Part 2 of the “My Journey with the Lord” Series
Nine Years Ago, Another Yes
Nine years ago, my relationship with Jesus shifted from just knowing Him to joining Him on His mission.
It was one thing to spend hours with Him in prayer, reading His Word, and loving the intimacy we shared. But now, God was making it clear: This wasn’t just about me and Him, it was about Him and the nations. That “yes” to go anywhere He sent me was both exhilarating and terrifying. But it became the lens through which I saw every next step.
Training Grounds and Open Doors
The very next year, at 17, I packed my bags for Tijuana, Mexico, to complete a Discipleship Training School (DTS). It was intense, stretching, and refining, the kind of environment where God breaks you down and builds you back up in the best ways.
I came out of DTS propelled and supported in my calling, but I also sensed it wasn’t time to launch into full-time ministry yet. I was about to enter what I call an “extended pasture season” a time to grow, learn, and soak in the Truth before running into all He had for me.
At 19, I moved to Chicago for deeper Bible training. That decision opened unexpected doors:
- Studying the Bible in Israel, Turkey, Italy, and Greece, literally walking where the New Testament took place
- Seeing Scripture come alive in ways I never imagined
- Being shaped in theology, character, and endurance for the road ahead
Love and Partnership in the Gospel
The last stop of that Bible study trip was Greece, and that’s where I would meet my future husband.
And two crazy years later (covid era, 2019-2021), we were married and already serving the Lord together in metro Detroit, abroad, and eventually in Dallas. God was knitting our lives together not just in marriage, but in a shared practice of missions while ironing out the mission of our marriage.
Our heart was (and still is) to make disciples wherever He places us, whether in our own neighborhood or halfway across the world.
Serving Across Nations
In just a few years, the places God led me, and later, us, were beyond what I could have imagined at 16:
- Serving in over 20 countries
- Sharing the Gospel across North and Central America, Europe, and the Middle East
- Living for seasons in multiple cities, always looking for where God was already at work
Now, we’re in Greece, as digital nomads, *trying* to learn the Greek language, building out our tent-making work, and serving alongside other churches and ministries. From here, the Lord has given us a front-row seat to what He’s doing, not only in Greece, but in Europe and the Middle East.
Looking Ahead
If you had told my 16-year-old self what God was going to do, I wouldn’t have believed you. But my 17-year-old self, the one who had already heard His voice and said yes, probably would have. Because when God calls, He provides. When He sends, He sustains. And when He writes your story, it will always be bigger than you could write for yourself.
In Part 3, I’ll share what 10 years of walking with Jesus have taught me about God’s favor, and why I can boldly say, “I feel like His favorite”… and why that’s something you can experience too!
In Christ,
Cosette Bredeweg
