Austin Preps for Summer

We are currently gearing up for summer here at YouthWorks. Austin, one of our summer staff , is preparing for being a Program Coordinator for the upcoming summer. Here is what Austin had to say about how he is currently prepping for the summer.

What are you doing to prepare for the summer?

To prepare for this summer, I’m spending extra amounts of time praying. Specifically, I’ve been focusing on praying for the staff, for community members and for my own rest in preparation for summer. It’s been important for me to keep up with creating rough draft outlines for my Club Talks as a Program Coordinator as well, and it makes me so excited to have the opportunity to connect students with the community and also with their relationship with Christ. The Lord has been preparing my heart to worship through relationship with the community members and students in an intentional way, and I’m excited to see His word alive and active throughout my summer with YouthWorks in the midstates region.

What has been helpful as you prepare?

Being consistent in staying in God’s word has helped me prepare for this summer in tremendous ways. I’ve found so much joy in understanding more about God in his all-knowing sovereignty in my life. I find myself feeling anxious as I wait to hear about my placement (as is every YouthWorks staff, I suppose), though I find rest in knowing that no matter where I will be serving this summer, I have an opportunity to serve God through gospel-centered mission trips in a new community. This is exciting news for me, being a Sociocultural Studies: Global and Urban Missions major at Bethel University.

What moment are you looking forward to this summer?

This summer, I’m looking forward to watching His spirit unfold in students’ lives; whether it’s through serving at work sites, talking more about Jesus in Club, singing songs in joyful worship, footwashing or simply finding community working in the kitchen on Taco Tuesday. I find joy in knowing the work I’ll be doing this summer will bear fruit that will last both in the community, and also in the lives of the students I have the opportunity to meet. There will be countless times where I repeat to myself, “God is amazing” in knowing He is at work in so many people’s lives this summer. I couldn’t be more excited.