Listen Linda! Hosted by Jacquiline Cox
Music commentary
Listen Linda! Hosted by Jacquiline Cox
Not Their Trash Can, But God's Temple
Have you ever had to grieve someone while they were still breathing? Found yourself stuck in a waiting room while everyone else seemed to move forward? Sacrificed your peace because you thought being Christ-like meant being constantly available?
Dr. Jacqueline Cox (ListenLinda) takes us on a transformative journey through chapters 4-6 of her book "If I Were to Write a Book in the Bible," addressing the profound challenges many women face on their spiritual journeys. With raw honesty and prophetic insight, she creates a sacred space where healing doesn't require anyone's apology—just your permission.
In "Fine Like China, But Flawed, Like Me," Dr. Cox unveils the complicated grief of having a mother present in body but absent in nurturing. She speaks directly to daughters carrying the weight of honoring parents who also hurt them, offering the revolutionary truth that being both healing and holy is possible.
The discussion flows into "The Watch Tower of the Waiting Room," where Cox reframes seasons of delay not as punishment but as divine proving grounds. With poignant vulnerability, she shares her experience of watching others receive blessings she fasted for while trusting God's precise timing in her own life.
Perhaps most revolutionary is "Standing in My Peace at All Costs," where Cox dismantles the misconception that Christianity demands endless availability. "You are not their trash can; you are my temple," she declares, encouraging women to stop lying with their yeses and start honoring God with their nos.
The episode features a lightning round with Mama Myra, who recently authored "Finding Love at 70," where both women exchange profound insights about giving from guilt, grieving relationships, and guarding peace.
Whether you're navigating mother wounds, waiting seasons, or learning to protect your peace, this episode reminds you that you're not behind, forgotten, or disqualified—you're becoming. Join the conversation that's helping women reclaim their stories and stand firm in their God-given purpose.
Hey there, I'm Jacqueline Cox, but you might know me as ListenLinda. Um, where do I even begin? I guess you could say I wear many hats Podcast host, entrepreneur, Mrs Illinois, usa, and so much more but it all started with a simple passion to tell stories and empower others. Building a platform wasn't easy. There were days when I wondered if anyone was even listening. But then something amazing happened. I realized the power of my voice. Suddenly, my words were reaching people, touching lives, making a difference. Now I see my mission clearly to create spaces where every voice can be heard, thank you, and together we can make our voices echo far and wide. To be a guest on Listen Linda. Contact Jacqueline Cox on Facebook Messenger.
Speaker 2:Hey y'all, it's your girl, dr Jacqueline Cox. Listen, linda and whoo, if you've made it to the book club live tonight, just know you right on time, okay. So we've been it to the book club live tonight, just know you right on time, ok. So we've been walking through this book together, chapter by chapter, and baby these pages right here, these pages right here, they write back, they write back. Ok, if I were to write a book in the Bible, it's not just scripture style to me, it's survivor style. Ok, I didn't write this book for an applause, I wrote this from the ashes. To be honest with you, I wasn't even going to release this book, but God put it on my heart to release it and I thank God for that. But I also thank God for people like Dr Velma Bagby who encouraged me to release this book. These are the pages God gave me when I didn't even have a platform, just pain and prayer. Even have a platform, just pain and prayer.
Speaker 2:And tonight we're going to focus on chapters four, five and six. And let me tell you, this is where the book goes from breakthrough to boundary, from grief to growth. From why me to yes, lord. Thank you, jesus. From why me to yes, lord. Thank you, jesus. So, if you are watching, thank you. If you are participating, thank you If you are streaming this from YouTube, facebook, linkedin, twitter, instagram, share it, tag a sister who needs this, because we are going to talk about mothers that we grieved while they were still alive.
Speaker 2:We're going to talk about waiting rooms that felt like punishment, and we're going to talk about why your piece needs security clearance. Now, let's go, let's go, let's go. God, we thank you for this sacred space. Thank you for every woman listening under the sound of my voice, for every tear that turned into testimony and for every page that became a praise report. Let tonight be full of healing, lord, god. Let it be free. Speak through these words like only you can, and remove anything that's a distraction. Make room for divine downloads, lord, god, we surrender this moment to you. Lord, have your way in Jesus name, amen.
