faith and healing – Urban City Podcast Group

Gloirah James Williamson: Faith, Redemption, and the Fight for Life

Urban City Podcast Group — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 16:05:45 +0000

Major Takeaways

Faith and Recovery Work Hand in Hand: Gloirah’s survival story shows how spiritual strength and addiction recovery can empower physical healing and long-term resilience.
Family and Community Save Lives: Her journey highlights the power of forgiveness, love, and support networks in overcoming both cancer and addiction.
Hope is the Ultimate Medicine: Gloirah’s story reminds us that faith, gratitude, and self-love can guide anyone through even the darkest battles.

Grace, Grit, and God’s Glory Through the Storms

At 59 years old, Gloirah James Williamson of Illinois radiates a quiet strength that only comes from surviving what many could not. A mother of six, grandmother of nine, and great grandmother of three, Gloirah carries herself with the unshakable conviction of a woman who has faced death twice and won both times.

“I’m still fighting my battle to continue to survive,” she says. “Thankfully, I’m in remission for the second time despite it being more aggressive. I’m faithful that I will not have to experience breast cancer, or cancer in any form again. But I’m certain God will bring me through like He did before.”

For Gloirah, survival isn’t just about living, it’s about thriving with purpose. When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, she describes it as a storm that shook the very foundation of her life. But even then, she felt the steady hand of divine presence.

“Jesus didn’t leave my side,” she says. “The pain of going through chemo and radiation was the worst pain, something draining, but He stayed right there with me.”

Her second diagnosis came years later, more aggressive than before, threatening to undo everything she’d rebuilt. Yet this time, she was equipped with deeper faith, a stronger sense of family, and a decade of sobriety.

“I don’t know if this is because of my past. I’m a recovering addict, 13 years clean, or just my luck of the draw,” Gloirah reflects. “But I know that even though it was painful, Jesus didn’t leave my side.”

She pauses, then smiles. “My family was my biggest support and my greatest motivation to do everything I could to beat this and be the mother and grandmother able to spend quality time with them that they deserve.”

Gloirah’s story is also one of redemption, from addiction, regret, and self blame.

“I missed a lot during my years wasted in these streets,” she says candidly. “My children suffered for it growing up. I thank God for taking care of them and guiding them to take care of each other, and eventually help me regain my footing when my baby girl became a teenager.”

Her voice softens as she speaks about her family, one son lost, one incarcerated, and another doing great work alongside his three sisters.

“In my eyes, nothing is more painful than trying to smile and stay positive knowing you’ve failed the people you love the most. But when I see the love they have for me and the forgiveness and hope in their eyes, I find the energy, the wherewithal, the power, the grace of God to face anything I have to.”

That grace, she says, isn’t just divine. It’s reflected in her children’s love, in every prayer whispered by her friends, and in the community that rallied behind her.

When Gloirah says, “I love my family. I love my life. I love my friends,” there’s no hesitation in her voice. Each word sounds like a vow.

“I am thankful for having a job and being able to do it,” she adds. “I am thankful for all the people who keep me in their prayers and who always have encouraging words to share with me.”

She describes moments when despair threatened to pull her back into old habits, particularly after losing friends and relatives, some to cancer, others to addiction.

“Two years into my battle, one of my good friends died of breast cancer,” she says. “That rocked me to the core. I almost went back to using, but I didn’t.”

What kept her anchored was community.

“I don’t miss my NA and AA meetings if I can help it, and I’m honest with them about what I’m dealing with. My sponsor and the group itself really helped me get through those moments that rocked my emotions.”

For Gloirah, staying clean and sober is just as much a part of her survival story as beating cancer.

“Had I still been strung out when breast cancer first hit, I would not have been healthy enough to have pulled through it,” she admits. “I definitely know I couldn’t have pulled through that second time.”

She now uses her testimony to encourage others in recovery to prepare for the unknown, especially health challenges.

“I encourage anyone to get clean as soon as you can because you never know what health challenges are coming down the road, especially those directly connected with your drug use,” she warns. “Of all I’ve dealt with since being clean these 13 years, the battles with breast cancer are the only ones the doctor didn’t say were connected with years of drug abuse.”

It’s a sobering reminder that healing the body often begins with healing the soul.

