Friends Till The End... A Tale of Two Friends

So it was approximately 17 years ago that I met this awesome Red Power Ranger on Halloween named Austin Hostetter. We lived but a block away from each other and our mothers thought it would be nice if their boys would become friends, not aware of what God's Hand had in the picture.

So Austin was only a few months older than I was and he went to pre-school a year early... but went again when I did, to North Main Pre-School! :) Mrs. Yoder #1 and Mrs. Yoder #2 woot! :)

We would call each other up asking if the other would wanna come over and play everyday! :) we were inseparable! Austin played soccer in the summer as well as baseball and for some years Austin and I were on the same baseball teams! Those were the days! :D

Elementary school came along... we didn't really play together at recess but once school was over it was just like summer! We would beak out the Castle Men or Action Figures, Watch Cartoon Network, Play Zombies ate my Neighbours [when Austin's brother Andy wasn't in his room haha] Booger man was always epic, and not to mention the all-time besties Driver 1&2 and Batman and Robin for PlayStation... we could never beat Freeze... he always beat us to this day! ugh oh well :P

Austin went to Nappanee Missionary Church and I attended the First Brethren Church in Nappanee. I lived with my amazing Mother and my very admirable Grandmother. [sorry to back track there but it was necessary] I was a believer and considered myself like most kids a Christian... I memorized the books of the Bible and some Bible verses as well as attended on Sundays and Wednesdays... but it was mostly because my Mom made me...

Once my Grandmother got older, my mom and I couldn't take care of her any more so we put her in a nursing home...

My mom and I stopped going to Church after that because we spent almost all of our time at the nursing home... Austin and I still hung out... he would either come to the nursing home with us or I'd stay with him and his family... :)

A few years later my Grandma died... this hit me harder than a 20 ton Mac Truck!!! I totally gave up on God... questioned who I was, why we have to be here, why He had to take my Grandma, and what my purpose was... so I started to fade away from the good kid-ness... I started hanging out with the wrong crowd and listening to not so good music and I also picked up a bad habit... swearing...

Although my Grandma died and I chose to be rebellious during that time my Best friend stood by me! As I look back on it I am eternally grateful that he did!!!! This was all happening before Middle School!

Austin and I were different than each other... but yet alot alike! I played football and basketball, and was in band... where as Austin played tennis and made movies... in those activities we had made other friends besides each other... but we always put aside our differences to hang out with each other!

{ haha ok so this was in elementary school but this was something that I remember and will never for get and I wanna tell you guys... so Austin and I were walking home from school with our drum kits from band, thats right band haha :) , and this kid was kicking Austin's drum kit and I told the kid to stop and he didn't... so, in front of my house a block away from school, the kid gets off his bike, and acts as if he wanted to fight... me being a huge kid just pushed him and he fell over his bike and began to cry, I was like I told you to stop kicking it! and we went home told his mom and then I got into trouble at SCHOOL, even though this was in front of my house, and they told me that they put that on my permanent record. haha I just thought that it was a funny story :P I can still envision the whole thing :P }

Alot went on in those next few years that shaped who I became and who I now have change from... Then in 7th grade Austin asked me and Dan if we wanted to go with him to Church on Wednesday nights... I figured eh... why not lots of people from school go there and I might be considered cool if I go there... Boy did something happen!

Austin asked me and Dan to come over after school... we would play kick the can, greatest game, or play games and other stuff... as well as eat supper... like Austin said in his blog Pizza Burgers were one of the meals and I remember exactly how they taste! :D

It all started at the "Hey, Hey, Hey! It's a Hay Ride!" They talked about something that I had heard preached and talked about literally hundreds of times but something was different this time... something clicked... The speaker was talking about how God, sent His ONLY SON into the world to save it, not to condemn it! And that He Loves us no matter what has happened to you in your life and that He will always love us! I was like Woh...

I went home that night different, changed... not a born again Christian... but different non the less...

Over the next few months I started to go to small groups... and then one Wednesday night our small group leader James Ellis asked if anyone wanted to ask Jesus into our lives and me and another guy did... so we went into the airlock in the YMC lower level and prayed... I gave my life back to God that night in 7th grade! :)

Fast forward to High School, Austin and I were going to church and small groups together and even working together! We were still the Best of friends!!!! Of course we would fight and argue alot but that never truly changed how we felt towards each other... Brotherly love... seeing how I didn't have any brothers or sisters at home he was the closest thing I had to a brother...

We would be each others accountability partners and we would bounce ideas off each other for tons of things... one day when we were setting up in the Aux Gym for a Wednesday night... Derry Prenkert came up to us and asked if we wanted to go on a trip called NYGO... Austin and I were interested to go! but I was the one who went... Austin had something that proceeded NYGO so I went... and that, is where my life path was forever changed!!!!