Speaker 2:So we're going to talk about chapter four for now. And it's called fine like China, but flawed, like me, listen, linda. And it's called fine like china, but flawed, like me, listen, linda. This chapter it was so hard to write, y'all, because it's not just about my mother, it's about the version of her that I kept hoping that would show up okay, so. So I know I'm not the only one who had to grieve someone while they were still breathing. Some of us are the daughters of fragile women who did their best but they left us bleeding. And some of us are trying to raise kids while we're still healing from that childhood that we never got. So I'm going to read an excerpt from it and I want to kind of just read you just a little bit of it.
Speaker 2:She gave me her name, but not her healing. But God said you will be the interruption, you will be the curse breaker. You will be the interruption, you will be the curse breaker To the daughters of complicated mothers. You are not less holy because you are healing. There's so much guilt when you try to honor someone who also hurt you. But you know what I had to realize? God saw both of us. He saw the brokenness in her and he saw the calling in me. And for anybody that's watching this live tonight, if you never heard your mama say I'm sorry, let me say this your healing doesn't need her apology. Your healing needs your permission. Now, if this is home for you, just comment I'm healing and holy. Let's declare that together, I am healing and I am holy in Jesus name.
Speaker 2:Now I want to move on to chapter five, because chapter five was really something for me. That one is called the watch tower of the waiting room. Let's talk about the waiting room. Y'all know I am one to talk about. I have a whole anthology devotional poetry book, just volume one and two. I got player cards on it. The waiting room is something that's very, very special to me because it's not the hospital one I'm talking about, the one God put you in, where you've done everything right but nothing is moving. Ok, I've sat in that waiting room and, to be honest with you, I still sit in some waiting rooms today. I mentor folks who blew up before me. I've watched others get blessed, blessings I fasted for, and I had to sit with that while still trusting him, while still trusting God. So I'm going to read an excerpt from this chapter, which is chapter five, and it says it is not a punishment but a proving ground. He cut to heal, not to harm you, to the one watching others leave the waiting room while you're still in your gown. Your appointment has not been canceled.
Speaker 2:Let me get real with y'all. It was days that I cried because I knew I was gifted. I knew it, but I was overlooked. I was anointed, okay, but I was also underestimated, and God whispered to me. He said, daughter, I'm not late, I'm precise. I'm precise, I have precision on what I'm going to in your life. So in that waiting room, god performed surgery on me. He performed surgery on me. He removed people I idolized, that I put on pedestals as if they were so much more to me. He revealed motives that I ignored because I saw what some people was trying to do. I saw their motives, but I still ignored them because I just had to have a friend Right. He didn't just bless me, though. He rebuilt me. He rebuilt me. So if you can understand that sometimes God God has you in that waiting season right now, but you trust in that God's hands are still on you, I want you to drop a like in the chat, drop a heart in the chat.
Speaker 2:Ok, let's keep this moving with chapter six. Now. Chapter six is entitled standing in my peace at all costs. Standing in my peace at all costs. Now y'all, this chapter, this chapter standing in my piece at all costs. Oh, my goodness, the day I shut the door to chaos. There was a time when I thought being Christ-like meant being constantly available. I gave my ear to everybody crybabies, chaos makers and chronic complainers. I let folks dump, dump, dump, while I prayed, prayed and prayed. And you know what y'all? I still kind of do some of this today. I'm still a little guilty of it, but I'm learning now and as I go back and I read it, I'm reminding myself okay, because God said daughter, that is not ministry, that is manipulation. You are not their trash can, you are my temple. That is what God told me. And that day I took my ears back and, like I said, I still have some days where I fall short and I give people my ear. They don't deserve it. But baby, no, no, no, no, no, I am not their trash can, I am his temple. That day I put my peace on a pedestal and I dared anyone to come for it without spiritual clearance.
Speaker 2:This chapter is for the ones who's been used as emotional dumpsters, the ones who thought being saved meant say yes to everybody with a sad story, the ones who used to answer calls that disrupted their calling. You could be sitting down, doing something, being in motion, being into your call and doing what you're supposed to do and then you will get that, that phone call that throw you all the way off. You will get that text message that distracts you. You'll get that person calling you with their boo-hoos and their cries and I just need somebody to talk to. That is the trick of the enemy. You are not their trash can. Okay, I used to say yes. Out of guilt the Lord said stop lying with your yes, stop lying with your yes, start honoring me with your no. Okay, I had to learn. Being available to everybody made me unavailable to God. I wasn't called to be everybody's therapist, that wasn't my calling. I wasn't called to be an intercessor that was not my call. And I wasn't called to be the advice hotline.