Gloirah doesn’t shy away from discussing the toll cancer and life have taken on her body. “Being out there caused me to go through periods where I deal with having strokes. I have heart problems, and they had to put a stent in my heart. I also dealt with incontinence briefly. Those were very frightening,” she says.

But each medical scare only deepened her gratitude. “I’m just thankful. That’s all I can say.”

She explains how she chose to embrace self love even amid physical changes. “Yes, my hair thinned, so I just decided to start locking. People are always telling me how beautiful my hair is everywhere I go. It was never that way before I got clean and overcame breast cancer.”

For Gloirah, locks symbolize renewal, a crown of strength for a woman who has weathered everything from addiction to radiation and still stands proud. She speaks from experience, not just as a survivor, but as a woman who’s endured immense loss and chosen faith over fear. Her message is direct and powerful.

“Believe in yourself. Fight for yourself. Forgive yourself. Love yourself. Doing those things, there will be nothing you cannot overcome as long as you keep God in your life.”

Those words echo like a mantra for anyone navigating hardship, whether it’s illness, addiction, or self doubt.

“Allow yourself the time to experience all the emotions you feel,” she advises. “And then immediately get active doing whatever you know you can do to clean your blood and defeat that cancer.”

Her tone grows firm when addressing others in recovery.

“Don’t replace that habit with another bad one. Replace it with spending more quality time with the people you need to earn forgiveness from so you can patch those relationships.”

Her message is one of hope, not just survival, but restoration.

In her Chicago neighborhood and church support community, Gloirah is known as a source of light, someone who prays with others at cancer centers, checks in on fellow survivors, and attends recovery meetings with an open heart.

Her social media page overflows with gratitude posts, prayers, and updates about her health, each one punctuated by encouragement for others still struggling.

“God’s got me,” she often writes, “and He’s got you too.”

Friends, church members, and fellow survivors respond with love and admiration, calling her a walking testimony.

And she is. Hers is a legacy of love and light.

Today, Gloirah James Williamson continues her fight, not against cancer, but for life. She’s in remission again, and her mission now is to inspire others through transparency, gratitude, and faith.

“They found no cancer cells at last check! What I love most though is when I see my family’s forgiveness and hope,” she says. “I find the energy, the power, the grace of God to face anything.”

Her voice, strong yet soft, carries the conviction of someone who knows what it’s like to walk through darkness and come out radiant with purpose.

“I want people to know they can make it through anything. God doesn’t leave you in the valley, He walks you through it.”

If Gloirah’s story has touched you, consider supporting cancer survivors, caregivers, and awareness programs through the following organizations.

Ollie Mae Kimbrough: Faith, Healing, and the Power of Refusing to Give Up

Mari Michelle — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:36:56 +0000

Major Takeaways

Early detection and self-checks save lives Ollie’s intuition led to her diagnosis before it was too late.
Faith and community are powerful tools in the healing journey.
Survival isn’t just about living through cancer it’s about rediscovering joy, love, and purpose after it.

Ollie Mae Kimbrough: Faith, Healing, and the Power of Refusing to Give Up

At 71 years old, Ollie Mae Kimbrough of Mississippi radiates the calm strength of a woman who has stared death in the face and declared, “Not today, and tomorrow and all next week I’m too busy to be bothered then too.”

The mother of two and proud grandmother has walked a road filled with pain, healing, and spiritual awakening. Her story is one of faith tested by fire and restored by grace. “I’m totally healed by the grace of God,” she says, her voice steady and full of gratitude.

Engaged to be married after years of walking life’s rough roads on her own, Ollie speaks about her experience with breast cancer not with fear or bitterness, but with a sense of victory. Her peace flows easily, her voice carries warmth, and her faith remains the heartbeat of her story.

Ollie’s journey began not in a doctor’s office, but in her own quiet morning routine. “I missed a month of checking my own breast,” she recalled. “Then one morning I woke up, I was like, ‘Oh, let me do my check. I didn’t do it last month.’ And I felt something like the size of a pea.”

It was a small lump, so small it could have been overlooked. But something told her not to ignore it. “I called my doctor up right away,” she said. That decision changed her life.

When she arrived, her physician initially brushed off her concern, saying she was “just a worrywart.” But Ollie insisted. “She felt it. It was hard for her to feel, but she felt it. Then she called the University Medical Mall so I could get a mammogram done.”

