Radio Show Host Shares Her Story and Accomplishments

Rachel Lloyd is a Martin native who has her own radio show on Sunday nights called “The Lighthouse: A Soul Saving Station”, along with “Sunday Morning Praise,” where she invites guests and has many religious segments in between playing Christian music. Lloyd has been interested in radio and all things communications for years, and even holds an Associate Degree in Communications as well as a Bachelors in Multimedia Journalism. She attended both Jackson State and MTSU, and during her attendance at MTSU, she created a show called “What’s Up, Rachel?” where she had students and other people from throughout the country go and have a conversation.

“When I would walk around campus and I would always see my friends, they would say, ‘what’s up, Rachel?’” Lloyd said.

Through this show, she was able to connect more with people on campus and had previous experience anchoring as well as becoming an assistant and then executive producer.

Lloyd said that one day she was sitting at her apartment in Murfreesboro when she heard a familiar voice on her television, and soon found out that it was her. This was the moment she said she felt like she had made it.

“I was on TV! I was on local cable! This is not normal,” Lloyd said.

Shortly after graduating from MTSU, Rachel worked at Thunderbolt Radio for about a year while she also planned her own business: West Tennessee Sports Network, which was a live stream of sports. Through this site, high school sports throughout West TN would be broadcasted 24/7 for anyone to listen in. Just as Lloyd began to put this into action, tragedy struck. During this time, the COVID-19 pandemic began to sweep the globe, and Lloyd was affected.

“I had a sinus infection, and then it turned into the flu. I kept telling my parents that I was getting sicker, not better,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd said that she was sick for weeks, and one night she began shaking and was not able to speak, other than the word, “okay.” The next day, she was not able to speak and moved in what seemed to be slow motion. Her parents took her to the hospital, and she was diagnosed with COVID, but the doctors eventually sent her home. Shortly after, she was sent from hospital to hospital, and no one could diagnose her properly.

She suffers from long COVID, and it has affected her neurological and nervous systems. She has lost her ability to read and write, and often had spells where she deals with tremors, and sometimes loses basic cognitive skills such as walking and talking. The doctors call this ailment-Functional Neurological Disorder.

“I found out this year what was wrong with me,” Lloyd said.

She went to see two specialists in Chicago earlier this year, and they were able to tell her what was wrong, along with showing her scans of her brain.

“My body and my brain are on two different wavelengths. The body is doing its own thing, and the brain is doing its own thing, and when they clash, you get the spells.” Lloyd said.

Due to this ailment and the spells she has, Lloyd is not able to work or do many activities for more than a few hours a day. To be able to keep up with her love for communications and radio, Lloyd created her own faith-based radio show, “The Lighthouse: A Soul Saving Station,” and “Sunday Morning Praise.” With this show, she can stay at home and be on the radio for just a few hours a day.

On her radio shows, Lloyd has guest appearances sometimes during her show, writes her own scripts for segments and plays faith-based music. Lloyd said that right now, she garners around 70-80 listeners each Sunday.

“I would like to have more listeners and more involvement in the future. I am growing and living every day,” she said.

“The Lighthouse” is broadcasted every Sunday at 7AM and on Saturdays at varying times. More information can be found at www.churchofgodofsharon.com.