I received an email today that Joshua Clutterham, former IBEX student, TMC graduate, M.A. Biblical Counseling graduate, and employee of the Biblical Counseling program at The Master’s College was in a serious car accident. He was driving on Interstate 5 when he was hit by a drunk driver, causing his vehicle to roll hundreds of feet down the freeway. Josh was dear to me, so I thought I would share a few words.
Josh was one of the most gentle and compassionate men I have known. He had an encouraging spirit that motivated all that he was around. His knowledge of the Scriptures and his training in biblical counseling gave him a wisdom in relating to other people, and several times he solved relational problems that I could not.
Josh excavating at the Pool of Siloam
Josh loved kids. Several times we went camping and took not only my boys but also the young boys of another dear man now with the Lord. Josh loved to play with them, encourage them, and they really loved him.
Josh with Mark at En Gedi
Josh was also part of “Square B” – a group of students at IBEX in the fall of 2000 who simply couldn’t excavate a small patch of dirt to save their lives. The worst part of it was that they claimed to be superior to all others. In fact, they have reminded me of this nearly every month for the last seven years, an astonishing feat given that when most students leave Israel, they are out of my life. In moments like these though, you certainly cherish those you formerly said bad things about.
Josh faithfully videotaped our field trips
Josh was a remarkable servant as well. He would go out of his way to help others, irrespective of his own needs or plans. He demonstrated this to me countless times, but also to his roommates and all around him. He also put together the video I posted here of Ephesians, completely as an act of service. There’s so much more that I could say, but I’ll sum it up with something I wrote in a job recommendation I gave for him last summer: “…he is hard-working, conscientious, loving, disciplined, and faithful.”
Josh, after grabbing some guy’s fishing pole at the Mediterranean
Josh made a good point in the email that he sent after the accident: A million different questions and scenarios all point to a sovereign God who does things for His glory. I’m thankful that the Lord, in his sovereign wisdom, protected Josh so that he walked away with only a few cuts and bruises.
That was a weird post. I thought he was dead until the end. See you tomorrow!
Uh, yeah. I thought he was dead, too. “Josh WAS dear to me”?
Well, I think I get the point. Sometimes we only appreciate people when they die. But it’s important to appreciate and acknowledge the ways people bless us while they live too, so that we can encourage them! I appreciated this post a lot, and the blogger/student/teacher/muser about the future who posted it.
You scared me too Todd!
Todd, you scared me as well. Don’t do that.
Thank goodness for the end. I was really worried there for a while. Your use of the past tense got me pretty scared. Thanks for your words about him though. He really is a great guy.
Friends – I knowingly took a risk with this post, and I knew that my attempt might fail. Perhaps it has. My intention was to do as David wrote in the comment above. I could have done it a different way, but I’m not sure if I could have made it “work” the way I wished. One other note is that those closest to Josh (50+ people) got an email from him yesterday many hours before I wrote this.
Todd, I got to hear the account of Josh from his dad, Bill, yesterday in our Grace To You staff meeting. It was pretty powerful as tears streamed down his face as he spoke. I’m so thankful that this brother is still with us. He is a blessing to all of us! Thanks for writing about him on your blog.
Todd, you scared me to death! I thought Josh died!! Although I knew him briefly, he was a very fine young man and smart too! It is amazing he hardly got injured! He will continue to do great things for the Kingdom, I’m sure!