived, we will experience adventure at every turn- in every person we meet, every relationship we have, every book we read. “If we believe life is an adventure. Life is an adventure.”
“Engage people and life ramps up. I can learn from anyone: a ninety-three-year-old or a three-year old, a street sweeper or a scientist. When I make a friend, I get smarter. When I make a friend, I get richer.”
What human “books” have had the greatest influence on your life? A short list of mine so far: my grandparents, Gary and Shirley Mallory, my cousin but I call her “aunt JoAnn”, my friends Kathy, Nan, Denise, Kira, Mindy, Michelle, and Mario and Lynelle Zandstra.
“Part of our jobs as parents is to be students of our children.”
“No reserve. No retreat. No regret.” A great life mantra
“In Colossians 3:23 Paul says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” When he says, ‘work at it with all your heart,’ he is talking about sweat equity. Blood, sweat, and tears. Leave it all on the court, so to speak. Do it like your life depends on it.