The Beatys in Bolivia: Beaty Family Christmas Letter 2023

December 2023

Dear Friends & Family,

It’s always amazing to look back at the year and count all the changes and growth. There’s never a dull moment—or year—in the Beaty family!

January started off memorably. Jake preached at Northwood Chapel in Blaine (a stone’s throw from Canada) on January 1, and shortly thereafter we decided unanimously to make it our church family. We have loved being plugged in there!

After a long hospitalization, Jake’s dad Jim passed away on January 2. The family put together a touching memorial service in March attended by many relatives and friends. We’re glad Thea lives a mile or so from each son and seven of the grandkids, so she’s not ever alone for long!

Jake reached a long-pursued milestone in June when he passed the board exam to become accredited as a pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA). He is in his third year of working for Infoman, which involves both work from home and client visits all over Washington. His favorite jobs are of the temporary consulting nature when he can bring structure and organization to a business in chaos. He has several other side businesses including car inspections and buying old trucks for a dealership in Germany. Every evening—by phone if he’s away overnight for a consulting job—he and girls read and study the Bible together. We have an amazing husband and father in Jake!

This year felt very different for me personally. This difficult, and now long, season of desiring but not having a baby in the family means I have more bandwidth than previous years, and in January I decided to jump back into more community and church work. I was welcomed to play piano and guitar at our new church (first time since the week before Sophia was born!), taught beginner Spanish classes to kids at two local libraries, ran a couple of side businesses, and—biggest challenge of all—became director for a new Classical Conversations Campus in Birch Bay. We meet one day a week, just a mile down the road at my parents’ church. And this school year, I spend quite a few hours a day homeschooling my four willing students as they advance in grade level and their capacity for learning increases.

Joel turned TWENTY in July! Jake and the older girls went to an air show with him at Army/Air Force Base Lewis-McCord, where he is stationed, on his birthday. There is word of deployment early next year, but until then, we’re glad he’s close enough to visit occasionally!

Michael (also now 20 years old) rents a loft apartment in a nearby city. When not working as a bank teller, he can be seen out and about on his favorite possession - a motorcycle!

Samuel graduated from Job Corps in August. He works as a welder in Astoria, Oregon, has his own Subaru, and we message back and forth.

Sophia had a big year! In August, after several amazing fundraisers at church, Jake and Sophia traveled to El Salvador for a mission trip with our pastor’s family and a Salvadoran friend. I was itching to be with them but was so glad they got to go and speak Spanish for 10 days. In September, Sophia began Essentials, which is the afternoon grammar and writing class for ages 9-12 at Classical Conversations. She excels in the challenging environment! In October, she turned TEN and was pretty excited about that!

Lydia makes sure Sophia and I don’t stay too serious for long! She is always ready for a laugh or a game. She was the natural choice to accompany Mom on a fun girls trip to Pawhuska, Oklahoma, in October. We had a blast meeting up with Heather (Jennifer’s sister) and touring everything Pioneer Woman related! As the girls grow, I look forward to more trips like this to explore and spend quality time together. Sophia and Lydia competed in a kids triathlon in July!

Callie still needs lots to keep her mind busy and her body out of trouble! She can read multiple chapter books in a day and has read some series many times over. Even though she’s a fast reader, she remembers it all! Artwork, looming bracelets, and bike riding are some of her many interests when she’s not devouring books. Like all the girls, she adores water and lives outside all summer!

Ana Rose has always matured quickly, as she endeavors to join big sisters in whatever is going on, but this year she has really become a little girl instead of a baby. She excels in verbal skills, fine motor skills, thinking skills, and is well on her way to reading. This is her first year as an official CC Foundations student, but she has been training for this moment since she was one and already practicing weekly presentations with her sisters! All four girls love dance lessons and recitals.

Message from Jake: The apostle Paul was so delighted to hear how the Thessalonian Christians had persevered in their faith despite suffering severe persecution. He wrote, “The Lord’s message rang out from you…so your faith in God has become known everywhere.”

Consider how the Lord’s message might ring out from you a little louder this year. The Gospel came to Thessalonica with words—don’t be afraid to mention that you go to church, that your faith in Jesus has been meaningful, or to use the Columbo method with unbelievers. (Read Tactics by Greg Koukl!)

The Gospel came to Thessalonica with Holy Spirit empowerment for service, purity, and endurance. Can you just once this year volunteer at the food bank, or support a missionary? Could you ask for help to eliminate just one impure influence in your life? If you’ve played it safe with your faith and never taken a stand, maybe ask God for the wisdom to recognize the opportunity and His nudge to act or speak, and His strength to hold your ground when the time comes? In so doing, the Lord’s message will ring out from you, and you will become a model to all the believers in your community—your faith in God will become known everywhere. Ring a little louder! (1 Thess 1:1-10)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Jake & Jennifer
Joel (20), Michael (20), Samuel (19), Sophia (10), Lydia (8 ½), Caledonia (7), Anastasia (4 ½)