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Welcome back to Still I Rise — the podcast that reminds us healing isn’t just about surviving what happened to us, but about rediscovering who we are after.

Today, we meet Kathy Burns, a woman whose story—The Fight of My Life—captures the quiet strength that follows the storm. Like so many survivors, Kathy believed the hardest part was behind her once chemo ended and surgery was over. Surrounded by love from family and friends, she thought she had everything she needed to move forward.

But something was still missing — a space where she could truly exhale. A space where grief could be released, not hidden. Through You Night, Kathy found that space — a sisterhood of women who understood the kind of tired that comes after the fight. Women who didn’t pity her, but got her. Women who held her hand as she began to heal the parts of her heart she hadn’t even realized were still aching.

This is Kathy’s story — a story of faith, courage, and the sacred power of finding your people. Because sometimes, the fight of your life leads you straight into the arms of those who remind you: you never have to rise alone.

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Still I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY. To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories. Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story? Write to us at teamyounight@gmail.com

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Welcome back to Still I Rise — the podcast where stories of resilience remind us that even when life throws us into the steepest drops, faith, courage, and connection can carry us through.

Today’s guest is someone I affectionately call Miss Jackson — a woman whose story is as breathtaking as the ride she’s been on. Dawn Jackson has lived her life on what she calls “the rollercoaster” — a series of climbs, loops, and sudden plunges that tested her faith, her identity, and her strength. From teenage motherhood to two battles with breast cancer, Dawn’s journey is one of grit and grace — but it’s also a story about awakening. About learning that she doesn’t have to earn love to be worthy of it.

What makes Miss Jackson’s story especially powerful is her honesty about what it means to be a Black woman navigating survivorship — often without seeing herself reflected in the support groups or programs around her. Through her voice, she’s creating a bridge — helping other women of color find the information, resources, and sisterhood they deserve. Because no one should face the ride alone.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to reclaim your worth, to rediscover your faith, and to use your pain as purpose. We also talk about the responsibility — and the opportunity — to use your voice to lift others who may feel unseen.

So buckle up. This is the story of a woman who faced the scariest drops, held on through the dark tunnels, and somehow found her peace in the freefall.

This is My Life on the Rollercoaster — with Dawn Jackson.

Support the show

Still I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY. To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories. Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story? Write to us at teamyounight@gmail.com

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Today on Still I Rise, we meet a woman whose story reminds us that sometimes, life’s most unexpected storms reveal the deepest strength within us.

Before cancer, Alicia walked what she calls “a well-marked trail.” She planned her steps carefully, trusted in her faith, and believed that with enough preparation, she could stay safe and steady. But then came the flood — a sudden, life-altering diagnosis that swept away her sense of control and forced her to face her deepest fears.

What Alicia discovered in that flood was not defeat, but deliverance. She learned that faith isn’t about staying dry — it’s about trusting the One who keeps you afloat when the waters rise. Her story is a testimony of courage, surrender, and gratitude — a reminder that even when life divides us into “before” and “after,” God is faithful through it all.

And there’s something else beautiful about Alicia’s journey — her deep gratitude for her husband, Craig. In a world where illness sometimes divides, Craig stood firm. He became her anchor, her steady companion when the ground gave way. So tonight, as we celebrate Alicia’s story, we also honor the men like Craig — those silent warriors who stand by their women, who love through fear, and whose faithfulness becomes part of the healing itself.

Alicia’s story is called “Fear Is Not My Future,” and her words will leave you believing that even when the floodwaters rise — grace will always carry you through.

Support the show

Still I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY. To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories. Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story? Write to us at teamyounight@gmail.com