Run to the Roar

by Hurston, Joe

• ISBN13: 9781591859055
• ISBN10: 1591859050
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-08
• Publisher: Charisma House

Summary

Click Here For Sample Chapter What do you do when facing lions on a spiritual safari? Veteran missionary pilot Joe Hurston uses a lionrs"s characteristics to teach life changing spiritual principles while demonstrating the leadership principles of perseverance and confidence in the face of difficulty to fulfill Godrs"s plan for your life. This thought-provoking book will show you how to: Run to the roar, or your problem, and not turn and run away. Keep pride and bullies from stopping you. Pick carefully the snarling feline you need to confront. Prevent giving up your territorial rights. Be on the prowl on the path of Godrs"s plan. Guard against being devoured by the lion. A successful businessman, Hurston supports each principle with anecdotal you-can-do-it stories from his life experiences on the mission field. His accounts, including many years of work in Haiti and his more recent relief outreach to victims of the tsunami in Asia, are exciting and encouraging. Combining an entrepreneurrs"s passion with a Christian heart, this book is an adventure lesson tool for developing strong leadership skills. About the Authors Joe Hurston is a long-time missionary pilot who has flown more than 2,500 missions since forming the relief organization Air Mobile Ministries in 1978. Martha VanCise, author ofSuccessful Mission Teams, has worked with missions teams for twenty years.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xi
Prologue	xv
Lions Still Prefer Christians	1	(6)
Lion Country Travel Tips
Face reality: lion territory is dangerous territory	1	(3)
Be forewarned: when the lion roars, fear will usually stop you in your tracks and make your heart pound	4	(1)
Keep in mind that the lion rules vast territories by intimidation. The lion lies and exaggerates his power. (See John 8:44)	4	(1)
Take a close look at what is on the menu in lion territory	5	(1)
Make a choice. Settle down to a relaxing jaunt through lion territory, or step off the bus into the great adventure God has for you	6	(1)
Do You Hear the Roar?	7	(21)
Roar Responses
The call to follow the roar often begins when we are children. God-instilled desires call us to greater accomplishments	7	(3)
As you run to the roar, guard the desires of your heart and calls to service. Keep them out of the lion's reach	10	(2)
The answer is always yes!	12	(2)
Recognize God's hand in the details. God often lays the groundwork for a ministry through opening small doors	14	(2)
Walk in the moment. Never fear where God may lead you tomorrow	16	(1)
Sometimes you have to accept a closed door	17	(2)
Set aside regrets over not reaching a selected goal. Listen to the cries alongside your path. Response to these cries will prepare you for a greater work ahead	19	(3)
A ``burning heart'' call will embolden you to run to the roar	22	(6)
The Ultimate Guide	28	(16)
Trust Your Guide Tips
Make sure that you travel with an experienced, reliable Guide	28	(1)
Trust the judgment and actions of your Guide. He knows about dangers that you don't see	29	(4)
Don't panic if you can't see the Guide or He doesn't immediately answer your call for help. He has His eyes on you. He will never abandon you	33	(5)
Don't be afraid to call for help. Your Guide has a never-fail communication system that can instantly alert others to your needs	38	(6)
Pick Your Lion	44	(14)
Lion Selection Tips
You can't fight every lion. Focus your attention on definite goals. Don't try to minister to all the cries you hear	44	(2)
Nothing lies out of the possibility range for your Guide. To Him, no lion situation is hopeless	46	(10)
Don't be afraid to approach a difficult lion	56	(2)
Weapon of Choice	58	(6)
Weapon Selection Tips
``Take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God'' (Eph. 6:17)	58	(4)
Take care that you do not dull the sword	62	(2)
Training for Trackers	64	(18)
Tracking Lessons
Have a teachable spirit. God will always have many lessons to teach you (Ps.25:4)	64	(2)
Don't carry unnecessary weight	66	(4)
Don't refuse or casually dismiss advice from others on the trail. Prayerfully consider their suggestions. They might have a valuable lesson to teach you	70	(2)
Some sections of the trail are tedious and boring. You'll find yourself saying, ``I would rather be... ``Your Guide, not your emotions, must determine the starts, pauses, rests, and stops on the trail	72	(5)
Take delight in the journey. Don't get so focused on the lions that you miss little blessings. God delights in giving you surprises on the journey	77	(5)
Perseverance Passage	82	(27)
Perseverance Pointers
Determine your goal	82	(2)
Face reality in the pursuit of a goal	84	(2)
When hope vanishes, don't turn and run back. Stand your ground	86	(2)