Speaker 2:Some of y'all need to delete those contacts, not just clear the notifications, because peace, peace, peace, peace is a spiritual assignment. And, baby, I'm not guarding mine like it's just, you know, a little piece of paper. No, no, no, no, no. I'm guarding mine like Fort Stewart, amen, okay. So if you are tired of being everybody's trash, can type my peace is prophetic. If you reclaimed your quiet, your peace is your pulpit, and not everybody gets a seat at that. Ok. So take this moment to reflect that sometimes it's OK to say no, it's OK, god will give you that, god will give you that, god will give you that. No, he will say okay, no, that that's what you're supposed to say. If they if they want peace, they want guidance, they want all that they got the same God you got. And if they don't that's what therapists are for okay.
Speaker 2:So we're gonna do a lightning round real fast, short, short questions with real answers, and this is where y'all speak up in the chat or shout back on your screen. I know I have a listener that's tuning in right now, but I'm not sure she wants to come on screen. Do you want to come on screen? Yes, no, myra, do you want to come on screen? Do this or this? Well, I think, I think you want to. I'll bring you up. Hey, myra. Hi, I didn't know if you want to come on or not, but I couldn't understand what you were saying, so I'm gonna bring your screen so for you.
Speaker 2:For those who don't know, myra just dropped the pre-orders for her book today from the 21 Day Author Boot Camp, and her book is called Finding Love at 70. This is her first solo project under the Listen Listen brand. So I'm happy to have Myra here today because she's working hard, supposed to be doing her assignment, but she decided to take a break. Come on in, I appreciate you. So do you mind doing the lightning round with me since you're here, myra? That's why I ask you a short question and you get like 30 seconds to answer it, okay.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:I'll try. Oh yeah, it's not going to be none crazy. The first one is what's the yes you gave out of guilt that you need to take back?
Speaker 3:The first one is what's the yes you gave out of guilt that you need to take back when?
Speaker 2:I gave my money away, girl. I think we all got them. I think we all got them, yeses, yes, and I should have said no.
Speaker 2:You should have said no. You should have said no. Ooh, child, you know that person might be watching. You still don't care, do you? You want your money back? Hey, whoever borrows money from Mama Myra, please give her her money back. Okay, okay, who did you have to grieve before the funeral Meaning, before they even died? Who did you have to grieve that loss of somebody? To give you an example, mads was my mother, right, because she was lost to drug and alcohol addiction, you know, and I never got her back from that. So I just had to grieve the fact that I didn't have a mama in my life. You know, that was a grief for me.
Speaker 3:I guess you would say my friend Virginia, because I didn't. I mean, I saw her every now and then but we didn't keep really in touch. And then when she died unexpectedly, it just it really hurt me and I couldn't get to her funeral, and that you know, to say goodbye. That really hurt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had a situation like that with my friend too. My friend was Sherelle In the book Mountains. Her name was Sherelle, but it was a different name in real life. But you know, for privacy I don't really say her name Buterelle but it was a different name in real life. But for privacy I don't really say her name, but it was kind of the same. We were estranged for a while, maybe about a year before she passed. We finally reconnected and she apologized to me for some things that she'd done that you read about in mountains. And we were right just about getting a little close. I was going to see her mom, who passed away right after her, in the nursing home and everything. And next thing, you know, she ended up dying from kidney failure, my best friend. She was only 30 years old and she left two kids. So you know, that was something for me. That was something for me as well, so I can definitely relate to that. The next question what did God show you in the waiting room that changed how you worship him today?
Speaker 3:That I can always rely on him first instead of somebody else else, instead of waiting on somebody else to help or you know, or just be there for me, because I know he's going to be there.
Speaker 2:Mine was pretty much the same. I had a codependency Not really a codependency, but I just I always felt like I had to have friends, I had to have friends yeah.
Speaker 2:I had to have somebody to be there for me. You know, and I'm realizing more and more every day, that a lot of times friendships come with motives, you know, and that's okay, I don't mind being you, but I'm not going to be you. Yeah, but I'm not going to use the enemy. Yeah, because we're all here to be a help or a service to somebody. But if that's not reciprocated or appreciated and it's only a benefit from it, then that's not really a friend.
Speaker 3:That's true.
Speaker 2:Here's another one. Mama Myra, what lie did you believe about yourself before God interrupted it with the truth? Basically, what's the insecurity that you had about yourself before God showed you that that wasn't true?
