Join us for a deeply personal conversation as we sit down with Jenny Robinson-Clark, debut children's book author and my dear friend of over 30 years. Jenny opens up about her heart-wrenching journey following the loss of her mother and the miraculous signs from heaven that inspired her beautiful book, "Are You Here?: A Story about the Magical Signs All Around Us."
When Jenny lost her mom, her world was turned upside down. But in the weeks that followed, something extraordinary began to happen—she started receiving signs. A rainbow on a cloudy day. An owl on her porch. A butterfly in the park. At first, she wondered if she was imagining it. But the signs kept coming, and she realized: her mom was still here. Not gone. Just... different.
In this episode, Jenny shares how God orchestrated those sacred moments and used nature to speak to her grieving heart, why she felt called to write a children's book that teaches kids (and adults) that love never leaves—it just changes form, and the heartbreaking question every grieving child asks—"Can they still see me?"—and why her book answers with a resounding YES.
This isn't just a children's book. It's a bedtime story that heals, not just entertains. It's for anyone who's ever lost someone and looked for a sign—and found one.
Join us as we explore Jenny's beautiful story of hope birthed out of grief, and learn how to open your heart, ask for a sign, and trust that your loved ones are still with you. Be prepared for an inspiring conversation filled with faith, wonder, and the reminder that love doesn't end—it just finds new ways to say hello.
GUEST: @JennyRobinsonClark
Jenny's Book: Are You Here?: A Story about the Magical Signs All Around Us
Pre-Order: https://www.jennyrobinsonclark.com/
HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington
To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.
What's God Got to Do With It is an iHeartRadio podcast on the Amy Brown Podcast network. It's written and hosted by Leanne Ellington, Executive Produced by Elizabeth Fazio, Post Production and Editing by Houston Tilley, and Original music written by Cheryl Stark & produced by Adam Stark.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
If you want to go on a journey. If you're skeptical,
don't worry. Now here to preach. I'm gonna keep it
clean and talk to me and recall where faith meets
falls nature. Get in touch with your creator with a bacon,
love and jo.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
She even speaks Hebrew.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
What's that got to do?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
What's that? Well?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Sadboation? You should talking transformation? What's dop gonzo?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Hey everyone, and welcome back to What's God got to
do with It? And today I have a very special
guest with me, and this one is extra meaningful because
Jenny Robinson Clark and I have known each other since
elementary school and so we were talking thirty plus years
of friendship, you guys, and so it has been so
powerful to watch someone that you grew up alongside you,
(01:07):
but also see who we've become, both of us as adults.
And the beautiful part is God brought us back together
over the years different times, but recently together again because
Jenny just moved to Nashville, and so we've rekindled our
friendship in the most amazing way. And it's one of
those full circle moments that just feel so divinely orchestrated. So,
(01:27):
first of all, hello Jenny, thank you for being here.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Hilianna. I'm so excited real wait to tell the story.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Yes, So today we're going to talk all about your
debut children's book, Are you here. We're going to talk
about what inspired it, the very very personal experiences behind it,
and the spiritual message that's been woven throughout it, and
honestly just the beauty of how this book came to me.
So before we dive into all of that, Jenny, I
(01:55):
just want to start with you. So tell us you
know who is Jenny Robinson Clark, and she is not
writing children's books. Like you had a really successful dancing
and acting career, you met your husband, you now have
a gaggle of amazing, beautiful, cute children. So just tell
us a little bit about yourself and what you were
doing before this book came to life.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yes, had you asked me if I would ever be
a children's book author, I would have said no way,
because before this my passion was dance, and my mom
put me in dance at a young age. She was
my dance teacher actually, and I grew to love it.
I did it all throughout middle school and high school.
I don't know if you remember, oh yeah, those times.
(02:39):
But for me, dancing was such a form of creativity
and I loved connecting with the audience and bringing a
smile to people's faces, and that became my career. I
knew at a young age that I wanted to move
to Los Angeles. My mom put me in a pageant,
I think when I was five years old, and they asked.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
What do you want to be when you grow up?
And I said a movie star.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Interestingly enough, after college, I moved to LA after I
did a lot of things in Florida dance wise.
Speaker 5 (03:12):
I danced for the Orlando.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Magic and Disney and SeaWorld, and I did a film
that was shot there in Orlando called Bring It On,
which was really the catalyst that made me move to
LA because the choreographer introduced me to an agent in LA.
And then it kind of just snowballed from there and
I moved to Los Angeles. My mom was so sad
she did not want me to go, and my dad
(03:36):
flew me out there, dropped me off. First audition I
went on I booked. It was for a country music video.
Oh gosh, I can't remember his name now, but I
knew at that moment that this was where I was
meant to be, and so I started my career in
Los Angeles and.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
Did a lot there.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
My parents never thought that I was going to come
home or that I would ever have kids. I think
when people have this idea of Los Angeles, they kind
of think that you could get over consumed, you know,
with your ego and just you know, be a little
selfish in some ways. And so regardless of that, I
did end up meeting my husband in Los Angeles.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Well, hold on two seconds, just to give you a
humble brag.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
She she really did go after her dream.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
She was a body double for Jennifer Aniston for multiple
multiple things.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
She was in the movie Iron Man. She was on
stage with Tony Stark.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
I mean she this was and if I mean, I've
known her forever and no city or thing could you know,
spoil this woman's soul. But I totally get what you
mean how people think it does kind of, you know, energetically,
kind of suck the life out of you in that
in that world or Hollywood. But that being said, Okay,
coming back over to you, now, so you met your husband.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, So I met my husband, who he's a musician
as well. We met at a little coffee shop on
Melbrose Avenue and he decided to move in with me
three months later after we met, and then he proposed
six months later, and then we were married within that
year and got pregnant on our honeymoon. So it happened
really really bam bam bam, bam, bam bam. But I
(05:10):
do remember bringing him home to meet my mom. This
all I'm talking about my mom a lot because the
book was inspired by her and she was his biggest fan.
He came in with tattoos all over his arms, a
nose ring, you know, red long red hair, nothing that
I mean. I was raised Catholic and so they were
pretty strict and I you know my dad, especially with tattoos.
(05:34):
We were never allowed to have any tattoos or get
any piercings. I came home one time from LA with
a pretend nose bring in and my dad I could
tell when I got off the plane that he was
going to kill me. And he walked over to me
he said, you better take that out, Jenny. Yeah, just
for context, you know, But my totally my mom like
welcomed in and that he tells the story all the
(05:55):
time because he felt so loved by my family, and
I think my mom knew that he was going to
be the one.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
I wasn't sure yet, but.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Yeah, he takes time to figure these things out sometimes,
yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
But he did propose, and we got married, and yes,
we got pregnant. And while I was living in LA,
my mom got sick, actually, and so I got a
phone call that she had cancer. And that was really
hard for me because growing up I was deathly afraid.
