Featured Survivor
Bishop Tyear McCrary:
Beautifully Favored
I was raised as the only daughter of a widow. I don’t see that as a hardship but a front row seat to see unselfishness, unconditional love, strength, resilience and success in action. That view allowed me to incorporate those same approaches in each stage of my life. Even now, I am shaped by those lessons of
character, excellence and survival. Because of those lessons I maintain a confident mindset that there is never a time when I lose regardless of the hand I have been given. Even through tragedy, strokes, cancer scares, and memory loss, I remain in the WINNER SEAT.
How old were you when you realized that you were called to ministry? Was it a supernatural encounter?
I was nine years old on the day my father died and that was a supernatural moment that somehow left me feeling different than I did the day before. For the first time in my life I had an outer body experience. I began to hear and know things I could not explain. I was aware of things that would happen in the near future and I grew a confidence in the voice of God for myself like never before. Shortly after that I would have visions (while awake and asleep) of my future and what I was supposed to pursue for my life. Eventually, I figured it out my path and went into full-time pastorate ministry. I became a Bishop in the Lord’s church and now I am an international business & personal development coach to thousands around the world.
It’s story time! Tell us what you’ve survived and how you survived it.
I have ever survived three strokes, a brain cancer diagnosis and a miraculous healing. Surviving near fatal car accidents, losing my memory and “permanent brain damage” has been done through two channels: FAITH in God’s Word and never forgetting God’s unchangeable promises to me.
Wow! Some readers out there need encouragement. Tell us more about your diagnosis and survival.
While I was preparing to get on the road one day to go and see my brand new grandbaby, we had a head-on collision. Our two-day old truck was tipped over on its side and, unbeknownst to me, I had what would be the beginning of a tidal wave of health challenges. Shortly after the accident, I began to receive therapy. While at one of my therapy appointments, I noticed my doctor had a puzzled look on his face.
He began to ask me where my husband was. As I gestured towards the adjacent room, he left out hurriedly and asked my husband to come in the room where I was. He asked me to say a specific word―“hippopotamus.” In my head, I was saying it, but my face had dropped. They became alarmed because it was quite evident I was having a stroke while at the therapy appointment. That was a day that forever changed and challenged me and my faith. After going through a series of tests at Emory University with the head of neurology, I found myself looking at scans that would show multiple spots which the doctors said I must get tested for. Based on the urgency that they had in their voices, I went to the address that was given. Little did I know that it would be the Oncology department. I questioned whether I was at the right place. Maybe the doctor made a mistake! Only to find out that it was real, and after pulling 18 vials of blood, I found that they were checking me for brain cancer.
Here I am a pastor, woman of faith and a person who has never had neurological issues before now looking at a possible diagnosis that could end my life within the next six months. Terrified would be an understatement! Soon after, I began to experience massive memory loss. How was I going to pastor anybody when I couldn’t even remember names and faces or scriptures? God reminded me that it’s not me, it’s Him. He said that if I had the faith to believe Him for a miracle, He would give me one. Fast forward almost a short time later, I found myself the subject of a miracle at Emory University.
I won’t lie to you and tell you that I wasn’t scared . I wondered if God was going to do what I knew He was capable of doing for me. God did it! He reversed the diagnosis of what the doctors knew they’d seen. A brand-new set of scans showed absolutely nothing. My memory began to return. The spots on the scan were gone and I was back to normal― or so I thought. I had two more micro strokes. It’s a lot for one person to handle in 24 months. But from this experience, the level of faith that I have grew greatly. And the level of miracles that I received caused me to look everything in the face that was contradictory of God‘s perfect will for my life. I’m a survivor because of a miracle and a whole lot of faith and prayer.
The lesson that I learned was that miracles cannot come unless there’s a need for them! I now know for myself that God trusts me in the face of every adversity because He has already written the narrative of victory for my life. So many things have happened since then that would cause me to be challenged in my faith, but with those challenges, I remind them that I ALWAYS win and I NEVER lose. God trusts me and has designed me to be a survivor that doesn’t fight for victory, but stands in her place of victory!
What an amazing story of survival! God is truly faithful! If someone wants to connect with you, how would they do so?
Instagram: Madamceoatl and tyearmccrary www.MadameCEOInc.com Linktr.ee/tyearmccrary
Who are you, in your own words?
I am Bishop Tyear McCrary, a wife, mother and CEO that resides in the northern suburb of Atlanta, GA. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio where I resided until 2009. I am a recently retired Pastor of 17 years and now I am the CEO of Madam CEO, a small business & personal development firm in Atlanta, Georgia. I am motivated by the promise of leaving a Legacy for my children and future grandchildren.
My motivation and inspiration comes from my mother who poured into me the importance of finding purposeful fulfillment through my relationship with God and Pursuing that purpose in every area of my life to maximize the reason He put me here… to serve others.
Tell us a little about your childhood, and how did your upbringing contribute to your hardships in life, along with your victories in life?
Interviewed by Tynisha Lewis