Speaker 3:Insecurity, insecurity, I don't know, did I think I could do it all by myself and I can't?
Speaker 2:that's a good one, because you felt like I really tried to do it by myself and you know what I'm working on that now, because I, I, I feel like I just I just don't want to bother nobody, or I feel like ain't nobody gonna do it like me, or yeah I've had so many times where I've had reached out to people and they sabotage on purpose because they don't want to see you excel.
Speaker 2:So it's like you see, I'm scared to hire a graphic designer because they're not going to do it to the to the level that I need it to be done, or if they do, they'll try to sabotage me.
Speaker 2:So it's like I do it by myself, because if something is wrong, I don't have nobody to blame, but to trust. Oh, they did that and it caused confusion, so I'd just rather try to do it by myself, but I need to hone in on that and start trusting people more, and that's something that I'm trying to work on today. So that's a great one, mike. What's your new rule for peace? For who? Peace, peace. What's your new rule for peace?
Speaker 3:Ooh, I don't have one right now, just sitting and listening to music or reading, just you know, just be by myself, no, talking to nobody, because most time they take it the wrong way. And so I just rather just be here in my room like I am by myself, and be peaceful, and you know, just doing me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's another thing that I always had, that now I'll tell you that right now I know how to get to myself, baby and turn that phone off and you won't baby, you won't reach me. But I think my new one now is what I said earlier today, when I said I got to stop lying with my yes and start honoring God with my no.
Speaker 2:Because, like I said, the trick of the enemy will come. You can be in the middle of trying to, like you're doing right now, complete your assignment or do things, and then that phone will ring. Somebody called with some bad news, or they need some help, or they need this and they need that, or they'll call with an argument, try to start some confusion and all it leads to is you being distracted from your goal.
Speaker 2:You're distracted from what God called you to do. That's basically what chapter 6 was really about. It was really about just reclaiming your peace, reclaiming your time and focusing on what God tells you to do. You did good with the lightning round. You made me think but then it's good though, because once you think and you say those things out loud, yeah, you remember and it puts you back into perspective of what god wants you to do, like yeah like, like, like.
Speaker 2:It don't come to mind until you have to think about it. He'd be like what is this? You know what I'm saying? What is this? What is this? Now, you can say it out loud. You can put it out into the world for God to bless it. You get what I'm saying. Have you got a chance to read this book yet? I'm reading it now.
Speaker 2:Once you'm reading it, now okay, okay, so once you once you finish reading it, because it's not a lot and I know you know writing your own book amen but once you and you get a chance to kind of go through it. I want you to go through it and I really want you to come back to this live. It's going to be on my page, Mama Myra, and just give your take on chapters four through 16.
Speaker 3:Okay, okay.
Speaker 2:All right, mama Myra, I'm going to drop you back down because I'm about to get ready and wrap this up. Okay, but it was a pleasure. Thank you. You know you always come through. Mama Myra, you're my MVP for my book club. I got to do something special for you. I love you so much and I appreciate you for always coming in.
Speaker 3:I appreciate you too.
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am, yes ma'am, we got to have each other back. That's what it's about. That's what it's about.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, so that was Myra Cook Her book. I want y'all to go get it right now. Okay, to go get it right now. Okay, I want y'all to email MyraCook1951 at gmailcom Pre-order her book. It's $24.99. It's under the Listen Linda publishing brand. It comes out very, very soon and the book is a novella. It's a romance novella called Finding Love After 70. I read it already. Of course I did because I'm the publisher, and when I say it is phenomenal, it really is a great book.
Speaker 2:If you have not seen the trailer, go to my Facebook page, go to my Instagram page, go to my LinkedIn page, just on all three of those pages, okay, and it will soon be on my website, so you guys can see that and click on the link and email her at Myra Cook at I mean Myra Cook 1951 at Gmail dot com to place your order for her book. Ok, I'm going to go ahead and wrap up and do my call to action, because we walk through mother wounds, waiting seasons and peace protection, and I thank everyone who is catching the replay, who's watching tonight, who's listening on iHeartRadio, who's listening on Pandora, who's listening on Spotify, who's listening on Player FM in all 27 countries that we are streaming in right now, worldwide. Thank you, thank you. Thank you for constantly showing up and showing out for me. I truly appreciate you and I thank you. And let me tell you this you are not behind, you are not forgotten, you are not disqualified. You are becoming Okay, you are becoming so. If this has blessed you, share this live tag somebody.
