Ever wondered how an anthology evolves into a devotional that moves hearts and souls? Join us as we celebrate the remarkable journey of "The Women of the Waiting Room" project and the incredible transformations inspired by divine love and faith. We are thrilled to introduce you to Ms. Sharon Denise Smith, a life coach, registered mediator, and real estate professional from South Georgia. Sharon’s journey, marked by the publication of her book "Dreamer" during the pandemic, is a testament to resilience and faith. Her story is not just about overcoming adversities but also about inspiring others to chase their dreams, no matter the odds.
Sharon opens up about the challenging relationship with her father and how therapy and faith have been her guiding lights through a labyrinth of past traumas. Her contribution to the devotional project is heartfelt and profound, underscoring the power of forgiveness and personal growth, even when pain is unresolved. Through her experiences, Sharon reveals that healing is possible without the necessity of forgetting or receiving an apology, a powerful message that resonates deeply with many.
Moreover, discover the ripple effects of Sharon’s book, "Dreamer," which has profoundly impacted those around her. From a co-worker pursuing higher education to a young illustrator finding her passion in track, Sharon's narrative is a beacon of hope, faith, and resilience. We also delve into the broader themes of divine intervention and grace, celebrating the miracles that shape our journeys and the enduring strength that guides us through life’s toughest trials. Tune in for an episode brimming with inspiration, heartfelt stories, and a celebration of dreams realized through unwavering faith.
Ever wondered how an anthology evolves into a devotional that moves hearts and souls? Join us as we celebrate the remarkable journey of "The Women of the Waiting Room" project and the incredible transformations inspired by divine love and faith. We are thrilled to introduce you to Ms. Sharon Denise Smith, a life coach, registered mediator, and real estate professional from South Georgia. Sharon’s journey, marked by the publication of her book "Dreamer" during the pandemic, is a testament to resilience and faith. Her story is not just about overcoming adversities but also about inspiring others to chase their dreams, no matter the odds.
Sharon opens up about the challenging relationship with her father and how therapy and faith have been her guiding lights through a labyrinth of past traumas. Her contribution to the devotional project is heartfelt and profound, underscoring the power of forgiveness and personal growth, even when pain is unresolved. Through her experiences, Sharon reveals that healing is possible without the necessity of forgetting or receiving an apology, a powerful message that resonates deeply with many.
Moreover, discover the ripple effects of Sharon’s book, "Dreamer," which has profoundly impacted those around her. From a co-worker pursuing higher education to a young illustrator finding her passion in track, Sharon's narrative is a beacon of hope, faith, and resilience. We also delve into the broader themes of divine intervention and grace, celebrating the miracles that shape our journeys and the enduring strength that guides us through life’s toughest trials. Tune in for an episode brimming with inspiration, heartfelt stories, and a celebration of dreams realized through unwavering faith.
God has been so good to me. God has held my back in the midst of my enemies and I ain't even have to be there. I have home and many cities Free, and it's not very many For Forgot to carry me and my children. I'm so connected to the air that I breathe, the oceans and the sea, the mountains, the skies and the trees. I'm going in everything that belongs to me. So you've been so good. His love, his love flows everywhere and it runs deep, deep, deep in my soul. Oh, his faithful name. And the knees become footsteps, but because I love him, I don't mind. Oh, he's famous. I've seen enemies become boosters, but because I love him, I don't mind. If I ever got the chance to have a seat at the table, come on Judas. Hey, he's been so good. Good just ain't good enough. Better than good to me. Better than good to me.
Speaker 1:I call on your love for the souls that were lost. Hey, because somebody represented you in the wrong way. I call on your love for the souls that were lost. Hey, because some child watched your mama ruffle. Can't love a person. Call on your love for the souls that were lost Because papa was a rolling stone from bed to bed I called on your love for the souls that were lost. Somebody could be caught up in a suicide and it's a do or die situation. Oh, but I trust you, god cause. You've been real, real good. Just ain't good for me. It's been good to me, real, real good. Good, just ain't good enough. It's been good to me. I got you Real, real good to me.
Speaker 2:Been so good. Better than good to me, amen. And before we kick off today, today special pop-up podcast on this and linda, I want to let you guys know how much I appreciate these women for for answering the call for action. The women of the waiting room surgery for for Soul started off as an anthology of seven women. From that it has cultivated a devotional which will be coming out two weeks after the anthology to introduce my co-authors of the devotional, give you guys a chance to see and will listen to some of their amazing stories and also just give you a peek of who they are.
Speaker 2:Get a chance to know the authors, hear from them, hear from their mouths not just mine about their stories and what they have contributed to this anthology and how God has come into their life and spoken to them and delivered them from their waiting room. Some of them may still be in their waiting room, so they're giving you a peek into their lives to be able to be vulnerable with you guys today. Hopefully, after hearing their stories, you'll be able to follow them on social media and purchase you know the book from them From their respective websites, because we love Amazon For a best seller, but we really want to, to contribute To the actual author, give them all the credit that they deserve. So, if you like or you feel that you connect With a certain author here, take down their social medias, follow them and contribute to them, pour into their ministry by ordering the book directly from them. Okay, so today we're going to get started. The first person that I want to bring up is Ms Sharon Denise Smith. How are you today.
Speaker 4:I am doing great. I am doing wonderful. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:Thank you for answering the call at the last minute. I know, right, get it done. Get it done, yes, ma'am. So let's kick it off it off. Okay, let's kick this party off, right. I want you to tell people who you are, tell them where they can find your own individual book that you already out, have out right now. Give a little more detail about that and then go into your contribution to the devotional what made you want to be a part of the devotional, but also a little more about without reading your part in the devotional, but a little more about your contribution to the devotional and why it was special for you to join.
Speaker 2:Okay, I am Sharon Denise Smith. I am actually a Georgia Peach from South Georgia. Smith, I am actually a Georgia Peach from South Georgia. I've been in Atlanta the majority of my childhood and adulthood. I am currently a life coach, I am a registered mediator for Georgia and I also currently work at one of the local housing authorities in the real estate division. And so, 2020, during the heart of the pandemic I had been itching to finish a book, and so I had started writing a book and I put it down. Life happens. Pick it back up, life happens. And so I literally launched it August 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. Didn't think it was going to sell, didn't think I was going to be able to launch it.
Speaker 4:I still, to this day, haven't had a formal book signing, but I have still actually sold over 300 copies of my book.
Speaker 2:My book is called Dreamer and so initially it was intended to be a children's book, but it's also family oriented. I've had so many adults to say I read your book and after reading it I decided to do this. So Dreamer is about a little African-American young man that wanted to be a rapper. Dreamer is based on a true story and it's actually. There's a lot of highs and lows within Dreamer.
Speaker 2:He was really really smart in school, straight A declared a genius and he wanted to be a rapper. And his mother was just like of all the things in the world, you want to be a rapper, you so smart, and so, through pushing dreamer to his dreams, what she thought was his dreams, what she dreamed for him, his mother sharp the character in the book she also found her own dreams, um, and so I've had a lot of adults to say you know, I wanted to go back in freddie finish school, but I just thought I was too old, and so part of my testimony is that I spent all of my 40s in college and by the time I was 50, I had two degrees and two certifications by the time I was 50 years old coupled with being diagnosed with multiple autoimmune.
Speaker 4:coupled with being diagnosed with multiple autoimmune.
Speaker 2:So I had so many things coming at me that you would have thought that I would have just quit, but I kept going, kept going and I kind of sort of pushed through and so bringing everything forward to the waiting room. When I first heard about it I was like, oh man, that sounds so, so great and it sounds so familiar to my story.
Speaker 2:right, and so one of my current testimonies is that my girl with both of my parents my mom has passed away didn't have a good relationship at all with my dad, although he was in my life, and so he was there in the physical, but he wasn't there mentally and emotionally. And so here recently he was diagnosed with cancer and so I have to take care of him. And so, because of my childhood, my dad never did anything to me, but he didn't protect me or didn't protect me from other men, so other things were done to me and my dad did nothing about it, right. And so I grew up with a lot of anger and a lot of rage, and so when he got cancer, when he was diagnosed, it was just really awkward for me, because now I got to take care of this person that is never taking care of me, right.
Speaker 4:And so when they came, back with the diagnosis of cancer.
Speaker 2:I immediately started planning his funeral, I immediately started thinking about hospice, I started thinking about caskets and all of this stuff. And so my son had to grab me and say, mommy, they didn't say the man was dying, they just said he had cancer. People live with cancer, and so I had to channel that little girl in me to try to figure out why was I trying to bury him so fast?
Speaker 2:right, and so I got into therapy one of the best things I ever did for me and through therapy, I found out that I wasn't really trying to bury my dad, but I was trying to bury my past and I was trying to bury my pain. And so I knew then, before I could take care of him, that I had to heal that little girl that always wanted to be daddy's little girl, and I had to forgive somebody that never said that they were sorry. And so it was a struggle for me, because I feel like society has taught us two things that you know you have to have an apology to forgive, and then you're also supposed to forget. So when I heard about the waiting room and I heard about the devotional, you know I said this is the perfect platform for me to tell why I feel like so many people are unhealed. And I think we're unhealed because we're trying to forget our trauma, right? We can't unhear it, we can't unsee it, we can't unfeel it, and so why is there such this huge weight and expectation that we're supposed to forget the things that happened to us? And so I started, you know, praying and and asking God. You know I would hear my, my aunt I didn't know my grandparents, but my great aunt. I kind of grew up under her wings a little bit and I would hear her say you know, baby, just talk to God about it. You know, baby, just pray about it. And so I started talking to God about it and started praying, and I realized that I don't have to forget what happened to me, I just have to find a way to deal with it, right.