Persevere when others view your dream or goal a lost cause	88	(5)
Persevere when the work requires tedious, repeated, seemingly unnecessary activities	93	(2)
Some event's circumstances, and situations will never make sense. Don't try to reason them out or try to figure where they fit in God's plan. Keep walking, and trust that you are making progress toward God's goal for your life	95	(3)
Discover where and how the Holy Spirit is moving, and watch for ways to adapt your ministry to this movement	98	(3)
Perseverance involves both restrained waiting and bold venturing	101	(3)
Never allow fear to redirect your steps. Keep your eyes on the Guide and the goal	104	(5)
The Lion's Lair	109	(19)
Lair Realities
People seem happy in the lair. Should we bother them?	109	(1)
Every intelligent thinking person has questions about the Guide and the trail. Treat questions with care	110	(1)
At every age we wield influence, and at every age we are susceptible to influence	111	(4)
People don't plan to travel into spiritual darkness. They focus on enjoying life, and sin just happens along the way	115	(2)
God uses many agents to achieve His purposes	117	(4)
It takes more than reasoning, influence, and words to reach those who live deep in the lair	121	(2)
The reality of the lair---the offal, the bones, the scraps, of fur and dried skin, the blood-saliva drool of the lion---can only be seen in the light of the Way that shines through the entry	123	(5)
Devoured	128	(12)
Facts of the Lair
In the darkness of the lair a miraculous intervention usually provides only a flash of God-consciousness	128	(2)
In the lair, what seems right is right	130	(3)
Sorrow is common in the lair, but it has little value unless it leads to repentance	133	(2)
The lair offers excitement, pleasure, and riches. The trail offers suffering. In the opinion of lair dwellers, only the foolish would choose the trail of the cross	135	(1)
Lair dwellers believe that they can always sprint to the light and escape before the lion overtakes them	136	(4)
Danger in High Places	140	(19)
Staying Safe in High Places Cautions
Stay alert in lion territory. The slightest deviation from Truth can lead to destruction	140	(2)
Your faithfulness to stay on course will lead others to safety. Your deviation from the course will not only destroy your life but also the spiritual lives of many who have looked to you for leadership	142	(3)
Rejoice in the hard lessons on the trail. They train and enable you to discern good from evil	145	(8)
Keep your ear tuned to the slightest whisper from the Guide	153	(6)
Attack!	159	(13)
Survivor Tips
A threatened lion will attack you	159	(2)
Be aware: a gap can occur at any place in the security fence	161	(2)
Realize that sometimes you can't avoid being mauled. You will bear scars	163	(2)
The key to survival is emerging from the battle still holding the Guide's hand	165	(1)
Promises of quick cures appeal to injured people. Recognize your vulnerability during the healing stage	166	(3)
In the Guide's time, He provides a healing balm. You have accepted the pain of the trek accept His healing gift	169	(3)
A Map for the Journey	172	(17)
Map Reading Tips
God doesn't put legends or scales on His map. He alone knows the length of the journey and the breadth and depth of the vision	172	(1)
On our small maps we see only God's obvious purposes. On His map He sees hidden purposes	172	(3)
Don't rush past `points of interest'. Sometimes these end up being a high-light on the journey	175	(2)
Pulling into a rest stop does not mean that you have left the trail. When circumstances force you to take a break from your work, remember, He put the rest stops there when He designed the trail	177	(6)
God doesn't mark all the dead ends on the map	183	(4)
P.S. Don't forget about the lions	187	(2)
Travel Companions	189	(13)
Share the Path Tips
Take time to encourage others on the trail	189	(2)
Piti, piti, wazo fe nich li---Little by little the bird builds its nest (Haitian proverb). Little by little, God places people on our path who will help us reach His destination	191	(2)
While the road ahead may hold novelty and excitement for your companions, you may be muttering. ``Been there. Done that. Don't want to do that again.''	193	(6)
The stumbling block that you help another move may turn into a stepping-stone for you	199	(3)
The Roar Heard Round the World	202	(17)
Leadership Points
You are here for such a time as this	202	(2)
Sometimes you will stand alone in your decisions and methods of handling a critical issue	204	(3)
When you make a future-altering decision, events often go downhill before they go uphill again	207	(1)
God's plans are not our plans. When we run out of plans, He will show us His plan	208	(4)
Fear accompanies great danger. Accept its presence and face it	212	(3)
Great spiritual battles often precede great accomplishments	215	(4)
Epilogue	219	(1)
Notes	220