Austin has served as a pastor in California, a psychotherapist, and an adjunct psychology professor, but he now focuses his energy on sharing the freedom of the gospel through teaching Scripture. Austin is the founding director of MissingNoMore centered on providing nonprofit rescue services for missing children. He now lives in Arizona with his wife and two children (and his two crazy dogs).
Austin received his Bachelor’s of Arts in Biblical Studies from Fresno Pacific University where he met the love of his life. While living in Fresno, he worked as a pastor at a couple different churches while devoting his efforts to serving youth and the homeless community living in the downtown area. After moving to Arizona, he received his Master’s in Science from Grand Canyon University in Professional Counseling. Throughout his career he specialized in treatments for substance use disorders, depression, anxiety with a particular emphasis on trauma and grief therapy. As a professor, he taught (among other classes) Theories of Personality and Human Development.
As the director of MissingNoMore, in addition to actively joining search and rescue operations, his efforts are focused on educating the community on how they can join the fight to protect children. For more information, please visit MissingNoMore.org.
MissingNoMore is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Arizona that exists to engage in search and rescue operations to find missing children and bring them safely home. Austin’s aim through this ministry is to create a community that rises up to the challenge before us. MissingNoMore links the families of missing kids to direct search and rescue teams and resources so that “Missing Persons” will be MissingNoMore.
And, the battle cry is simple: “Rescue Those In Need!” It is Austin’s belief that, if we come together as believers in Christ, we can work to address a problem plaguing the most vulnerable among us.
In regard to teaching and writing, Austin has one requirement: Scripture must be the foundation of the argument. You can read more on his Statement of Faith. He is the author of The Calling of God which he has hoped will be both a blessing and service to those seeking to follow Christ as beloved disciples.
Inspired by the wisdom of Kierkegaard, Austin has sought to live in accordance with a simple motto: “In all things, choose the hard way.” It is a self-imposed adaptation of a famous passage from Kierkegaard’s Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments:
“So there I sat and smoked my cigar until I drifted into thought. Among other thoughts, I recall these. You are getting on in years, I said to myself, and are becoming an old man without being anything and without actually undertaking anything. On the other hand, wherever you look in literature or in life, you see the names and figures of celebrities, the prized and highly acclaimed people, prominent or much discussed, the many benefactors of the age who know how to benefit humankind by making life easier and easier, some by railroads, others by omnibuses and steamships, others by telegraph, others by easily understood surveys and brief publications about everything worth knowing, and finally the true benefactors of the age who by virtue of thought systematically make spiritual existence easier and easier and yet more and more meaningful—and what are you doing?
…
So only one lack remains [in our time], even though not yet felt, the lack of difficulty. Out of love of humankind, out of despair over my awkward predicament of having achieved nothing and of being unable to make anything easier than it had already been made, out of genuine interest in those who make everything easy, I comprehended that it was my task: to make difficulties everywhere.”
Concluding Unscientific Postscript to Philosophical Fragments
—Johannes Climacus (Søren Kierkegaard)
Let it be an encouragement, an invitation, for all to “make difficulties everywhere.”
Austin is available, based on scheduling requirements, for speaking engagements. For more information, please reach out at Austin.Reina@gmail.com or use the form below.
Feel Free to Reach Out
“This devotional study of biblical texts grounding important aspects of Christian faith uses an invitational tone to draw readers into a journey of prayer and deeper understanding leading to greater intimacy with God and renewed desire to live out and share the good news of God in Christ.”
Laura Schmidt Roberts, professor of biblical and theological studies, Fresno Pacific University
If you are interested in generously supporting me financially you are able to use the Venmo link to donate to my ministry efforts directly. This website and all of its content is provided without the requirement for paid subscriptions, and I pray that it has been and will continue to be a benefit and blessing to you. Any contributions generously provided will aid in my ability to create more content and write more published resources. Thank you!