Speaker 2:And so I started honing in on I can forgive, though I have never had an apology, being able to apologize to me and doing some research, I had to understand my dad's childhood, right? So he didn't grow up with his mother. His older sister raised him, and so she was a kid herself, right. And so what did she do? She gave him everything he wanted, right. And so my dad is a narcissist, right. He's a master manipulator, right. And so, um, and accepting him for who he is and his lack of, because he couldn't give me what nobody gave him. He couldn't protect me because nobody was there to protect him. His dad was a truck driver and a military man, always on the road. His mom passed away when he was, you know, young, and his sister just let him do whatever he wanted to do, and so, literally, my dad had no guidance, and so I had to manage my expectations of him and there was a point where I kind of started to feel sorry for my dad right.
Speaker 2:I couldn't imagine going through his life, you know, not having all the things that you think you need to make you a better person. And so that's where I learned about grace, right. And then, once I learned about grace, I still felt like I got to heal myself so that I can take care of him. Now, with this cancer, I want to be able to take care of him, love him while I can, and I want to be able to give him the love that he never had even though he doesn't know what it is, he doesn't know how to accept it, but he still could be deserving of it.
Speaker 2:And in order for me to do that, I I can't forget it. But what I can do is ask God to deliver me from the hurt and the pain and that I could care for him and honor him without resentment. And so that's where forgive, grace and deliverance. And so I detach, forgive and forget, because you can't forget, you'll never forget. And because you can't forget, you'll never forget.
Speaker 2:And because you can't forget, that's that's where triggers come from. Your triggers are going to remind you, and going down the street where it happens is going to remind you. A certain song on the radio is going to remind you of your trauma. So you're never going to be able to forget it. But can you deal with it? You can deal with it, and can you be delivered from it? You absolutely can be delivered from it, and the person that hurt you, hurt people, hurt people, and so sometimes you just have to grant grace, and so that's pretty much my story. Um. That's why I felt like the devotional um was the platform for me to be able to share, and in sharing, I also released and that's pretty much where it all kind of landed at you sure did release.
Speaker 2:When I read your, your, your um contribution, um, I spoke on this, the uh in the last segment of um, the Linda waiting room. I spoke on your chapter, not so much just telling people, I just name dropped because I'm like I'm thinking other people, I was telling people. I was like you know, I was getting so frustrated with the whole project. I was getting so frustrated with just everything on top of everything I said. But then I thought about your story, I thought about Myra, I thought about a lot of people's stories and just going back and reading them and just having an impact on other people. Because we don't know like people don't know who you are like on a global. You know like what? If it's a girl that's on my that that listens to my show in Africa or in the UK, who or a woman or or an elderly person who has a loved one who hurt them or caused them grief or caused them pain, right, and now they got to go back and they got to take care of that person and they thinking, nobody knows what I'm going through. Well, guess what? There's somebody waiting on the other, like Laquita Parks, there's always somebody waiting on the other end of your story. That is so true. And if people don't know who you are and they don't like I can big you guys up all day long, but they want that intimacy.
Speaker 2:I'm speaking as an audience member right now. I'm speaking as a reader. I can go in and I can hear all these things about all these amazing authors. And I can hear all these things about all these amazing authors, but the ones that cling in my mind are ones that I've saw the unsung heroes about or I've watched on TV. There are documentaries like James Baldwin, like Nikki Giovanni, like Maya Angelou, like Toni Morrison. You know what I'm saying. These are my champions because, yeah, I can read their stuff all day long. That's great. But I got a chance to really be intimate with them because they've sat down, they've taken the time to give the audience a piece of them through their own mouths, to tell their own stories, their own ways.
Speaker 2:And when you do it like this, you connect better. You get when you connect better with your targeted audience, because a lot of times we we mistake our support system for our audience. We mistake our friends and our family for our audience. They support us. Yes, they'll buy the book. Yes, but a lot of people who buy our books do it to support us and probably will never crack it open.
Speaker 2:But if you want to make a, a big change, tell me how it felt the first time you got somebody to come back, until you say you know what? I read your book and it made it made me want to do. How did that make your heart feel, sharon? I actually um, I actually cried. It was actually a co-worker. Um, she had been with the agency for some years and the agency is real big on professional development, but she always felt like she didn't have time or she didn't want to go back to school, but there were certain certifications that she desired, and so when she read it and she came back, um, and one thing, I forgot to add that also with the book dreamer, there's a theme song that was actually written, produced by Dreamer himself, and it's called Do what you Believe In, and so there's a QR code on the back of the book and you can scan it and you can listen to the song. Is the song on Apple Music? The song is on Apple Music.
Speaker 2:And it's called what Do what you Believe In on apple music. The song is on apple music and it's called what um do what you believe in. Okay, hold on one second, keep going, keep going, okay. And so, um, I. I was just floored. That is so many adults that want to go back to school and not necessarily to do four years, but some people just want to get certain certifications. Some people is the artist called dream on dreamer. No, the artist is actually um k vizzo, k vizzo, yes, or it may. Yeah, she'll say k vizzo, yes or it may, yes. You say k vizzo, okay, keep going. I'm sorry, I'm looking for it now because I'm gonna play it if I can find it.
Speaker 4:Um, it's called k vizzo, k and vizzo yes, yes, hold on one quick second for me. I may be able to.
Speaker 2:Is it RKVZO?
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Let's see, no, it should just be K-V-E-E-Z-O. Okay, okay, I found them Now, now, and it's called dreamer yes I'm gonna play it if I could find it. I found him, but I haven't. I see everything else. He got a lot of songs now.
Speaker 6:Is this your baby?
Speaker 2:Yes, it is my baby.
Speaker 6:Let me see if I can get it.
Speaker 2:Girl, he got a lot of songs, but I don't see. I don't see Dreamer on here, so I see everything else. I'm not Dreamer, okay. So since I found him, let's see that are safe for me to play, or all of them are safe for me to play. No, they're not all safe, okay let me see what about? Is grandma safe? I want to do something that highlights.
Speaker 1:Let's keep the faith.
Speaker 2:Can you hear this? Yeah, I can hear it.
Speaker 8:Yeah, you can play it if you want, overthinking your dreams and self-doubts and taking a different path from the one that they laid out.
Speaker 1:So you're feeling left out now, but just follow your dreams. That's the problem. Just do what you believe in.
Speaker 8:You don't even need a reason, cause they don't see the vision blood, sweat and tears, long nights and repetition rocking out on venues when nobody was in it, don't know what you've been through. So block out their opinion and live through your dreams. Man, you gotta see it vivid. I'm talking clear image. Man, you gotta see you in it.
Speaker 1:Gotta see yourself in it, what you believe in, why you believe what you believe. Tell me what you're thinking. Why don't you change the things that you're thinking? If someone's gonna scream, who's worth believing? Do you believe? Cause all that you're saying?
Speaker 2:Do what you believe in. Yeah, it sounds good. Do what you believe in. Thank you, you're welcome. So the book was based on the true story about your son and you. Yes, that is so awesome. Oh my goodness, that is so awesome and that brings everything into fruition. It brings everything into 360. And you're able to go on and just accomplish your goals while he's standing up for what he wants to do with his life. That is amazing.
Speaker 2:That is an amazing story and also the illustrator for my book. This was the first book that she illustrated. She was 12 years old when she did it and after she did the book, she decided that drawing wasn't her dream. She always wanted to run track. So she is now in high school and she is one of the top track runners in georgia, and so it also pushed her to follow her dream. After she actually illustrated the entire book, at 12 years old, she started running track and imagine, and you say you went on, you didn't even have a a book signing and you still went on to sell over 300 copies of the book.
Speaker 2:That is amazing and that is a pandemic in the middle of a pandemic. So you know, people really wanted to hear that, they needed that, and that's what the devotional is about. Right, we want people to know that in your waiting season, while you're in your waiting room, god is there. He hears you, he sees you, he knows what you're going through. So, while the pieces may fall, don't leave them there. Don't leave them there.
Speaker 2:Pick those pieces back up, and if you feel like you can't get down there to pick them up because you're scared to cut that, you're gonna cut your fingers. Well, you just keep on going and let god pick them up and put them together back for you, but you keep going. You keep chasing your dreams. Don't let, no, don't. Don't. Give the devil no way to come in and distract you from your God-given purpose. So tell people where they can reach you, where they can find you on social media, if you have a website. If you don't have a website right now, put your cash app in the comment section in the chat so people can order the devotional directly from you. Okay, I will definitely do that.
Speaker 2:I am on instagram and facebook as s-h-a-r-o-n-d-e hyphen or not hyphen um capital n-i-s-e sharon, especially denise smith, and that's both on instagram and on facebook. Currently I don't have a website, but it is independent stages as I kind of circle back around to doing some things for me. I literally dedicated the last two years to my dad. He's still living, he, as of right now, today, as we speak, he was admitted for chemo. Um, he goes in every eight to ten weeks for his chemo treatments. My dad just turned 82 on the 20th and so we're pushing through this cancer thing. Um, he sometimes say now what you say, they say I got. I thought people would be really sick, you know and so just you know know, and I know it's bigger than the cancer, right, because we laugh together.
Speaker 2:you know, we talk, and I got to the point where I no longer wanted to be daddy's girl because I realized that's not what he needed. What he needed was somebody to take care of him. And so, when you understand your place and your position in a person's life, then you just have to act accordingly. Amen, and so you know.
Speaker 2:I run his errands, I pay his bills, you know I'm his personal assistant and it's just say OK. You know, as I work with seniors, so many seniors don't have family support, family support, and so I had to look at the big picture of what God was doing, because at 54, almost 55, you know, I had to heal the five-year-old little girl and I had to be the adult that he needed me to be. Amen, amen. And I want to commend you because caretaking is not easy. I did it with my dad before he went to glory and I did it with a lot of my family members, and right now my husband does it with me and I do it with him.
Speaker 2:He has some things that happened to him during the war. I have lupus and thyroid. Well, I've been diagnosed with lupus and thyroid cancer and fibromyalgia. So I'm battling these things daily. So I get it and I understand, especially as a cancer patient myself. So I do understand. I haven't had chemo, but I do go in for rounds of radioactive iodine, which is radiation, so I can understand his struggle as well. And I'm just going to keep your dad in my prayers. God bless him. He's over 80, and he still seems like he's snazzy. I love that about him.