I type this now and you know I am going to be a Pastor after college... but that wasn't my first intention... before NYGO I was going to be an Architect and I wanted to move to Chicago and start a firm designing large and small buildings... but God had some plans of His own... :)

So God really really grabbed a hold of my life on NYGO... from doing many things like witnessing to the people, praying for random people, and just the difference in the Culture from small town Nappanee... That rocked my world!!! I was hit by a Spiritual Train as I like to call it when I was Cussed out and God was cussed out by a guy... this changed my perspective and my views... God also instilled in me what HIS plans for me were... to be a Pastor...

So when I came back from that it wasn't long before Summer Camp! And boy oh boy God moved in a HUGE WAY!!!!!! :D so summer camp came along... it was ONE summer camp, that's what the series was called... ONE
We talked alot and there was an image that I can remember vividly... that is me, 6'2" 225lb guy sobbing with tons of tears thanking Austin for what he had done for me! because if it wasn't for him... I most likely would not be sitting here typing this now!!! but then he started crying saying that I had been challenging him by the way I was living... with no fear and in extreme ways for God... so here are two best friends... 17 years old crying in each others arms as we embraced and talked about how we were sorry about how we were jerks at some points and times...

We had set up times together to go to the prayer room, back home, late at night... there were like 4 times we signed up for together... and the coolest thing was we heard about baptisms...

So Austin and I talked to Derry about getting Baptised... and Derry mentioned us getting Baptised together... and we thought it would only be fitting considering the impacts we have and had left on each other... so we signed up for that!

When we got back from camp Hoss and I were closer than ever! and when we went to the prayer room one night... GOD grew us even closer... we both were feeling convictions to talk to the other one about our struggles... and when we finally did... we found out they were the same and that we both wanted to talk to the other about them... we washed our hands of them and then kept each other accountable... and we grew closer than friends, closer than brothers, we were brothers in Christ! :)

We got Baptised on August 26, 2007 together and we can both remember that day for the rest of our lives! :) Because that marks our story and our faith Publicly! :)

Our Junior Year was Great!! God was moving and Moving and helping us Challenge each other and we were basically inseparable! :) Senior year summer camp was amazing! we were playing big roles in the camp in one way shape or form...

I had the opportunity to go on IMPACT Mexico since I went on NYGO but things were not the way that God had it all planned for me that summer so I did Children's summer camp counselor for the second year... while Austin went on DCGO... which was awesome!!!

Two words to sum up our Junior year/ Senior year summer camp... God Moved


So we go to our Senior year of High school... we are leaders on and off the athletic, academic and not to mention in the youth group... we were apart of a bible study/ prayer meeting on Monday mornings with some other Seniors and Derry... and Austin and I came behind alot of projects like making movies for messages and not to mention Rwanda Night, which if you read my blog, captured my heart. Austin and I did alot together our Senior year at school, home, church and at other locations! :)

The summer after our Senior year is the season we are in now...

Austin and I got the opportunity to Go on IMPACT Dominican Republic and boy did we See God MOVE!!!!! :D He moved in us by our selves, together, in the country, our team, and in the people! and I couldn't have imagined a more awesome way to cap off our High School Career together than to go on a missions trip together not to mention stay in the same room and, whether he admits it or not, enjoyed the closeness of the nights haha and the gas :P MARCO!

Austin and I went to Preteen Summer Camp this last week... for two different reasons... He for tech and me as a leader... but we were united one night when Jason talked about our story and its significance...

now that I think about it... our story is amazing... how one shy boy named Austin Hostetter, asked his Spiritually Struggling friend to come to church with him... not to get me saved... but just so that we could enjoy God together... and over the next 3 years God moves in me and Austin see that and wants to have the growth too... and then the next 2 years of pure joy and happiness that we have in each other and most of all GOD!!!

God Truly moves in His own ways... in His own timing... with His own LOVE! and I can honestly say that if it wasn't for our mothers almost 17 years ago to say lets get our boys together to play... and if it wasn't for God's AWESOME timing moving Austin in to ask me at the right time... I wouldn't be here, and if it wasn't for God our friendship wouldn't be what it is! Because I have found more than a friend in Austin Blake Hostetter, I have found an accountability partner, a person to look up to, a buddy to challenge me and for me to challenge, but most of all a Brother, truly like no other! One where the Blood line starts with A man named Jesus Christ!! A Brother that I know, will always be there for me... Through Thick and Thin, through the good and bad, the happy and sad, easy and tough... and some one who will always be there to say... I Love you Bro! :)

Austin has been by best friend, is my best friend, and will always be my best friend!!! Although we are the Odd Couple, and could be compared to the Grumpy Old Men, our friendship will never be broken because of where our bonds start... with God! Although Austin is going to Ball State this fall and I will be at Indiana Wesleyan we will still hang out, we will still be friends and we will still be there for each other! I'm nearly Crying typing this because of what all we have gone through together and just how awesome it is to have Hoss as a friend! :)

I want to thank Austin for being there for me, but most of all... I want to thank God. For Blessing me with an amazing Best friend like him who doesn't care what I look like or how weird I am! Thanks God for being Awesome! :)

Thanks Austin !