Faith At Every Moment: Following Jesus Through School, Internship, Career

Published: April 13, 2021

If Justin Mulholland '16 learned one thing from his time at Greenville University and the transition into a career, its this: There is nothing more important than being faithful to Jesus in every moment.

When Justin says every moment, he means every moment. Listen for Him in the quiet moments. Listen for Him in the loud moments. Look for Him in the boring, the mundane, the weird, the small.

From his moments as a student to his moments as an intern and then employee, Justin discovered opportunities to grow in Christ.

During Justins years as a student at Greenville University, the Lord molded him for service and relationships. He worked as a resident chaplain (RC), so the rubber hit the road daily in terms of learning to serve.

As an RC, you had to be adaptable as things came up, adaptable in planning and response he remembers.

More than coordinating floor events, he learned to love his fellow students as Christ loved them, even in tough moments. Residence life leadership sometimes required Justin to mediate peer conflicts and help friends handle stress.

These relational lessons impacted Justins social life beyond the dorm. He maintains that every personal connection at college presented an opportunity for spiritual growth.

This life is a life that is supposed to be done together . . . every conversation, every response to adversity, every joy, every moment of grief that we share; all of these things, when done together, can point us toward Jesus Christ, he says.

This even applied on the soccer field, where Justin learned to lose with grace and prioritize good sportsmanship over winning at all costs.

The Lord began molding Justin again during an internship, this time with lessons in humility.

Justin interned with Forge Flint, a nonprofit focused on rehabbing neighborhoods in Flint, Michigan. Justin helped clean houses, paint, mow, replace roofs and more.

Along the way, he learned to view his helper status with humility.

Jesus was already at work in the neighborhood and had been for a long time, Justin says. We were not bringing Jesus to these people, we just had the chance to work with Jesus. He adds, We could not come in and say we had all the right answers . . . we came, we listened, we shared, we ate together and we learned.

The members of Justins team leant their talents without assuming the role of savior. This empowered the people they helped to carry on the work even when the helpers left.

Each and every spiritual lesson during college prepared Justin for his current ministry at Gregory House.

Situated in a less desirable neighborhood in Springfield, Illinois, Gregory House seeks to bring intentional community and the love of Jesus to the neighborhood, investing in an area that many in the community avoid.

Here, Justin uses it allthe humility to keep his role in perspective, the passion for relationships, the perseverance through conflict and stress. Even the lessons in sportsmanship from his days on the soccer field come in handy; many of the neighbor kids play sports together and notice Justins emphasis on respect and teamwork over winning.

Justin picked up one final lesson on his way out the door at Greenville University. He realized that Gods call may not look the same for everyone.

Sometimes Jesus does call us to a job right out of college, and that is awesome, he says.

For others, including Justin himself, the road turns differently. I signed on for this ministry with no guarantee of a space to live and no guarantee of money. But this is where Jesus was calling.

God was faithful to work out the details.

Recognize where Jesus is calling, respond in trust, and He will lead you on the right path, Justin says of his experience.

Related stories:

Bearing Good Fruit: Greenville University Ministry Majors Serve Across the Country

Calling: That Uniquely Personal Divine Tug

Spiritual Mentoring at GC Shapes Lifelong Passion for Education

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