Speaker 2:What you say, they say I got. I love that. I love that. So tell dad, you know, the women of the waiting room and our audience, and listen, linda and my global audience from around the world. We are praying for his healing in Jesus name and I appreciate you for coming on last minute giving your testimony, giving your story, giving the story of your son. He's doing exceptionally well. I commend him for following his dream and not being um, not to come into other people's perception of what he should do with his life. Um, he, he is very talented, super smart and whatever he pours into um, it's going to be like Midas, it's going to be golden regardless. So I just appreciate you so very much. Thank you, thank you so much and thank you for the work that you do, thank you for the exposure, thank you for your openness to and your stuff is heavy. It takes a real big person to be able to sit your stuff over here and listen to somebody else's. So you say, listen Linda, listen Linda. To be able to listen to what somebody else is going through and what they need and what their dreams are, and just a platform for exposure to help them get to the next level. It is absolutely wonderful. I appreciate that so much, and this won't be the last time Sharon will be on this platform, so be on the lookout.
Speaker 2:Sharon is invited back to go more into depth about Dreamers. Hopefully we can get her son on here so we can play some more of his music. So maybe that episode will highlight some more of his music and what he has coming up in the future as well. So God bless you, sharon. Thank you so much, no problem. So the next person I'm bringing up will be Sade Void, and before we get started with Sade, I want to play this for Sade. So I'm playing Made Away by Travis Green. Once we're done with Made Away, we're going to get started with Sade Boyd.
Speaker 1:Don't know how, but you did.
Speaker 1:It Made a way, standing here Not knowing how we'll get through this test, holding on to faith. You know best, nothing can catch you by surprise. You've got this figured out and you're watching us now as if we can't win. Wrap us in your arms and step in Everything we need you to supply. You've got this in control and now we know that you've made our way.
Speaker 1:When our backs were against the wall and it looked as if it was over you, you made my way, and we're standing here Only because you made a way. You made a way. Now we're here Looking back on where we've come from the fires of you, and I think we've died. You deserve the love and mercy you show, but your grace was strong enough to pick us up and you made our way. When our backs were, when our backs were against the wall and it looked as if it was over Lord, you made a way and we're standing here. And we're standing here Only because you made the way. You made the way. You made the way when our backs were, when our backs were against the wall and it looked as if it was over Lord you, you made the way and we're standing here and we're standing here, lord you. You made a way. It was standing here, only God. You made a way. You moved mountains. You called love to fall with your power Before me, freehold. There is nothing that's impossible. And we're standing here only because you made the way. You move the city. You call war way. You moved on. You called on the Lord. You called on the Lord For a time. You're a prophet For a miracle. For a miracle. There is nothing. There is nothing, nothing possible, nothing possible. And we're standing, and we're standing here Only because you made the. Through the pain, you caused all the walls to fall With your power For a miracle. There is nothing that's impossible. And the sand in me Only because you made a man, and the sand in me Only because you made a man. And the sand in me Only because you made a move, made a move. You made a move, made a move. You made a move, made a move. You made a move, made a fool. You made a fool. Don't know how, but you did it. You made a fool. You made a fool, don't know how, but you did it.
Speaker 1:You made a fool, don't know how, but you did it. Don't know how, but you'll get it. Don't know how, but you'll get it. And I don't know why. Don't know why, but I'm safer. Don't know why, but I'm safer. Don't know why, but I'm safer. Don't know why, but I'm safer. Don't know why, but I'm thankful. Are you crazy? Don't know why, but I'm thankful. Are you crazy? Don't know why, but I'm thankful Over and over and over, over and over and over.
Speaker 2:Just keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on coming. Don't know why, but he could be a little long-winded and we got a show to do. That song got another three minutes. So you know, of course we can't. I would love to finish that song and hopefully, after sade we'll go ahead and finish him on out. But how you doing sade, I'm great, I'm great. How are you, my sister, how are you girl? You know, it's always good with me and you get on that phone. Now, look when I'm in.
Speaker 2:Look, this is a full disclosure. I'm not finna, do this with Sade tonight. Okay, y'all, we not finna do this with Sade, because Sade get on here and we'll be talking like we talking on the phone. Okay, and we, not finna, do this. We're going to stick to the program Sade Today. We got to stick to the program. Okay, I want you to come in.
Speaker 2:Sade is no strangers to the waiting room. She is actually a friend of the show. She has hosted this show for me, she has interviewed me, she has come on to talk about her books. But we just need, you know, we know about your first two children's books, so you can hit on that if you want to. But I want you to speak on the topic that you said is clear and near and dear to your heart, which is mental health, and then, after that, I want you to speak on your chapter in the book which actually gives more insight about mental health, without telling what you know. You're reading your chapter, but give the audience some insight of what they can expect from your chapter and then end with how they can purchase the book from you and how they can reach you and connect with you.
Speaker 7:Okay, well, everybody knows you know, I wrote my first two children's books, currently working on a third one called Brown Girl Magic. I'm super excited for that book to be done this year. But what draw my attention to the waiting room is because we are always in the waiting room waiting for something. A part of this project is because of the things that I endured in my past growing up being this young woman that I am you wouldn't believe the things I've endured and being adopted, being a foster kid.
Speaker 7:The title of my chapter in this book is called the Enemy Stole my Identity, and the reason why I came up with that is because my life has been robbed for me from innocence since a baby being introduced to a lot of things that a child should not be introduced to. My birth mother doing drugs, and not light drugs, not light weed. She did heavy drugs with me and she abused me, so that landed me into foster care. So I touched on many topics with my chapter with abuse, with verbal, with mental, physical, sexual abuse, me being molested and raped at a young age and being into different homes, bouncing from house to house, basically being adopted to a family that I carry the name but they didn't care about my well-being. They didn't care if I got an education. They didn't even care if I ate a meal at night. They just sucked me dry to the point that I was in survival mode. That's all I knew. That's all I knew from the streets of coming from New York. That's all I knew from the streets of coming from New York. That's all I knew was how to survive and I adapted those behaviors into my adulthood and with mental health. It was a strain on me because I was like, oh my God, I'm suffering from abandonment issues. I was like, oh my God, I'm suffering from abandonment issues, I'm suffering from daddy issues, mother, mommy issues, unanswered questions that I was searching for since a child. So I had to learn to adapt with these things, even though I had a lot of anger, I had a lot of unanswered questions.
Speaker 7:I ended up in hospitals trying to figure out my life from a young person to now, and therapy is very, very helpful. Therapy is very therapeutic professional counsel because it helps you get to that groundwork where you can't even get at some points where some things are emotional or some things trigger you to talk about. So the reason why I can speak on my life on certain things, and the reason why I was able to write this piece is because I'm not afraid to share my testimony, because I know what God pulled me from. I know the things that I endured and survived from. I should not be walking this planet today, and I am. I'm at a point when I share with my therapist.
Speaker 7:I don't want to talk about the pretty stuff, I talk about the nitty gritty. I don't want to talk about the pretty stuff, I talk about the nitty gritty, grindy stuff that had me in a place where I'm like these people were dealing with something themselves. Because, like that young lady said, hurt people hurt people. So if they're going to rape you, they've been raped. If they're going to abuse you, they've been abused. If they're going to manipulate you, they've been manipulated. If they're addicted to drugs, they're going to make you addicted to drugs. It's something that they already. It's generational cycles. That has not been broken, that has been brought on to me and my innocence was robbed.
Speaker 7:So when I came up with that title, the Enemy Tried to Steal my Identity. The Lord gave it back to me because I started to pick up the pieces of the puzzle and I had to step away from the past because I kept trying to resurrect it. I had to step away and walked away from it because the past already happened. I can't keep reliving what shoulda, coulda, wouldas, because it already happened, and so I had to turn away and keep moving forward. So that's when I was able to develop and started to write books and started to motivate people and started to encourage people and started to speak about my mess that God pulled me from, you know. So I'm not ashamed and I wear my battle scars very proudly and I know for a fact that I forgave these people that have done me harm and that's how I was able to have peace and I was able to have comfort and joy, because I know they were dealing with something themselves that they probably couldn't get out of either, but who knows, they're probably dealing with it now. I would never know, I would never get an apology, but I know in my heart and with my walk with God has been is to forgive in my heart, so I can be able to have that peace and that joy.
Speaker 7:But yes, mental health is a big thing. Yes, go get the help that you need, especially if you're not ready to face that demon or face that person that done you wrong. Yes, get the help that you need, because that person is getting paid to listen to you. Don't go there half-truth and half-step. Go there with the ugly the most nastiest thing and that's how they will be able to help you surface and bring up surface things. That has been layered. You got to pull back the layers. So that's why I'm able to stand here to say, yes, I've been molested. Yes, I've been raped. I've been homeless countless of times. The drugs, everything you can think of under the sun, has been done to me, because as a child, I was introduced to it and I thought that was correct. I thought that was the right thing.
Speaker 2:And I want to say, first, I'm so, so proud of you as a survivor of all of these things, and I also want to commend you for being so vulnerable and telling your truth and telling your story and not being ashamed of what you have battled in the past, what you continue to battle, because I'm going to tell you something the devil will not attack what he approves. He only attacks what he knows that is of God, right. He's only attacking his enemy, okay. So if you're doing something and you're're you're doing good, the devil is going to attack it, okay. So always remember, when you get these attacks, they're coming from. No, those are your tests. That's when sometimes you just do nothing, you let god have the lid and you keep going, you keep going, you don't stop.
Speaker 2:I had a conversation today and I spoke with a young lady and I told her never be ashamed, never be ashamed of what you're going through right now, what you're going through in this season, because it's building you up to become so much greater. I put a post up today that said I'm not competing with anyone other than me. I'm trying to be better than I was yesterday and I'm trying to be so great that the me tomorrow will have a harder time than being the person that I am today. Okay, right, I don't feel like anybody can outwork me. My work ethic is unmatched, and so I have no other choice but to compete with only me, because I only see me and that's not me being arrogant or anything like that. It's because everyone else I want to see them win too. So I'm not looking to compete with anybody else except me. I want to be better than I was yesterday. It's so much better today that the me tomorrow will have a hard time competing with who I am today and, if you can look at it that way, with who I am today, and if you could look at it that way.
