***Please see the "Uh-oh, this dude's a Christian" section under Why I'm on Couchsurfer before turning me away.***

I was born in Alburquerque, New Mexico. Currently, I call Silver City New Mexico my home, but I live and work in Searcy, Arkansas. I find myself in a lot of different places frequently, whether it be work, photograph, or just adventure.
I currently serve as an assistant manager at a place called HUT (Harding University Tahkodah). We work to teach and expose students that come to us about world cultures and development Ministries (sustainable agriculture, community development, water sanitation and filtration, public health, etc. I welcome anything you can teach me about this!).
The best job I've ever had has been at Camp Wyldewood in Searcy, AR serving as the Day Camp Director for the summer.
Of all the places I've been, Mt. Rainier in Washington State has been one of the most magnificent places I've been!

I enjoy meeting people of all backgrounds! I make a point to inform people that being introverted does NOT mean you don't like people or socializing, but that you just relish alone/quiet time to 'recharge'.

I look forward to getting to know more about each other!

Personality type things (for those who care about it)

Myers Briggs - INFJ

Enneagram - 3 w 2

Spiritual Giftedness-
Top Three- Servant (12), Shepherd (10), Mercy Giver (10)
Lowest Two- Evangelist (6), Prophet (-3)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I hardly ever need everything included in a hotel (especially the price) and it is always so dull and hard to meet people. Couch surfing makes so much more sense since you get to have a wonderful experience meeting someone and learning about their lives and more about the place you're at.
No telling what adventures you can have when you just meet someone on an adventure!

***"Uh-oh, this dude's a Christian..." ***

Concerns?
*'I bet he's gonna just tell us we're sinners the whole time'
---HI, my name is Austin and I'm a sinner too.
*'I bet he's gonna hit us over the head with a Bible'
---I would love nothing more than for you to accept the word of the God that has changed me so much. But it's your choice to believe, and I certainly don't think telling you more about something you don't want to hear is going to change that.
*'I bet he's just gonna come in with a guitar and sing Kumbayah or some crap'
---Hahahahahahahaha
*'I bet he'd be scared to death of our lifestyle'
---I got 7 of 25 years of belief under my belt. Grew up in a "faithless" home living a very "faithless" life. My brother is a Satanist and I've got a lot of atheist, Muslim, and a few Buddhist friends. Apart from that, I really believe isolating myself in some "Christian utopia" this side of Heaven is 1)Very much against what Jesus taught and 2) A very dull life.
(This section is still under construction)

Maybe you've been hurt, betrayed, or otherwise rubbed wrong by someone who professed to be a "Christian". Whether intentional or otherwise, I'm sorry. I'd love to hear about your life.
Maybe you simply just don't believe. I'd love to hear about your life.
What does it mean for you that I'm a Christian? I can't give a certain answer, but this is what I'm going for:

"Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!"
Philippians 2:3‭-‬8

Interests

• animals
• photography
• coffee
• backpacking
• camping
• lakes
• rivers
• adventure
• permaculture
• stories
• meeting new people
• hospitality
• wild camping
• jesus
• spiders
• jesus christ
• mountain hiking
• drinking coffee
• free camping
• apps that allow proper formating

Music, Movies, and Books

Here's a few of my favorite/honorable mentions for these:

MUSIC
I typically enjoy instrumental, classic rock, classical, and many other things.
Pink Floyd (although I don't enjoy ALL of their stuff)
So Will I by Hillsong
Sigur Ros (Untitled 3 is the BEST!!) Ocean by John Butler
Creed
Dream Theater
TSO
Goo Goo Dolls (Let Love In album)