I know, we're kind of getting into some more things now,
(06:27):
but I was definitely afraid of dying. And so when
I got that phone call, you know, a worst case
scenario went straight to my head. I was in a
church parking lot. I went into church and I was
just crying. Actually, I remember just praying, like God, please
heal my mom. I don't know what this looks like,
but I say this because my husband and I decided
to move back to Florida. She had been fighting cancer
(06:48):
for ten years. We moved back, you know, a couple
of years before she passed. But it was the best
decision I had ever made in my life. To leave
that dream that I had was there was grieving in
that and that was really hard to make that decision,
but I know God was pushing me and Travis to
Florida to be with my mom, and it was it
(07:09):
was the best thing. Our relationship got so close, and
Kinsley was born, and she was there at every hospital visit,
every chemo treatment, all the radiations of surgeries, everything, and
it just she brought such a.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Smile to my mom's face.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
And those are really amazing memories that I had, and
making that decision, I knew it was the right one.
And so that really leads me to you know, dancing
in La and although that the lights and the scene,
I guess was what I thought I wanted, but moving
back home, I really knew kind of in my heart
(07:45):
that that because it.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Wasn't just you and the scene. You know, Travis has
a very successful music career still currently, you know, and
so it was both of you guys entrenched in that,
and then you know, the sacrifices that you made to
come to move back to Orlando to be with mom.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yeah, it was it was a hard decision, but yeah,
again we were so grateful. And she passed away in
twenty eighteen, but I had no regrets. After her passing,
it was almost like a weight had lifted off my shoulders.
I knew, I knew that she was no longer tied
to her physical body. It was like a bird being caged,
you know, she was set free. Like I really felt
(08:21):
that when she passed. And so a couple of years later, though,
I was feeling a little disconnected, And this is kind
of what gets into the inspiration behind are you here
in the book?
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Yeah, so let's talk about that.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
So, you know, you lost your mom and that lost
became the catalyst for this book. Can you take us
back to that time and tell us about the first
sign that you received from her?
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Absolutely, I mean a couple days before she passed. This
was the first one that I really believe was a sign.
She decided to be in her house to pass away.
She did not want to go to the hospital, so
she was back in her bedroom. There's beautiful windows that
she can look out, and three deer came and they
literally just laid outside of her window.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
They didn't leave.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
There's beautiful windows that she can look out, and three
deer came and they literally just laid outside of her window.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
They didn't leave.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
For the three days before she passed, and when she passed,
they were gone, and no deer have laid in that
same position ever again. And she had lost her mom,
her sister, and her best friend within the years following
up to her passing, and so we really believed as
a family that they were there like kind of reassuring
(09:46):
us and her, like welcoming her, like letting her know
that it was okay, you know, wow. And so that
was a really powerful moment for me. And then after
she passed, I say this a lot, but I felt
so present, Like the colors that I would see, like
were brighter than I had ever noticed before. I would
(10:06):
hear sounds that I'd never heard before, smell smell that
I had never smelt before. It was like my senses
were so heightened, because I feel like when you lose
someone close to you, it kind of shifts your whole inner,
inner being and wakes you up to life and how
(10:26):
short it is. So it was this really crazy feeling.
And I had that feeling another time a couple years
later when I went to a retreat and I went
with the intention to connect to my mom. And during
that retreat, another really powerful sign happened. It was the
first lady I met at the retreat on the beach.
(10:48):
She came up to me and she was carrying a
bunch of children's books. I really I noticed, but you know,
we had this beautiful conversation, and then when we were leaving,
she was like, oh, I'd like to gift you a
children's book. And they were all different ones. She just
picked one out gave it to me. She said she
loved reading children's books because they made her feel childlike
and in awe and curiosity. And I really appreciated that.
(11:10):
But I said, you know, oh, I have four kids
at home. I can't wait to read this to them.
So I put the book in my suitcase didn't look
at it during the retreat. I connected to my mom
in a lot of different ways during that retreat. But
on the way back up, I was listening to this
book audio book called Signs by Laura Lyn Jackson, and
she talks about these beautiful signs that are loved one
(11:32):
send us from the other side, and that if you
just ask and you open your heart, that you will
receive them. And so I was like, Okay, I'm going
to ask my mom for a sign of an owl,
cause she loved owls. Now, when I go back home,
I noticed owls all over her house. I'm like, I
never noticed them before. But she had all these owl
figurines and she went on this workshop where she called
learned how to call for an owl, and she came
back and she taught us all. It was so beautiful,
(11:53):
and so I was like, okay, an owl, a barred owl,
to be specific. And so I get home and I
see the kids and they're.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
Like, what'd you bring me? What'd you bring me?
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Because you know, kids always want you to bring them
something special in a gift when you travel, and so I.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
Was like, oh, yes, I have this book for you.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
So I got this book out and I started to
read this book that this woman had gifted me. And
I'm reading it and they're distracted and running around, and
as I'm reading the words, I'm like, oh my god,
Oh my God, I start crying.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
I'm like, this book.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
I believe my mom sent that woman on the beach
with this book to give to me because it was
a message about the endless potential in all of us
and how God placed a gift in our heart. And
you know, I was a stay at home mom before this,
and so I was at home praying to God to
use me in a bigger way prior to me receiving
this book. And even that I was like, Okay, I
(12:43):
know my mom is telling me that there is something
that God placed in my heart that's bigger that I
can serve humanity. Because that was my prayers, like what
can I do to serve humanity in a bigger way?
And so a couple days later, I'm sleeping and I
wake up at three am and I received these words
and I know they were from my mom, and she
was telling me that she was still with me and
(13:04):
everything and everywhere. And I was just so inspired by
those words. I kept falling back to sleep and waking
up and I would write right, right, right right, And
then in the morning I showed my husband these words.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
So yeah, so, okay, tell us about that, because there
is an entire song dedicated to the book and that
is its own you know, God, God, miracle and story.
So just share with us a little bit about how
that came to life.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yeah, So before the book, it was this beautiful song
that Travis took from these words that I received early
one morning, and we first called it Dragonflies because that
was the first line in the song. But when he
showed it to me, he did it in one day.
I didn't even know he was doing it upstairs. He
came down and he played it acoustically for me on
the couch, and I tell you, I mean, I started bawling,
(13:50):
like crying, like ugly crying, and I couldn't stop for days.
This song was so healing to me. And I didn't
know I needed the healing. I mean, I knew that
I wanted to feel more canne to my mom. So
after receiving that book, that was a great healing in itself,
and then Travis writing the song, like, even more healing
came for me and more connection that I felt. And
(14:12):
so we had this song that he composed for like
a year, and I would send it to friends that
told me that they had just lost someone and I
would send it to them and.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
They'd been so touched by it.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And so I'm like, God, I would be doing a
disservice to humanity if I didn't try and get this
out into the world some way, somehow. So I decided
to write I'm like, how about a children's book because
going back to as a kid, I was very fearful
of death and dying and all these things of the unknown.
