Alumni Impact - Austin's Story

A Solid Support System

Going into high school, Austin knew that FCA was a group at his school but didn’t know much about it. He began attending the weekly meetings, and that year FCA quickly became more than just a fun weekly meeting for him. 

His sister was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s-Lymphoma that year. He remembers, “FCA became a solid and steady thing for me to be surrounded by my Christian friends and be supported by them through that time.” It was the first glimpse Austin had of what living in community with other believers could look like. His fellow huddle members helped him walk through a difficult time where otherwise he may have floundered in his faith. 

Leadership and Boldness

Later in high school, Austin was able to step into a leadership position. Because FCA on the high school campus must be student-led, Austin learned how to schedule speakers, organize events, or even just arrange for picking up snacks. “One of my favorite things to do was at the end of a meeting, if I had extra donuts, I would hand them out to other students in the hallway and invite them to come to the next meeting.” Through his high school FCA meetings, Austin learned valuable leadership skills and how to be bolder in his faith. 

Modeling how to Live for Christ 

Austin attended two regional sports camps in Iowa during high school. “It was nice to not feel alone but to see others trying to live for Christ in all they did. It was crucial to see coaches and huddle leaders who were doing that in college.” 

Being mentored by these coaches and huddle leaders had a profound impact on Austin, and he has returned to camp as a huddle leader many times. He remembers the first year he served as a huddle leader: “At the end of the week there’s the big altar call for the kids. I just broke down in tears praying that the Holy Spirit would change the hearts of the kids and that they would come to know Him. I recognized that this faith was not just my own but that I wanted these kids who I had met four days ago to know Him too.”

Last year, he returned as a coach. He has loved moving from being a camper to a huddle leader to a coach and be able to impact young people in the same way he was impacted as a teen. At FCA camps, coaches and huddle leaders modeled to Austin what it looked like to follow Christ. Now he has the privilege to do the same for younger people.

Austin remembers when he got the opportunity to coach for the first time last year. He went in planning to teach basketball skills to kids, but what the other coaches modeled to him helped him make a mindshift. “I learned that gaining the basketball skills was an added bonus but understanding that the coaches all wanted the kids to feel loved more than anything changed my thinking. I was going in and was going to teach them excellent basketball. The coaches agreed, but in the same breath, they wanted that to come second and make sure the kids felt loved and knew God’s love.”

Strong Relationships

Austin has developed lasting relationships through his years at camp. He stays in touch with many of his fellow huddle leaders, and their conversations consistently go beyond surface issues. “It has been incredible to have brothers in Christ who are supporting me and praying for me no matter what.” His best friend, Brock, has walked through many of the same experiences. Austin says, “Our relationship from FCA has strengthened my relationship with the Lord so much, knowing that I have a brother in Christ who I can pour my heart out to and knowing he will do the same for me. That happened through FCA.” 

Lifelong Impact

The impact on Austin has gone so far beyond the days and moments he has spent attending FCA events. It has completely changed his mindset and helps him daily to get through medical school. “For the longest time growing up, I went to church and was a Christian there and then I went to school and it was time for school. I put my faith in blocks of time, but FCA helped me put them together. I learned to love the Lord on the football field or basketball court and to glorify Him through my everyday actions. This transformed my heart and the way I think about studying and med school. I’m not just a Christian on the weekends, but I can glorify Him while I’m studying or interacting with patients or in a lecture. My faith is not something I can turn on or off or put on a shelf. My relationship with Him and how I serve the Lord happens all day.” 

Austin could not say enough about the impact FCA has had on his life: “The relationships, the leadership skills, the daily spiritual growth have all been deeply rooted in FCA. I would not be able to face what I’ve done so far in medical school without it. The routine to want to have that relationship with the Lord was sparked and inspired by FCA in high school, college, and at camp. It has really spurred my heart on for the Lord and helped me thrive in challenging times.” Austin has learned what it means to fully incorporate his faith into his daily life and developed habits that have become just part of who he is.