Linda Cole

Life with a depressed and suicidal mother is what Linda Cole remembers most about her childhood. Linda’s grandparents introduced her to a loving God. She would wake and dress herself for church each week, then arrange for transportation to and from church. Because of their godly influence, Linda’s grandparents were the first people in her life to be “God with Skin” for her.

Waiting for “Mr. Right,” Linda was 25-years-old when she married. She quickly discovered that the man of her dreams was to become her nightmare. Abused both emotionally and physically, Linda found herself in a marriage where she lived in perpetual survival mode. The addition of their two children during this marriage only magnified the abuse.

After discovering her husbands hidden life of pornography and the fact that he had put them into debt to the tune of $46,000, Linda began to look at her options. She and her children didn’t know what it was to feel safe in their own home. She sought help with Women’s Protective Services and took her children out of the home so she could protect them.

God placed many people in Linda’s life throughout her marriage who became God with skin for her. Through these friendships she took the baby steps needed to begin to live the life God had for her and her children. She was able to think for herself for the first time and put money aside for her and her children to live on their own. Even Social Services became God with skin when, for the first time in their lives, her 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son were able to feel safe.

The many friends who became God with skin to Linda helped her establish her own home in a miraculous way and begin a life where she could have pride in her family. These friendships remain vital to her today. Even Linda’s mother became God with skin when, before she died, she was able to express to Linda that she truly loved her.

With her bachelor’s degree, a teaching job that she loves and a home where she feels safe, Linda can now serve others because of the blessings God has given her. Through her own experiences she is able to help others through hard decisions in their relationships. Linda serves in her church and is always happy to share how we can all be God with skin to the people God puts on our lives. 
 

Linda’s speech:

God with Skin

The People God Sends to Help You through Life.

 You can be God with skin to anyone who needs help. You can also be the beneficiary of the blessings that come from a giving God with skin.

Someone who is God with skin listens to the one in need. They don’t have to tell them what to do or how to live their lives. They allow the person they are helping to take the small steps necessary to learn to take care of themselves.

Linda encourages her audience to be caring and loving to those in their lives. You never know who will be looking toward you to be a source of strength — it could be your neighbor, your friend at work or church, or even the deacon’s wife. We all need to be God with skin and we all, at some point in our lives, need someone else to be God with skin to us.

Who should attend?

Anyone who:

 ·     has been in or knows someone in an abusive relationship.

 ·     wants to help others in need, but don’t know exactly what to do.

 ·     needs to regain hope in their life.

 ·     wants to grow closer to God through serving others.

 Length of talk: 8, 15 or 25 minutes