------------------------------------------ people ----------------------------------- Freshman Tony Austin reads his Bible in the Heri– tage lobby Sept. 30. After a life-changing summer, Austin made the decision to come to Harding and follow Christ. (Photo by Melissa Wilson) 112 II people Jesus said to be like little children, and freshman Tony Austin listened. Despite attending church since he was 9 years old, Austin wandered from the straigHt and narrow path in high school and was only a sophomore when he dropped out of schooL He had been involved w ith the wrong crowd and had skipped so many classes he was dose to failure. Troubles with family and friends soon followed Austin and his decisions in life. However, the children he was involved with during the 2003 summer showed him the right direction for his life. Despite all his troubles, Austin took a position as a youth minister during the summer. The church did not have a youth minister, and someone was needed to fill the position. Austin was chosen . "I became a youth minister because [the church] didn't have anybody," Austin said. " I was interning at a boys' and girls' club, and I just brought about 30 kids from there to the church and worked with them all summer. It really blessed my life." Austin then started to take his preaching to heart. He realized the things he was doing when he was not filling youth minister shoes were the same things he had been preaching against. "When I first started , I was going out doing the things that I wasn't supposed to be doing," Austin said. "But when I was preaching to them, I started looking into myself, and I decided I had to practice what I was preaching. I realized if I was going to help these kids, I was going to have to change a lot in my life. So 1 basically turned my whole life around." Austin knew the people he was hanging out with did not have that same spirit in their lives or futures desirable to him. So he made the choice to turn back to Christ. "I had a lot of friends, we had this big group of 10 of us, and they started to fade away/' Austin said . "Some of them started to have kids, and they couldn't han g out anymore. Then I would see people get locked up, and 1just saw the future. That could be me anytime if I keep leading this life, and that is not where I wanted to be. "I have always had the church, the spiritual sense in me, but taking over [the youth minister] ro le just brought it out more. It made me tell my friends more and tell them where they need to be," Austin said. "It really helped me out a lot, uplifted me and helped put me where I need to be wi th Christ." Jesus instructed his disciples to have the heart of a child. Austin said Jesus' words held a new meaning for him after the summer. "With the kids, it is like the parents are always going to be there for them, no matter what," Austin said. "If you view life in the eyes of a little kid with no worries, like God is going to take care of it, it is going to make you a better person." Austin came to Harding this year for an education and spiritual guidance. "It is a blessing coming here. It was all God inme coming here," Austin said. " I have really no money to get here - it is all loans. I know I am going to be paying for it once I get out. But money is not success; it is bringing people to Christ that is going to be a success. That is why Tam [at Harding]. The kids really motivated me to come here." Austin remained close wi th the youth group and continued to influence its members. "I realized if I was going to help these kids, I was going to have to change a lot in my life." -freshman Tony Austin " I keep in touch with them, talk to them, visit home and talk to them when I can." he said. "I am getting them excited about college and trying to get them to come [to Harding] so they can grow."
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==