Christmas Greetings

Dear Friends and Family, Merry Christmas! Good tidings to you and your household this blessed season! I hope that 2022 was far better for you and yours than 2021 was, and I pray blessings over your 2023! This year has been a year of refining growth for us as we’ve faced the challenges before us, individually and as a family, and have striven to grow from each circumstance in the way the Lord God leads. Increasingly, it is apparent that the battles raging in our world—both physical and spiritual—are far from over. Therefore, we have been leaning harder on the Lord, seeking to grow in His Word, and trying to learn new skills for self-improvement along the way. Sanctification is a slow but very worthy process. Our home is a space that seems to be under constant construction—and in that regard, it’s the perfect physical reminder of what the sanctification process entails. Every project seems to be more in-depth than we realized and takes much longer than we anticipated, therefore the progress is quite slow (and sometimes seemingly imperceptible) but every project we complete is a blessing and worth every bit of the work, time, and money we put into it. It’s wonderful that John can head up these projects and that each family member is able to assist in different ways. As mentioned, John is using much of his time working on our home. I often tease that we bought into sweat equity, and we are sweating! 😊 Outside of the home, John is plugging away for Kellogg’s Garden Products as well as serving on our HOA board. I am serving in a couple of capacities for the church, I have been called back to teach childbirth education, and the children are still being homeschooled. This year we have students in 5th through 10th grade. The days just seem to be getting busier! Jozsef is still at the Log College studying Theology while working at Chick Fil A, though he’d like a new job and is seeking avenues. Jozsef also assists with the youth group at our church and is very much enjoying exercising his teaching skills and connecting with the teens he mentors. Nikolas is a plumber’s apprentice and is loving every minute of it. He is building new skills daily and enjoys the variety of challenges he is presented—keeps the job fresh. 😊 Both boys are forward minded and are making future plans to move out. Connor is our only high schooler and he’s extremely interested in science, mechanics, and etymology. He loves old dictionaries! Connor enjoys church youth activities, being a PE Assistant Coach through our homeschool group, discovering how things work, and the occasional dance class. Sonja and Riley are in junior high. Sonja enjoys church youth group activities and serving in the kindergarten/first grade Sunday school class as a teacher’s assistant. All the children are enrolled in PE, and we participate in other classes/events/field trips as the availability allows. Due to the way his birthday falls on the calendar, Riley has yet to join the youth group. I do believe he’s counting down the days! It’s understandable, they not only have great fellowship and studies, but they also have fun events to attend. While he waits, Riley spends much of his time creating ideas and things—often in Legos or in the backyard. He and his brothers have been learning bushcraft/homesteading skills this year—much to their enjoyment. Hannah is in elementary school. Though she is eager to build skills in an effort to keep up with her siblings, Hannah still allows herself space to be separate and younger. Hannah is a very loving girl who enjoys helping wherever she can as well as dabbling in art, mostly drawing. Each of the children are a gift and a joy that we are so blessed to have! As the world around us continues to change at seemingly faster speeds, we strive to invest more into our faith and family life. As the Bible states, To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven--Ecclesiastes 3:1. As the children grow up and move out to forge their own paths, we recognize that some seasons will be ending, and we are relishing what we have before us and available to us right now. The glory of one season ending is that another begins, and those new beginnings are prayed over, and we look forward to them. Change is inevitable—except in one way. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever—Hebrews 13:8 and that is something to cling to! On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God—Psalms 62:7. In this we trust as we go into 2023. Knowing that the Lord God goes before us and is also our rear guard (Isaiah 52:12) sure makes it better as we wade through the trials of today and the uncertainty of tomorrow. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed--Deuteronomy 31:8. If you do not have this surety, I offer to you the message of the gospel, that you may repent and believe, and enjoy the peace of God. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation—Romans 10: 9-10 (emphasis mine). Peace be with you. Merry Christmas from the Bartoks John, Gina, Jozsef, Nikolas, Connor, Sonja, Riley, and Hannah