Austin's First Post...A little more bio than blog...

Well, this is the first time that I, Austin, will be posting on the McLaughlin family blog. As you may have read on Kayla's last post, we are going through a large transition at this time. I would be lying if I said it was not really impacting me. In a lot of ways I have numbed myself to the simple idea that we are actually leaving Knoxville in a week or two, because let's be real, this place means a lot to me.

For those of you that do not know me, within two weeks of moving to Knoxville, I trusted Christ as my Savior, and began my walk with Him. It has been quite a journey, one that has led me all over the world from places like Sweden, Senegal and even North Carolina, and now to Denver. These last 4 years and 4ish months have been quite an adventure. One that is full of tales, and one that will not end until I go to my final Home in Heaven to be with Jesus, my Savior, for eternity.


So, as you can imagine, Knoxville has a very special place in my heart. Saying goodbye, though it is only a temporary one, is extremely difficult. If there is one thing that I want to say about Knoxville it is that this city is a testament to the Lord's faithfulness in my life.

During my time at the University of Tennessee (UT), I began to rock climb. UT has a gym that I climbed at very regularly throughout my school years, and after. As the Lord grew me, and opened my eyes to human's need for Christ as in Matthew 9:36,  speaking of Jesus "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd." Our pastor said something that made this passage very clear, he said, "sheep without a shepherd are as good as dead." Jesus saw these people, He felt compassion for them! Jesus showed me his compassion for the people in the climbing community at UT. Many of them are like sheep without a shepherd.

So, the Lord led me to pray. For a year and a half I prayed about how to reach students in the climbing community. Then the spring semester of my Junior year, doors opened and I began a bible study specifically for Climbing men! Then as my college career ended, I began to pray for someone to lead the bible study after me, and asked my small group at church to join me. Now two of the men from my bible study are leading the study! And, the Lord is doing amazing things through their ministry!

Well, that is a little more about me than I was intending to talk about. I hope though that through this post you have been able to connect with the Lord as the One who answers prayers!

Love you all, and if you have anything you would like for Kayla or I to pray for send us a comment, email, text, phone call, whatever!

-Austin