Mary Sims has been called strong more times than she can count.
But what people didn’t see was what it was taking for her to keep going.
In this episode, Mary shares what it looked like to navigate a cancer diagnosis, a stem cell transplant, and the long road of recovery that followed. From the outside, she was surviving something that most people couldn’t imagine. But on the inside, there were moments where she felt like she was losing herself.
And still… she kept showing up as strong.
Mary talks about what it means to carry something that heavy and not always have a place to put it. The emotional weight, the isolation, and the reality of trying to process everything while also being seen as the one who can handle it.
There’s a moment she shares where the news she received shifted everything again, and what followed wasn’t strength in the way people recognize it. It was exhaustion. It was frustration. It was trying to hold on to herself while everything around her felt uncertain.
And even in that, people still saw strength.
This conversation is about what it costs to survive something that changes you. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. It’s about the parts people don’t see, the silent moments, the breaking points, and what it takes to keep going when there isn’t always space to fall apart.
If you’re realizing that being “the strong one” has meant carrying more than people can see, the Support Languages™ assessment can help you begin to understand what support could look like for you now shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages.
About Mary Sims
Mary Sims is someone whose faith has been shaped in real time, not just in what she believes, but in what she’s had to survive.
She serves in church leadership and has spent years pouring into others through prayer, discipleship, and teaching. But her work isn’t just about what she shares, it’s rooted in what she’s lived through.
Mary is a cancer survivor, and her journey has changed the way she understands strength, faith, and what it means to keep going when life doesn’t let up. What she carries now isn’t just knowledge, it’s lived experience, resilience, and a deeper compassion for people navigating their own battles.
Through her YouTube channel, JustMary, she creates space for honest conversations about faith, healing, and what it looks like to hold on when things feel uncertain. Her voice resonates with people who are trying to make sense of their faith while also dealing with the realities of life.
Whether she’s leading prayer, teaching, or simply sharing her story, Mary’s heart is in helping people feel less alone in what they’re carrying and reminding them that even in the hardest seasons, they are not without support.
Connect with Mary Sims:
Instagram | Website | Wellnes Page
About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.
Resources to Support You:
- Black Women Storytelling Series
- Schedule a 1:1 Support Session
- Get the Guide: “You Know Your Support Language™—Now What?”
- Take the Support Language™ Quiz. and learn how you actually receive support best.
- Get Support Right in Your Inbox: Gentle words, real-life reflection, and soft reminders every week
- Download Sistah’s Connect Radio in the Apple Store
- Download Sistah’s Connect Radion in Google Play
Let’s Stay Connected:
- Subscribe to Shades of Strong on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform
- Share this episode with a sista who’s tired of being the strong one
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- www.shadesofstrong.com
Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.