Speaker 2:And another thing that I want to let everybody know before Sade gives you know a little bit more about her contribution in the book and where you can reach her. I want to leave you. I want to tell you guys this Think of life as this. Nobody owns the hourglass to their life. You cannot control that, okay, so always think of life like this Every minute is the last 10 minutes you're here. How do you want to spend the last 10 minutes of your life? Do you want to spend the last two minutes crying, depressed, upset, worrying, stressing no, you want to be happy. You want to be happy doing whatever it is that you want to do in your life Whether it's good, bad, indifferent. You. Let God judge that when you get there. But the last 10 minutes of your life you need to be doing exactly what you want to do with your life.
Speaker 2:But I'm going to tell you this when you put yourself on mute sweetheart, because we hear the rumbling in the background. But I will tell you this as well While you're doing what you want to do, make that decision of where you want to go in the afterlife. Because if you're not doing the things of God and if you're not doing what God wants you to do, be content with it, stand ten toes in it, because we can't do what we want to do here and don't think of the consequences behind it. But just know, the only person who can give you consequences on the choices that you make here on earth is god himself. So until you get to that gate, you'd be the best, best version of yourself, that you want to be in the last 10 minutes of your life and you do that every day, every minute of your life, and be happy and doing it. Just know when it's all over, there's only one judge. And when you get there, hopefully you ain't got no explaining to do at the gate because, like chris brown, say how you gonna, how you gonna say something.
Speaker 2:You, on the outside of the club, you can't even get in. Okay, make sure you're able even get in. Okay, make sure you're able to get in. That's why I say, when I do things, sade, I'm telling you I do things from the heart. I try to do things right because I got people. That's in heaven I want to see. First of all, I want to make it to the gate. Right, I got my ticket. Okay, I'm just like Tommy and the Chalker Pack. I got my ticket, I got my gold ticket. I'm going to make this game. I want to get in there. I don't want to be on the outside of the club and can't get in. Okay, I want to be at a party unimmersion. Okay, I want to live forever in peace.
Speaker 7:In peace.
Speaker 2:And not in fire, okay. So tell people a little bit more about your chapter in the book and give your payment information of where they can purchase. If you have a website, if you have a cash app, put it in the chat. Don't say it over the thing, but put it in the chat and tell people where they can find you.
Speaker 7:Okay, um, and tell people where they can find you. Okay, you can find me on facebook on shot a diy um, my regular facebook. Shot a void um. Also. The book is is basically everything that I talked about just now is highlighting all those things that I endured in my life. You know the enemy tried to steal my identity. It's just touching highlights on that. You can definitely order the book through me, through email. You can email me, shade, I will put it in the inbox for you guys to get my email and my cash app and I thank you, miss Linda, for letting me be a part of this project. It was very, very welcoming to me. It warmed my heart to basically express and share a side of me that not only that I share with my therapists, but to be able to touch readers out there that are afraid to speak of these topics of you know, mental illness and incest and drug addictions and stuff like that. So I'm super excited to be a part of this. Women's in the Waiting Room.
Speaker 2:You know what? I don't shy away from those topics. I try not to just for trigger warnings and you know those different things. I try not to let my guests get too in-depth because I just don't want people to have those visuals. But I will never shy away from those type of things because those type of things are real and true and anybody who knows the Listen Linda platform is we are real and we are true. We are not practiced. I don't give people questions before we get on here so they can practice. They ask us we don't do that over here. You're going to get it real or wrong. And with that being said, before we bring our next guest on, which is Miss Myra Cook, I'm going to go back into Made Away, sade Void. You guys. You can find her books on amazon and another waiting room you can pre-order if you like. You know what she is contributing to the devotional. She's putting her cash app um in the chat so you guys can personally um support her in her writing journey.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much you're welcome and while we wait on Myra Cook, I'm going to finish off with Made A Way.
Speaker 1:Thank you, thank you. You move mountains, you move mountains. You cause walls to fall, you cause walls to fall, you cause walls to fall, you cause walls to fall, to fall, to fall, to fall, to fall. And you call a slave To break, to call a slave To break, to call a slave To break To fall, giant fall, giant fall, giant fall. Hey, try it for, hey, try it for, try it for, try it for, cause you're all melting.
Speaker 2:You're all melting and everything you think you can do, cause you're all melting.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, mountains are moving, mountains, mountains are moving, mountains are moving. From all the breaking down, from all the breaking down, from all the breaking down, from all the breaking down, could you move mountains From all the breaking down? We'll be right back. My son is breathing. My son is living. My son is breathing. My son is living. When the doctor said no, hey, who said yes? The doctor said no. When the doctor said no, who said yes? When they pronounced me dead, who said not yet? When they called me dead, who said not yet? When they called me dead, you said not, yet you called me our next guest we have, and I call her Mama Myra.
Speaker 2:Her name is Myra Cook and I want you to introduce yourself. Tell people a little bit about why you chose to join the waiting room devotional, a little bit about what you wrote about in the book and how people can reach you. Ok, my name is Myra Cook. Can you hear me? You wrote about in the book and how people can reach you. Okay, my name is Myra Cook. Can you hear me? So just click the icon at the top. They got the little man with the headphones on. Click that right above your name and you should be able to unmute. I did, can you?
Speaker 4:hear me, it ain't working.
Speaker 2:It ain't working. Can you hear me?
Speaker 2:Okay, this ain't gonna work if you can hear me, myra, yes, click the icon that's at the top or that's in the. It might be in the middle for you. It's a man, it's a bald head man with some headphones on. I did. I need you to click that with your finger and you should be able to unmute. Okay, so we lost Myra and while we wait on her to come back, I'm going to play. Let's see, believe for it. So give me a second, you guys. I'm gonna pull up believe for it and we're gonna play believe for it.
Speaker 2:Thank you, move. They say these chains will never break. How you doing, mama Myra? I'm doing great. How are you? Look, I'm blessed by the best. I'm not going to speak nothing. Okay, I'm not going to give it the time.
Speaker 2:You know how I am. I don't want to say nothing, but I'm going through because I will rebuke it. In Jesus' name, put some oil on me, baby, and keep it moving. I'm so glad you're on here. I'm so glad I got you on here, girl. How you been? I've been doing good, just working. Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am. So I want you to give people a little bit about who you are, what it is you do, what it is that you have done throughout your life, and a little bit about what you contributed to the waiting room. Okay, I'm Myra Cook. I'll be 73 in October. I'm retired from Unum Insurance Company after working 36 years and I work part-time at TJ Maxx.
Speaker 2:And what I wrote about was my journey with narcolepsy cataplexy I had, I grew up with it and, until I started working, didn't know I had anything till I went to the doctor and they diagnosed me and and my parents, I said, well, that's what I have. My father said, well, I got that and my daddy had, and I didn't know anything about it all these years. Nobody said nothing. I just thought it was a way of life. I slept all the time. Wow, and that's what.
Speaker 2:Why it's so important for us to know our parents medical history. Yes, we go to the doctor all the time and now, like these modern days, they have it on there with your families and you know medical history and things that your parents have and your mom and your dad, but back in the day they didn't have that. Even for me that's something new. I went to the doctor and they said, ok, well, we need your father's medical history, we need your mama's medical history. I'm like, wait a minute, what? Really I'll start doing that. But that's because they need to know what they had so they can properly diagnose you. Now, you know it's unfortunate, but you know my dad didn't talk about that. I mean, you know he ain't said nothing. Now, I know to say he slept, but you know I didn't pay that much attention. It was just, and when I actually really saw, I mean they said it was hereditary and I had just got married and you know that means that it's going to be passed on to my children. But you know he ain't said nothing.
Speaker 2:It's not your children, it'll be your children's children. But I rebuke it in jesus name. But yeah, that's usually how that goes. You know what I'm saying. It's like, and it's like you feel. You know. You know, in a sense you feel a little betrayed because it's like why? Why couldn't you tell me I could have tackled this?
Speaker 2:sooner, you know I could have prevented it. Right, you, you have those. So those were the thoughts that were in your mind while you were in your waiting room. Right, so it is. But you know, I just, I, just I just lived with it and I needed to know everything I could find about narcolepsy and if anybody else had it. But you know, besides me, I found a lot of people that had it, that went through a lot worse than what I went through. Yes, ma'am went through, yes, ma'am, and there was a reason for you to thank god, like all these years. For me, not to know means that you've been covering me that you've been keeping me because if all I did was sleep a lot, that's a blessing within itself.
Speaker 2:That means, means you know what God, you protected me all this time. All this time I went through the world living and never knew. I never suffered any symptoms from it, other than rest. Yeah, because you know, whenever I got stressed or whatever, my sleep was my mechanism, I would go to sleep. Whenever I was stressed out or whatever, I would go straight to sleep, no matter what. Wow, wow, wow.
Speaker 2:As far as your contribution, I want to commend you on being so transparent with your story in this devotional, because this is your first time writing. Yes, yes, ma'am, how has the process been going for you so far? I'm anxious, but it's been. It's a learning thing and you know I've been writing a long time, but this is my first ever being published. I never, you know. I just write whenever I feel like it. But this is my first thing being published and I'm so excited and thankful that I could tell my story.
Speaker 2:Because, you know, one person told me well, I just thought you were saying something to be saying something. You know I wouldn't wish narcolepsy on anybody. No, ma'am, and anybody that I meet, I always tell them about narcolepsy. I'm sorry, I just talk about it all the time because, uh, it's always somebody, they know somebody in their family they got narcolepsy or they know somebody and I just like to know, you know, I like to know so, with your contribution to the devotional, what made you want to join the devotional, and can you give people a little more in-depth up to what you actually wrote in the story?
Speaker 3:I don't know.