And so I was like, oh my gosh, if I
had had this book, if my parents had had this
(14:42):
book to talk to me about that, you know, those
taboo conversations that people don't want to talk about that
need to be talked about, then I might have, you know,
grown up a little bit differently and not in so
much fear. So I was like, this would be so amazing.
So I asked my kids that morning, I'm like, what
if I turned the song into a children's book and
I read it to them for these words into a
(15:03):
children's book and the song yet and they were like, yes, mommy,
that's so awesome. That would sound so great. And I'm like, okay,
let's do it. So I just text my friend from
LA who I knew had written a children's book and
asked her how do I even go about this? And
it literally like snowball. It was so divinely guided. Everything
fell into place. And so from that song came this
book of are You here?
Speaker 5 (15:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:25):
And like you said that, it is these taboo conversations
that no one there isn't a guidebook to help kids
understand these really, I mean the things that adults are
still trying to understand, you know, and trying to download
and process and integrate into their lives. So to be
able to have essentially a toolkit, but to meet these
kids where they are, whoever's reading, who's up on the
other side of it. You know, you had your beautiful
test kitchen with your own children, you know, but to
(15:47):
be able to do that, and so tell us now
about the illustrations, because at first it was words, right,
and now it's like, Okay, I'm and like you said,
the steps were divinely orchestrated. And I just I feel
like when things for me in my life and I
know something's from God, but my prayers always blessed or
block it, right, and when the things just keep lining up,
lining up, lining up in this way, that feels divinely orchestrated,
(16:10):
Like that's in my how I view it when I
know it is from God, you know. So the illustrations
are breathtaking in this book. Talk to us a little
bit about how that collaboration came together and why was
it so important that the signs came through butterflies and
owls and rainbows specifically.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, nature that's a good question. So me and Elizabeth Fantone.
She is the illustrator. She's amazing. We met in twenty
nineteen on a commercial shoot in Miami for Rooms to Go,
and she said she knew she liked me right away
because I was there reading a book.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
I wasn't like on my phone. I brought a book
with me to.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Set, and she was like, I like her, and we
were very like minded, and we just had this bond.
And so when this came about, I just knew in.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
My heart that it was going to be her.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
She's from Canada, she's very talented everything. She's an artist,
she's an actress, you know, one of those people that
can do it all. And so I just knew that
she could bring my idea to life. And so I
asked her. She had been going through some stuff personally,
and so I was like, oh, man, I don't know
if she has a capacity to do this, but I'm
going to ask anyways, and she agreed. She had lost
(17:19):
her dad six months prior to me asking her, and
so it was such a healing process for her. I
think she would tell you that she had such amazing,
vivid dreams from him during the process that helped her
with the illustrations and maybe made her really feel connected
to her dad. And so it was this beautiful collaboration
(17:41):
and I'm so grateful that she was a part of
a part of that story. And you asked me one
more question at the end of that. Oh about the
about nature, like the signs of butterflies and lady bugs
and all these things. And I just feel that nature
is where we can feel the most grounded and the
most present, and God created all of it. And I
(18:04):
think children can really relate to nature. I feel like
anytime a child is acting up or dysregulated, you bring
them out in nature and they just calm right down
and they have a connection to animals. Children have this
connection to animals. It's just unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
YEA. Nature's when God is like showing out. It's like,
how did He create that?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
And that and that?
Speaker 4 (18:23):
You know, it can bring you, yeah, such awe and
wonder and it's not of human creation, you know, there's
I mean, there's no explanation to it, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So it's it's really really powerful.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
And like you said, this is a children's book, so
it's like we're connecting to these kids. How can we
get the most meaning for them? How can we answer
these questions for them? How can we connect to them? Well,
nature is such a beautiful way to do that.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
So.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
One of the most heartbreaking questions that children ask is
can they still see me? And your book answers that
with a resounding yes. So why was it so important
for you to give kids the reassurance through your book?
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You know? I was just reading something on the way
here actually about how children are more connected than we think,
and it's around the age of like six or seven
where they kind of start forming their own opinions from
school and from their parents and things like that. But
if a child were to ask that question, you know,
(19:32):
I think intuitively they know the answer that yes, like
our loved ones are, it's just a different way that
they're going to show us their love. Now they're not
physically here anymore, but they are still very much a
part of our lives. And I think that children really
intuitively already know that. And that's what I was reading
on the way here. Is it how intuitive children are
(19:53):
and that they are usually like, oh, they're right there, Like, oh,
there's Gigi in the Ladybugger in the wind in that
rainbow over there, you know. And I do feel like
children are more connected and so the ages that are
a little bit older where they kind of are forming
these new opinions and things and beliefs.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I do feel like this book is, just like you said,
a tool that can just kind of plant a seed
subconsciously of to just be open to the signs that
are all around us.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
God a feeling to us all the time.
Speaker 7 (20:24):
Yea.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
Yeah, and that's where faith comes in, right. It's like
believing in what you can't yet see or smell or
taste or touch, you know it is, Yeah, it's a
knowingness in your heart.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
And that's where again we're talking about this idea of
like having a relationship to God, a relationship to nature,
a relationship with yourself. Who's to tell us that what
we're feeling is air quotes wrong, you know, it's and
it gives you, It gives these kids, anyone that is given.
It's like a permission slip of like, hey, whatever you feel,
whatever you experience, just allowing that to kind of come
(20:53):
to life.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
Yeah. I agree.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
For somebody who's listening and grieving and wondering, where is
God in my pain, you know, why didn't he do.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Something for me?
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Or where was he through all of this? What would
you say to them?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
That's a good question, Leanne, and I don't think I
have the answer, but I do know personally that it's
a choice to believe, and while you're in the pain,
it's probably really hard to make that choice or to understand,
because I did have that question actually at our cover
(21:28):
reveal that I did last year, a woman was saying that,
and I think everybody does grieve differently. Most of my
anger and pain and like upset with God was when
my mom was still here, but I knew she was dying,
and so I've always kind of been a half glass
full kind of gal and tried to look at things
optimistically and find the silver lining. And I do really
(21:51):
believe that it's it is a choice, and you can
choose to believe it or not believe it. What is
going to serve you in a way that's that's beneficial
for you and your mind and your heart.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Absolutely, yeah, because we can choose to believe that God
is abandoning us and that He does this this stuff
to teach us a lesson. I've heard that too, like, oh,
God sent me through this pain so we could teach
me a lesson. And I'm like, oh, let's you know,
I don't.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I don't like who's to say, like.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Let's not put let's not mind read or you know,
put words in God's mouth. So, like you said, it's
it's a choice of how we choose to respond, you know.
