Family Spotlight: The Jestakom Family

Left to right: Teddy, Juliette (1m), Theodore (2), Lynlee (3), Tiphanie
Hey APCC! We're the Jestakoms, a family of five residing in the great county of Fairfax. We love playing Mario Party, visiting farms, and having a hot cup of coffee! As we've recently added a new kid to the family, one thing Tiph and I now share is the plight of being outnumbered. As our family grows, so do the tiny moments of despair–the bigger grocery bill, dents in our sleep, and the reality that we've officially joined the minivan club. These tiny despairs have now become a reminder of how difficult it is as a parent to provide a place of joy for our kids, especially when each meal at home starts to feel like the kitchen scene from Home Alone.

"The mission of Christmas is to redeem a people to a particular place." Dixon's words last Sunday are timely, since the world that Scripture paints is a place not of holiday feels and Amazon deals, but one where "everlasting joy shall be upon their heads" (Isa. 35:10). God's referring to his people, and like Israel, it's my job, our job as parents to create a place where joy for our children is rooted in the mission of Christmas, that is, in who Jesus is, and what he's done for us. The joy then for our children this Christmas is to remind them that the place that God has provided us is one of peace, one where no pandemic, failed toy, or a shared room can take away. 2020 has left much to be desired, but praise God he's provided a place of joy found only in Jesus. It's to that end we'll celebrate the mission of Christmas this year!