Customer Reviews

Take Your Best Shot: Do Something Bigger Than Yourself

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At age nine, Austin Gutwein watched a 4 minute video about the AIDS orphans in Africa. In an instant, his life was changed and a long journey began. After watching the video, Austin felt the Lord stirring in him a desire to do something to help these orphans. He didn't know what, but he knew that he wanted to listen to the Lord's leading.

Take Your Best Shot follows Austin's journey to help the AIDS orphans. But, the book isn't just about his journey and his passion. He wants to help others to find their passion, their vision.

"I don't want you to finish this book and walk away with just a cool story. I want you to walk away with a burden on your heart. But not just any burden. I want you to be pursuing the purpose God has put on your heart-it has to be your vision.... My prayer for you is that God will give you your own vision of how you can take your best shot to make a difference in the world around you."

Each chapter shows a glimpse into his life and his journey. He shares scripture and insights into how you can find your vision. The chapter closes with "Take Your Best Shot", an interactive study guide. Each end of chapter study guide features a scripture passage, questions, online experience, and a take action activity.

This book was an inspiring read. People of all ages could benefit from reading about Austin's experience. The truth is if we had more children (and adults) who followed the Lord's vision for their lives, the world would be a better place.

Review by Jill Williamson

What would happen if you decided to change the world? Think you're too young? Too poor? Too plain? Austin Gutwein was only nine when his heart was broken by the truth of AIDS orphans in Africa. More than just wanting to make a difference, Austin had to. He couldn't sit by and pretend the problem wasn't his. It took him a while, but he finally found a way. He would ask people to sponsor him to shoot free throws. That was the start of something that in now a major non profit organization. Hoops for Hope has saved a generation of Africans by providing food, clothing, education, medical supplies, and hope.

Praise the Lord for a young man who wasn't willing to say, "No." His story moved me right down to the Pet rocks. I am honored to live on earth with such a courageous young man. In this book he tells his story. How it started, what he was thinking, the doubts and fears he had, and how God took his small effort and multiplied it again and again.

God designed you for a purpose. Have you found your purpose yet? Read this book. It will change your life. Highly recommended.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!

Austin has left me with a sense of anticipation to see just how God will use my family as we begin to simply take our best shot!!!

In his first book, Austin Gutwein tells the story of how Hoops of Hope began when he was just 9 yrs old! Austin is the founder of Hoops of Hope....THE FOUNDER!!! He founded Hoops of Hope at the tender age of 9!!!

Austin blew me away in the introduction when he said, "...I'm a normal kid who heard, 'Austin, God wants to use you' enough times that I started to believe it." He tugged at the very heart of my being with the statement, "Kids are really trying to make a difference in the world."

Yes, dear Austin, that is exactly what they desire to do!

My own precious daughters have warmed my heart as they have given from within themselves...and they are not alone. Austin says it so well, "They're reaching out to people in need, and they're stepping out of their comfort zones....They want to do something bigger than themselves."

Austin's heart was touched when he watched a video of a girl named Maggie that lived in Africa. Watching the video started a fire in his heart, one that he could not extinguish...and didn't! With his parents support, his family began sponsoring a child through World Vision. However, it didn't stop there....

Austin wanted to do more for the aids victims in Africa and as I read his story, I was shaken to the core to see how God used the gifts a 9 yr old boy could bring to change so many lives in a far off continent! This book...the Hoops of Hope organization...they aren't about Austin, and he knows it. They are about reaching out to the orphans and those less fortunate, just as God calls us to do.

I pray that you will pick up this book, especially at this Christmas season. Pray as you read it, and ask God what you can do...maybe not in Africa but what about your neighborhood, church or community. Then, pass the book on, maybe even to a teenager, because you never know who God is calling to take their best shot!

The moment I cracked open the first few pages of Austin Gutwein's TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT, I knew I was in for something all right. I had heard vague stories about a kid who had done something with basketball to help the AIDS crisis, and I knew that this book talked all about that. I'll be honest, charity stories always hit me with a slight bit of cynicism -- wondering if the money is really going to the place they say. So I went in wondering if this was going to be one of those books that makes me feel guilty for not sponsoring a child or for not living in the depths of Africa feeding starving people. But I was wrong. This book didn't make me feel guilty at all -- it made me feel hope.

Austin, only 14 years old at the time of this review, started with a deep desire to want to change the world -- in some way, somehow. And that started his organization Hoops of Hope -- which raises funds for kids in Africa who have been orphaned by AIDS. In TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT, Austin tells his story of visiting Africa, starting out with Hoops of Hope, and what all of it means for us as people living our day to day lives with the things we need: food, shelter, clothing.

