Take Your Best Shot

I recently read Austin Gutwein’s first book (I’m sure there are more to come), Take Your Best Shot. It tells the story of the creation of Hoops of Hope and Austin’s own heart for Africa from the time he was nine years old. The book is written for teens, so if you’re not a teen, it should be a quick read. It is filled with some great stories that Austin has experienced in the last few years while experiencing parts of the world that most of us know nothing about.

I was encouraged and again impressed by what this nine year old kid was willing to try. No matter how many times I hear the story, I am still so proud of Austin and the man that he is becoming (he’s now 15). You should check this book out, especially if you have kids. We could use a few more Austins in this world.

Here are a few quotes that stood out to me:
“…doing something bigger than yourself truly requires having Someone bigger than yourself inside you!”

“…those kids seeing themselves for the very first time. That’s a little funny isn’t it? Because here in America, we have the exact opposite problem. We are so used to seeing who we are on the outside that we never find out who we are on the inside.”

“Doing something new that’s bigger than yourself doesn’t depend on how old you are. It depends on how available you are.”

Jeremy J.