Diyanne Podhaczky has written and published Paper Dolls, an autobiographical account of her abusive childhood and her eventual healing through God’s power and grace. These books are very difficult to write and often difficult to read. On the one hand you don’t want to go into the horrific details of the abuse and on the other you don’t want to whitewash the facts. Diyanne has managed a good balance in this regard.
One of the other difficulties is that it is easier to outline the physical aspects of the abuse but rather more difficult to explain God’s healing. Diyanne’s explains God’s healing in terms of wholeness, acceptance, peace and freedom but without concrete examples you wonder what difference this has made in her daily life. The same is true of counseling. How do you explain the changes in perspective and in thought patterns when really all you have done is talk? Physical healing is easier to document. Emotional and physiological healings are harder to record and verify. Nevertheless Diyanne’s exuberant testimony to God’s work in her life provides evidence of a deep emotional healing.
Diyanne’s story is not an easy one to read but one that will encourage others in similar situations.
P.S. It is clear that God has also done an amazing work in her husband, Michael’s life and maybe one day he too will tell his story.
