The Diagnosis That Threatened Her Voice

For as long as she can remember, music has been part of Lolita Voss's life.

At just five years old, she was already singing with passion and confidence. One childhood moment became a family memory that hinted at the calling that would shape her future.

"My sister had me in the bathroom, and we were singing," Lolita recalled with a laugh. "I grabbed the hairbrush out of her hand and started singing. She said, 'Mom, she can sing.'"

That gift would lead Lolita into a lifetime of ministry through music. She performed in gospel groups, sang in recording studios, and spent decades using her voice to glorify God. But years later, that very voice would face an unexpected threat.

A Cough That Wouldn't Go Away

What began as a persistent cough soon became impossible to ignore.

"It was so bad I could not sleep," Lolita said. "I tried everything. Humidifiers, inhalers, cough syrup. Nothing worked. It was just continuous."

For more than two weeks, the cough lingered. Yet even as the symptoms persisted, Lolita refused to stop singing.

"Even though I was coughing, I was still singing," she said. "That was not going to stop me at all. I was still singing because I believe when praises go up, blessings come down."

Her determination was rooted in experience. She had already seen God carry her through a major health crisis years earlier.

In 2015, doctors at the University of Chicago Medical Center removed a life threatening seven pound tumor from her uterus. Through that difficult season, her faith remained steadfast. Now, facing another health challenge, she leaned on that same trust in God.

Eventually, her doctor prescribed antibiotics and ordered a chest X-ray.

"I just prayed," Lolita said. "I told the Lord, 'You promised me good health.'"

Fear Begins to Take Hold

The first X-ray came back inconclusive.

Her doctor ordered a second scan to be performed two weeks later.

During that waiting period, fear began to creep in.

Only a month earlier, Lolita's ex-husband had passed away from colon cancer. The loss was still fresh, making the uncertainty even more difficult to bear.

"I had to be honest," she admitted. "I was really scared."

The emotional weight became overwhelming.

"I became so depressed that I stayed in bed for two days and didn't tell anyone. I just kept saying, 'Lord, please don't let it be cancer.'"

Choosing Faith Over Fear

In the midst of her darkest moments, Lolita made a decision. Rather than allow fear to dominate her thoughts, she would focus on God's promises.

She immersed herself in Scripture and reminded herself of God's faithfulness.

Then she reached out for prayer.

"I called The 700 Club and asked for prayer," she said. "I told the Lord, 'By Your stripes I am healed. You've brought me through so many situations before. I'm healed.'"

The cough continued, but something inside her had changed.

When it came time for the second X-ray, Lolita walked into the appointment with confidence.

"I told the technicians they're not going to find a thing," she said. "And I meant every word of it."

As she left the appointment, she began singing.

"Every moment that I wake up, until I lay my head, I will sing of the goodness of God," she declared.

Then something happened.

"Something came over me," she said. "I cannot explain it. I felt like God did something to me that day."

A Miracle Confirmed

Four days later, the phone rang.

The results were in.

"There is no radiographic evidence of acute cardiopulmonary abnormality."

The troubling findings were gone.

"She said, 'Miss Voss, we have good news. They can't find anything,'" Lolita recalled through tears.

"I just cried."

For her, the news confirmed what she had already believed in faith.

"When I sang that song, I knew God did something," she said. "I knew it. I knew it."

Soon after, the cough began to fade. Within days, it had completely disappeared.

Singing a New Song of Praise

Today, Lolita continues to share her testimony wherever she goes.

She credits God alone for her healing and remains committed to using her voice to point others to Him.

"God is the one who healed me," she said. "He's the one who delivered me. I tell people that God is the One who is in control of my life."

For the gospel singer who once feared she might lose the very gift God had given her, the experience became another reminder of His faithfulness.

And now, more than ever, Lolita is singing of the goodness of God.