The Lake Highlands Wranglers are family! We were so excited at the end of Austin's sophomore year when he made the Wranglers. They had an awesome year that peaked at the Presidential Inauguration early in 2017. We sat on pins and needles this spring as Samantha and Austin both tried out.  We were all so excited they both made it! Then came June. We miss Austin so much, and 2016-2017 will forever be etched in our memory. He had fun and carried himself with poise.  We love that Samantha can participate in 2017-2018....she is so beautiful and fun to watch! With much love we watch her perform! We are forever thankful for the Wranglers for their love and support. Bittersweet as fresh memories being made....that is our journey. We love you!

​lhhswranglers.org

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Before Austin was out of the ER and moved to ICU, there were a cloud of friends and family at our side.  The thing is, they have been by our side since the beginning.

It's so easy to live alone. No one to bother me and no one for me to bother.  Living alongside with others is messy.  I'm in their business and they're in my business.  We sometimes rub each other the wrong way.  We sometime step on each others toes.  We forgive each other. We love each other.  It requires patience.  It requires a commitment.  This is community.

Yes, there were countless people in waiting rooms and lobbies at the hospital.  We love them all. There were so many at the celebration service.  There are so many we run into every day.  They are just the people from church, from school, from our home towns, from work, etc.  Our community.

You just can't through this without faith.  You can't get through this without friends.

"let us not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25

After everything we had been through, we were ready to go to Frontier as adult guests.  We weren't allowed by Austin and Sam when asked, but eventually Sam made an exception for us. Charlie was at Kanakuk, and it was kinda painful for us to be home.  So, we came.

The first part of the week, we were flooded with thoughts of Austin and what it was like for him just one year earlier. I could just see his face in the crowd with his buddies as Sam was with her friends. We were touched by Tim Halprin's music which Austin heard one year earlier.  In fact, last fall, he went and heard him with some friends in Dallas (we're gonna do the same thing).

Sam had a great week. She was taken on a rough spiritual journey with her small group.  She was able to re-affirm her faith and come alongside friends who decided to dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ.  For us, it was a little rough as we had to leave early to pick up Charlie.  So,  we missed out on the uplifting part of the week.  Nevertheless, we thankful for all the hard work and love put into the week by the Young Life staff.

We look forward to Colorado another day under better circumstances.

​lakehighlands.younglife.org/Pages/default.aspx

"I waited patiently for the L ORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear. And will trust in the L ORD." -Psalms 40:1-3

Is it ok to be sad?  Of course it is. I'm no psychologist, but I know one of the points of Inside Out is that its ok to be sad and sometimes that feeling can actually help us overcome bigger problems.

We've all been through something traumatic and awful.  There's no way we should get over it fast.  Each of us has our own timing. What should we do?  We should inform our sadness with Truth.  We know Austin is in heaven. We should share our sadness with a friend, parent, or youth leader.  We should cry, journal, sing, or pray. Don't hold it in.  It will get better over time.  

​One day difficult memories will become sweet memories.  Then, one day, something may still hit you and things will go south again.  It's ok.  In time, things will improve. If not, raise your hand and ask for help from one of those people I mentioned.  We may always have some sadness.  I know I will.  Austin was part of me.  But, hopefully, the things we know to be true will make us joyful. Why because we have a Hope.

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." - 1 Peter 4:12-13

"Our bad things will turn out for good. Our good things can never really be lost. And the best things are yet to come." -Jonathan Edwards

Based on...
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30

Tim Keller says, God is not promising better life circumstances, he is promising us a better life. He is promising GLORY.The world’s peace is intermittent based on transitory circumstances. Christian peace is constant based on the never changing love of God.

Jesus set the standard for us. Jesus ran the race for the sake of the joy set before him. Suffering was ahead of him, He is the pioneer and the forerunner.

GLORY is the only thing that can deal with the hurts of our heart.

Our family has enjoyed the Narnia series.   I must say, I haven't read many of the books, but the kids have.  Here's a quote from the last book:

“All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle

​On June 24, 2017, we celebrated Austin's life. We also celebrated his faith.  Some of the young men pictured were able to share some of their memories of Austin.  Samantha and Charlie spoke, too.  Then, Todd Wagner spoke on the "13 Reasons You Ought to Imitate Austin".   Here's an except of the conclusion of his talk.

From Todd
Because Austin understood all of this life and his life was better because he understood who Jesus was. Yours will be too if you imitate him. The thirteenth reason you ought to imitate Austin is because Austin isn’t here to live anymore. 
Austin can’t love Lake Highlands High School this year. You boys can. 
Austin can’t be a godly husband. Some of you guys in this room can. 
Austin can’t be a good big brother. Somebody in this room can.
Austin can’t share Christ with anybody. Some of you people in this room can. 
Austin can’t be generous with his life. Some of you can. 

Austin is the last person in this room we need to be concerned about. Austin is fine. The Lord has taken care of him. I talked to David and Suzanne the other night, and I just said, “Let me just tell you something. I know you prayed, ‘O God, put me in Austin’s place. Let me go.’”

God granted David and Suzanne their request of letting them live the more difficult life. Austin is with the Lord. He is free. There is no more struggling with his flesh. There is no anxiety. There is no concern for fleeting things. The deceitfulness of riches can’t touch him. Do you know what’s really hard? To honor the Lord in the land of the living.

God has given you more years. You said, “Lord, let me live the hard road.” He’s going to say, “Go live it. Don’t you worry about your boy. I’ve got your boy. I didn’t need him. He was just done.” Those were the days appointed to him. The reason you should imitate Austin is because Austin isn’t here anymore to imitate Jesus Christ, and we are. This is our moment.

There’s going to be a day when we’re going to get to stand before the Lord and hopefully get to have people we led to Christ and we discipled and that we didn’t give ourselves away to stupid things the world tries to sell us are going to give us life, when we all know they won’t give us life. You should imitate Austin because Austin isn’t in here.

Are you missing him? Don’t miss him. The closer you get to Jesus, the closer you’re going to get to Austin. You just serve faithfully so that when you see Austin again you guys have stories to share, where you lived similarly in obedience to Jesus Christ. This was not a perfect kid. He had a perfect Savior. He did a lot of really good things because he denied himself and lived for Jesus. This is a high school kid you ought to imitate. You ought to send his tape to everybody and say, “Learn from him.”

Here's a link to the message and transcript.

www.watermark.org/message/4825

Each year our high schoolers take one week to serve at Camp Barnabas near Branson, Mo. Austin has been blessed to serve there two summers. There, he forged special relationships with campers and missionaries. So many kids get to be ministered.  So many kids get to serve as missionaries.  They both benefit. Both blessed beyond words.

Austin and Samantha were suppose to go to the camp the week of his gravesite service. Instead, after his graveside service, Samantha was able to go for the last few days.  On the last night, they have a special ceremony to acknowledge individuals who have died.  Austin's name was added to the cross.  So beautiful, but so sad. I look forward to maybe stopping by next year to see Austin's name on that cross.

Austin gave his testimony on March 22, 2017 to hundreds of other teenagers at Watermark Community Church.  Listen to his own words.....

www.watermark.org/message/4799