The mammogram led to a sonogram, and then a referral to a surgeon. “When they came back, that’s when they told me that I had breast cancer,” Ollie remembered. The year was 2013, and she was in her late fifties.

For many people, hearing the words “you have cancer” can stop time. But for Ollie, it was a call to action and to prayer. “Thank you, Lord,” she said quietly, still grateful for how far she has come.

Her surgery came in 2014. “They were going to remove both of my breasts,” she explained. “Then I had to have the reconstruction done.” But the healing process was not easy. “My right breast, they had to go in and take the tissue expander out. I had to still go in every week to get the medicine. They had to treat me with antibiotics. And then they had to put gauze down in my breast, and a nurse had to come out every day to pull it out and put fresh gauze back in.”

That process lasted over a month, followed by a three month waiting period before reconstruction could continue. Through all the pain and the waiting, her faith became her medicine. “You’ve got to believe in God,” she said firmly. “I would go to church, get prayed over, and my pastor would constantly watch over me.”

Her church family became her support system, her prayer warriors, and her source of encouragement. “Don’t give up,” she advises others who are fighting cancer. “Believe in positive things. Believe that God can heal, and He does heal. All you got to do is stay positive. Never give up. Never! Find whatever it is in your life that you want to achieve, and go for it.”

After years of recovery and regular checkups, Ollie’s doctor finally gave her the all clear. “It was like a couple of years, about three years, before he gave me the clearance,” she said. “I first started out going to check in with the doctor once a month, then every six months, and then once a year.” Each visit became a moment of both nervousness and thanksgiving.

“After he gave me the cleared card, it’s been just once a year since,” she said, smiling as she recalled the relief. Every October, she returns for her annual check up, a ritual that reminds her not of fear, but of victory. “I go every October. I think it’s on the 30th.”

Ollie still lives in Jackson, Mississippi, surrounded by her family’s love and the unshakable strength of her faith. Her children and grandchildren bring her joy, and her upcoming marriage is the icing on the cake. “I’m not married, but I am engaged,” she said with a smile you can hear through the phone. “We’ve been together for more than a couple of years now.”

Though she hasn’t set a wedding date, the engagement represents something bigger than ceremony, it’s a symbol of renewal, of hope, and of living life after fear.

Her advice to others is rooted in faith and perseverance. “It’s not going to be easy,” she said honestly. “But you just gotta keep fighting for the ones that are here. Because we gotta realize that at death, we have no more life to help. But our loved ones are the ones that we’re leaving here to grieve. So don’t give up. Fight for them as well as for yourself.”

Her words reflect a woman who found purpose in pain and peace in persistence. For Ollie Mae Kimbrough, healing wasn’t just medical, it was spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal.

Every October, she celebrates not just surviving cancer, but conquering it. “I’m totally healed by the grace of God,” she says, her voice soft but certain. And then she adds, as if leaving a blessing behind, “Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Just keep moving forward.”

Understanding God’s Message and Finding Peace in Psalm 23: A Spiritual Journey

Urban City Podcast Group — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 02:57:21 +0000

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Key Takeaways

Psalm 23 is a declaration of God’s unwavering protection, provision, and peace in every season of life.
Resting in God’s presence allows for true restoration, both spiritually and physically.
God’s blessings are personal and abundant—what overflows from our cup is meant to be shared with others.

The Lord is Our Shepherd: A Message of Comfort and Strength

On the latest episode of Spiritual Lessons with Joanne, host JoAnne Bell takes listeners on an intimate and deeply moving journey through Psalm 23, one of the most cherished passages in the Bible.

With passion, wisdom, and personal testimony, JoAnne unpacks each verse, revealing the profound meaning behind David’s words and how they apply to the trials and victories of everyday life.

The Power of Psalm 23

Many have heard Psalm 23 before, but few take the time to truly live in its promises. JoAnne begins by reciting the passage from the New King James Version, setting the foundation for the episode.

She reminds listeners that this psalm is more than poetic words—it is a divine declaration of protection, provision, and peace.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

JoAnne explains that these simple yet profound words encapsulate God’s role as a provider, protector, and ever-present guide.

Just as a shepherd tends to his flock, ensuring they are safe and well-fed, God does the same for His children. He is always watching, always caring, and always leading.

