You may know Austin's parents from church, Dodd and Becky Drake. Dodd works part-time as a pastor at Redeemer and is the director for CRU at UNCG. Austin also has an older sister named Aubrey and a younger brother named Brennan.
Austin came with us as a leader at Camp Booyah last summer and he loves youth ministry. He is a Young Life leader at Model High School in Rome, GA and enjoys frisbee golf, hiking, biking, lacrosse, and watching football and hockey.
Austin accepted Christ as a 6-year-old, but growing up a "pastor's kid," he always felt like he had pressures and expectations to be a "good kid" and felt his identity was largely wrapped up in being a PK.
When he transferred from his small private middle school to the public high school his freshman year, he tried to step outside of that by doing almost anything to try to fit in or feel accepted. After a year of attending Young Life club, he signed up to go to summer camp with YL in Virginia, where he ended up experiencing the grace and freedom of the Gospel. Since then, Austin has stepped into this new identity and loves to share the gospel with middle school and high school friends.
Austin has a heart for youth ministry, as his adolescence was a largely influential time in his own life. He wants to be able to come alongside youth today and be a light for them during this confusing period of their lives.
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