Speaker 2:Well, this is my first time, this is my first time writing, and I don't know. I don't know. Okay, so let me break it down. When you first heard about the, the one when I did the call to action for the devotional, what made the title of the, the devotional, what made that stand out to you to say that's something I want to do or that's something I believe in?
Speaker 2:Well, it's the waiting room, because, you know, I waited all my life on different stuff that I didn't accomplish. And, just to put it on paper, I did accomplish a lot. Yes, you did that. I just, you know, never really really thought about it. And my granddaughter read it before I turned it in and she said I didn't know you went through this, I didn't know you did this and you know. And so I said, well, at least I'm contributing to let people know how to you know to rely on god, because that's all I could do, because I could have got fired from my jobs that I had, because, even though it's supposed to be an equal opportunity employee, I'm gonna let you guys know something right now they will find a way, if you're disabled, to get you up out of there, without mentioning the fact that it's due to your disability. Yes, they should.
Speaker 2:I know that for a fact. So go in. They say, oh, because I used to work in human resources, I used to work in employee rights, employee rights I used to work in, you know, I was actually an HR generalist and HR specialist for quite a while and I used to sit in board meetings where they'd be like, oh, you know, we have a perfect candidate and they'll say, oh, she's too experienced, so you know, we're not going to hire her because she's too old. Well, again, that's against the law. But or they'll say, oh, this person, they got asthma, they got cancer, so we're not going to hire them because that's going to cost us too much to bring on somebody like that.
Speaker 1:You know and even with me.
Speaker 2:I got to let go of a lot of jobs and they would blame it on my attendance or they would blame it on certain things, but the truth of the matter is is that they didn't want me there because I had thyroid cancer or because I had fibromyalgia. So my health insurance and you know my insurance premiums if you're getting free insurance by your employer, that premium that they're paying for it costs them more to keep you on. So be mindful of those things when you speak into people who have disabilities and can't work a nine to five. Everybody don't have the health that you may have and you don't know how many jobs that they have been through in their life and none got fired because of what they suffer from. So you know we have to be empathetic about those type of things. So of course you didn't know, because you match those things so you can keep your employment. Yeah, that's true. You know I'm just going to give everybody their money back and I'm going to move on.
Speaker 2:But then I think about your story of narcolepsy and your story of what you carried all these years while you were in your waiting room. And if you have faith in God to get through that, then why can't I have faith in God to get me through this To help other people know about you and about your story? That's why I'm so glad that you joined me on this platform today, because people can read about you, right, yeah, we can read about you all day long and still not know who you are. It's the intimacy of your voice for people to hear you tell your story. You tell who you are. That gives people a sense of who you are and it makes the audience more intimate with you. So tell people where they can find you on social media and make sure, when you get off, mama Myra, I want you to put in the comment section your cash out so the people who are in support of you can purchase the book directly from you, okay, okay, well, I'm on Facebook and Instagram, but I can't tell you what they are. My Facebook is Myra Cook, m-y-r-a Cook, c-o-o-k, and it's the same on Instagram.
Speaker 2:Myra Cook, I've got to help when I can. Okay, thank you, because I certainly don't know and my granddaughter not here to tell me. But and what else did you want me to say? I wanted you, when I take you back down off the platform, oh, yeah, to put your cash app in. So if you are in support of Myra and her contribution to the devotional, I want you to cash app her for your preorder. It's $25. Cash out her for your pre-order is $25. I want you to cash out Myra and she's going to put her cash out tag in the comment section. What's your cash out, mama Myra? It's $51. Myra Cook 51. It's in the comment section here.
Speaker 2:I want you guys, if you are in support of Myra Cook, pre-order the waiting room devotional from her for $25. Her cash out is in the comment section. Thank you so much, mama myra, and we're gonna get back to believe for it by cc winans. Oh yeah, that's my favorite song. That's your favorite. So much, oh, thank you, I appreciate you and I love you. Know, I love you, mama myra. You know I got you.
Speaker 3:You know I got you, thank you all right so the next, all right, so the next person.
Speaker 2:Love you too. The next person that we got coming on is actually Natasha Higgins. So while we're waiting on Natasha, we're going to I mean right after Believe For it. We're going to have another co-author who is near and dear to me, and her name is Natasha Haggins. We heard the tide will never change.
Speaker 1:They haven't seen what you can do.
Speaker 1:There is power in your name, so much power in your name. Move the unmovable, break the unbreakable. God, we believe God, we believe. From the impossible we will see a miracle. God, we believe God, we believe for it. We know that hope is never lost, for there is still an ending race. God, we believe, no matter what, there is power in your name. So much power in your name. Move me and move along. Break me. I'll break alone.
Speaker 1:God, we believe God, we believe for it. Hold me and hold so long We'll see your name in the Lord. We'll see your name again, god, we believe God, we believe for it. You have a light when there seems to be no light. We trust in you. Don't you have a final say? You are the way when there seems to be no way, yes, you are, we trust in you. Don't you have a final say? You are the way. Move me into the Lord, take me on way to the Lord. God, we believe God, we believe for you From the impossible. We'll see your name in the Lord, god, we believe God, we believe God, we believe God, we believe.
Speaker 2:God, we believe for it. We believe for it. I, just, I, just, you know, cece can't do no wrong In my eyes, y'all, that is my girl, that's my auntie in my head. How you doing, natasha? How are you? Hello, hello, how are you? How are you, jackie? You know you, my girl, you know how to come out.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:I'm with Cece. I got to get the party started, girl. Yes, yes, yes, it's always a party on the Listen Linda show. Yes, it is. Look.
Speaker 2:I just love this lady's spirit. Let me tell y'all how I found her. It was so crazy. I was just scrolling through Facebook one day, divine Connections it was a Divine Connections.
Speaker 2:She said I just want to publish my book, I just want to write, I just want to write, I want to tell how God has blessed me. I said, well, girl, I got an author call, I got this going on and she jumped right on. And when I tell you guys that she's been ten toes since then promoting this project, promoting my project, the anthology, she's been, you know, whatever it is, she sees that I'm doing. She's so supportive and I just wanted to make sure I had to drag her on in here. Y'all. You gotta be able to know you, because people, yeah, know you.
Speaker 2:I was scrolling and and I'm sorry, you guys, because this is this is not off topic, though this is actually right on topic I was scrolling the other day and she did a four part um, guess what happened to me today, type of thing, and I listened to all four parts and she. She visited the church and she was consoling someone and the people at the church that she was visiting and told her she was out of place because and she was out of line for consoling somebody else in the church because she wasn't a member at the church. And so these are the attacks that you're going to get when you're doing what you're supposed to do and you're working in your ministry, right? So again, I want to tell you, sister, you did nothing wrong.
Speaker 2:Honey, a lot of people get so in their egos and so behind their titles and so defensive when it comes to this is my thing. We cannot get caught up in this is my thing. We have to let God work and if God is in the room and he's telling God to speak through you, you better go ahead and speak in the waiting room. Okay, you're right, you're right telling God to speak through you, you better go ahead and speak in the waiting room, okay.
Speaker 2:You better go ahead and do what you're supposed to do while you're over here on the platform. That's why I love opening my platform. I love being a vessel. That's why I don't call myself a visionary. I don't call myself the face of this. You are the face of this. That's why there's no face on, if you notice, yeah, on the cover of the books, even with the whole podcasting and the promotion.
Speaker 2:I allow my authors to come on. I allow the authors because they're not mine, I don't owe but I allow the co-authors to come on and interview me. I give you guys that chance to promote yourselves because I want to help uplift you and lift you up in what you're doing as well. So I appreciate you coming on. I'm going to pass the mic. I'm going to let you tell people who you are, your contribution to the. You know what they can expect from your contribution to the devotional. But also what drawed you in? Because I could have proposed this to you and you could have been like you better, get out of my face. That ain't nothing I want. So what made you decide that you wanted to be in a devotion? Because, at the end of the day, that was your choice to make. So let's just give people a little bit more background about who you are my name is natasha hagins.
Speaker 4:um, I started writing in 2017 after I had a nervous breakdown because I wanted people to hear my voice and other people's voice that don't seem like they cannot be heard. So I started writing poetry in 2017. I wrote my first poem called Sisters, hold on Tight to the Rope in an anthology at my church and it's called Women in All Circumstances and Deaths. And when I was in the, when I was in a psychiatric ward and after I left, I said I want to continue to reach out to those who seem like they don't have a voice and we just keep things bottled up inside and we're stressed and this is the outlet for me. Writing it's my ministry, my passion. So I just started writing in a journal and I started writing poems and poetry and I created it into a book called Rebirth Unfolding of the Mind, which I published in 2020. And I went on to write three other books.
Speaker 4:I wrote a book called Pretty Wings is for domestic violence the virus because I went to a teenage empowerment workshop for young girls and it just astonished me how many young people are in silence about domestic who are, who have been in domestic violence situations at a young age. So I wrote a book for the victims and survivors of domestic violence and I have a journal called I Am a Butterfly, because I want women to understand and know that in all stages we're just like the metamorphosis of the caterpillar, where we're growing and we can be in a cocoon stage where we just don't know what's going on in our lives, but we're just there and we can grow into a beautiful butterfly. And this book is just. This journal is just for you to write and write anything that you feel that comes up in your life. You feel that comes up in your life and, um, my last book I wrote is called Uncaged um Butterflies.
Speaker 4:It's just poems where I get more into my, more into my poetry, more into getting getting people deeply to know where I stand and and where I stand and my emotions and the way the world is and stuff like that. So that's how. So I wrote four books of poetry books and a journal so far. Yeah, hello.
Speaker 2:Oh, oh, you're here. We hear you. Yes, so to write poetry. How was that different from what you've contributed to the waiting room and what made you decide? You know what I want to be a part of that. That's something that I want to do.
Speaker 4:I've been in anthologies, but this one, just like you said, we've talked you said earlier it was just a divine connection on Facebook because I just wrote, um, that all I want to do is write, that's my passion, and for you to reach out to me. That's just a divine. That was just a divine connection from God to me. That's how I take it, and I want people that deal with mental in this anthology. I mean in the devotional that I'm writing for my part, it's called Breakthrough, From a breakdown to a breakthrough. It's called Breakthrough From a Breakdown to a Breakthrough.