The Invitation to Rest: Learning to Be Still

JoAnne passionately emphasizes the importance of resting in God’s presence.

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”

In a world that glorifies hustle and grind, she reminds listeners that true peace comes not from endless striving but from surrender.

She shares a personal testimony of how God physically and spiritually sat her down during a season of exhaustion.

When she resisted rest, her body and spirit became overwhelmed, leading her to realize that God Himself was calling her to be still.

“Sometimes, we don’t want to be still because we’re afraid of what we might hear or feel. But ignoring our pain doesn’t make it go away—it only makes it louder.”

Through this moment of vulnerability, JoAnne encourages her audience to embrace stillness, allowing God’s peace to restore, reset, and renew their weary souls.

Through the Valley: Finding Strength in Hardship

Perhaps the most striking part of Psalm 23 is its acknowledgment of the valleys of life. JoAnne delves into the verse:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me.”

She reassures listeners that God never promised a life free of struggle, but He did promise His unwavering presence.

Whether facing loss, uncertainty, betrayal, or fear, His hand is always near. She recalls moments in her own life when God left the “99” to come after her, proving that His love is both personal and relentless.

Prepared for Greatness: Blessings in the Presence of Enemies

JoAnne’s breakdown of “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” is especially powerful.

She passionately explains that when God elevates you, not everyone will celebrate—but that does not mean the blessing is any less valid.

“God’s favor on your life isn’t dependent on people’s opinions. When He prepares a table for you, it’s for YOU. You don’t need approval—God already gave it.”

She warns against bitterness and the desire for revenge, reminding listeners that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves.

Holding onto hurt only weighs us down, while letting go opens the door for healing, growth, and greater blessings.

My Cup Runs Over: Living in Overflow

As she nears the end of the episode, JoAnne highlights the beauty of God’s abundance.

“My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

This isn’t just about financial prosperity—it’s about spiritual wealth, joy, and having more than enough to share.

“What’s in your cup is for you. What overflows is for others. Share your testimony, your story, and your journey—because someone needs it.”

She reminds her audience that their blessings aren’t meant to be kept to themselves.

Every experience, every trial overcome, and every moment of faith is a testimony meant to inspire others.

A Call to Abide in His Presence

JoAnne closes the episode with a heartfelt prayer, inviting listeners to abide in God, trust in His plan, and embrace His peace.

She urges them to practice being in His presence daily, even if it’s through a single verse or a whispered prayer.

“God doesn’t require perfection—He requires relationship.”

With that final thought, JoAnne encourages her audience to walk in faith, knowing that God’s goodness and mercy will follow them, always.

Final Thoughts: Carrying the Message Forward

The message of Psalm 23 is timeless, but through Spiritual Lessons with Joanne, it comes alive in a way that resonates deeply with listeners.

JoAnne Bell’s passion for sharing God’s word is evident, and her ability to weave personal testimony with scripture creates an unforgettable spiritual experience.

For those searching for peace, direction, and a renewed sense of faith, this episode is a powerful reminder that God is always near, always guiding, and always ready to restore.

As JoAnne says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life—walk in it, believe it, and share it.”

Mentioned References

The Bible (New King James Version)
Psalm 23
John Chapter 15

JoAnne Bell

JoAnne Bell is a singer, songwriter, international worship leader, inspirational speaker, author, poet, talk show hostess, and encourager. Her mission is to empower God’s children with the truth of His boundless love—a love that is overwhelming, never-ending, and relentlessly pursuing us. She is passionate about sharing this message with the world, ensuring that everyone knows just how deeply they are loved by God. See more incredible content featuring JoAnne at womantowomanwithjoanne.com

JoAnne Bell

Stay tuned into Spiritual Lessons with JoAnne, where faith meets real-life experiences.

Hosted by JoAnne Bell, this soul-enriching podcast dives deep into biblical teachings, personal testimonies, and spiritual wisdom to guide listeners through life’s challenges with unwavering faith.

Each episode unpacks scripture with clarity and passion, offering practical insights that inspire, heal, and empower. Whether you’re seeking peace, direction, or a deeper relationship with God, Spiritual Lessons with JoAnne provides the encouragement you need to walk in purpose.

Stay connected with Urban City Podcast Group for more transformative discussions on topics shaping the Black experience.