Made for Greatness: Young Adults Seeking Holiness
BY BRIAN JACOBSON
I sat down with Hannah Dustman, a young adult in the community who is seeking holiness and not settling for mediocrity. We spoke of courage, the Rosary, the pain of waiting and much more.
We know the Lord calls us to live magnanimity: literally, greatness of soul. This could be seeking great things or seeking small things (that we all have) in a great way, all for the glory of God. So whether you need ideas to jump-start your pursuit of greatness or want to be encouraged by others living around you, I pray this interview will be as inspiring for you to read as it was for me to conduct.
When was your encounter with the Lord that triggered a deeper desire for you to pursue holiness?
My encounter with the Lord was gradual. I always grew up as the church-going, rule-following girl. I was immersed in the faith from a young age, but my interior didn’t always match my exterior. In other words, I was simply going through the motions, even though the desire for more was there. When I became a leader at Mizzou’s Newman Center, a community that welcomed me like no other, I realized this. In an attempt to live an integrated life, I knew I needed to bring my head knowledge into heart knowledge. A huge conduit of this for me was the Rosary.
“The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”
How did the Rosary help you grow spiritually?
Through the Rosary, I came to a greater understanding of the life of Christ, how joy and suffering could coexist, and how to make sense of humanity. Our Mother Mary walked me through her life and her Son’s in praying through the mysteries of the Rosary. I’ve always been close to Mary. I always knew that she understood me when it didn’t always seem like others did. She’s been a mother in walking with me through homesickness, boy trouble, and trials of life.
Is there anything that has been challenging for you in living for God as a young adult?
Waiting is hard. Ultimately, I’m not God so I can’t just work harder to make relationships happen, whether it’s friendship or marriage. This is difficult to swallow as a high-achiever. The mess and the ache of waiting is real, but there’s so many good things I can do in this season. I get to be present to Sisterhood in City on a Hill, run a book club, go deeper with friends, and so many more things.
How has being involved in the City on a Hill community impacted your faith journey as a young adult?
After discerning that I wanted to be in KC, the transition from being a missionary to working and finding friends was more difficult than I expected. Though I longed for spontaneous hang outs and deep conversations, I had to learn that the young adult life wasn’t as conducive for this as life on a college campus. It took patience to find peers that also had the same desires as I had. Additionally, because of my time as a missionary, I felt three years behind everyone else. Thankfully, I made a good friend at City on a Hill’s leadership retreat and soon after joined the Sisterhood Formation Team.
“He must increase, I must decrease (John
3:30). Give these women more through me, Lord, and don’t let me get in the way.”
Being involved in City on a Hill has challenged me to reach and invest in women. I’ve helped develop content covering topics such as identity, hospitality, how to pray with Scripture, how to pray spontaneously, how to share testimonies, and breaking down obstacles that women often have to taking on leadership roles. This really serves to equip women to be better apostles to Christ, and in many cases, small group leaders. I’ve also pioneered a drop-in Bible study for women on a weeknight, a low-commitment way for women to gather around the Word and build community.
All this to say, though, my prayer that I’ve been convicted of lately has been that of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, I must decrease.” (John 3:30) Give these women more through me, Lord, and don’t let me get in the way.
It helps that I have a community in City on a Hill that challenges me.
Outside of City on a Hill, can you tell us how you live your call to mission?
One particular mission that is unique to me involves writing letters. I love to encourage people through sending personal notes, whether it is to a particular friend or to the entire fire department! I want people to know that their presence in my life matters. Sending hand-written letters is such a lost art but is also such an easy way to be intentional in relationships. Sometimes these messages will include a meaningful gift. My favorite spiritual book is Chiara Corbella Petrillo: A Witness to Joy by Cristiana Paccini and Simone Troisi (Sophia Press, 2015). I think I’ve given out over 50 copies of this book! (And this was before I knew she was one of the patrons of City on a Hill.)
You live an inspiring and generosity-oriented life, Hannah. What gives you the courage to live this way?
The fact that it’s not about me. I’m going to embarrass myself, put my foot in my mouth, do the wrong thing. But I’m going to do these things anyways so it might as well as be doing it for a worthy cause, Jesus. I still struggle with fear, but I’m motivated by the notion that Jesus could use me to reach someone’s sister, cousin, mother, daughter.
I don’t want to waste what I’ve been given. There’s always opportunities. What’s my account going to be of the relationships and resources I have? I want to leave a legacy for other people. Not for myself, but for others that they might see how they could give more. I want to impart hope.
Is this worth the discomfort? I can get through the discomfort, the fear of rejection, for them. That’s what gives me courage.
About City on a Hill
City on a Hill’s mission is to be the community that inspires and forms the young adult generation to be saints.
Want to stay up-to-date on the happenings and stories from our community?
Subscribe to Our Emails
Looking to support our mission and bring young adults to Christ?
Donate Today