Speaker 4:I just want to advocate for people that have dealt with mental breakdowns to know that they are not alone and that you can push through. Just advocate for yourself and have the right people around you, write people around you, and that's basically. It was different between poetry and that is. I'm really getting intimate with you guys about some parts of my life so you can get to know me better. But in poetry it's I write in imagery and I like to write in imagery and thoughts of in my head. I can write about anything with poetry, but and um, and writing this devotion I'm I'm digging deeper into myself. That's what's the difference.
Speaker 2:That's what I the difference in writing in this devotional and my poetry so to get a little bit more in depth um, mental wellness and mental health um is something that's spoken a lot about in this devotional um. You may not know it because you haven't lived it, but listening to even this podcast tonight and you hear about other people who are dealing with those type of things like you got a Sade void and people have to grab the book to see others but there are a few others who are dealing with these type of things, things and you just hear that other people are going through the same thing that you go, that you're going through or that you went through or that you may have experienced in the past. How, how does that help you to? What does that? What does that feel like to you?
Speaker 4:it feels like I'm not alone. So if I have a voice, others have a voice. We can impact so many people that just don't talk about it. You know what I'm saying? So we're advocating for people with mental health issues and we're talking about it, and I find that in my community, in the black community, we don't talk about it enough.
Speaker 2:So to be able to write about it and to talk about it to me is a big step, is a big step well, I want you to tell people where they can find you, how they can reach you, and make sure that if you support, if you're in support of of Natasha's chapter in the story and the devotional, she's going to put her cash out or her tag in the comments on how you can pre-order the devotional directly from her. So, natasha, tell people where they can find you so they can follow you on social media and then, just like everybody else, put your information in the comments section. Okay, Okay.
Speaker 4:Well, you can find me on Facebook at Natasha Higgins and on Instagram at Natasha Higgins as well, and I'll put in the comments cash app is um dollar sign, natasha hagens.
Speaker 2:yeah, well, I appreciate you, sweetheart, so much for coming on. Uh, for you know, um, you know, answering the call, honey, you always you answer the call to action, every time you don't miss a beat, and I appreciate that so much. I appreciate that so much from you. Okay, thank you. So, before we move on to our next guest, I'm going to play. Is there a song you would like to hear?
Speaker 4:Is there a song you would like to hear? And um God, you're Not Alone. By um. What's his name? I forgot, you Are God.
Speaker 2:Alone, you Are God Alone. Yes, okay, so we're going to play Marvin Sapp. Yeah, marvin Sapp, marvin Sapp, you're sap. Yeah, marvin sap. Yeah, marvin sap. You're okay, god alone. We're gonna play marvin sap, you are god alone. And then we're gonna get to dorian evans. So dorian evans is next up. Okay, thank you.
Speaker 4:You're welcome.
Speaker 8:There's no question of your greatness, nor searching of your power. Oh, the wonder of your glory. To you, forty years is but one hour. Your knowledge is all encompassing. To your wisdom, there is. You are God alone. Your mercy is everlasting. Your truth is here always. You are he who was and is and is to come. Who is he that can number your days? You flood the sun to burn in space, and the night's moon powers light from day.
Speaker 1:Oh, you alone.
Speaker 8:You're God, you're God, elohim, you're everything I need.
Speaker 1:You are God. Oh Lord, come to the King, come to the King, turn on In hearts of Invisibility. The only wise God, the only wise God, the only wise God, the only wise God, the only wise God, the only wise God.
Speaker 8:No one else can minister Lord.
Speaker 1:But God alone.
Speaker 8:Now unto the King.
Speaker 1:Eternal Turn upon In my town. In this world, the only one God, the only one God, you are my God, my God. No one else can touch me. Our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our God, our. I know, I know, I know, do everything that I need for you, for you, my God.
Speaker 1:I know, I know he hold me and I told him and I'll work it forever and honor to me and work forever and ever. I'm in the old glory and honor.
Speaker 8:Oh, he deserves all the praise and honor. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, oh, I have the Lord. I want to get to minister to him.
Speaker 1:Lord, hallelujah, oh yeah, come on, begin to minister to him tonight Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen and power. Forever and ever. Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen. I will forever and ever Amen. We are sorry and heartbroken, and our power forever and ever Amen.
Speaker 8:Amen. You are God alone. You're my Jehovah China. You're my Jehovah Nissi. You're my Jehovah Elyon. You alone are God.
Speaker 1:You are God, you are God, you are God, you are God, you are God. Oh, oh, oh, oh. You're into my life, oh, oh, oh, oh. Minister, to my heart, open up your mouth and give me a little bit of faith. You're into my life, you know. Now, I know my.
Speaker 8:God, no one else compared to you. Come on, let's just begin to speak to our Father. I'd like to hear the fruit of your lips right now, the fruit of your lips. Open up your mouths right now. You're on holy ground. Come on, come on, come on, press on in, press on in.
Speaker 3:I wish.
Speaker 8:I had somebody that would help me Press, press. Come on, let's go into the holies of holies. Come on, let's minister to him right now. God, we worship your name today. God, we give you glory and honor, hallelujah. God. There is none like you. There is none like you. I, there is none like you. I just had a few folks that would open up their mouths and just begin to bless you. Come on, open up your mouths. Everybody, open up your mouths. Lift up those hands. Lift up those hands. Come on, begin to minister to him. I want to embrace you. I want to show you how much I love you. Come on for about 30 more seconds.
Speaker 2:Come on, bless you, hallelujah you in the room, girl, you back in the room. She ran away. I have to bring her back, looking and screaming hey y'all, hey, how y'all doing tonight. Hey girl hey girl, everybody miss darmian. Girl, everybody, where's darmian? We? I had to go faster, y'all had to find her, like I found sade chad had to find her, y'all yes, yeah, the chat is like slap me around a little bit come on, the devil is a lie. I can't slap her from Illinois now, not, not not physically, but you know you know, sometimes we have to do that for
Speaker 2:our friends.
Speaker 3:Yes, exactly there's some things so, and I love who you are so that's right.
Speaker 2:I love you, we love you, we adore. You know you are a friend of this podcast.
Speaker 3:Yes, I love you too. I love you guys all. Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:So, other than being bullied into this devotional, yes, ma'am, because you're my friend and you're going to be in my project. No, seriously, what made you decide? Because you could my friend and you're going to be in my project no, seriously, what made you decide? Because you could have said no, you could have been like nope, I ain't about to do it. I got too much going on. Life be life, and I ain't got time to write that and I ain't going to do it.
Speaker 2:What made you? First, I want you to remind maybe some of my new followers, or people who don't know you, who you are. Give them a little bit more, uh, in depth, of who you are, um, some of the work that you've already done as far as literature, and tell them, uh, what made you decide? You wanted to because I'm gonna give you the floor, so that's why I'm giving you, you know, assignments. So I want you to tell the people who you are a little bit about why you decided to join the devotional, other than the fact that you're a friend of mine and what you know some of the work that you already have done and what you have going on and then a little bit about your contribution into the devotion have going on, and then a little bit about your contribution into the devotion.
Speaker 3:Okay, all right, so my name is Dorian Evans and I am an author. Um, I have authored one book on my own. Uh came out last summer, and it is understanding my assignment um my journey on raising champions, trusting the process and finding myself or redefining myself on who I am. I am a child of God. I am a mother to four wonderful children, three sons that are fully grown and out of my house, and I have a 15 year old daughter left. Um, it's like raising three people all over again. Uh, just her by herself. And um, I am a. I am a teacher, um. So I don't just say that I have you know, for I say I have like 125 kids, or I could say I have 230 kids, because I um started with these children, uh children, their freshman year, just finished their sophomore year with them, and I will carry them through, or I will be with them through their junior and senior year, so they really are my kids. So I have 300 kids, four biologicals, and I absolutely love what I do. Um, I really pour into my kids at school. I pour into my children who are, you know my biological children. Um, you know, I always said, if that was my purpose here on this planet, if that is why God put me here, then I want to please him and I want to do it to the fullest and, um, and I love it. So that is just a little bit about me. Um, I do have a.
Speaker 3:I have the book out. I also have a understanding the assignment or understanding my assignment journal out. Um, they're both available on Amazon. The book is available on Amazon, barnes Noble through Archway Publishing. It basically is a memoir of, you know, just raising my children. I went through a divorce. It's a weekend read. It's not a long book. You can pick it up and start in any chapter and my biggest thing is just to be relatable to people. I feel like everybody's so busy trying to show you know the world and project things that they really aren't or they're trying to project this image and it's like, you know, I don't need to do that. I just need to be, you know, authentically me. I need to be who God created me to be and, you know, spread love that way. So I wrote the book to be whatever it is that you know, the reader who picks it up, needs it to be, whether it's.
Speaker 3:You know, I show a lot of vulnerability in the latter chapters because I am figuring out who I am again, after being a mom and a wife. For I think at the time in the book I was about 23 years, a mom and I had ended, you know, a 12 year marriage. So, you know, you lose. As women, we always lose ourselves to whatever cause, whatever, you know, our, whatever mission is out there, whatever cause, we always put everything before us and before our needs a lot of the time. So just trying to figure out, you know, know, who I am and what else I do other than work with kids and be a mom is, it was important to me, um, especially with just having one left and she's, you know, going to be flying the nest to go off to college um is my hope soon. So, um, I just didn't want to be sitting here looking at four walls, kind of like who am I? Um, I also was part of um, the anthology.
Speaker 3:Um, that is how I met miss jackie phenomenal, we've been buddies ever since, ever since, yes and just I mean to meet the women that I met. I love doing the anthology, um, because I was able to meet so many women and they were able to share their stories and just be vulnerable. So you, you know, it's always that for me, I always try to say I don't, I'm not going going through anything just to go through it. I'm going through something to help someone else come through it as well. So when times get rough, I try to remind myself you know what is the lesson, and one day, lord, I know, I'll be able to touch somebody. So, you know, just help me to keep that in mind that I'm not going through this just to go through it. I'm going through it for a purpose. So, um, yeah, that's, that's pretty much it.
