Features
Related Photos
‘The Beauty of Pain’ by Judy Dillard: Dillard’s experience and practical advice for Christians living with chronic illness
PICAYUNE — “...I whispered aloud, ‘I wonder if there will ever be a day when I am not consumed with Lupus.’ Instantly I fell asleep for the first time in three days.
As soon as I fell asleep, I began to dream. In my dream, I was with Jesus. I did not physically see Him but I was aware of the fact that we were going somewhere together. We arrived in a labor and delivery room. I could see every detail of the room; the pattern of the floor tile, the equipment, the hospital bed, everything was amazingly real. There was a woman on the bed travailing in hard labor. For just a moment, I watched her struggle to give birth. She was sweating profusely, her hair was soaking wet and she was obviously in tremendous pain. Still, I was aware of Jesus by my side. At that point He said to me, ‘Sometimes, Judy, there has to be pain before there can be beauty.’”
Judy L. Dillard of Picayune suffers a tremendous amount of pain everyday and she truly feels that it is her faith that has encouraged the writing of her book and, most importantly, what keeps her alive. She wants to share her experience of living with a chronic illness, not just with those who suffer physical pain, but with those who suffer any pain. She feels her book can help anyone begin their emotional healing.
Born and raised in Picayune, Dillard was living a normal life until she went into kidney failure in 1999. It was then that the doctors began to suspect that Dillard had an autoimmune disease, but her illness would not get diagnosed as Lupus until as recently as two years ago in April.
With her diagnosis, and the unbelievable pain she began to experience as the disease started to attack her major organs, not just Dillard's life, but her whole identity got turned upside down.
No longer was she able to do all of the things that made her who she was — teach Sunday school, work as a practical nurse in the Picayune/Pearl River County school districts, etc. Everything she used to do, the things that made her who she was, were things she could no longer do.
Dillard feels she went through a grieving process — anger, sadness, depression, hurt. “I held on to my job as long as I could. Finally I accepted that my life was changed,” she said but hopefully added, “God used [Lupus] to open other doors for me.”
Leaning on her family and her church family of First Pentecostal in Picayune, Dillard found a very supportive group, but as she explained, there are some places that even those that are closest to her cannot go. In her darkest times and especially when the Lupus began to attack her brain, it was her faith that led her through the darkness and back into the light of life.
Dillard wrote “Beauty of Pain” to share her personal experience so that others can find their own light. “I don't think it's just for the chronically ill, I almost regret putting that in the title,” she said. She feels like her book is for anybody who is experiencing any type of pain, physical or emotional.
“Beauty of Pain: My experience and practical advice for Christians with chronic illness” is being sold locally at Melinda's Fine Gifts, Count Your Blessings and First Pentecostal Church. It is also available online with Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Dillard is planning to do local book signings in the future.
In this, her first book, Dillard is challenging the reader to find beauty in the midst of their pain.
- Features
-
-
Our last day together
Tom Andrews begins his retirement today. After 32 years with the Picayune Item, he is embarking on his newest adventure— retired life. We, his staff at the Item, appreciate the time that he gave to us, our families and our community. We wish him happy sailing and lots of Blues.
-
2010-2011 Mayor’s Youth Council
The Mayor’s Youth Council has kicked off the new school year with an enthusiastic group of young people as members.
-
Spies like us
I always feel like somebody’s watching me. Sing along.
Paranoia, I think I have a case of it. I have begun to think that every thing I say or do may be monitored, videoed or listened to. Should that worry me? My husband thinks I say to anyone, anything that comes out of my head without a filter anyway. Why would a person like me worry? -
Nothing but spiders for miles and miles
Miles and miles of spiders are back at the Arboretum.
Have you seen the spider show on I-59? I first noticed this spectacular three-mile display of spider webs last August, while driving north between the Honey Island Swamp exit and the Pearl River Turnaround. -
The Animal Shelter of Picayune’s : “Tale of Two Kitties”
Maria Diamond works with cats at the Animal Shelter of Picayune and has a few stories of what she calls “long distance love.” This term refers to occasions when someone comes from out of state to adopt a kitten or dog from the shelter.
The shelter lists their animals on their own website and on www.Petfinders.com. These animals are then available for viewing by potential families from all over. One such family came from Juneau, Alaska. -
Meet our Picayune Item Jr. Reporter Zack Newton
Zack Newton is a Senior this year at Picayune Memorial High School, where he serves as Senior Class and Student Council President. He is the State Parliamentarian for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and has been active in school chapter for the past four years. He is a three year member of Newspaper Staff (Tidelines), where he is serving his second year as editor.
-
PicayuneWriter’s Corner presents “Daddy’s Thinking Chair”
Dad’s watch, rings, pocket knife, and that old straw hat he wore religiously every day was all that I had left of him, except for my treasured memories of him teaching me about life. These weren’t lessons I could learn at school, but the kind only a father could teach. These memories will forever live on in my mind and conjure up a host of emotions.
-
PRC Arts League has 2009 Artists of the Year reception
The Pearl River County Arts League awarded the 2009 Artists of the Year in three categories.
The categories of 2- Dimensional, 3- Dimensional and Photography were awarded to current President April Holifield, Past President Jane Lee and Bill Spiers. -
We’re going on a mushroom hunt!
When people think of fungi, they usually picture mushrooms. But mushrooms are only a small fraction of the fungal diversity found in our coastal woodlands. When you see a mushroom, you are actually looking at the above ground fruiting bodies of a fungus, and the vegetative body is an underground network of tubular filaments called a mycelium.
-
The long goodbye
If given the choice, would I prefer that the end of my life be instantaneous or lengthy and drawn out over a few months? These are some of the things I think about as I watch someone else go through the experience of dying or death. What is better for me, for my family?
- More Features Headlines
-
