Unique

It is interesting to begin a story, a story about a unique situation, with a very non-unique occurrence.

Marcia McQuitty was not going to attend Carson-Newman. In fact, she had never heard of it. That, by itself, is not unique. We hear frequently from alums that coming to Mossy Creek was not their first choice … if it was a choice at all.

But God’s plans often are not ours. And His usually are better. As a result, we also hear frequently from those same alums coming to Carson-Newman changed their lives.

So, Carson-Newman not being on Marcia McQuitty’s radar is not unique, especially considering her circumstances. But her journey was and now, 60 years later, remains so.

Attending a Christian school more than 12 hours away from home would have seemed ridiculous at best to a young lady growing up in Newport News, Virginia; in a home that, at least in her early years, did not have a strong Christian influence.

But even at the young age of seven, Marcia’s heart was convicted when a church was planted within walking distance of her home. She started praying for her parents to begin attending church. They did not at first. But that did not stop Marcia from going.

She went through what many young children experience, teasing, especially when it came to things like her family’s financial situation and the small size of their house. She prayed the prayer of a seven-year-old, for things a child of that age thinks will improve their circumstances.

She prayed for a brother. Simple logic in the mind of a seven-year-old. A bigger family might mean the need for a bigger house. But the family did have another child. And her dad added on to the home.

Her parents still were not attending church, but Marcia was. Sometime between the ages of eight and nine, Marcia made a public profession of faith and was baptized. She was concerned about what her parents would say. But that did change her mind. The church, says Marcia, “was very mission-minded.” So, the seeds of Marcia’s life as a missionary were sown.

While her parents still had not followed their daughter to church, Marcia received support from other avenues. Her grandparents, other members of the church and an uncle, Obed.

The name Obed means “to serve” or “to worship.” Various Obeds appear in Scripture. The most notable of them was the son of Ruth and Boaz, the father of Jesse and, thus, the grandfather of King David. So, his impact, obviously, was immeasurable.

Marcia’s uncle Obed, she said, had a large impact on her life as well. Most notably, he instilled in her the importance tithing which she started doing during her first job as a babysitter and continues doing to this day.

By the time Marcia was 11 more prayers had been answered. That was when she says her dad came to know the Lord and her parents started attending church “and never missed a day after that.”

Unique, indeed, to find a prayer warrior in one so young.

Through her teenage years one of Marcia’s main concerns was where to attend college. Again, she turned to prayer.

“I prayed, ‘Lord, where should I go?’” she said. “I visited a few places that just didn’t fit. I saw a marketing piece from Carson-Newman and audibly heard the Lord say ‘Marcia, this is where you will go to school.’ I had never set foot on the Carson-Newman campus until my parents took me.”

But she loved it. Marcia took advantage of the ministry opportunities on campus, including the volunteer band. Following her freshman year, she applied to be a home missionary and, again through fervent prayer, asked for God to send her to a place in need “as far from Virginia as possible.” She was called to go to California.

The next two summers she spent in the Pacific Northwest. A group Marcia refers to as “The Baylor Boys” were spending their summers on mission in Oregon. They had a vacancy for a pianist. Marcia got the call.

After her graduation from Carson-Newman, her experiences led her to enroll in Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. She became the first female to graduate from the MDiv (Master of Divinity) program and she also met her future husband, David.

Her mission work has led her all over the country and all across the world. During those years, David returned to Southwestern to earn his doctorate. While there, Marcia finished her MRE (Master of Religious Education) and served as a pre-school minister. In addition to their biological son, they adopted two more. She even served on the faculty at Southwestern for 20 years as a Professor of Childhood Education.

Stories are often related of running into members of the Carson-Newman family all over the world. On mission trips to Alaska, on vacation in Canada in a hospital in Texas. During her teaching days at Southwestern, Marcia got to meet several other members of the faculty. One, in a different department, was Dr. David Crutchley. Now the long-time dean of Biblical and Theological Studies at Carson-Newman, Marcia and Dr. Crutchley stay in touch.

Marica’s life has come full-circle as well. After years of serving as a pre-school director and earning her Doctorate in Education, they are now back that at their original church, teaching Sunday School “where it all started.” They own a house used for missionaries to rest between assignments.

There are many thoughts and memories Marcia McQuitty has of her time at Mossy Creek. One of her major impressions was the various opportunities provided to students to serve in missions and evangelism.

Opportunities that remain today.

In fact, just this past spring, Marcia was in Hawaii for an advisory council meeting with the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention. During her stay she crossed paths with 14 college students, in Hawaii on a spring break mission trip. Oh … those 14 students were from Carson-Newman.

Full circle. The Lord continues to show up, time after time, answering prayer after prayer.

Which, with the faith of a child, should not be considered unique at all.