Speaker 3:Um, I have a website. Um, you know, you can find all things the Dorian Evans um Instagram, I'm just Dorian Evans. On Facebook, on X D Dorian Evans. So that's me, that's what I do, that's who I am.
Speaker 2:And she is who she is, and very well. And now we're going to talk about your contribution to the devotional yes ma'am, about your contribution to the devotional yes ma'am. So how was writing that and what can people expect from your contribution?
Speaker 3:So I always write from a very real place or a very. Sometimes I usually end up writing when I'm going through something. Um, this particular time, I had just spoken to, uh, miss Jacqueline on the phone and she's like no, I want you to be part of this. I'm like I don't even know what I'm gonna write, like I don't really have anything to contribute and, you know, just have a little bit of a pity party for myself. And she's like I don't care, you're going to do it. It's only this many words, you're going to do it. And I was like, okay, okay, and I agreed to it and I really didn't have a topic. And you know, maybe a couple weeks later was it a couple weeks, two weeks weeks, something like that I sent her my submission and, um, it's simply titled in amazing grace and it just talked about the grace that God gives us and you know, when going through something, he's still our father.
Speaker 3:Sometimes we have to come out of our comfort zone and look for help, because I know I'm a person that I don't ask for anything from anyone. So I think God is dealing with me or working with me on that a little bit. Um, I just always speak from my heart, I and I always say I'm. You know, I'm still, I'm still a Christian. I'm still perfecting myself and my faith. And am I perfect? No, absolutely not, um, but I most definitely try and strive every day to be who God has called me to be, to be, like, you know, jesus as much as I possibly can. Some days are harder than others, but, you know, I feel like if we talk about it, we tend to get through it better and we don't feel so alone in this world.
Speaker 2:Yes, if anybody know that I'm the one to talk to, I am the one I will talk you down. But just like I'll talk you down, I will listen as well. And the, the, the, her title amazing grace. Um, it really, it speaks to everybody because it takes you back to a place even with that. You know that that that gospel hymn, right, amazing grace, how sweet the sound. Um, a lot of people have made poetry entitled Amazing Grace, because it really is a prophetic word Amazing Grace, how Sweet the Sound. That saved a wretch like me Just hearing those words.
Speaker 2:So when I read the title, I was like Dorian knew she had this in the tunnel. She knew what she was doing to go send me this Like girl. You know I got me this. Like I girl, you know I got nothing. You know you knew you had something. You knew you had something.
Speaker 2:And when I say that it is, it is so profound and it really embodies who she is as a woman of god. I, I'm so in awe of you and what you have been through and what you continue to survive every day. It's not easy, sweetheart, and that's why it's important you guys, when you have friends and you have those connections with people. Don't let the devil come in and try to break that, because he's going to try whatever he can and he can't get through to me because I know it's tricks. I'm already ready for him and I'll be waiting. I'll be like you think you're gonna come, you ain't gonna break this one. Nope, you're not gonna do this. So when we allow not just to give other people grace, but to give ourselves grace enough to know that God is going to handle whatever we are going through, it makes life so much easier. And I don't think you were on here when I said this, dorian, so I'm going to say it again.
Speaker 2:I have adapted this thing in my life right when I say the last 10 minutes of my life will not be in vain. I will make sure, because we don't hold the hourglass of our life, we don't know when our last 10 minutes are on this earth and I'm not gonna spend my last 10 minutes crying, depressed, stressed, worrying. The last 10 minutes of my life will be in full bliss. So I wanted, I want to tell that to you. I want to tell that to some of my speakers who who may have come on late or who have joined us late. Don't let the last 10 minutes of your life be regretful.
Speaker 2:Amen, spend the last 10, because you don't know whatever minute that's coming up after this, one may be your last 10 minutes. God say the same. That won't happen, but what I'm saying is that we have no control over that. So make sure the last 10 minutes of your life you're doing whatever it is that makes you happy, and worry about the judgment when you get at the gate. Just make sure whatever you're doing, you're doing something that won't compromise you getting to the gate. Okay, amen. So, with that being said, her chapter in the devotional is amazing. Grace. She's going to leave her um website in the chat and can you also tell people where they can reach you so they can order the book? If you guys are connecting with dorian and you want to contribute to her chapter and buy directly from her a signed copy of the devotional from her, tell people how they can do that.
Speaker 3:Absolutely so, evansdoriancom, you can log into my website, um, it will be updated monday, um by monday for to have the devotional on there if you want to order a copy of that. Um, again, everything is the ev. Um, so, yeah, that's that's how you can reach me, um, and I will put my uh cash up in there, so that way, if you want to purchase it, you know, just just put on there that you're purchasing signed copy of devotional and I will make sure I get it to you I appreciate you so much, dorian, for coming on and um letting everybody know um more about your chapter in the devotional.
Speaker 2:You guys, this my friend y'all. Like she said, I had to get on together, but that's okay, I did it out of love, honey. Then I did it out of love. Okay, I love you so much. I'm going to always be your number one cheerleader. You know how I rock with your girl from right and left, so God bless you.
Speaker 3:And what's the song that you want me to play before the next person? The last person comes on, so I would like for you to play uh, don't want to leave by israel newbreed. It is one of my absolute all-time favorite songs.
Speaker 2:And don't want to leave yes, okay, I gotta see if I have it.
Speaker 3:So it's called, don't want, don't want to leave, or I still love you slash, I still love you got it.
Speaker 2:I got it, so I'm gonna play. Don't want to leave slash. I still love you by israel and new breed as we bring in our last but not least, final guest for tonight, which is elena maria. Thank you so much, durian. I appreciate you, sweetheart, I appreciate your ministry. Go buy her books. You guys understand in my assignment. Um, she say yes to herself unapologetically and pre-order the devotion, a signed copy of the devotional from her. Use the Cash app. It will be updated to TheDorianEvanscom. Thank you so much, sweetheart. Thank you, love you. Love you too.
Speaker 1:Don't want to leave this holy place, don't want to miss the smile on your face, right where you are. I long to be safe in your arms. You're telling me, telling me that everything will be alright. You see every tear I cry down on my bended knee. Lord, I don't want to leave this holy place. Say you don't want to leave. Don't want to leave this holy place. Don't want to leave Smile on your face, right where you are now, right where you are, right on me, right where you are. Hold on to me, Saving your own. You telling me, telling me that everything will be alright. You see every tear I put down on my bending knee.
Speaker 1:Down on my bending knee, lord, I don't want to leave this holy place. Play, play, play, play, play, play Down on my business knee, lord, I don't wanna leave All that you have for me, lord, I receive. Heal my infirmity, restore every shattered dream. You're the soul when I cannot sing. You're the words when I cannot see. You're the words when I cannot see. You're my comforter in the night, help in my troubled times. You're the words when I cannot see.
Speaker 1:That is why I don't want to leave. I'm on want to leave. That ain't what. I don't want to leave. I, I, I'm on my 15th knee, down on my 15th knee, lord, I don't want to leave. Lord, I don't want to leave. Oh yeah, lord, let me have the thing. Oh yeah, let me see. If you kill me, kill me, you will be saved. God, I need you. If you kill me, you will be so starved. You're the song when I cannot sing. You're the word when I can't speak. You're the sweet love you put up in the night. You're the song when I can't sing. You're the song when I can't want to leave now.
Speaker 2:This holy place. I don't want to leave now. This holy place. Yes, don't Wanna Leave by Israel and New Breed. That is a now. That was a tearjerker. I had to get on off of it. That put me in a place of worship. I would be over here. I wouldn't have been able to get through it.
Speaker 2:Elena, how you doing tonight, sweetheart? I'm doing great. How are you? Oh, god bless, I am blessed and blessed by God. I'm so, so blessed to have you on the platform. I thank God for you and your message and your ministry is remarkable. God works, god works. He works Because I show with prayer child, because I know you be busy, you be busy. It's hard to get a life of y'all, but when she come through, she always come through for me.
Speaker 2:You guys, and I just appreciate you so much. I just want to give you your flowers and let you know I appreciate you so much. I appreciate all the women in the anthology who came and showed their support tonight. Who else do we have in the audience? We have Gentry's Journey, we have Melanie, we had Dr Audrey Ann in here a little while ago, so I just want to make sure that I shout out all the women of the waiting room anthology who always come in, and we might go ahead and hand you in the anthology you show up so much. Elaine, I just appreciate you so much in everything you do. So for people who do not know who you are, give a little bit about yourself, about your past projects, what you have going on now, what made you decide to join the devotional, and a little bit about your contribution.
Speaker 6:Okay, well, thank you, I am Elena Maria. Elena Maria I'm a multi-genre author, singer, songwriter, international motivational speaker, and I'm also a screenwriter. As far as books, I've written several books, 13 so far. I have a 10-part Healing from Journal series, a two-part surfer circle, early educational childhood books and my first urban fiction novel called Mariah, and that book will serve as my debut as a screenwriter and executive producer. So we are preparing to make that movie. So I'm just really excited for all the wonderful opportunities. So that's Elena Maria in a nutshell.
Speaker 6:As far as an artist, as far as who I am as a person, I am a woman of God. I'm a woman who loves people. I am a proud mother. I am a woman who just enjoys connecting, building, growing and encouraging people. As a motivational speaker, my main topic is absolute joy to be able to travel and speak and share my message both on the US soil and internationally. As far as the devotional, the Waiting Room, the title, the Waiting Room just spoke to me when I saw the call for the devotional.
