Michelle Deenik

Michelle Deenik, nee Van Baren, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Friday, March 8, 2019. Beloved wife of Robert Deenik. Loving mother of Robert II, Michelle, Heidi, and Henry. Dear daughter of Art and Sharon Van Baren.  Beloved daughter-in-law of Robert and Cathy Deenik. Loving sister of Artie Van Baren, Mary Beth (Chris) Van Beek, and Neal (Ashley) Van Baren. Dearest granddaughter of Shirley and the late Tunis Van Baren, and the late Henry and Hilda Zandstra. Loving niece and cousin to many. Beloved sister-in-law of Candice (James) Molek, Jennifer (Ryan) Holman, and Catherine (Noel) Newport. Loving aunt to Camden, Ian, and Aubrey Van Beek; Owen, Noelle, and Cori Van Baren; Kayla Holman; Jonah and Daniel Newport; James II and Juliana Molek.  Devoted friend to many.

Visitation Friday, April 12, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1393 Elizabeth St. Crete, IL. Funeral service Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. Frank Italiano officiating. Interment Trinity Lutheran Cemetery - Crete, IL.

A memorial fund has been set up for the benefit of the Deenik children. Donations can be made payable to “Children of Michelle Deenik” and mailed to Providence Bank and Trust, 10100 Calumet Ave. Dyer, IN 46311. For further information, please contact 219-322-7300.

Some thoughts of a father on the unexpected, tragic loss of his daughter:

Sharon received a phone call on Friday about 8pm and was told to get immediately to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI. There had been a bad accident and all were injured, some in critical condition. They would tell us nothing else – no info on fatalities etc. We left our house with Chris and Mary Beth Van Beek within half an hour. We took the road to Kalamazoo in anguish. It seemed to take forever. We arrived in a little over 2 hours and were given the information. Rob was in critical condition but stable. The children were stable but had injuries. Michelle had passed away and went to be with the Lord.

I must say this was a horrible experience to go through. Tears flowed freely. Our hearts were heavy-laden. It was very hard to go from bed to bed of the children as they were being treated and observed for their injuries. Children are so precious and to see them in this was almost too much to handle.

Twenty-four hours later, things were quite a bit better. Robbie and the kids were all stable. The injuries apparently were the following: Michelle had a broken left leg, Heidi was on a respirator all night but was now breathing well, Henry had a few bruises, and Robbie Jr. had a broken collarbone and concussion. Robert Sr. had two broken bones in the right leg and a severe concussion and laceration in the back of his head along with many hematomas. There is a lot of doctoring and therapy ahead for him.

I have been thinking about this tragic event in our family, extended church family and among our friends. I try to make sense about this but humanly speaking it does not make sense, and never will while we are on this earth. I think about why God would give me an extended life so to speak with a transplanted heart in the past year that was so successful and then call Michelle home at age 37 leaving 4 children ages 1 to 7. I am now 69 years old. I am surviving in good health and looking to God for what He would have me do with the rest of my life. I have lived the majority of it already. Michelle had a lot of work ahead of her with the family etc. And now she is not here to do it.

Did God make a mistake? The answer is “No.” God does everything right. There are no mistakes with Him. The versification of Psalm 139 says, “My life in all its perfect plan was ordered ere my days began.” God’s ways are his ways, not ours. Isaiah 55:8-9 reads “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Our ways are different. God’s ways are mysterious. That is why we cannot make sense of this and never will while we are here on this earth.

Where we can make sense out of it possibly is looking for help and understanding from God’s Word. This is the only source of explanation and comfort. It is from God’s word that we can find peace and contentment for our heart and soul.

I am not a writer. I am a weak and feeble sinner. But I will attempt to tell you what I have experienced by going to the Lord in prayer and the Scriptures. But first I want to share something with you. Approximately 2 years ago before my heart transplant, I was struggling with my assurance of salvation. My sins bothered me greatly. I was literally sick to my stomach about it. Would Christ die for me as wretched as I am? I spoke with my minister Pastor Mahtani more than once. Finally a couple of months or so before my diagnosis of a heart that was not able to pump anymore and I had a short time to live, the Spirit of God pricked my heart and gave me peace and assurance of salvation. I was reading Romans 7. Read it. The last 2 verses (24-25) convinced me of my salvation: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” For more assurance and comfort read Romans 8:31-39. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The reason I want to share this with you is that I believe God gave me assurance and peace in order to enable me to go through the transplant of my heart and complicated recovery. And now I believe he gave me that peace also to face the death of my dear daughter Michelle. God’s grace is, always has been, and always will be sufficient for our needs. That is all we need.

