God is With You Wherever You Go

You know when you read or hear a verse a million times and it means nothing to you and then all of a sudden it clicks and you understand the verse in a new way? That’s how I feel about Joshua 1:9. It says “have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”. This verse didn’t have any real meaning to me until I moved away from home.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

3 years ago, I left the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to be able to continue playing soccer professionally in Europe. I am currently in Copenhagen, Denmark living a life far greater than I ever could have dreamed of. God revealed a calling to be a professional soccer player which I never envisioned for myself. He knows me so much better than I could ever know myself, that He gave me something I didn’t even know I wanted.

That’s how good He is to us. 

Leaving the US to play overseas was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make, but I think God made it easier for me because I had very little time to think it through and make the decision. The opportunity was presented, I considered it for a hot minute and thought: “nahhh, that’s not for me.” Suddenly then next thing I knew, I was on a plane to Europe and to a country where I don’t speak the language and somehow I had to manage. And at the same time, I was going through a very similar situation in my own faith. It was a moment where I had to grow up. The same way you are thrown into college with the only guidance being: “Here, figure it out”, I think God did that to me. I was tested when I was on my own in another country because I didn’t have anyone leading a bible study for me or inviting me to church.

I had Athletes in Action when I was at Rutgers and it’s easy to stay connected in your faith when you have a support system so accessible to you. But now, it was all up to me to stay connected and be the leader in my own faith, a position I had never been in before. I had to learn, and am still in the process of learning, to lean solely on the relationship between me and Jesus. It forced me to ask the question: “If Jesus is all I have, then do I still feel safe and secure in that”? And my answer to that question before I went abroad was: “No”. I felt it was my community that was holding me together, not Jesus. And this might be the reason that He put me in this situation; He wanted me to be able to see that the relationship between Him and myself is enough. 

After starting to build that foundation, I was able to see the ways in which God was present in my life. One example is the gift of my international online bible study group called “The JoyMakers”. 2 years ago, I got connected with this group and they have been so important in my growth. The group includes a professional softball player, a former professional soccer player, our leader who is in ministry based in Mexico, and me. We now span over 3 different countries (Denmark, Mexico, and USA) and 3 different time zones. And it feels like God has His hand over our group because even with time differences and busy schedules we still manage to meet almost every Wednesday. We have studied whole books of the bible, caught up on each other’s lives and prayed for one another. It’s something so simple but has made a huge impact on my soul.

Looking back at that time when I first moved, I think God put me through a period of isolation so that we could work on our relationship. Once I had a better foundation and really realized that He was with me like Joshua 1:9 says, He allowed me to find my place in community again. I have also started to branch out and try to find my own community here in Denmark and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find some smaller churches with connect groups and there is even a Hillsong in Copenhagen with English speaking pastors! I know the importance of community and I have benefitted from it myself but I now also know that there is power in the name of Jesus. And it starts with your relationship with Him. Build upon that foundation that he will be with you wherever you go, and let your community help you from there.

Jesus is our foundation. And He is with us. Which allows us to be strong and courageous…. wherever we go.

Brianne Reed

Hi! My name is Brianne Reed (but I go by Bri or Breezy) and I am currently playing soccer professionally in Denmark. I played at Rutgers from 2012-2015 and graduated in 2016 with a degree in public health. I am a New Jersey girl and I stand firm in my belief that central Jersey exists. I take an impressive amount of low-quality pictures of sunsets with my iPhone. I love puzzles, pugs, cereal and my family. Nice to "meet" you and I hope you enjoyed reading my piece :)