Speaker 6:So often us women, we have testimonies or things going on and we sit on it, but I feel a lot of times when we go through things it's meant for us to share and encourage others. So I didn't want to silence my voice and share my story, hopefully to be able to encourage other mothers like myself who has lost a child. As we know, as a mom you love your babies to life, and to lose a child unexpectedly in the way that I lost my son it literally almost drove me insane. The grief was almost not palpable but through the help of God the one that I turned my back on because I was hurting so bad but through his help I was able to deal with the grief, walk through the process and, even though my humanity is still my humanity and I have a right to grieve, but I was able to, you know, grieve appropriately and I find a place to put that grief and realize that I still had life left to live. So to continue on the journey and not allowing that grief to cause me to fold into myself but in essence, bloom from it and become and again to be able to share my testimony to other moms who've lost children.
Speaker 6:As we know, the natural succession of things is the parent, the child buries the parent, not the other way around.
Speaker 6:So when that order is disrupted, it is a difficult, difficult task, but at the end of the day, I'm grateful to have this opportunity to share you know my journey and encourage, uplift, build, fortify and provide support for other mothers who have lost a child, and namely, in my case, a six-month-old infant.
Speaker 6:So I went through a crazy waiting room just trying to figure out how to live, how to breathe without it hurting, hurting, how to navigate life knowing that my son is in the grave and I'm yet walking the earth. So that was a hard thing to stomach but through the grace of god, his goodness, mercy and his kindness, I am still here in my right mind um yet becoming and growing and building. So thank you so much, jackie, for the opportunity um to be a part of this wonderful devotional and to be able to be connected with such wonderful women, to read their stories, to be empowered and, you know, just to be joint with women on a powerful tip no drama, no negativity, but just beautiful women sharing their stories, connecting, learning, growing, gleaning and becoming together. So thank you again for this opportunity.
Speaker 2:Thank you for answering the call to action. You are someone else who I've had the pleasure of. You are a friend of this platform. You've come on to speak about Mariah, one of my favorite books. I was so in tune with Mariah when she told me that she was coming out with the movie. Look, go back. If you are a fan of Listen, linda, I want you to go to iHeart or whatever platform that you use. Go back into the vault. Okay, she was here before we were talking about Mariah. Mariah is so good. If you guys do not have Mariah, find it on Kindle. Go to her website, www. No, it's not www, no more. It's not wwwno more, it's https. Colon slash slash. Elanamariacom. I want you to go to that website. Look at the books that she has and grab a riot and get you a signed copy of that, because when they hit the box office it's going to blow up and you're going to wish you had that signed copy at the price that she got it for right now. Okay, go to her website, grab that book.
Speaker 2:When I tell you when I read, when I read mariah because I read from cover to cover I couldn't put it down before she came on my show and it read like a movie. Every character. I was in tune. I was telling her you should get this person to play this person. I was so in tune with the book. I'm a fan okay, I'm a fan, this lady.
Speaker 2:When I say somebody who got a pen got it. This lady is anointed. This lady is a prophet. This lady can take you places with her voice, with her music, with her poetry. That a lot of people can't do, and it's not that they can't do it, but they have to practice it. It has to become a skill to them. This lady has been blessed with it. It's a gift from God and he has given her so many different gifts, so much oil, that she's multifaceted. And that is what I love about her, because she remains so humble and willing to just share and root for other people, while still being who she is and being confident in who she is.
Speaker 2:And like with me, I kind of suffer from imposter syndrome. It may seem like I'm real confident, but I'm not sometimes, and sometimes I question that and she's somebody that I can call and be like. Well, I don't know, you know, I might be, you know, and she'd be like girl. Are you kidding me, we talking about you. So I just want to say thank you. You are a true friend. So I just want to say thank you, you are a true friend, you are a true talent, you are a blessing from God, like one of the wonders of the world.
Speaker 2:Right here, we got right here in this book and I just I'm in awe and I'm inspired, truly inspired, about your dedication and your contribution to this devotional. And your contribution to this devotional, what you wrote about I haven't met anybody else other than myself. That's so open and transparent as to what that feels like. Right, Because you were in a waiting room with your baby for six months, every day. You know what I'm saying Watching them, and for that to happen and I'm saying Watching them and you know for that to happen, and I'm not going to go into debt because you got depth of to what her story is about, because you got to get the book from her and purchase it from her to get her to sign it, you know. But what I will tell you guys is that this devotional is mind blowing and for you to be able to trust me to help you get that story out. I truly appreciate you for that.
Speaker 6:Absolutely and, again, I always echo that sentiment. I'm so grateful for the, you know, the camaraderie, the sisterhood, the friendship, the opportunities. You, you know the things you poured into me. Um, you know no gatekeeping. You know, um, just working together. Hey, I see this opportunity. I'm gonna tag you going back and forth. You want this. Look at this, look at that, just just trying to, you know, support each other and and that it's so refreshing and wholesome and healthy, um, it just feels good to be, you know, be connected to people who just want to win together, because we you know what was the saying? People who just want to win together, because we you know what was the saying I'm a movement by myself, but I'm a force for we, together. Come on, now we can adopt that, you know, that mentality across the board. We can take over this world and make a big impact.
Speaker 2:Amen, amen. And with that being said, let us let the people know, because I already put your website out there. Look, I'm like it's not WWW, no more, but it's this. You know, I know. So you know. With that being said, tell people where they can reach you, how they can preorder a signed copy directly from you, as well as how they can find you on social media, and then tell me what song you want me to play. Or if you want to just take us out with prayer, that can work too.
Speaker 6:Okay, well, as she said, you can reach me at elainamariacom that's A-L-L-A-I-N-A mariacom and across social media, I'm author, elena Maria, on all social media platforms. I would love for you to follow me, chat with me. I would love to communicate back with you. I'm all about loving and growing and gleaning. So thank you again for this opportunity and if you would like a signed copy, you go to my website, elainamariacom. There's an inquiry button. Go ahead and tap that inquiry button. Let me know you want to purchase a signed copy and I'll make sure to reply to your request and we'll get everything processed from there. And, as she stated, we'll close out with a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for this wonderful day that you have made. Thank you for everyone who we've crossed paths with today, everyone we've had the opportunity to speak with. We thank you for the ability of the things we take for granted to be able to see, to be able to hear, to be able to move our limbs. God, we thank you so much for everything. Everything we give your name the praise. Now we ask you, in the name of Jesus, that the words that we put out in this journal, they don't return void, but they go and accomplish the missions that they're sent out to do. Help them to be able to heal those who are broken. Give encouragement to those who are struggling To illuminate the light, to someone who thought it was just darkness ahead, but show them there is light on the other side of this. Whatever that, this is God. We thank you so much for the assignments you've given us in the earth and we don't take them lightly. Help every woman in the anthology and the devotional to make sure that we let our light so shine, god, that they may see you and glorify you.
Speaker 6:We thank you, god. Help us to stay humble before you. Help us to be ever gracious in our gifts. Oh God, as you elevate us, help us to always remember you and keep you on our mind. Help us along the way in our path as we journey through life. Help us to be the examples that you want us to be. Now, god, we ask you to touch each and every hearer that hears this prayer. Touch them from the crown of their heads to the sole of their feet. Let peace, love, joy and light follow them all the days of their life. And we give your name thanks, glory, honor and praise. It's in your matchless name. We do pray.
Speaker 2:Amen, amen, amen, and we're going to leave you guys with what we prayed for. Thank you, gentry Journey. Thank you, melanie Johnson. Thank you, myra Cook. Thank you, natasha. Thank you Sharon Denise. Thank you Dorian Evans. Thank you Elena Maria. Thank you Audrey Ann. Thank you, dr Velma. Thank you everybody from all over the globe who's going to catch this on the replay. I appreciate you all. Thank you to my audience overseas, especially my UK people and my Nigeria people and my Jamaica people. You guys come heavy in my analytics so I know you guys are listening. I appreciate you all. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:If you want to know more about me, what I'm doing, follow me on social media Facebook especially. I have upcoming events that are coming up, but the anthology will be out the first week of June. The devotional will be out the third week of June. Keep following me. Jacqueline Cox J-A-C-Q-U-I-L-I-N-E Cox. On Facebook. That is where I post the most, but of course, I'm on Instagram spiritualsunbeam2020. I'm on TikTok, spiritualsunbeamthreads spiritualsunbeam2020. I appreciate you all. I love you all.
Speaker 2:If you're on the replay, if you hear someone that you connect with and you want to support them and get a signed copy from them, go to their cash app. Come on to station head. Look in the comment section. Their cash apps are there or follow them on social media. They will have their cash apps available or their websites. Support the authors. Of course, grab the pre-order for 99 cent when it comes out right. But if you want a signed copy of the person that you feel that you connect with the most, support the actual author by going to their website or ordering it from them personally. I love you all, like Christ, love the church, and God bless you all. And we're ending this with Ash B. Pray for her. Have a blessed night, you guys.
Speaker 1:We know the man that I prayed for.
Speaker 5:Not wishing with no man. That wasn't made for me. See, this love, we have gotta be tailored. Big question with no man? That ain't no fit for me. Do you pray, cause I pray? You want kids, I want eight. Are you faithful? Oh wait, tell me, can you send a ring? You a king, I'm a queen. We require certain things, and that's what I pray for. So that's what I wait for.
Speaker 5:Dear God, come when you're sinning. I'm gon' be for. Dear God, you're in your center. I'm gon' be ready. Dear God, you do this for me. I won't forget it. My heart, I've been through so much and I just wanna feel your love for once. And, dear God, I hope he's happy Already here, but if you're sending me, I know he is, I know he will be God. That's what I pray for. So that's what I wait for, and I vow to be everything you need, share my life with you, on the right, with you, and I promise to support all your dreams, but I gotta know that you were made for me. Do you pray, cause I pray? You want kids, I want a name. Are you faithful? Oh wait, tell me, can you send a ring? You a king, I'm a queen. We require certain things, and that's what I pray for. So that's what I wait for no-transcript.
Speaker 1:Yes, there are 11 minutes. You want me to go check now, right? All right, okay, let's go ahead and have him turn on the light. I thought that was something to do.
Speaker 7:He's going to turn on his light and say put me down, let's go ahead and try this. All right, so he's running, nothing's happening.
Speaker 1:He's Stay down. Okay, thank you, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the. No-transcript.
Speaker 2:It's been a start.