Now for reasons why this happened and what is our source of comfort, peace and contentment in our souls in times like this.... I must state that some of the thoughts and scripture references were obtained from a pamphlet published by the Protestant Reformed Church of South Holland, IL. In this pamphlet were meditations written by Herman Hoeksema of the First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, MI during the weary years of 1941-1946. Below are a few sections from that pamphlet entitled: Good News for the Afflicted.

THE FATHER'S PERFECT WAY

Isaiah 55:8-9 , "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

How little we understand of the mighty work of God, especially as it pertains to our sufferings, sicknesses and sorrows! Yet our God is doing a perfect work. There is no defect, no flaw in what He does. And the perfection of His work will be revealed in the day of Christ, when our salvation shall be fully accomplished and the tabernacle of God shall be with men.

In this perfect work also our troubles, pains, sorrows and griefs occupy their proper place. They fit somehow. They serve His wise purpose and are necessary to fit us into our place in eternal glory. If we could only see how indispensable they were, we would never grumble or feel dissatisfied with our lot. But we cannot see. His work is too great, too high, too deep for us to understand. In detail we cannot understand the reason for our particular way and lot. Should we ask: "Why?" He would but answer, "My grace is sufficient for thee!"

He would have us believe His Word, know that He doeth all things well, and just surrender and follow where He leads. That is trust.

For added comfort, read: Deut. 32:4 ; Job 23:10 .

This meditation is helping me. I do not need to understand why. I just need to trust God that He doeth all things well. His grace is sufficient!

GOD'S PURPOSE IN SUFFERING

Hebrews 12: 6, 11 , "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

There is a great difference between punishment and chastisement, which we do well to bear in mind especially when the Lord leads us in ways of sickness and adversity.

There is, first of all, a difference with respect to the motive and the reason for both. The motive of punishment is God's righteous wrath against sin; the motive of chastisement is His everlasting love. "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth," Hebrews 12:6 .

There is a difference, too, with respect to purpose. The purpose of punishment is vindication of justice; the purpose of chastisement is instruction and sanctification: "For our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness," Hebrews 12:10 .

And so, finally, there is a difference with respect to the result or end. The end of punishment is eternal death; the end of chastisement is eternal glory. Our God never punishes His children, for Christ bore all our punishment on the cross; but He does chastise them, that they may be exercised thereby ( Hebrews 12:11 ).

Let us understand this by faith, and know that He always loves us.

For added comfort, read: I Peter 1:6-7 .

This also is comforting. I know now from the Scriptures that God is not punishing me because of my sin. He is using this to chasten me and shape me for eternal glory. Christ has borne the full punishment due for our sins on the cross. We live by faith, and we know that God loves us.

THE GLORIOUS WAYS OF GOD

II Corinthians 4:11, 14 , "For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you."

"We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." ( II Corinthians 4:18 ). How blessed to have grace to do this!

There is no hope, no consolation in the things that are seen, the things we experience in this present world. They all remind us that we lie in the midst of death, and that "this life is nothing but a continual death."

But how different all these things become if we regard the things that are not seen, the things eternal! Then we look at the fact of Jesus, our Lord, in whose cross and resurrection we behold God's way out of death into the glory of eternal life! And then all our present suffering and death are but ways of God unto that exceeding and eternal weight of glory!" Then "we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." ( II Corinthians 4:16 ).

For added comfort, read: II Corinthians 5:1-8 .

Because Jesus died and arose again, we have a way out of Death to eternal glory and life. This is a great comfort to me knowing that Michelle, as evidenced by her walk, is saved by Jesus Christ and is now with him face to face in glory.

CONTENTMENT IN THE LORD'S WAY

Psalm 73:23-24 , "Nevertheless, I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."

How blessed is the man that may take this confession upon his lips, and so trust in the God of his salvation! What a glad confession it is! It covers all, life and death, time and eternity. For if we trust that Jehovah guides us with His counsel, we do so in the joyous assurance that His counsel is a counsel of salvation for us. He then leads us that the way must lead to glory.