Speaker 2:If you don't have the book, the ebook is available on Amazon for $9.99. It's called If I Were to Write a Book in the Bible, okay, and it basically goes through all the books that I've written and it takes those books, it summarizes them and then it's in actual scripture format, ok, actual Bible scripture format. So reread the chapters four through six this week and let them minister to you again. And if you're feeling like you have a book in you just know the anthology is still open you can write your chapter too, okay, so all you have to do is contact me on Facebook messenger I live there, okay, and let's get your story out there, because if I could write a book in the Bible, so can you, okay.
Speaker 2:God, thank you for the hearts that were touched tonight. Thank you for the women who are finally letting go, sitting still and standing in peace. Lord, god, we ask you to cover every testimony that was stirred up tonight, that stirred up today, that stirred up this afternoon, this evening or whenever the sound of my voice, the people who are listening to the sound of my voice, are hearing this podcast. Okay, we ask that you cover every testimony that was stirred up tonight. Let this not just be a lie. We declare it's a lifting Amen. Thank you for choosing us, even when we were cracked, crushed or confused. Lord God, we honor you and we give it all back to you in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. That is going to conclude the Listen Linda Book Club live tonight. Amen Again. Thank you so much, janae Ray, for coming in. Please catch this replay of this.
Speaker 2:If you have not grabbed the if I were to write a book in the Bible, please do so. Okay, it's on Amazon. You can purchase it. The paperback is $19.99 and the ebook is $9.99. It's also available on audio book, okay. So if you want to get the audio book, you can also purchase it on Amazon. If you would like to join the if I were to write a book in the Bible anthology, I have that coming out. I am still taking submissions for that, so please contact me if you're interested in taking your story and turn it into a book in the Bible. Okay, that's all folks. That's all I get. Oh, and before I leave, I definitely, definitely, definitely want to play a video from this episode's sponsor.
Speaker 5:Why aren't there more people talking about Beyond the Call? Let's change that. Today, at Beyond the Call, we're all about serving people with love. We've been a pillar. Stop waiting for change. Be the change with Beyond the Call. Why aren't there more people talking about Beyond the Call? Let's change that. Today, at Beyond the Call, we're all about serving people with love. We've been a pillar in our communities, turning compassion into action every single day, from providing food, clothing and shelter to offering school supplies and holiday meals. We cover it all. But it doesn't stop there. We also provide financial services like life insurance, will preparation and mobile notary services. Plus, we stand as advocates for families, offering support and options for everyone.
Speaker 5:What sets us apart? Our holistic approach. We know that true support means addressing every aspect of life physical health, mental well-being and social support. And our impact. We've helped thousands of individuals and families overcome challenges and achieve their goals. Just imagine over x meals served and y families housed. And we're just getting started. Now we need you. Partner with us through donations, volunteer your time or spread the word. Every bit helps. Visit beyond the callingcom or scan the qr code on the screen to donate, volunteer or simply learn more. Your support will empower us to continue making a difference. Join us in changing lives Beyond the Call, where love meets action. Let's make a difference together.
Speaker 2:That is Leanne Hendrick, who is a sponsor, and her organization is called Beyond the Call and you can send her a DM on Facebook. Her name is Leanne Cerise Hendrick or you can contact her at wwwbeyondthecallingcom to learn more about sponsorship, to learn more about donating to that fabulous organization, and I want to thank her for being this episode's sponsor. Okay, so, once again, we've prayed, we thank the Lord for his glory for this wonderful episode, and I will talk to you guys later.
Speaker 4:Sis, have you ever survived something that was supposed to take you out? Sis, have you ever survived something that was supposed to take you out? Have you walked through something so heavy, so painful, that you didn't even recognize yourself after? But somehow you made it through? Through the Rain is for women who've been through the storms, all women who face unique challenges and triumphs. This is about what we went through and how God pulled us through. This ain't just another book. This is real talk, real healing and real ministry For all women who've been through it and still got the strength to speak. Your tears, your triumphs, your testimony they all matter. You don't have to be a writer, sis. I got you From ghostwriting to one-on-one consults. I'll help you get your story out the way it's meant to be told with grace and power. Your story has power. Let it do the ministry. Come join us through the rain. We're waiting on you, sis. Spots are limited. Payment plans are available. Dm me today and let's walk this journey together. It's time to turn your pain into purpose, your struggle into strength.
