Prologue to depression

Prologue

Mental illness is not a topic widely discussed in the Christian Church, despite its prevalence in the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. This is the story of one woman's 13-year struggle to come to grips with God, faith, and depression.

Drop-ins

A dusty rose sweater--that's what I noticed first. A dusty rose sweater and khaki pants, worn by a new girl with long, brown hair. She was standing against a column in our college Baptist Student Union, chatting with another student. "Who's that?" I asked a friend. "Oh, that's Jennifer. She's new here. I think she came from … Michigan?" And just like that, almost as if she dropped in from outer space, a new character arrived on scene! Honestly, these drop-ins to our lives are not unusual--a new coworker arrives in the building; a family moves in down the street; there's a new classmate next to us--and suddenly change looms large on the horizon.

Elijah

This is exactly how the prophet, Elijah, appears; he pops-in next to King Ahab (1 Kings 17), changes the whole vector of Ahab's kingdom with the announcement of a drought for "the next few years" (v. 1), and pops-out to the Kerith Ravine, to be fed by ravens and watered at the brook. After the brook has dried up (remember the drought?), Elijah pops out of the country and into what is now Lebanon, where he is supplied miraculously with food by a widow and her son. "Some time later" (1 Kings 17:17), the boy sickens and dies. Elijah prays and the miracle of resurrection is added to his résumé! After the few years have passed, Elijah then pops back in to Ahab's story.

King Ahab greets Elijah, calling him the "troubler of Israel" (1 Kings 18:17) and Elijah then proceeds to challenge Ahab's religious institution to a duel. It is a battle to the death between the god, Baal, and the God of Israel before the people of Israel! And it … is … dramatic. There are taunts, jeers, sacrificed animals, fire falling from heaven, and, finally, buckets of blood as Baal's 450 priests are executed! In the end, the God of Israel and his prophet stand victorious; plentiful rain falls on the land, ending the drought; Elijah's ministry is vindicated--the good guy has won and he stands at the apex of his career.

Jennifer

After Jennifer's pop-in to Delta State University, she likewise experienced a series of victories. Spiritually, she grew by leaps and bounds--teaching Bible studies, leading drama teams and choirs, participating in mission trips. Mentally, she honed her aptitude for empathy, and was often sought out by peers for her wise counsel and propensity for straight talk. Socially, she developed a set of friends--connections which have lasted for 30+ years-- and included a handsome, debonair, charming, intelligent young man who would become her spouse! Finally, she completed a Bachelor's degree in Social Work, the only one of her immediate family and one of a few in her extended family to do so. In just three short years, Jennifer had remade herself and was poised for relaunch into the greater American society as a force for truth and justice!

To be continued …

If this were Hollywood, the story would stop there, the music would crescendo, the credits would roll, and the audience--you, dear readers--would leave with a feeling that all is right with the world. This is not Hollywood, however, and just as people drop into our lives unexpectedly and effect great change, other … things … drop in as well, and our lives turn a corner we neither expected nor wanted.

Next week: Into the Rabbit Hole