Bekah Baxter shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Bekah, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
My grandad turned 87 this year. Growing up he always taught us how to water ski. For years, he and my grandmother ran a ski school out of Maryland. It was never really an option of whether we, the grandkids, would learn to ski. It was more of a matter of “when” rather than “if.” Over the past few summers, I have spent my early mornings just me and my grandad on the lake skiing before the day starts. It has given me time with him I’ll forever be grateful for and also awakened something inside me that brought deep joy. This summer, I’ve been pregnant with my firstborn son so I’ve had to hold off on slalom skiing myself, but I’ve still spent mornings with my grandad driving the boat for him to ski. It’s been a sweet way to still spend time with him, and also quite a sight to see with a 36 week pregnant boat driver and an 87 year old skier behind the boat.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Bekah Baxter, and I have the joy of serving as the Founder and Executive Director of Chosen Vessels, a ministry dedicated to encouraging, equipping, and empowering leaders in ministry around the world. My heart for this work grew out of my own journey in pastoral ministry, where I witnessed firsthand the incredible pressures and often hidden struggles that pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders carry.
At Chosen Vessels, we provide spaces of rest, renewal, and care—through retreats, debriefs, and ongoing member care—for those who spend their lives pouring out for others. What makes CV unique is our holistic approach: we don’t just want to “patch up” weary leaders; we want to walk with them in ways that restore hope, strengthen resilience, and remind them of their worth and calling.
On a personal note, I’m passionate about cultivating authentic spaces where people can tell their stories, wrestle with their challenges, and encounter the grace of God in a fresh way. Right now, we’re especially excited about our growing global retreats that bring together hundreds of missionaries and their families from across Europe, Asia Minor, and beyond. Seeing these leaders and families walk away renewed and re-centered is what fuels everything we do.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One moment that completely reshaped how I see the world happened on my very first cross-cultural service trip. We were spending long days visiting pastors and their families, listening to their stories, and sharing time together. After several days of this, I remember asking our team leader when the “mission trip” was going to start. He looked at me and simply said, “This. This is the mission. Seeing and caring for people.”
That moment has stayed with me for the last 15 years. It reframed everything I thought ministry and missions were about. Now, in my work with Chosen Vessels, that’s exactly what I get to do—come alongside workers and leaders around the globe to care for them, see them, and remind them they’re not alone.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could tell my younger self one thing, it would be this: Jesus is exactly who He says He is, and the resurrection is true. You don’t have to carry the weight of figuring it all out or proving your worth—He has already done the work, and His promises hold. There will be seasons when life feels uncertain or heavy, but you can trust Him fully because He has overcome.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I would hope my closest friends would say that they matter most to me. My husband, Brady, and my family are my greatest treasures, and I want the people in my life to feel truly seen and cared for. I hope they’d describe me as someone who serves others, opens her home as a safe space for rest, and creates room for belonging. Yes, I love serving global workers around the world through Chosen Vessels, but my prayer is that it flows first from loving the people right in front of me well.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I had 10 years left, I would stop holding on to offense. Life is too short to carry bitterness when we’re called to live in love. Ephesians 4:32 reminds us to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” I would want my years marked not by grudges or hurt, but by a radical kind of love and forgiveness, the kind that frees both me and others to live fully.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chosenvesselsonline.org
- Instagram: @chosen.vessels.inc
Image Credits
Photo Creds: Kaitlin Dasher
