Purpose Me: Turning Weakness, Grief, and Calling into Purpose with Seth Andre Robinson

This is a video about Purpose Me: urning Weakness, Grief, and Calling into Purpose with Seth Andre Robinson
purposeme365.com

On Roundy Rants, Raves and Reviews, the host interviews author Seth Andre Robinson about his Purpose Me book series and the personal experiences that inspired it, including living with a speech impediment, shyness, and learning to move beyond self-pity by embracing who he is and letting God work through his weaknesses. Seth explains how his main character, Karina, faces similar struggles, discovers God’s hand on her life, and uses setbacks to help others. He outlines the three books—Destiny Awaits (Volume 1), The Origins of Karina (Volume 2), and Karina’s Choice (Volume 3)—including Volume 3’s use of the stages of grief after he lost his mother. Seth shares his hope to adapt the books into plays, movies, or a TV series, encourages daily purpose, and directs viewers to PurposeMe365.com.

00:00 Meet Seth Andre Robinson
01:03 Karina and Stuttering
02:44 Turning Weakness to Strength
04:43 Writing as Healing
06:43 From Books to Stage
08:26 Building the Purpose Me Series
11:54 Grief Behind Volume Three
14:05 Encouragement and Purpose
15:30 Purpose Me 365 and Daily Purpose
18:13 Dont Give Up Message
19:40 Support the Project
21:41 Final Thanks and Sign Off

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Welcome everyone to Roundy's Rants, Raves, and Reviews. I am here with Seth tonight, and I'm so excited for you to meet him. I've just met him personally, and I'm so excited for his story and for what he's doing to spread light and life around the world. Seth, will you tell us who you are and a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_03 0:56

Hello, everyone. I'm Seth Andre Robinson. I'm a writer and author of a book series titled Purpose Me. And I'm very honored to be here tonight.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

So excited. We've met on a Facebook authors group, and I've been following a lot of what people are doing. But when I saw your post and your title of yours, I was like, oh, this is exciting and stuff. But I'm interested in that backstory because you said a lot of this came from things that you've gone through in your life. What were some of the experiences and things that gave you inspiration that led you to wanting to write this?

SPEAKER_03 1:37

The main character is named Karina. And she one of the things that she goes through is that she suffers from a speech impediment, which is something that I have suffered from. I started all through throughout grade school. And it was embarrassing at times, but it just made me stronger and just made me more determined to just overcome that obstacle. Along with her, along with the speech impediment, I was someone who was very shy, very quiet. And so upon stuttering, you know, speaking in front of people or just speaking, period, was just totally out of the question. So those are some of the characteristics that I invested into the character Karina. And with her speech of penance of being shy and quiet and thinking that God can't use her or the things that she's going through, it's just some unfortunate events. But yet, through the midst of everything that she's going through, she learns that God does have her hand in her life. And then she even takes her setbacks and use it as a ministry to help other people.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

I find that interesting too because when we think about any kind of disability any of us have or any fear that any of us have, we often hide from God that or think that God can't use us because of that. And yet you've yeah, in the Bible, it even teaches us, right? Moses had a speech impediment. Many of them had that kind of, I can't speak. How could you use me? But God has always taken what we our weaknesses and allowed that. How have you seen God use you and give you strength through your weaknesses and through your struggles as you went through your trials in life?

SPEAKER_03 3:29

Just trying to get out of that realm of self-pity. Because a lot of times, you know, we have our setbacks and we go through things. And one of the first things that we want to do is we want to do the whole pity party and what was me and why me. And you know, and just forgetting that everyone goes through something, everyone has something that that that's not so desirable. And I'm just learning how to just really just embrace me. You know, I'm still a quiet person, but just learning how to embrace me and say, okay, this is me, this is who I am, and just allowing God to use that and work through that and just be able to still talk to people. I'm like now, I can get on a public transportation on a bus or a speed line or something and just have a conversation with someone. Where growing up, that was totally out of the question. But now it's just I just enjoy talking to people, I enjoy helping people. You know, I, you know, it really blesses my soul when I see someone who really comes forth and be all that God has called them to be.

