My loving parents were Christians before I was born, and they faithfully brought me up on God’s ways. I don’t remember a day when I didn’t know Jesus, for which I am greatly indebted. I remember my mother especially teaching me Psalm 121, which starts with: “I lift my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?”

My younger brothers, Jason and Michael, and I were born in South Africa. My grandfather was, and is, the pastor of the English Reformed Church in South Africa, which holds to beliefs similar to the RP church. They are one of the few truly Reformed churches in South Africa. I remember being in this church: singing to God and listening to my grandfather faithfully preach God’s Word.

One of my favorite events was the church lunch on the first Sunday of each month. We greatly enjoyed the fellowship. After the service, we would go to the home of a member and eat together.

These lunches were an opportunity to invite friends and others who might not be Christians and witness to them. I think God uses the simple things, like this monthly lunch, as well as the big for the good of His people.

We moved to Florida in 2008. During our two years there, we found and joined a good, solid church, the Coquina PCA, with faithful preaching from Neal Ganzel, who is a good friend and pastor to this day. He and others in the church were very helpful and encouraging to me, and they taught me more about God’s goodness.

After two fun years in Florida, we moved to Kansas, where we have been for about eight years. My dad was looking at the Classical Conversations homeschool curriculum that was starting at the Shawnee, Kan., RPC. Through this, we began attending there. I remember being warmly greeted by the members and by Wade Mann, who was the pastor at the time.

I have grown a lot at Shawnee RPC under the guidance of Pastor Mann and later Pastor Greg Stiner, as well as the elders. God has graciously put these wonderful people in my life to train me in His Word and to sanctify me. Surely, without God, none of this would even be possible.

God has taught me lessons that I needed to learn. I came to realize, with God’s help, how bad sin really is. He showed me how destructive sin can be. As James 1:15 says, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (NIV).

God also has made it known to me how good He is. He has demonstrated His kindness to me and others around me. To quote 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because He first loved us.”

God has caused me to spiritually mature in many ways and has lovingly sanctified and disciplined me. He truly cares for His elect people.

Calvin Stevenson (17) attends the Shawnee, Kan., RPC with his family.