Faith is often most visible not when life feels easy, but when uncertainty, grief, responsibility, and discouragement press in. On Living My Faith with James Fenimore, Pastor Grant Van Leuven of Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church brings a deeply personal perspective on what it means to walk with God through both public ministry and private trials.
As a pastor, husband, father, and bi-vocational minister, Grant’s story reflects a life shaped by Scripture, perseverance, and a steady confidence in God’s promises. His testimony offers encouragement for anyone seeking to live out faith more faithfully at home, at work, in the church, and through seasons of anxiety or change.
A Pastor Rooted in Scripture and Confessional Faith
Grant Van Leuven serves as pastor of Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. The church describes its name with purpose: Puritan in spiritual heritage and earnestness, Reformed in theology and doctrine, Presbyterian in government and practice, and confessional in profession and witness.
That foundation matters because living faith is not simply about religious language or Sunday habits. It is about being shaped by God’s Word and learning to submit daily life to Scripture. For Grant, pastoral ministry has included leading a congregation through challenges while also walking through deeply personal trials with his own family.
Living Out Faith Through Real-Life Challenges
When asked how he actively lives out his faith in daily life, Grant points to the long road of pastoral service and family responsibility. He has served his church for 15 years through many challenges, including the loss of his first wife to colon cancer while raising four young children. He later remarried and had four more children with his new wife.
That kind of life experience brings weight to his message. Faith, in his telling, is not an abstract idea. It is lived in hospital rooms, family worship, church leadership, grief, parenting, remarriage, job uncertainty, and the ordinary pressures of being a public person as a minister.
Through it all, Grant emphasizes seeing God prove faithful to His promises while remaining submissive to the Scriptures. That is a practical and powerful reminder: Christian faith is not the absence of hardship, but trust in God amid hardship.
Trusting God in Anxiety and Uncertainty
One of the most meaningful themes in Grant’s story is learning not to worry and to trust God during anxious seasons. He specifically points to Matthew 6 and Philippians 4, passages that speak directly to worry, prayer, contentment, and confidence in the Lord’s care.
He also shares how the Psalms have been a source of strength, especially Psalm 56 and Psalms 42 and 43. These passages give language to fear, discouragement, and the need to preach hope to one’s own soul. For anyone facing scary uncertainty, the Psalms offer something deeply practical: honest prayer that does not pretend pain is absent, yet still turns toward God.
Scripture That Speaks to the Discouraged
Grant’s encouragement to anyone struggling spiritually is simple and direct: Psalm 119:105, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
That verse is a helpful anchor because it does not promise that every mile ahead will be visible. A lamp gives enough light for the next step. For people dealing with anxiety, grief, job transition, family pressure, or spiritual discouragement, that is often exactly what is needed: enough light to keep walking faithfully today.
A Timely Reminder During a Job Search
Grant also describes a recent moment that significantly deepened and encouraged his faith. While struggling with anxiety about securing a new full-time “tent making” job while continuing in ministry, he opened a devotional book he had not been reading for a while. The bookmark was at a page titled “Out of a Job.”
The timing struck him as providential. He gathered his family for family worship and used that reading as part of their time together. The moment became an opportunity not only to receive encouragement, but also to grow in appreciation for family and availability to them during an uncertain season.
This story is a meaningful picture of how faith is often strengthened: not always through dramatic change in circumstances, but through timely reminders that God sees, God provides, and God is present in the details.
Lessons for Anyone Seeking to Live Their Faith
Grant’s experience offers practical value for believers who want to live their faith more intentionally. His story points to several simple but important practices.
Return to Scripture Daily
When life feels uncertain, the temptation is to search everywhere for reassurance. Grant’s counsel points back to the Word of God. Scripture provides direction, correction, comfort, and wisdom for the next step.
Pray Honestly Through Discouragement
The Psalms teach believers how to bring fear, sorrow, and confusion before God. Psalms 42 and 43, with their refrain about the downcast soul, remind readers that discouragement can be met with hope in God.
Let Family Worship Shape the Home
Grant’s response to a timely encouragement was to call his family together for worship. That choice shows how faith can be practiced in the home, not only discussed in public or reserved for church gatherings.
See Work and Ministry as Part of Faithfulness
As a bi-vocational pastor, Grant’s experience highlights the reality that many people serve God while also carrying significant work responsibilities. Faithfulness may include seeking employment, providing for family, serving the church, and trusting God through each step.
Remember God’s Faithfulness in Past Trials
Looking back on God’s faithfulness can strengthen courage for present uncertainty. Grant’s life includes grief, remarriage, parenting, ministry challenges, and vocational transition. His testimony reminds readers that God’s promises are not theoretical; they sustain His people through real life.
About Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church
Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church is located in San Diego, California. The church’s identity is rooted in Puritan spiritual heritage, Reformed theology, Presbyterian church government, and confessional witness.
For those interested in learning more about the church’s beliefs, ministry, and resources, more information is available at puritanchurch.com/about.
A Faith That Keeps Walking
The heart of this conversation on Living My Faith with James Fenimore is not the idea that faithful people never face fear. It is that faithful people learn where to take their fear. Grant Van Leuven’s story points readers back to the enduring comfort of God’s Word, the honesty of the Psalms, and the steady call to trust the Lord one step at a time.
Whether you are facing loss, anxiety, job uncertainty, ministry pressure, or simply the daily challenge of walking faithfully, the encouragement is clear: let God’s Word be the lamp for your feet and the light for your path.
To learn more about Puritan Reformed Presbyterian Church, visit puritanchurch.com. To explore more conversations from Living My Faith, visit livingmyfaith.com.