Each chapter focuses in on different aspects of Austin's personal journey, and tying it into the larger picture -- taking the reader through almost a devotional-like atmosphere with thoughts from Austin, famous and non-famous people, the Bible, and personal stories from Africa. At the end of the chapters are a few questions to keep you thinking about the topic of the chapter, which makes it ideal for working through as a daily sort of devotional.

Teens who have read books like DO HARD THINGS by the Harris brothers or DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE by John Piper, would really enjoy reading Austin's story of hope and encouragement to get out in the world, do something to change it -- it doesn't have to be big, all you have to do is what Austin encourages from the outset: just take your best shot at it.

Wow! This was an inspiring book. I could not put the book down. The story about Austin and his vision to really make a difference as teenager was great. As a youth pastor we hear so much negative about this generation. Stuff like they are lazy, apathetic and lack any vision. Austin breaks that mold and challenges a generation to get up and do something. It also teaches us all that we can make a difference in a lost and hurt world. This is a must read book for teens and adults alike.

Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein
Wow. A thousand times over. Wow. This book should be made into a movie. It would inspire the world. It would show young people that they are not too young or too little to make maximum impact on this earth. I want every young person in my life to read this book and be encouraged to follow their dreams. This twelve-year-old boy pursued a dream and stepped into greatness. The peoples' lives he has and will affect, innumerable. I wish this book would be required reading in all grade, middle and high schools. If you have a young person in your life who needs to believe that they can make an enormous difference in the world, I encourage you to get this book and go through it, story by story with them. Absolutely fantastic book about a boy who will inspire-to-action anyone who comes in contact with him and with his story. Don't miss this!

Cheryl Wyatt

Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein in an inspiring book written by a teenager to teenagers. This young man will challenge not only his peers to take action in changing the world, but he will inspire adults to make a change as well.

In 2004 when Austin was nine-years-old he watched a video from World Vision about a little girl named Maggie. This little girl lived in Zambia and had lost her grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and even her brother to AIDS. Austin was so impacted by this four minute video, he wanted to do something for the Maggie's of the world. Weeks and months went by and Maggie's story still tugged at his young heart, so much so that his father contacted World Vision and asked where a nine-year-old could serve. He pointed out that World Vision had the Thirty-Hour Famine Fund Raiser for teenagers, but what did they have for kids? A few weeks later Austin received a call from Dana Buck, from World Vision, who asked him what he likes to do. Austin told him that he likes basketball. So Dana told him to go out and use basketball to change the world.

And he did...

Hoops for Hope sprang from Austin's desire to help kids in Africa and this book is the amazing story of how it all came about. But this isn't just a story about kids playing basketball, it is so much more. This young man has something important to say to kids today.

Parents, if you have a teenager that needs inspiration, you need to get them this book!

Just finished Take Your Best Shot byAustin Gutwein. All I can say is wow!!!! What this world would be like if more teenagers felt a call to make a difference in the world while sharing God's love. Heck, if more adults could do something this world would be a great place. This young man took something so simple (shooting baskets) and is now changing the world. A great read that will absolutely challenge you to get off your duff and just take a step.

What an amazing story of what a difference one person can make! Austin' story is one that made my heart sore. I love true stories of young people doing things that those two, three, or four times their age have not attempted. There is something pure int hat kind of thinking and that is what I found within this book - within Austin himself.

This past September I had the opportunity to take part in a bike ride that raised money for children with AIDS. It was one of those experiences that caused me to step away from my own life and really take a look at what is going on around me. It was life changing and I am so ready and willing to do it again. This book, Austin's story, brings me back to that moment - a moment of seeing things that often are overlooked.

At the end of each chapter are questions to ponder, scripture to think on... and a task to do. The task could be send a card to someone you know who is ill, connecting with an old friend - all the way to putting together your own Hoops of Hope event.

I found this book to be a wonderful reminder of the power that each of us has within us. When we think there is nothing possibly that we could do - we need to remember we dont know the power of a smile to someone who is desperately hurting, we dont know the power of a kind word to a stranger, and we do not know what picking up the phone and calling that person who has been on our heart lately will not only do for that person - but for you as well.

I bought this book for my 12 year old son who plays basketball. I started reading it first and could not put it down. This is an amazing story of a boy's compassion for children orphaned in Africa due to AIDS. He is determination to make a difference and succeeds beautifully. It is contemplative, funny, and inspiring! And it has our family thinking differently now as we too are aiming to make a difference in the lives of those in need. I want to buy this book for all of my nieces and nephews and my son's basketball team.