And I heard one time somebody explained it. I'm going
to butcher it, but basically, like what if it was
about God being there for you when you're in the pain,
Like when you're in it, you know where is he afterwards?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
And He's always there.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
But again, it's a choice to go look for him.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
It's a choice to go.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Seek what would serve you, what would bring you to
the light. And it is we have that choice every
single day to turn towards the dark or the light.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
And I do feel like, yes when I when I
answered this this woman that had that same question for me. Personally,
I believe that kind of our souls chose the life
that we experienced, and so they kind of come and
they see what they're going to experience and that's their journey,
right Like I had to believe that that was my
mom's journey. You know that she was sent on that
(23:09):
path to grow and learn and evolve in her own
soul and spirit. And that brought me peace to you know,
like knowing.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
That absolutely, yeah, because who are we to play God
with somebody's journey, with somebody's soul, somebody's spirit, can you know?
And it's like eyes forward, like if we at some
point in time, I believe it's about accepting the reality
of what happened versus arguing with it, which is it
shouldn't be this way, Why is it like this? It's
not supposed to happen this way. And it's like, but
(23:39):
it did happen.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
This is how it went down. You know.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Now, who do we want to be in the face
of that?
Speaker 2 (23:44):
You know?
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Now that's why I say too, It's like grief is
not linear, right, So it's going to come and it's
going to go, and it's you know, going to bring
up all these emotions and pain and maybe in anger
and resentment and all these different emotions. But if you
can ride the wave of that emotion and get to
the other side of that wave, like there's so much
joy and happiness and that that our loved ones want
(24:06):
us to experience like that that too, you know, like
put yourself in their shoes, you know, like if you
were to pass away, Like, what would you want for
your family? Like, wouldn't you want them to live fully
and be happy and joyful? You know, we only have
this one life.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
And absolutely absolutely well that actually brings me each for
my next question. So, if your mom could see this book,
if she could see hold it in her hands, see
what you've created in her honor, what do you think
she would say?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Oh, well, I think she's already seen it from the
other side. But if she could physically hold it in
her hands, if she was physically here, I mean I
know that she would just be wrapping her arms around
me and telling me how proud she was. And just
like that book that I was gifted said that there
was a gift that God had placed in my heart
and that there was endless potential in me that I
(24:54):
just hadn't found yet. And you know, through her passing,
like she was doing work on the other side for me. Yeah,
I think she would tell me that that she wanted
me to reach my full potential and yeah, find my
purpose it.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
For good, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
And that's the thing.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
If we're sitting here and making the choice to argue
with it and feel and again choosing the darkness. We're
not finding the good the purpose Like this literally set
a fire in your heart to go step into a
purposeful conversation so that kids have answers to these really
hard questions.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
I was going to say, if if we don't open
our hearts, we could we could really miss a lot
that our loved ones are trying to send us. And
you know that would just be really sad. Yeah, you know,
this book would not be here had I had I
not opened my heart and decided to make that choice
to receive all this guidance, absolute message and love for.
Speaker 4 (25:46):
Sure, because again we're you know, we're either opening our
hearts or we're letting them be closed little by little,
Like it's happening either way, right because the world, I mean,
it will close a heart if you don't actively choose
to keep it open.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
Yeah, you know, so beautiful?
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Well are you here?
Speaker 4 (26:03):
Releases March seventeenth, actually the day this is airing?
Speaker 3 (26:07):
How cool is that?
Speaker 8 (26:08):
So?
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Where can people find you?
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Follow you?
Speaker 4 (26:11):
Pre order the book and then we're going to talk
about the song too.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
Again.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Sure, yes you can find all the information on my
website www. Dot Jenny Robinson Clark dot com. But there'll
be more events popping up here and there. You can
sign up for my newsletter to get all that information,
and then you can follow me on Instagram Jenny Robinson Clark.
I have a grief community on Facebook as well that
you can join, which is really helpful for those that
(26:38):
feel maybe alone in their grief.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
Amazing.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Well, we will put all of this in the show notes,
and we are actually going to do you want to
We're gonna have Houston play the I've said footage, but
it's audio of the song we're gonna we're gonna end
the episode with with that song.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
Do you want to just kind of set us up
a little bit for it?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yes, of course. My husband is Travis Clark. He's the
lead singer of the band We the Kings, and they
composed this song called are You Here. I hope you
enjoy it and I hope you really feel uplifted and
inspired after you listen to it.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Awesome, Well, thank you so much for being here, for
being here and sharing your journey, for gifting us with
this book and this song. We will put all the
information in the show notes, but are you here available
March seventeenth.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Thank you so much Shenny for being here. Thanks Leanne. Awesome.
Bye guys, talk to you next time.
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Dragging flies, they have a bye waiting till I catch there.
I rainbow's form without a storm showing up now as
I'm on a.
Speaker 8 (27:55):
A you, Oh you here? Did you hear my prayer?
Speaker 6 (28:06):
Are you men? Everything and up everywhere?
Speaker 8 (28:09):
I am here? I heard your friend?
Speaker 6 (28:16):
I am in everything and everywhere? And oh, who's up
in a tree? Reminding me that you are free?
Speaker 7 (28:34):
To you dude?
Speaker 6 (28:35):
Just lying still? Then I start to get the chills.
Speaker 8 (28:39):
All you here? You? Oh? Did you hear my prayer?
Speaker 9 (28:55):
Are you man?
Speaker 7 (28:56):
Everything and up everywhere?
Speaker 8 (29:00):
And I heard your prayer?
Speaker 9 (29:05):
High am in everything everywhere? Remember run up, feel deeper
than thirty best.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Remember deer run up.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
You higher than.
Speaker 8 (29:24):
As high.
Speaker 9 (29:28):
Remember deer run feel longer than guess. Remember dear run
you I do.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
I caught him fly aways closely by lucking up, but
start to cry clue bird flying in the sky, As
I said in wonder, why.
Speaker 7 (30:00):
Are you you?
Speaker 8 (30:12):
Did you hear my fred? Are you lin every day everywhere? Yeah?
I heard your friend him everything everywhere, everything, and every
(30:33):
day I did have retheing in everywhere, everything em everything,
I did.
Speaker 6 (30:46):
Everything in everywhere. As the light shines on my face,
you begin to fill this space in my heart in
I do hope my love you feel it to you.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
You We'll be back with more What's God Got to
(31:32):
Do with It?