SPEAKER_00 4:44

That's so incredible that you've gone from this because I've seen and taught so many students who've struggled with something like that. And then you're right, pity party, or I can't do this, or we use it as an excuse rather than turning it into a strength. And it seems like you've really turned that into a string to reach out and to help other people through that as well. Is there someone or something that like helped you to get to that point? What who is it, or what helped you to find that inspiration to to move beyond that pity party?

SPEAKER_03 5:17

For the most part, it was just the writing that helped me. Uh just pouring myself into the characters of the story. And I can just really feel God was speaking through me through my writing and just showing me things. And one of the stories, the first book that I have is The Purpose Me, Volume One. It's a collection of short stories. And one of the short stories in there is titled The Show Must Go On. And it's about one girl who God has called to be more than what she was, and she just even graduated from college and got a degree. But you know, the people that was with her before that couldn't go with her after that because they couldn't understand her calling. And and she had to realize that okay, I have to take this path, even if it means I have to take this path by myself. Short stories like that just really encouraged me and still had to remind myself of is that the show must go on. As a writer, it's a very interesting job, a very interesting calling. Because sometimes it's a lonely calling. Sometimes you're writing, and it just, you know, you ask yourself, is anyone reading this? Is anyone getting this? But I know what God told me to do. And so for the most part, I'm not writing to be rich and famous. I can't get rich and famous. But I'm, you know, but I'm writing because it's what God had ordered me to do.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

It's true, yeah. And I think all of us as authors face that I know I have is okay. You told me to write this book.

unknown 7:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 7:02

I hope it's getting where it needs to be. Is anyone out there reading and doing it? But when you reach that one, we may not even never know, but that one is hearing what God wanted them to hear, and that's what matters in that case.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

And so you know.

SPEAKER_00 7:17

Were you a big reader growing up? What were you someone who read a lot growing up, or were you just a writer from the beginning? What was that like for you?

SPEAKER_03 7:26

I was a reader, and I was someone who always enjoyed doing plays and acting in plays. You know, that was something I very much enjoyed. So I'm really hoping that these books can be turned into short plays and movies and TV series. It's starting to get that way. This past November, I had a book launch for my third book, and during the book launch, I was able to get four characters that came, four people that came and portrayed the characters from the book that did the monologue from characters of the book. And so it's really that way of doing plays and doing movies. It's it's starting to become that way.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

Are you gonna write them into the plays yourself or are you gonna work with someone? What are you maybe thinking on that end?

SPEAKER_03 8:17

I'm open to how God wants to move. I would like to be involved in the writing and directing process and maybe even a lost team. So I love it.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

As a theater person and director, I and actor, I like I love that idea of bringing in characters to read and be part of that whole journey. But I also love turning it into that because there's something about live theater that is just it brings something to life and expresses that voice, and especially if you've written it with hearing those characters to be part of that would be so incredible for you, I'm sure. Let's see. Sorry, my brain just went out the window. So tell me uh, so what's so your first book was a collection of short stories, and Karina was one of those short stories. How did that become it their own stories and series in volumes two and three here?

