Last night I finished reading Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. After reading “In A Pit With A Lion” a couple of years back, and felt like a lot of others, that the book was speaking directly to me, I can say Wild Goose Chase is again one of those books that speaks directly to you as the Holy Spirit works through Mark’s words.

Wild Goose (An Geadh-Glas) the Celtic name for the Holy Spirit is a name that is full of both “imagery and implications”, as Mark says. If you have ever chased anything wild before or watched someone chase a wild animal you know it is not an easy task. As a young boy my Grandpa would take me to the auction in his town and as a part of the night they would have greased pig chases for the kids. I remember chasing and grabbing the pig just to have it squeeze through my fingers. I’ve never chased a goose before but I can imagine it’s not something you easily conquer. I’ve been chasing “The Wild Goose” for almost half my life now and to look back on the adventures He has lead me on could never have been planned with the human mind.

In Wild Goose Chase, Mark talks about the adventures God wants to send us on to further His Kingdom, but we let things get in the way of those adventures and cage to where we are. Mark works through six cages (responsibility, routine, assumptions, guilt, failure and fear) that keep us from God “writing His-story through your life” (and mine). Working with and along side of people everyday I’ve seen in my life and theirs these cages holding us back from allowing God to use us and change us. Unfortunately the church for the most part has tried to tame the Wild Goose and in doing taming us. In the book Mark shares Biblical accounts of the adventures that God sent His people on and stores of people both past and present who have like the Bible characters did not allow these cages to hold them back from God working through them. I really like how good of a job Mark does of weaving the points he is trying to get across and the stories that make the point jump out at you and resonate deep down in your soul. This is definitely a book everyone will receive encouragement from but if you have feel like you are trapped in one of these cages and seen your interaction with God wane this is a book for you as it was for me.

Here are some great quotes from the book:

We have a primal longing to be uncaged. And the cage opens when we recognize that Jesus didn’t die on the cross to keep us safe. Jesus died to make us dangerous.

Quoting C.T. Studd, “Some people want to live within the sounds of the church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” The church needs more Studds! And you can quote me on that.

Check out www.chasethegoose.com for a sample chapter, a download of Mark’s 10 Steps to Setting Life Goals or to buy the book in bulk. Wild Goose Chase is available in stores or at these places online starting today.

[www.amazon.com](a href=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590527194?ie=UTF8&tag=fusio07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1590527194)
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.borders.com
www.cbd.com
www.familychristian.com
www.parable.com

Also Mike Kupferer won the contest for the free copy of Wild Goose Chase, thanks to the people Multnomah for second copy to give a way and the opportunity to review the book.

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