Speaker 4 (31:32):
But in the meantime, I would definitely love to hear
from you, So just tell me where you are in
your story or maybe what questions you have, like where
do you feel you need clarity or support or wisdom
in your own journey. I definitely want to hear from you,
So head on over to What's God Got to Do
with It dot com and scroll down to the form
(31:53):
to share your thoughts, your questions, your feedback, and you
can do that instantly. So What's God Got to Do
with It? You'll find all the ways to do that.
And if you like this podcast and want to hear more,
go ahead and follow, like and subscribe wherever you listen
to podcasts to get your weekly dose.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Of What's God Got to Do with It?
Speaker 4 (32:13):
New episodes drop every single Tuesday, and while you're there,
be sure to rate and review to show your support.
It really means so much. What's God Got to Do
With It? Is an iHeartRadio podcast on the Amy Brown
Podcast Network.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
It's written and hosted by.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
Me Leanne Ellington, executive produced by Elizabeth Fozzio, post production
and editing by Houston Tilley, and original music written by
Cheryl Stark and produced by Adam Stark
If you want to go on a journey. If you're skeptical,
don't worry. Now here to preach. I'm gonna keep it
clean and talk to me and recall where faith meets
falls nature. Get in touch with your creator with a bacon,
love and jo.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
She even speaks Hebrew.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
What's that got to do?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
What's that? Well?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Sadboation? You should talking transformation? What's dop gonzo?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Hey everyone, and welcome back to What's God got to
do with It? And today I have a very special
guest with me, and this one is extra meaningful because
Jenny Robinson Clark and I have known each other since
elementary school and so we were talking thirty plus years
of friendship, you guys, and so it has been so
powerful to watch someone that you grew up alongside you,
(01:07):
but also see who we've become, both of us as adults.
And the beautiful part is God brought us back together
over the years different times, but recently together again because
Jenny just moved to Nashville, and so we've rekindled our
friendship in the most amazing way. And it's one of
those full circle moments that just feel so divinely orchestrated. So,
(01:27):
first of all, hello Jenny, thank you for being here.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Hilianna. I'm so excited real wait to tell the story.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Yes, So today we're going to talk all about your
debut children's book, Are you here. We're going to talk
about what inspired it, the very very personal experiences behind it,
and the spiritual message that's been woven throughout it, and
honestly just the beauty of how this book came to me.
So before we dive into all of that, Jenny, I
(01:55):
just want to start with you. So tell us you
know who is Jenny Robinson Clark, and she is not
writing children's books. Like you had a really successful dancing
and acting career, you met your husband, you now have
a gaggle of amazing, beautiful, cute children. So just tell
us a little bit about yourself and what you were
doing before this book came to life.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yes, had you asked me if I would ever be
a children's book author, I would have said no way,
because before this my passion was dance, and my mom
put me in dance at a young age. She was
my dance teacher actually, and I grew to love it.
I did it all throughout middle school and high school.
I don't know if you remember, oh yeah, those times.
(02:39):
But for me, dancing was such a form of creativity
and I loved connecting with the audience and bringing a
smile to people's faces, and that became my career. I
knew at a young age that I wanted to move
to Los Angeles. My mom put me in a pageant,
I think when I was five years old, and they asked.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
What do you want to be when you grow up?
And I said a movie star.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Interestingly enough, after college, I moved to LA after I
did a lot of things in Florida dance wise.
Speaker 5 (03:12):
I danced for the Orlando.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Magic and Disney and SeaWorld, and I did a film
that was shot there in Orlando called Bring It On,
which was really the catalyst that made me move to
LA because the choreographer introduced me to an agent in LA.
And then it kind of just snowballed from there and
I moved to Los Angeles. My mom was so sad
she did not want me to go, and my dad
(03:36):
flew me out there, dropped me off. First audition I
went on I booked. It was for a country music video.
Oh gosh, I can't remember his name now, but I
knew at that moment that this was where I was
meant to be, and so I started my career in
Los Angeles and.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
Did a lot there.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
My parents never thought that I was going to come
home or that I would ever have kids. I think
when people have this idea of Los Angeles, they kind
of think that you could get over consumed, you know,
with your ego and just you know, be a little
selfish in some ways. And so regardless of that, I
did end up meeting my husband in Los Angeles.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Well, hold on two seconds, just to give you a
humble brag.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
She she really did go after her dream.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
She was a body double for Jennifer Aniston for multiple
multiple things.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
She was in the movie Iron Man. She was on
stage with Tony Stark.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
I mean she this was and if I mean, I've
known her forever and no city or thing could you know,
spoil this woman's soul. But I totally get what you
mean how people think it does kind of, you know, energetically,
kind of suck the life out of you in that
in that world or Hollywood. But that being said, Okay,
coming back over to you, now, so you met your husband.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, So I met my husband, who he's a musician
as well. We met at a little coffee shop on
Melbrose Avenue and he decided to move in with me
three months later after we met, and then he proposed
six months later, and then we were married within that
year and got pregnant on our honeymoon. So it happened
really really bam bam bam, bam, bam bam. But I
(05:10):
do remember bringing him home to meet my mom. This
all I'm talking about my mom a lot because the
book was inspired by her and she was his biggest fan.
He came in with tattoos all over his arms, a
nose ring, you know, red long red hair, nothing that
I mean. I was raised Catholic and so they were
pretty strict and I you know my dad, especially with tattoos.
(05:34):
We were never allowed to have any tattoos or get
any piercings. I came home one time from LA with
a pretend nose bring in and my dad I could
tell when I got off the plane that he was
going to kill me. And he walked over to me
he said, you better take that out, Jenny. Yeah, just
for context, you know, But my totally my mom like
welcomed in and that he tells the story all the
(05:55):
time because he felt so loved by my family, and
I think my mom knew that he was going to
be the one.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
I wasn't sure yet, but.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Yeah, he takes time to figure these things out sometimes,
yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
But he did propose, and we got married, and yes,
we got pregnant. And while I was living in LA,
my mom got sick, actually, and so I got a
phone call that she had cancer. And that was really
hard for me because growing up I was deathly afraid.
I know, we're kind of getting into some more things now,
(06:27):
but I was definitely afraid of dying. And so when
I got that phone call, you know, a worst case
scenario went straight to my head. I was in a
church parking lot. I went into church and I was
just crying. Actually, I remember just praying, like God, please
heal my mom. I don't know what this looks like,
but I say this because my husband and I decided
to move back to Florida. She had been fighting cancer
(06:48):
for ten years. We moved back, you know, a couple
of years before she passed. But it was the best
decision I had ever made in my life. To leave
that dream that I had was there was grieving in
that and that was really hard to make that decision,
but I know God was pushing me and Travis to
Florida to be with my mom, and it was it
(07:09):
was the best thing. Our relationship got so close, and
Kinsley was born, and she was there at every hospital visit,
every chemo treatment, all the radiations of surgeries, everything, and
it just she brought such a.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Smile to my mom's face.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
And those are really amazing memories that I had, and
making that decision, I knew it was the right one.