BOOKS
-Airborn trilogy (Airborne, Skybreaker, Star Climber) by Kenneth Oppel
-Bless Me Ultima by Rudolpho Anaya
-Bruchko by Bruce Olson
-Changed Into His Likeness by Watchman Nee
-Crazy Love by Francis Chan
-Extreme Prayer by Greg Pruett
-George Muller by Janet and Geoff Benge
-God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew
-Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini
-The Chronicles of Narnia (the whole series), Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis
-Radical by David Platt (MUST read, especially if you claim to follow Jesus)
-Release of the Spirit by Watchman Nee
-Robert Frost
-Speaking of Jesus by Carl Madearis
-The Bible (The most translated book in the world)
-The Insanity of God by Nik Ripkin
-The Insanity of Obedience by Nik Ripkin
-The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
-The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
-The Practice of the Presence by Brother Lawrence
-The Reason for God by Timothy Keller
-The Redwall series by Brian Jacques
-The Road by Cormac McCarthy
-The Servant by James Hunter (MUST Read)
- The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
-This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti
-Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

MOVIES
(Categories:Guild, Life, Enjoyment)
GUILD (The Top)--
-Avatar the Last Airbender (NOT THE MOVIE but the show (: )
-Forest Gump
--Nefarious: Merchant of Souls (This changed the course of my college persuits and life)
-The Lord of the Rings trilogy

----LIFE (Have taught or deeply moved me, while also being enjoyable)--
-12 Years a Slave
500 Days of Summer
-Avatar
-Blood Diamond
-Braveheart
-Captain Fantastic
-Edward Scissorhands
-Gladiator
-Hacksaw Ridge
-How to Train Your Dragon (1&2)
-Inside Out
-La La Land
-Les Miserables
-October Sky
-Planet Earth (and MANY other documentaries)
-Risen
-Silence
-The Book of Eli
-The Giver
-The Prince of Egypt
-The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

-----ENJOYMENT(Just entertainment)
-Godzilla (from the very beginning!)
-Independence Day
-Jurassic Park movies
-Kong Island
-Much Ado About Nothing(1993)
-Oscar
-Pacific Rim
-SpongeBob!
-Star Trek (Wrath of the Kahn, the new one, and Into Darkness)
-The Avengers (and everything related)
-The Emporor's New Groove
-The Princess Bride

-----HONORABLE MENTIONS
Documentaries (mostly nature) are fantastic!
-13 Cloverfield Lane
-Cloverfield
-Beauty and the Beast (2017)
-Big Hero 6
-Brother Sun Sister Moon
-Ender's Game
-Harry Potter
-Inception
-Interstellar
-Life of Pi
-Man of Steel
-Monster's University
-Pirates of the Caribbean
-Pride and Prejudice
-Rogue One (deserves its own mention)
-Star Wars (Jar Jar is secretly the greatest Sith)
-The Hunger Games series
-The Lego Movie
-The Martian
-World War Z

GAMES
Some AMAZING stories are found in video games. It's always a great way to bond with friends.

----TOP PICKS
1. Legend of Zelda (All)
--Haven't played anything beyond Windwaker, but recently watched A LOT of videos about BotW, and can easily say that's my top as far as story)
2. Age of Empires 2 HD
--The only game I play with any regularity anymore (and even that is maybe once a month). Often play with friends who are now scattered around the world.
3. Runescape (old-school)
--Yeah that's right! I grew up on this game (almost literally). Became a great way to still 'hang out' with childhood friends when we or they moved away. Very fond memories.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1. Experienced the transformation of the Spirit of the Living God (and continually experience it every day)

2. Watched the sunset and star gazed in the deserts of Wadi Rum in Jordan

3. Hiked through the foothills of Mt. Ranier National Park

4. Backpacked for three nighs in the Smokey Mountains

5. Attempted to swim from one island to another with a supervisor during an internship in the Philippines (need details? Ask me about it!)

6.

Teach, Learn, Share

As a professional photographer on the side, I'd love to teach you a thing or two about photography.

As an assistant at a cultural training village, I'd love to tell you how to make the most of any upcoming abroad travel.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I often will have my camera. I would love to do portraits of any of my hosts! I also consider myself quite good with Graphic design (but not near as good as with a camera)
I'm also told I can tell good stories and sing well.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Ghana, Greece, Haiti, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Philippines

Countries I’ve Lived In

Jordan, United States