The way then may be dark and dreary, steep and almost impassable, a way of suffering and affliction. And we may not understand the way of the Lord. Nor do we have to understand. We know that both the way and the end are determined by the same love which He revealed in the death of His only begotten Son. And we trust, simply trust, following where He leads; asking no question; knowing that all things work together for our good.

His counsel is a counsel of love, of perfect wisdom, of never failing power. All is well!

For added comfort, read: Philippians 4:6-7 .

AFFLICTED? WHY ME?

I Peter 1:6-7 : "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

Although we cannot often find an answer to the why of our searching heart and mind with respect to the details of our way, the Word of God gives us general answers for our comfort and instruction.

One of these is, that our suffering always assumes the character of a trial. And that means that God casts us in the crucible of affliction, first, in order that the beauty of His work of grace in us may become manifest.

Secondly, that our faith may be enriched and strengthened through suffering.

Thirdly, that thus we may become prepared for our own particular place in glory.

And all the while He never leaves us, but is with us in the crucible, to sustain and keep us, that we may never perish!

For added comfort, read: Isaiah 43:2 ; Job 23:10 .

HE DOETH ALL THINGS WELL!

Psalm 37:5 , "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

Especially when we are sick and in distress it is well for us to hear and heed the Word of God: "Commit thy way unto the Lord" Psalm 37:5 .

Our way includes all our experiences as they are sent us by the Lord. As to this way, we cannot see it ahead: we know not what the morrow will bring. Hence, we are inclined to be anxious. Moreover, it is often a way of distress and suffering, for this life is nothing but a continual death; hence, we often lament, and are inclined to murmur. Then, too, we do not understand the ways of God. They often seem foolish to us. He takes away a mother from her children, and a father from his family that depend on him for their livelihood.

Commit it all unto the Lord. Leave it to Him. Trust that He doeth all things well, though you cannot see it; and humbly follow where He leads, without murmuring. Then you will have the peace that passeth all understanding. And He will surely bring it to pass, lead you, give you grace to walk in the way, and save you in the end!

For added comfort, read: Philippians 4:6-7 .

LIFE WITH GOD

In sweet communion, Lord, with Thee
I constantly abide;
My hand Thou holdest in Thy own
To keep me near Thy side.
Thy counsel through my earthly way
Shall guide me and control,
And then to glory afterward
Thou wilt receive my soul.
Whom have I, Lord, in heav'n but Thee,
To whom my thoughts aspire?
And, having Thee, on earth is nought
That I can yet desire.
Tho' flesh and heart should faith and fail,
The Lord will ever be
The strength and portion of my heart,
My God eternally.
To live apart from God is death,
'Tis good His face to seek;
My refuge is the living God,
His praise I long to speak.

(from The Psalter -- a versification of Psalm 73 )

THE FATHERLY LOVE OF GOD

The tender love a father has
For all his children dear,
Such love the Lord bestows on them
Who worship Him in fear.
The Lord remembers we are dust,
And all our frailty knows;
Man's days are like the tender grass,
And as the flower he grows.
The flower is withered by the wind
That smites with blighting breath;
So man is quickly swept away
Before the blast of death.
Unchanging is the love of God,
From age to age the same,
Displayed to all who do His will
And reverence His name.
Those who His gracious covenant keep
The Lord will ever bless;
Their children's children shall rejoice
To see His righteousness.

(from The Psalter -- a versification of Psalm 103 )

Within the last 10 days, Michelle told Sharon she was confident of her salvation and was ready to be with Christ anytime. She also said that God would take care of her family in the event that He called her home.

So here are some answers to questions that arise from Michelle’s death. I have and am finding great comfort, peace, and contentment in God’s way. I am also human and I hurt like I have never hurt before. I am crying and grieving like never before. But I am experiencing God’s grace sufficient for my needs. Sharon and the rest of the family are also.

We are so thankful that God has chosen us to be His children, and He will guide us, protect us and never forsake us. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Van Baren Family and Deenik family want to thank all those offering prayers, comforting thoughts, and help in this difficult time. The help we are receiving is overwhelming. It is wonderful to experience the fellowship of the saints here on earth. We look forward to Christ’s return. Then all the saints will be together in glory face to face with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Alleluia! What a Savior!