Today we have the privellege of hearing the word from Pastor Gary Vanderveen. Here’s a little bit about him: He has served as founding and senior pastor of Christ Covenant Church in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, since helping plant the congregation in 1999 (langleychurch.org). He completed seminary at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and his ministerial internship at Westminster Presbyterian Church (PCA) under the care of Rev. Brent Bradley.

Garry and his wife, Nicole, have six children and fourteen grandchildren. In 2025, they purchased ten acres together with their second son, his son’s wife, and their three children, where the families are developing a small hobby farm.

Pastor Vanderveen serves on the executive committee of the Joint Eastern European Project and travels regularly to Japan and Eastern Europe. In 2025, Knox Presbytery formed Boniface, a provisional presbytery, the first CREC presbytery established in Canada, and Pastor Vanderveen serves as its Presiding Minister. Named for Boniface, the eighth-century apostle to the Germans who felled the oak of Thor, the presbytery seeks to live up to its name. As Canada’s totalitarian—leaning government becomes more hostile to the church, Rev. Vanderveen and Boniface have spoken out against measures that would restrict the church’s liberty to preach the gospel, most recently in a “Pact of Obedience” responding to federal legislation that undermines that freedom. It can be found at rejecthatred.ca

The political season is heating up and we Christians need to be praying for our elected leaders. Particularly for those leaders who profess to be Christian. How shall we pray for them?

First, we should pray for them to grow in grace and knowledge of God’s word, and grow in meditating on how to apply it in all their governing and ruling. Pray that they wouldn’t live compartmentalized lives, ruling over here and Jesus over there.

Secondly, we should pray that they would profess the name of Jesus in their public duties, and not be afraid to tell their constituents “I voted this way because of the commands and teachings of Jesus, whom I work for, according to Romans 13.” They are ministers of Jesus, the world’s Emperor, and they need to do His will “for good.” As His ministers, they are to submit to His leadership. So pray they will say “I am against abortion because God weaves babies together in their mother’s womb (Psalm 139), and Jesus said to let the little babes come to me, not kill them (Matthew 18).” Pray also they will say publicly that transgenderism is wrong and evil because Jesus said “He made them male and female” (Matthew 19), meaning as his creatures they are to live in submission to God’s design for their lives, as male or female, and be joyful for their lives and personalities as created. Of course, pray that they would profess Christ as the basis for all their public ruling.

Our leaders need our prayers for this kind of backbone. Too often they appeal to the Christian mailing list as Christians for our vote or support, but never mention Jesus’ name publicly in their duties. They employ virtue signaling like “forged by faith” or “traditional values.” Let’s pray they will be more “Charlie Kirk-ish” in their profession as the Lord Jesus’ servants! And when you go to a “meet and greet,” encourage them personally to do the above. They need to hear it from you as well!

Brothers and Sisters, this is a “feel good” WP meant to encourage you in the faithfulness of your family pursuits with spouse and children.

Recently quarterback Aaron Roger’s said the following in an article:

“I’m definitely excited about it,” Rodgers said. “I mean, being back in my family’s lives, I’m having a lot of fun being Uncle Aaron….being Uncle Aaron to my brother’s kids has been a lot of fun. And the more I’m around them, the more I get excited, and so does the wife, about having some of our own,” he continued. “So, I’m excited for that. I can’t wait for that next chapter of life and all that that entails, and sleepless nights and crying babies and changing diapers and all those things, I’m looking forward to all of it.”

Notice that what Rogers is saying is something that you’ve known all along from God’s word: the beauty and joy of marriage and children as the Lord provides. What he says is a great double witness to the lives you’ve been living, though as an unbeliever, he’s not giving God the glory. Yet still his testimony affirms the truth of Romans 1 that all mankind knows God and knows his will, even though they try to suppress much of it. With his comments, Rogers admits God’s way is best.

So enjoy the wife or husband of your youth, as Ecclesiastes 9:6–9 says too, and enjoy your children and nurture them in Christ (Ephesians 6:4), and thank the Lord for his blessing of both!