With Mary, newlyweds Rev. Bartel and Clarice Elshout, and Rev. Brian Najapfour
(The following post was written by my wife, Mary.)
We were home for 36 hours after our trip to RTS, then off to Iowa for the September 19 wedding of Clarice VanBeek and Rev. Bart Elshout—a very close friend of Joel’s for 46 years. The Lord graciously brought Clarice and Bart together as a grieving widow and a grieving widower.
Bart’s son-in-law, Rev. Brian Najapfour spoke at the wedding ceremony from Ecclesiastes 4:9–12, which concludes with “a three-fold cord is not easily broken.” His points were: 1. One; 2. Two is better; 3. Three is best. Joel spoke on Psalm 37:3–7 for the presentation of the Bible on God’s Recipe for a Happy Marriage: 1. Trust in the Lord. 2. Delight in the Lord. 3. Commit your way to the Lord. 4. Rest in the Lord.
Many emotions merged together at this special wedding among family and friends. There were the memories of parents who passed away, and the empty place left by the recent loss of Clarice’s mom. In addition to that, September 19 is also Clarice’s birthday and the birthday of Bart’s new father-in-law. Our thoughts were drawn to “God is our refuge and our strength, our ever-present aide.”
I spoke at length with Harriet VanBeek, Clarice’s sister-in-law, who just lost her husband Cornie at 73. He had been a paraplegic since he was sixteen, following an auto accident. They married and had two sons. Cornie never thought of himself as handicapped. Harriet loved him and committed her life to care for him. The hundreds of family, friends, and business acquaintances that came to the funeral visitation spoke of his exemplary character. Harriet mentioned she has their specially-equipped van for sale. A young mom of two boys (one who has cerebral palsy and will likely never walk) is interested in buying it. She too was paralyzed in her teens and got married. But her story has taken a different turn. Her husband left her. This woman wants to live independently, and the van would help, but she can’t afford it.
On Sunday morning, Joel preached for the Hull, Iowa HRC on “The Utopian Marriage” from Revelation 19 and taught an adult class on How We Should Develop Biblical Friendships. Rev. Najapfour preached in the evening on “Truly God is Good” from Psalm 73. We spent valuable and enjoyable time with my sister Linda and her family in Canton, South Dakota. Our son Calvin, his wife Laura, and her parents, and other relatives joined us for dinner, and for the afternoon.
With Pastor Judson Marvel
Joel was also privileged to deliver an installation sermon on the ministry’s paradox from 2 Corinthians 6:8–10 in the Good Shepherd PCA church in Minnesota for Pastor Judson Marvel, a former PRTS ThM graduate. After several other PCA ministers brought greetings to the pastor and his new congregation, Judson Marvel closed the service with the benediction. He was so moved by the evening that it took him three times before he could pronounce it. Pray that God may bless his ministry to this church.
Good Shepherd PCA, Minnetonka, MN