And so that really leads me to you know, dancing
in La and although that the lights and the scene,
I guess was what I thought I wanted, but moving
back home, I really knew kind of in my heart
(07:45):
that that because it.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Wasn't just you and the scene. You know, Travis has
a very successful music career still currently, you know, and
so it was both of you guys entrenched in that,
and then you know, the sacrifices that you made to
come to move back to Orlando to be with mom.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yeah, it was it was a hard decision, but yeah,
again we were so grateful. And she passed away in
twenty eighteen, but I had no regrets. After her passing,
it was almost like a weight had lifted off my shoulders.
I knew, I knew that she was no longer tied
to her physical body. It was like a bird being caged,
you know, she was set free. Like I really felt
(08:21):
that when she passed. And so a couple of years later, though,
I was feeling a little disconnected, And this is kind
of what gets into the inspiration behind are you here
in the book?
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Yeah, so let's talk about that.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
So, you know, you lost your mom and that lost
became the catalyst for this book. Can you take us
back to that time and tell us about the first
sign that you received from her?
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Absolutely, I mean a couple days before she passed. This
was the first one that I really believe was a sign.
She decided to be in her house to pass away.
She did not want to go to the hospital, so
she was back in her bedroom. There's beautiful windows that
she can look out, and three deer came and they
literally just laid outside of her window.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
They didn't leave.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
There's beautiful windows that she can look out, and three
deer came and they literally just laid outside of her window.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
They didn't leave.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
For the three days before she passed, and when she passed,
they were gone, and no deer have laid in that
same position ever again. And she had lost her mom,
her sister, and her best friend within the years following
up to her passing, and so we really believed as
a family that they were there like kind of reassuring
(09:46):
us and her, like welcoming her, like letting her know
that it was okay, you know, wow. And so that
was a really powerful moment for me. And then after
she passed, I say this a lot, but I felt
so present, Like the colors that I would see, like
were brighter than I had ever noticed before. I would
(10:06):
hear sounds that I'd never heard before, smell smell that
I had never smelt before. It was like my senses
were so heightened, because I feel like when you lose
someone close to you, it kind of shifts your whole inner,
inner being and wakes you up to life and how
(10:26):
short it is. So it was this really crazy feeling.
And I had that feeling another time a couple years
later when I went to a retreat and I went
with the intention to connect to my mom. And during
that retreat, another really powerful sign happened. It was the
first lady I met at the retreat on the beach.
(10:48):
She came up to me and she was carrying a
bunch of children's books. I really I noticed, but you know,
we had this beautiful conversation, and then when we were leaving,
she was like, oh, I'd like to gift you a
children's book. And they were all different ones. She just
picked one out gave it to me. She said she
loved reading children's books because they made her feel childlike
and in awe and curiosity. And I really appreciated that.
(11:10):
But I said, you know, oh, I have four kids
at home. I can't wait to read this to them.
So I put the book in my suitcase didn't look
at it during the retreat. I connected to my mom
in a lot of different ways during that retreat. But
on the way back up, I was listening to this
book audio book called Signs by Laura Lyn Jackson, and
she talks about these beautiful signs that are loved one
(11:32):
send us from the other side, and that if you
just ask and you open your heart, that you will
receive them. And so I was like, Okay, I'm going
to ask my mom for a sign of an owl,
cause she loved owls. Now, when I go back home,
I noticed owls all over her house. I'm like, I
never noticed them before. But she had all these owl
figurines and she went on this workshop where she called
learned how to call for an owl, and she came
back and she taught us all. It was so beautiful,
(11:53):
and so I was like, okay, an owl, a barred owl,
to be specific. And so I get home and I
see the kids and they're.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
Like, what'd you bring me? What'd you bring me?
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Because you know, kids always want you to bring them
something special in a gift when you travel, and so I.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
Was like, oh, yes, I have this book for you.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
So I got this book out and I started to
read this book that this woman had gifted me. And
I'm reading it and they're distracted and running around, and
as I'm reading the words, I'm like, oh my god,
Oh my God, I start crying.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
I'm like, this book.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
I believe my mom sent that woman on the beach
with this book to give to me because it was
a message about the endless potential in all of us
and how God placed a gift in our heart. And
you know, I was a stay at home mom before this,
and so I was at home praying to God to
use me in a bigger way prior to me receiving
this book. And even that I was like, Okay, I
(12:43):
know my mom is telling me that there is something
that God placed in my heart that's bigger that I
can serve humanity. Because that was my prayers, like what
can I do to serve humanity in a bigger way?
And so a couple days later, I'm sleeping and I
wake up at three am and I received these words
and I know they were from my mom, and she
was telling me that she was still with me and
(13:04):
everything and everywhere. And I was just so inspired by
those words. I kept falling back to sleep and waking
up and I would write right, right, right right, And
then in the morning I showed my husband these words.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
So yeah, so, okay, tell us about that, because there
is an entire song dedicated to the book and that
is its own you know, God, God, miracle and story.
So just share with us a little bit about how
that came to life.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yeah, So before the book, it was this beautiful song
that Travis took from these words that I received early
one morning, and we first called it Dragonflies because that
was the first line in the song. But when he
showed it to me, he did it in one day.
I didn't even know he was doing it upstairs. He
came down and he played it acoustically for me on
the couch, and I tell you, I mean, I started bawling,
(13:50):
like crying, like ugly crying, and I couldn't stop for days.
This song was so healing to me. And I didn't
know I needed the healing. I mean, I knew that
I wanted to feel more canne to my mom. So
after receiving that book, that was a great healing in itself,
and then Travis writing the song, like, even more healing
came for me and more connection that I felt. And
(14:12):
so we had this song that he composed for like
a year, and I would send it to friends that
told me that they had just lost someone and I
would send it to them and.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
They'd been so touched by it.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And so I'm like, God, I would be doing a
disservice to humanity if I didn't try and get this
out into the world some way, somehow. So I decided
to write I'm like, how about a children's book because
going back to as a kid, I was very fearful
of death and dying and all these things of the unknown.
And so I was like, oh my gosh, if I
had had this book, if my parents had had this
(14:42):
book to talk to me about that, you know, those
taboo conversations that people don't want to talk about that
need to be talked about, then I might have, you know,
grown up a little bit differently and not in so
much fear. So I was like, this would be so amazing.
So I asked my kids that morning, I'm like, what
if I turned the song into a children's book and
I read it to them for these words into a
(15:03):
children's book and the song yet and they were like, yes, mommy,
that's so awesome. That would sound so great. And I'm like, okay,
let's do it. So I just text my friend from
LA who I knew had written a children's book and
asked her how do I even go about this? And
it literally like snowball. It was so divinely guided. Everything
fell into place. And so from that song came this
book of are You here?