SPEAKER_03 9:15

Okay, so in volume one, it was a collection of short stories just introducing Karina and her family. And I kind of did the Star Wars thing, yeah. They started from episode four and then went back. So I kind of did that type of thing in purpose me, volume one. It was just short stories about introducing her and her family, and then even her future descendants. Because one of the short stories in the book is what what does your future hold? And it shows her great-great-great-granddaughter actually having a dream that having a dream of becoming a president of the United States, and that dream actually winds up coming true. So it's different stories in there like that, and then in Purpose Me volume two, it's called The Origins of Karina, and it just takes the audience back to where she was born, you know, because she's actually from Africa, so it shows in what part of Africa she was born, what tribe she was a part of, who was her family, and then even with her name Karina, that wasn't her original name. Because I had to look into that, and you know, of course, you know, when you're writing, do your research. So Karina is not really an African name, but it was given to her later on through another uh group of people who loved her and took care of her, and it just shows how she became, you know, how she became Karina, and it shows, you know, along with her having, you know, along with her, I'm sorry, it's okay, being shy, quiet, and and and having a speech impediment, she also's been blessed with the ability to experience visions and dreams, and it shows you how she got that from her father, who also had the ability to experience visions and dreams. So it it shows all of that in Purpose Me, in Purpose Me Volume 2, in Purpose Me Volume Three, which just came out this past November. The whole story of the book, she's the main character, and it just showed everything that she's goes through in trying to get to where God needs her to be. And I'm not sure if you're able to see it, it's it's her in a rowboat paddling through a storm. And I'm kind of gonna go backwards a little bit because purpose me volume two, volume three is actually called Karina's Choice. And here she is forced to make a choice whether she's gonna sink or swim, live or die, whether she's gonna allow for everything she's been through to make her or break her. So it's called Karina's Choice, Purpose Me Volume Three, Purpose Me Volume Two again is called The Origins of Karina, and then Purpose Me Volume One is called Destiny Awaits. So those are the three books that I have written so far. I want to talk a little bit about Purpose Me Volume Three, Karina's Choice. Um, this book was actually written during a time when I where I unfortunately lost my mom. Oh, and I was halfway through the book when God decided to call her home. And and of course, with that, it just totally blew my mind. And really at the time, I didn't know how I was gonna finish the book because I couldn't wrap my mind around finishing the book. But then I at the same time, I was also stuck at a place of trying to get her to process everything that she was going through. And I was trying to think, well, how can I get her to process everything she's going through? And what God put in my spirit is allow her to process everything that she's going through by taking her through the stages of grief. And that's how I was able to incorporate that, you know, taking my stages of grief and incorporate it into the book. And so everything that I was going through in that moment, I incorporated into the book, and then it actually helped me through my stages of grief.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Wow, that's so powerful that you're able to God knew what you were going to need at that time to help you process it was to have your character process with you so that you can use that. That's wow, God is in the details. That is for sure.

SPEAKER_03 14:00

Well, I can honestly say I love the whole process of each book because I feel like with each book, God is showing me something new.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

I have truly come to believe that no matter what it is that we're creating, whether we're writing books or artists or what it is we do, that God knows what we need when we need it. And He's using those things to help us either heal or to teach us or to give us things. And I'm I'm so glad that you have these books because they sound I can't wait to read them. I was peeking at it before we got on today. I was like, I'm so excited to read these books and enjoy them. So you've taken this purpose me, and I see you're sure and everything too. What are you hoping to take and use these books for as you go forward?

SPEAKER_03 14:52

I'm hoping that it will serve as a source of encouragement. I know one of the messages that I try to incorporate in the book is that we are that we as people are a lot stronger than what we give ourselves credit for. Karina was a lot stronger than more than she realized. And sometimes when we're going through something, we think, oh wow, how in the world am I going to make it through that? You know, how am I going to do that? And we are a lot stronger than what we give ourselves credit for because you know the Bible says, Greater is he that is in us than he that's in the world. And he also says, I haven't given you the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. So he's putting those things inside of us, which again reminds me of a short story that I wrote in Purpose Me Volume One, what's already inside of you. So put those things inside of us so that we can persevere, so that we can be greater than our circumstances, our setbacks, our flaws.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

And that's only with him, with us, too. He with him, we become that greatness. We can't do it on our own, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_02 16:01

Yes. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 16:04

Where can we find your books? Where can we follow you? Where can we join in your journey as we go through this purpose me with you?

