Journey to Elsewhere -Guest Blog by Marilyn Quigley

Many years ago when life was full of unrest, every day tedious with anxiety, and no apparent way to find peace or to experience “just a normal day,” I felt the strong urge for a journey.  A trip. Old song lyrics seemed to have the solution: “Leaving on a jet plane….” I wanted to take some savings and find my solutions in a faraway place—even one with a strange-sounding name. There, I felt sure, I could escape my anxiety and depression.  

My husband supported whatever I needed to do, but wisely he said, “The problem, of course, will go with you.” I had to admit he was so right. What I really wanted was to get away from whatever was out of whack inside. 

Sometimes we want to get away from ourselves; other times we want to leave God far behind. Both are impossibilities! When we study Psalm 139:7-12, we understand King David's conclusion in his own times of crisis: “Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from Your sight? If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, You would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead, You would also be there. Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. Even then Your powerful arm would guide and protect me. Or suppose I said, 'I'll hide in the dark until night comes to cover me over.' But You see the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to You.” (Common English Version)

Anxiety and depression quite often walk hand in hand as close diabolical friends to each other. Whatever their reasons for being, they invade and drastically change their unwilling host. Unwise, though sincere, friends and relatives can give hurtful, unhelpful advice: “Pull yourself together.”  “Snap out of this funk.” “You have nothing to be depressed about. Take control of your thoughts.” 

Just as the path into the agonizing world of depression and anxiety is not the same for everyone, neither is the way out. On my long journey, I made several discoveries: hiding in the dark under covers would not help, and neither would running away. (I didn't try it, but the logical part of my mind told me the truth). When I finally gave up attempting to work on the problem non-stop and let my Higher Power take over, I began to relax and begin the journey back to who I really was. 

That Power is called God. 

In my journey back to normal, I found that nothing was simplistic, quick, or easy to understand. But everything was possible with Him.

In the over 40 mostly peace-filled years that followed, I've spent savings on many jet planes and seen lovely faraway places (some with strange-sounding names like Split, Corfu, and Tallinn). I've traveled to many “elsewheres,” and God has been with me on every plane, train, ship, and automobile.

Marilyn Quigley is a Christian, a wife to one man for over 50 years, mother of two grown sons, and “Nana” to three grandchildren. She taught public high school for 5 years and was a professor of English at Evangel University for 32 years, creative writing and composition being the courses she most loved to teach. Marilyn has published 2 books (Hell Frozen Over: The Battle of the Bulge and Journey to Elsewhere, a time-travel novel for kids 9-13). She loves to read historical novels, devotional pieces, and the Wall Street Journal every morning with her coffee (however not the stock report section—that is “Greek” to her). She coordinates a Bible study of 12 ladies. Marilyn recently began a Facebook Page/Blog with the title of her kids’ book. She and her artist husband, Ed, often spend their time watching historical movies, listening to music, and talking on FaceTime with their grandchildren in Virginia.  You can access her blog with this link: https://www.facebook.com/MLQuig/