Speaker 5 (15:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:25):
And like you said that, it is these taboo conversations
that no one there isn't a guidebook to help kids
understand these really, I mean the things that adults are
still trying to understand, you know, and trying to download
and process and integrate into their lives. So to be
able to have essentially a toolkit, but to meet these
kids where they are, whoever's reading, who's up on the
other side of it. You know, you had your beautiful
test kitchen with your own children, you know, but to
(15:47):
be able to do that, and so tell us now
about the illustrations, because at first it was words, right,
and now it's like, Okay, I'm and like you said,
the steps were divinely orchestrated. And I just I feel
like when things for me in my life and I
know something's from God, but my prayers always blessed or
block it, right, and when the things just keep lining up,
lining up, lining up in this way, that feels divinely orchestrated,
(16:10):
Like that's in my how I view it when I
know it is from God, you know. So the illustrations
are breathtaking in this book. Talk to us a little
bit about how that collaboration came together and why was
it so important that the signs came through butterflies and
owls and rainbows specifically.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, nature that's a good question. So me and Elizabeth Fantone.
She is the illustrator. She's amazing. We met in twenty
nineteen on a commercial shoot in Miami for Rooms to Go,
and she said she knew she liked me right away
because I was there reading a book.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
I wasn't like on my phone. I brought a book
with me to.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Set, and she was like, I like her, and we
were very like minded, and we just had this bond.
And so when this came about, I just knew in.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
My heart that it was going to be her.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
She's from Canada, she's very talented everything. She's an artist,
she's an actress, you know, one of those people that
can do it all. And so I just knew that
she could bring my idea to life. And so I
asked her. She had been going through some stuff personally,
and so I was like, oh, man, I don't know
if she has a capacity to do this, but I'm
going to ask anyways, and she agreed. She had lost
(17:19):
her dad six months prior to me asking her, and
so it was such a healing process for her. I
think she would tell you that she had such amazing,
vivid dreams from him during the process that helped her
with the illustrations and maybe made her really feel connected
to her dad. And so it was this beautiful collaboration
(17:41):
and I'm so grateful that she was a part of
a part of that story. And you asked me one
more question at the end of that. Oh about the
about nature, like the signs of butterflies and lady bugs
and all these things. And I just feel that nature
is where we can feel the most grounded and the
most present, and God created all of it. And I
(18:04):
think children can really relate to nature. I feel like
anytime a child is acting up or dysregulated, you bring
them out in nature and they just calm right down
and they have a connection to animals. Children have this
connection to animals. It's just unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
YEA. Nature's when God is like showing out. It's like,
how did He create that?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
And that and that?
Speaker 4 (18:23):
You know, it can bring you, yeah, such awe and
wonder and it's not of human creation, you know, there's
I mean, there's no explanation to it, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So it's it's really really powerful.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
And like you said, this is a children's book, so
it's like we're connecting to these kids. How can we
get the most meaning for them? How can we answer
these questions for them? How can we connect to them? Well,
nature is such a beautiful way to do that.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
So.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
One of the most heartbreaking questions that children ask is
can they still see me? And your book answers that
with a resounding yes. So why was it so important
for you to give kids the reassurance through your book?
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You know? I was just reading something on the way
here actually about how children are more connected than we think,
and it's around the age of like six or seven
where they kind of start forming their own opinions from
school and from their parents and things like that. But
if a child were to ask that question, you know,
(19:32):
I think intuitively they know the answer that yes, like
our loved ones are, it's just a different way that
they're going to show us their love. Now they're not
physically here anymore, but they are still very much a
part of our lives. And I think that children really
intuitively already know that. And that's what I was reading
on the way here. Is it how intuitive children are
(19:53):
and that they are usually like, oh, they're right there, Like, oh,
there's Gigi in the Ladybugger in the wind in that
rainbow over there, you know. And I do feel like
children are more connected and so the ages that are
a little bit older where they kind of are forming
these new opinions and things and beliefs.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I do feel like this book is, just like you said,
a tool that can just kind of plant a seed
subconsciously of to just be open to the signs that
are all around us.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
God a feeling to us all the time.
Speaker 7 (20:24):
Yea.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
Yeah, and that's where faith comes in, right. It's like
believing in what you can't yet see or smell or
taste or touch, you know it is, Yeah, it's a
knowingness in your heart.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
And that's where again we're talking about this idea of
like having a relationship to God, a relationship to nature,
a relationship with yourself. Who's to tell us that what
we're feeling is air quotes wrong, you know, it's and
it gives you, It gives these kids, anyone that is given.
It's like a permission slip of like, hey, whatever you feel,
whatever you experience, just allowing that to kind of come
(20:53):
to life.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
Yeah. I agree.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
For somebody who's listening and grieving and wondering, where is
God in my pain, you know, why didn't he do.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Something for me?
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Or where was he through all of this? What would
you say to them?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
That's a good question, Leanne, and I don't think I
have the answer, but I do know personally that it's
a choice to believe, and while you're in the pain,
it's probably really hard to make that choice or to understand,
because I did have that question actually at our cover
(21:28):
reveal that I did last year, a woman was saying that,
and I think everybody does grieve differently. Most of my
anger and pain and like upset with God was when
my mom was still here, but I knew she was dying,
and so I've always kind of been a half glass
full kind of gal and tried to look at things
optimistically and find the silver lining. And I do really
(21:51):
believe that it's it is a choice, and you can
choose to believe it or not believe it. What is
going to serve you in a way that's that's beneficial
for you and your mind and your heart.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Absolutely, yeah, because we can choose to believe that God
is abandoning us and that He does this this stuff
to teach us a lesson. I've heard that too, like, oh,
God sent me through this pain so we could teach
me a lesson. And I'm like, oh, let's you know,
I don't.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I don't like who's to say, like.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Let's not put let's not mind read or you know,
put words in God's mouth. So, like you said, it's
it's a choice of how we choose to respond, you know.
And I heard one time somebody explained it. I'm going
to butcher it, but basically, like what if it was
about God being there for you when you're in the pain,
Like when you're in it, you know where is he afterwards?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
And He's always there.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
But again, it's a choice to go look for him.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
It's a choice to go.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Seek what would serve you, what would bring you to
the light. And it is we have that choice every
single day to turn towards the dark or the light.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
And I do feel like, yes when I when I
answered this this woman that had that same question for me. Personally,
I believe that kind of our souls chose the life
that we experienced, and so they kind of come and
they see what they're going to experience and that's their journey,
right Like I had to believe that that was my
mom's journey. You know that she was sent on that
(23:09):
path to grow and learn and evolve in her own
soul and spirit. And that brought me peace to you know,
like knowing.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
That absolutely, yeah, because who are we to play God
with somebody's journey, with somebody's soul, somebody's spirit, can you know?
