Christmas, December, 2022
Dear ones,
Another year is drawing to a close with lots of changes in our world. And as the days are shorter and sometimes the darkness feels so deep, we look to God’s Word, the Bible, where we read, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). With God there is no darkness as He is light, and he is unchanging. In 2022 and forever.
Carl: It took Carl until now to remember it is 2022, just in time for 2023! The year flew by with many enjoyable times with the family and church. Family highlights for him were snowboarding, seeing the Grand Tetons, and surfing for a week in Oceanside. On the church front: more and more members are serving in various ways and we have a pastoral intern (Liam) who fits in perfectly with everyone. We’ve also experienced an increasing number of new visitors who are a blessing to get to know. Kerstin, of course, continues to be the biggest blessing in his life after Christ Himself. He continually thanks the Lord to have the privilege of sharing this life with her. His favorite Bible verse continues to be John 17:3 where Jesus is praying to the Father and says “this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Kerstin: I (Kerstin) spent 2022 learning how to be a mom to teen and young adult children—and enjoying every moment together with loved ones. I have been blessed this year to spend time with family in Santa Barbara and host my father’s 86th birthday in Santa Rosa. I also enjoyed traveling to Germany (where Lily was already with friends in Berlin) and visiting relatives. After Lily’s high school graduation, Carl, Lily, Trey, and I celebrated my 50th birthday by traveling to the Tetons and Yellowstone. Amazing! Sweet times throughout the year. Camping, mountain, and beach time also provided precious moments with loved ones. Throughout it all, I worked on art, with a new picture book (My Question for Jesus) newly published and available online. I was also blessed with being able to go to Africa and serve with a team from Harvesters Reaching the Nations (hrtn.org) in Uganda and South Sudan. This was an amazing time of meeting so many followers of Jesus Christ who are making real changes in the lives of orphans, widows, school children, and the vulnerable in incredibly beautiful but broken countries. People who have nothing (and have seen such violence) are helped by hope—to know God through Jesus gives strength to get better and not bitter. It is all about the heart, and if that heart is loving Jesus or not…being transformed by godly love and not hatred, and choices that bring peace. I loved how the children sang from morning to night, songs like “Comforter, Jesus is my comforter, I am not alone” and “Our God Reigns.” Yes, our God reigns—in Africa, Germany, America, and everywhere! Jesus saw the crowds and “had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). But Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10), who cares for those who follow Him so that they those who trust Him do not need to be harassed or helpless. He is in the One restoring souls (Psalm 23).
Hanna: Hanna kept busy working full-time for Bells Ambulance and part-time at Sonoma Life Support. More recently, she started working as a tech at Kaiser ER. She is also in school working towards nursing. Hanna has enjoyed snowboarding and time with friends and family, home or on trips away to the mountains, Hawaii, and even Texas, where she was born 25 years ago! She has also enjoyed 2 years dating Andrew and loves their adventures together. Isaiah 40:31-32 has been encouraging Hanna, stating that “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Paul & Maggie Bartholow: Maggie and Paul have been busy working this year: Maggie in graphic design for Lipman Farms and Paul in engineering for Anritsu. They have also enjoyed exploring the Bay Area and towns neighboring Pleasanton, where they live. Maggie and Paul love their church community and serving there alongside each other. They also enjoy the times they come back to Santa Rosa to see and catch up with family. Maggie and Paul enjoyed traveling to Maui and Alaska this year and the joy of exploring God’s creation together. They are encouraged by Psalm 27:4. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”
Lily: Lily enjoyed her senior year of high school working at our local pool, dancing for the ballroom dance club, teaching Sunday school, playing piano for Sunday worship, arranging flowers for several events, and doing her spring semester abroad in Germany. A highlight was turning 18 in Germany while exploring both ancient and modern sights with her mom. She is currently studying for a BFA in Graphic Design at California State University at Chico. Lily enjoys being a part of Cru, a Christian university club, and is making new friends. She keeps busy with photography, new designs, and her many plants, as well as exploring the local farmer’s market and trendy cafes. Her sisters and mom visited her in October as she passed her portfolio review with flying colors. Lily is clinging to Ephesians 6:10 which encourages, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
Trey: Trey is a high school junior! He is also taking college classes concurrently, continues to play piano, and is a Junior Dance Instructor for Nordquist-Taylor Ballroom Dance Club. Trey enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, dirt biking, and thrifting. He likes hanging out with friends and having fun going to new places, like Alaska, where he served as part of Victory Bible Camp’s SALT program this summer. We think Trey has grown about a foot since he is now taller than all of his sisters! He keeps us chuckling with his witty comments. Trey likes how Ecclesiastes communicates that “life without God is meaningless.”
We’ve been pondering how God willingly placed himself in human form (Jesus) as a baby in a humble manger, experiencing exactly what being a human is like, growing up, and paying the ultimate payment (death) for all and any of our thoughts, words, and actions that displease and disobey the one and only holy God and separate humanity from Him (sin). He calls us to accept this indescribable gift and believe, trusting in Him with all of our hearts. It is our prayer this Christmas that you would trust in God, making peace with Him through Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). May you have peace with God through Jesus Christ, leading to peace in God today and forever. Merry Christmas and the peace of God in 2023!
The Fletcher Family
You can keep up with us on Facebook & Instagram (Kerstin Fletcher and Art By Kasteen).
You can hear Carl’s sermons at gracechurchsr.com
and see Kerstin’s art at kerstinfletcher.com and artbykasteen.blogspot.com