SPEAKER_03 16:14

Yes, I do have a website that's called purposeme365.com. Again, it's purposeme365.com. And I have that again, that website theme because you know, purpose me is something that happens every day. It's not something that that you have to take time out to do. You can serve purpose every day in every way. You can serve purpose when you go to the store, just hold the door open for someone, you know, or you might see someone who's out and about who might need help. Maybe they have a flat tire, or maybe they're lost or something. I had a situation where I went to the airport and it was funny. I was supposed to leave to go to Tennessee the night before, and it was a bad storm, so planes got delayed, and I was kind of annoyed because I was now being thrown off schedule. So, long story short, I wound up going, have to take a plane that morning to go to Tennessee. But just before I left, I came across an elderly woman who was getting on a plane for the first time and didn't know where to go, how to go about things. And I was able to help her, you know, serving purpose. You know, I just feel like every day of your life can be and should be purpose. So purposeme365.com.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

I love it. Should make a little works book for us to do next to part of your series as well. The purpose me journal for every day, 365.

SPEAKER_03 17:49

I would like to do that. Yeah, something that's in the works to do a purpose me journal.

SPEAKER_00 17:55

I love it. That's awesome. See, god knew. That's awesome. I love that idea of that we can have purpose each day because sometimes, especially, I think so many of us just don't feel purposeless. Like we feel like we don't have any influence or any power or any kind of, we're just floating aimlessly throughout everything. And I love this idea of finding our purpose each day, even in just those small, simple things that we don't even think about, that we reflect back on like, man, if I hadn't been there in that moment and allowed and done that, what could have happened? So very grateful for that thought because I think it's a powerful thing that we all need to hear right now.

SPEAKER_02 18:43

Yes. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

What is one thing that if you could tell our audience and want them to walk away with as a message for them, what would it be today?

SPEAKER_03 18:58

The message is don't give up. Don't give up. I feel like what God has given me is something that that even though the story itself takes place in the 1700s, I feel like it's very relevant for today's times and everything that we're going through. Because there's just so much going on right now with the government and just things in the world. It's just it's a lot going on, you know. And I know it's just well, with the midst of everything that's going on, it's just kind of hard to think, you know, do I still have a purpose? Does this everything happen for a purpose? Is everything happened for a reason? Is it just an accident? Is it just a mishap? So I would just say, you know, for those who are watching, to don't give up on that word purpose. That God still has purpose, God still has a plan, he still has everything in the palm of his hands, you know, and just trust him and just believe that he does.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

That is a very beautiful message, and thank you for sharing that. I definitely need to hear that all the time. And so it's a beautiful way to think about that. Thank you for being with us. Is there anything else that you didn't share that you'd like to share before we sign off today?

SPEAKER_03 20:22

I think I covered everything. Uh I'm not sure there are any more questions for me or anything. Just I would say for those who who are just seeing this podcast, that just continue to keep me in your prayers. Keep this project in your prayers. I don't want to just write books. I do want to do plays and TV shows and movies. You know, I do believe that one day purpose me will be a movie. I believe that. I'm going, I'm speaking that into existence. So I want to ask you to do me a favor, those who are watching, to keep this project in your prayer and and of course support. Go to purposeme365.com and purchase a book.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

The best way to help an author is to buy a book and leave a review, everyone. Go leave a review that will help them as well.

SPEAKER_03 21:14

And I will definitely keep you at my prayers that absolutely help hear how this book has ministered to you as well. So absolutely, you know, read the book, contact me, let me know your thoughts.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

Good and absolutely and I can't wait to do that. And definitely we'll leave reviews. That's my thing. I'm making my way up through all these things, starting to leave people their reviews and stuff too. So it's awesome and so powerful your message and so powerful. And I'm so grateful that God is working through you and you're allowing him to do so and you're following what he asks you to do. I appreciate that. And we're grateful for your work in the world to bring light to us all.

SPEAKER_03 21:56

We appreciate it. Thank you. And I'm grateful for you too for what you're doing.

SPEAKER_00 22:02

I I just get to talk to authors. It's so much fun. And maybe we can work on as a as an author. So we can maybe we can find someone to write that play and get those going. So I'll keep my eyes open and my ears open for it. That'd be great. Thank you everyone for joining us today on Ramdi's rants, raids, and reviews. Go out, buy his books, support the cause, look forward things and remember your purpose in life and let it go. And God works for you every day of your life as we go forward. Have a good day, guys.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

Have a good night.