The Circle Maker - Mark Batterson - dream big, pray hard, think long

The Circle Maker 
dream big, pray hard, think long
Mark Batterson 
Zondervan 
eISBN 9780310330738
ISBN 9780310330738

Very few authors have grabbed my attention and focus from a spiritual perspective as Mark Batterson has. The last authors who captivated me to this extent were John Eldredge or Henri Nouwen. I have been reading everything by Batterson I could get my hands on. But to be honest, I was weary of reading this book. It has so much hype, and it is 'the book' to read in some Christian circles currently. But after reading Praying Circles Around Your Children and The Circle Maker Student Edition: dream big, pray hard, think long I finally circled back to read this one. In under a week I read the book and the enhanced eBook edition with audio and video. I am currently reading through for the third time.

I did not start highlighting this book until my third run through. So some of the passages that have really grabbed my attention are:

"Bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers. God isn't offended by your biggest dreams or boldest prayers. He is offended by anything less. If your prayers aren't impossible to you, they are insulting to God."

"The greatest moments in life are the miraculous moments when human impotence and divine omnipotence intersect - and they intersect when we draw a circle around the impossible situations in our lives and invite God to intervene."

"It is absolutely imperative at the outset that you come to terms with this simple yet life-changing truth: God is for you. If you don't believe that, then you'll pray small timid prayers; if you do believe it, then you'll pray big audacious prayers."

"Drawing prayer circles isn't some magic trick to get what you want from God. God is not a genie in a bottle, and your wish is not His command. His command better be your wish."

"Drawing prayer circles starts with discerning what God wants, what God wills. And until His sovereign will becomes your sanctified wish, your prayer life will be unplugged from its power supply. Sure, you can apply some of the principles you learn in The Circle Maker, and they may help you get what you want, but getting what you want isn't the goal; the goal is glorifying God by drawing circles around the promises, miracles, and dreams He wants for you. God has determined that certain expressions of His power will only be exercised in response to prayer."

"The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered because they go unasked."

"We pray out of our ignorance, but God answers out of His omniscience. We pray out of our impotence, but God answers out of His omnipotence. God has the ability to answer the prayers we should have prayed but lacked the knowledge or ability to even ask."

"Well-developed faith results in well-defined prayers, and well-defined prayers result in a well-lived life."

"You are only one defining decision away from a totally different life. One defining decision can change your trajectory and put you on a new path toward the Promised Land. One defining decision can totally change the forecast of your life. And it's those defining decisions that become the defining moments of our lives."

So what will be your defining moments? Will you take the risk and pick up this book and learn something new about God? Will you allow scriptures to be opened up to you? Will you become a prayer warrior? This book has tools that could change your life, change the course of your life and through your prayers, generations to come! I personally have found that since starting to read Batterson's books a few months back, I pray far more often, far more regularly and get prompted by the Holy Spirit for praying specific things for specific people on a much more regular basis. I once read that 'reading books can be dangerous' - this is one of those books. I do not believe anyone can read this book with an open heart and ears to listen to the Spirit and not come away changed. Are you ready to begin the adventure?

Books by Mark Batterson: 
The Circle Maker
The Circle Maker Enhanced eBook Edition
Praying Circles Around Your Children
Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge
The Circle Maker Student Edition: dream big, pray hard, think long
The Circle Maker for Kids
Be A Circle Maker
All In
All In Student Edition
Going All In
Praying Circles Around The Lives of Your Children
Jack Staples and the Ring of Time (With Joel Clark)
Primal
Soul Print
ID: The True You
In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day
Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God
Chase the Lion Stepping Confidently Into the Unknown