SOME HISTORY REGARDING BETTY HARVILL GINN AND THE PRODUCTION OF MUCH OF HER WRITINGS IN

“MY NAME IS PAIN”.

Betty H. Ginn was the most loving and remarkable person I have ever known. She was also a person of tremendous faith and courage. Her grandfather, father and husband were all ordained Baptist ministers. She became a Christian at an early age. 

At age 16, she wrote these words in a testimony to her faith: “What fragrance is to the flower; what wings are to the butterfly; what the sun is to the earth; all these and more, Jesus Christ is to me.” She never faltered in her devotion to God from the time of her childhood, through more suffering and intense pain than any person should ever have to endure.

Never a truly healthy person, she became totally and permanently disabled in 1987. From that day until her death 20 years later, there was never an hour when she was free from pain. She had more chronic illnesses and surgeries than and person I’ve ever known. She remained a beautiful, winsome and loving person to the very end. She met each day with courage, an uplifting attitude, a warm smile, and a “thank you” to me and to everyone who helped her in any way. I said one day to one of her many doctors: “She is a tough lady.” He responded, “That word is not strong enough. She is a real trooper.”

Following her death, another of her doctors wrote this to me: “I have been an oncologist for many years and don’t ever remember having a patient who endured anything near the troubles that Mrs. Ginn has endured. It was therefore all the more remarkable that she always had a smile on her face and a remarkable spirit. She was truly an inspiration to all of us who came in contact with her.” The poems she wrote during during all those years reveal how much she suffered. They reveal also how she dealt with severe pain with an unbreakable faith in God’s inexhaustible, unconditional love, and in His purpose for her life.

The magnitude and depths of her capacity to love were amazing. We married when she was 18 and I was 21. We had a love for each other that was magnificent, joyful and happy. We had three wonderful children together. She was a vital encourager and supporter for me during long, tough seminary days as I earned my basic ministerial and then doctoral degrees while also serving two different churches in Kentucky. She was my best friend, my lover, my companion, my best supporter and inspiration in all the churches I ever served. This was also true for the four years I served as Executive Director of the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta. Her love for God and for me was undiluted through hard times as well as good times. Too many times I failed to be the husband I ought to have been; one period in particular, when I allowed Satan to lead me astray. But her love for me was constant.

Betty’s chronic illnesses became more and more serious. She injured her back in late 1985 while helping her mother. In 1987 she had serious back surgery, requiring fusion and steel rods in her back. The surgery was only partially successful, and in 1988 she was declared “totally and permanently disabled.” Much pain continued, and two years later she had another surgery to put in a morphine infusion pain control pump, which helped considerably. The pump had to be refilled every three months for the rest of her life. During the next two to three years, she had two neck surgeries and cornea transplants in both eyes. The transplants were required because of an inherited eye disease. She also had major surgeries that resulted in the installation of a feeding tube for use at night. Many respiratory infections and severe arthritis were endured. She came close to death numerous times.

She was disabled for the nine years I served as pastor of Peachtree Baptist Church in Atlanta. She attended church regularly, most of the time sitting on the back row so she could get up when she need to in order to stretch and walk in the vestibule during the worship services. During these years we became more and more enraptured in our love for one another.

I retired as pastor of Peachtree in November 1997. Later, after another interim pastorate and serving God in other ways, a small church near where we lived, Valley Brook Baptist Church, asked me in late 2000 to become pastor on a part-time basis. This proved to be one of the happiest pastorates we ever served. We served with the wonderful people of Valley Brook for five happy and productive years.

Betty’s physical condition continued to worsen, demanding more and more of my time and help. In January 2006 I retired from Valley Brook to devote my full time to caring for and helping her. In addition to her many other chronic illnesses, she had developed both bladder and bowel incontinence. Because of falls, she had torn rotator cuffs in both shoulders. This was so painful that we had to buy lightweight children’s flatware so she could lift food to her mouth. She deserved my best. Enabled by the Holy Spirit, I found myself able to do many, many things I thought I could never do.

The greatest privilege of my life has been to love Betty and take care of her during the latter part of her life. She loved me more than I thought any human being was capable of loving. The last 22-plus years with Betty were the best, happiest, most wonderful years of my life. We loved each other with the deepest and richest love I have ever known. She enriched my life beyond measure. Now she waits lovingly to welcome me when God calls me home.

The stars shine over the earth;

The stars shine over the sea.

The stars look up to the Mighty God,

And the stars look down on me.

The stars will live for billions of years;

For billions of years and a day.

But Christ and Betty and I will love and love

When the stars have passed away.

My prayer is that all who read her poems will be blessed and their lives enriched by her words. I pray they will open themselves to the Living God, Who loves them with a love even fiercer than Betty’s. They will then find new strength to deal creatively with the pain and suffering they also endure.

This book of poems would never have become a reality without the encouragement and help of Cathy Humphrey. I can never thank her enough. She visited Betty and encouraged her again and again. She and Betty had lunch together as often as she could get away from her job responsibilities. She stood by Betty and often stayed with her during her many hospitalizations. She was by Betty’s side and mine before Betty died on May 3rd. Cathy and her daughter Amanda typed the first draft of Betty’s poems and then edited and prepared them for printing. Cathy’s husband Lloyd assumed the task of getting them printed in book form. I know not how to thank them adequately.

I can’t begin to list all of those who loved Betty and me and supported us through her illness, surgeries and death. Two Valley Brook ladies in particular deserve special mention. They deserve and have my deepest appreciation for all they did for Betty and me. Delores Guthrie greatly loved Betty. She fixed her nails regularly, brought us food, and did everything she could to make things better for her. We called Carolyn Scott “our food angel”. She was always preparing full meals for us – things that Betty could eat – along with delicious desserts. Often she would surprise us with a call and say her husband Charley was on the way with a load of food. Other times she would call and ask what Betty wanted to eat, and Charley would deliver it. Delores and Carolyn, along with many others from Valley Brook, were by our sides when Betty died. I express many thanks also to both of their husbands, Fred and Charley, who were always doing anything they could to make Betty’s life easier.

Dr. D. Perry Ginn

June 1, 2007