And it's like eyes forward, like if we at some
point in time, I believe it's about accepting the reality
of what happened versus arguing with it, which is it
shouldn't be this way, Why is it like this? It's
not supposed to happen this way. And it's like, but
(23:39):
it did happen.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
This is how it went down. You know.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Now, who do we want to be in the face
of that?
Speaker 2 (23:44):
You know?
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Now that's why I say too, It's like grief is
not linear, right, So it's going to come and it's
going to go, and it's you know, going to bring
up all these emotions and pain and maybe in anger
and resentment and all these different emotions. But if you
can ride the wave of that emotion and get to
the other side of that wave, like there's so much
joy and happiness and that that our loved ones want
(24:06):
us to experience like that that too, you know, like
put yourself in their shoes, you know, like if you
were to pass away, Like, what would you want for
your family? Like, wouldn't you want them to live fully
and be happy and joyful? You know, we only have
this one life.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
And absolutely absolutely well that actually brings me each for
my next question. So, if your mom could see this book,
if she could see hold it in her hands, see
what you've created in her honor, what do you think
she would say?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Oh, well, I think she's already seen it from the
other side. But if she could physically hold it in
her hands, if she was physically here, I mean I
know that she would just be wrapping her arms around
me and telling me how proud she was. And just
like that book that I was gifted said that there
was a gift that God had placed in my heart
and that there was endless potential in me that I
(24:54):
just hadn't found yet. And you know, through her passing,
like she was doing work on the other side for me. Yeah,
I think she would tell me that that she wanted
me to reach my full potential and yeah, find my
purpose it.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
For good, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
And that's the thing.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
If we're sitting here and making the choice to argue
with it and feel and again choosing the darkness. We're
not finding the good the purpose Like this literally set
a fire in your heart to go step into a
purposeful conversation so that kids have answers to these really
hard questions.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
I was going to say, if if we don't open
our hearts, we could we could really miss a lot
that our loved ones are trying to send us. And
you know that would just be really sad. Yeah, you know,
this book would not be here had I had I
not opened my heart and decided to make that choice
to receive all this guidance, absolute message and love for.
Speaker 4 (25:46):
Sure, because again we're you know, we're either opening our
hearts or we're letting them be closed little by little,
Like it's happening either way, right because the world, I mean,
it will close a heart if you don't actively choose
to keep it open.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
Yeah, you know, so beautiful?
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Well are you here?
Speaker 4 (26:03):
Releases March seventeenth, actually the day this is airing?
Speaker 3 (26:07):
How cool is that?
Speaker 8 (26:08):
So?
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Where can people find you?
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Follow you?
Speaker 4 (26:11):
Pre order the book and then we're going to talk
about the song too.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
Again.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Sure, yes you can find all the information on my
website www. Dot Jenny Robinson Clark dot com. But there'll
be more events popping up here and there. You can
sign up for my newsletter to get all that information,
and then you can follow me on Instagram Jenny Robinson Clark.
I have a grief community on Facebook as well that
you can join, which is really helpful for those that
(26:38):
feel maybe alone in their grief.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
Amazing.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Well, we will put all of this in the show notes,
and we are actually going to do you want to
We're gonna have Houston play the I've said footage, but
it's audio of the song we're gonna we're gonna end
the episode with with that song.
Speaker 5 (26:53):
Do you want to just kind of set us up
a little bit for it?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yes, of course. My husband is Travis Clark. He's the
lead singer of the band We the Kings, and they
composed this song called are You Here. I hope you
enjoy it and I hope you really feel uplifted and
inspired after you listen to it.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Awesome, Well, thank you so much for being here, for
being here and sharing your journey, for gifting us with
this book and this song. We will put all the
information in the show notes, but are you here available
March seventeenth.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Thank you so much Shenny for being here. Thanks Leanne. Awesome.
Bye guys, talk to you next time.
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Dragging flies, they have a bye waiting till I catch there.
I rainbow's form without a storm showing up now as
I'm on a.
Speaker 8 (27:55):
A you, Oh you here? Did you hear my prayer?
Speaker 6 (28:06):
Are you men? Everything and up everywhere?
Speaker 8 (28:09):
I am here? I heard your friend?
Speaker 6 (28:16):
I am in everything and everywhere? And oh, who's up
in a tree? Reminding me that you are free?
Speaker 7 (28:34):
To you dude?
Speaker 6 (28:35):
Just lying still? Then I start to get the chills.
Speaker 8 (28:39):
All you here? You? Oh? Did you hear my prayer?
Speaker 9 (28:55):
Are you man?
Speaker 7 (28:56):
Everything and up everywhere?
Speaker 8 (29:00):
And I heard your prayer?
Speaker 9 (29:05):
High am in everything everywhere? Remember run up, feel deeper
than thirty best.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Remember deer run up.
Speaker 5 (29:21):
You higher than.
Speaker 8 (29:24):
As high.
Speaker 9 (29:28):
Remember deer run feel longer than guess. Remember dear run
you I do.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
I caught him fly aways closely by lucking up, but
start to cry clue bird flying in the sky, As
I said in wonder, why.
Speaker 7 (30:00):
Are you you?
Speaker 8 (30:12):
Did you hear my fred? Are you lin every day everywhere? Yeah?
I heard your friend him everything everywhere, everything, and every
(30:33):
day I did have retheing in everywhere, everything em everything,
I did.
Speaker 6 (30:46):
Everything in everywhere. As the light shines on my face,
you begin to fill this space in my heart in
I do hope my love you feel it to you.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
You We'll be back with more What's God Got to
(31:32):
Do with It?
Speaker 4 (31:32):
But in the meantime, I would definitely love to hear
from you, So just tell me where you are in
your story or maybe what questions you have, like where
do you feel you need clarity or support or wisdom
in your own journey. I definitely want to hear from you,
So head on over to What's God Got to Do
with It dot com and scroll down to the form
(31:53):
to share your thoughts, your questions, your feedback, and you
can do that instantly. So What's God Got to Do
with It? You'll find all the ways to do that.
And if you like this podcast and want to hear more,
go ahead and follow, like and subscribe wherever you listen
to podcasts to get your weekly dose.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Of What's God Got to Do with It?
Speaker 4 (32:13):
New episodes drop every single Tuesday, and while you're there,
be sure to rate and review to show your support.
It really means so much. What's God Got to Do
With It? Is an iHeartRadio podcast on the Amy Brown
Podcast Network.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
It's written and hosted by.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
Me Leanne Ellington, executive produced by Elizabeth Fozzio, post production
and editing by Houston Tilley, and original music written by
Cheryl Stark and produced by Adam Stark
Feeling Things with Amy & Kat News
Host
Amy Brown
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