8 minute read
God’s Heart for Your Story
The story of Tracey Lynn Russell ’86 and how God is using her to reach others.
I“ s God in this story?” Tracey (Gompf) Russell ’86 wondered out loud as we began this interview.
We were talking about the pandemic and how we often don’t understand until much later how God uses circumstances in our lives to ignite change in us and others.
Russell couldn’t imagine when her parents enrolled her at Westminster in fifth grade that God was already preparing her to share her story. At that time, it would have been impossible for her to understand how her teachers, new friends, and environment could so profoundly shape her.
For the first time, Russell had a teacher who was also a Christian and shared her faith with students. Even though she grew up in a Christian home, her teachers at the local public school did not talk about God the way her parents did at home.
“I don’t think parents realize that being part of the Westminster family is a gift they give to their children that will last their entire lives,” said Russell. “The investment that teachers make in their students and the friendships that I still have today, so much of that started at Westminster.”
God’s preparation of Tracey continued in high school as she joined choir and was drawn to vocal performance. She was also a cheerleader and involved with student government. “I was always happiest whenever I had the chance to use my voice,” said Russell. “I’m pretty sure my only detention was for talking too much in class!”
After high school she attended FSU, and like many young people, struggled in her Christian walk and how to live her faith in this new college setting.
After college, she knew that she couldn’t be “good” enough on her own, so she recommitted her life to Christ. After earning an undergraduate degree in communications, she pursued a master’s degree in occupational therapy with the goal of helping those in need.
Her plan was finally coming together. She had graduated from college, had married the love of her life, and was following the Lord. What could possibly go wrong? How could this not be the plan God had for her?
“As soon as we were married, my marriage began to fall apart. My husband really struggled. He was a nice guy from a Christian home, but he didn’t want to commit to being a Christian,” Russell recalls. “This was a tipping point in his life, and he didn’t want to do what it would take to save our marriage.”
She fought for her marriage for a long time, even through the birth of their first son. However, she finally surrendered her husband and her failing marriage to God after reading “Love Must Be Tough” by James Dobson. Still in disbelief that her marriage was not in God’s plan, Russell and her husband divorced.
Tracey surrounded by her family (l to r) sons Trey (19), Holt (21), daughter Faith (13), husband Mark, and son Chase (24).
“It was by getting divorced that God exploded into our story. I saw God move my husband from death to life. After years of struggle and pain, He reconciled our marriage and changed our lives!” said Russell. “All I could think was that this is a story that has to be told.”
After Russell shared her story for the first time in public, she was invited by Christian author LeAnn Weiss to attend a speaker and writer’s conference. Weiss encouraged her to share her story with others, but Russell was intimidated. She told herself that she wasn’t a writer. She was a therapist and didn’t feel called to a marriage ministry.
Sometime later, she heard Lysa TerKeurst, a well-known Christian author, speaker and president of Proverbs 31 ministries, at a conference in her church.
“She was funny and bringing the Word. I wanted to be able to share like that.”
TerKeurst invited Russell to attend a Proverbs 31 training for speakers and writers, which ultimately led to her being asked to write her first published piece for them. She continued to write for them and share her story between raising her now four children, always thinking that when life slowed down she would go back to being a full-time therapist.
“My calling grew in little parts and pieces,” Russell shared. “I became involved with raising money for an orphanage and I shared my story when and where I could. My pastor’s wife would ask me to fill in for her whenever she was asked to speak at an event, believing that my story was worthy of being shared.”
Years passed and then just a few years ago, Russell and her family moved to California. By this time, three of her four children were nearly grown, with just one still in school. She was focused on her family, and the causes she believed in.
“I was at a point in my life where I never expected God to use me, especially as a woman, I felt like that time had passed.”
New to California, Russell was invited to have coffee with the women’s ministry leader at her church. Unexpectedly at that meeting, she was invited to be on the speaking and writing team for her church. She joined the team and agreed to write an Advent Bible study. Russell was then asked to teach and train a small group of women to share their stories. Little did she know that this was just the beginning of what God had been preparing her for all along.
That following summer she traveled to Rwanda on a missions trip and visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, a place of remembrance to honor its more than one million victims. As she entered the museum she saw a sign that read, “A message was spread among the people that compelled them to turn brother against brother, that turned an entire nation.”
“As I read those words, God spoke to me. He was showing me the power of communication and how it is so important that every person realizes their influence,” Russell shared. “In parts of the world, hell is breaking loose because the wrong people got the microphone and shared a story of hatred.” God had her attention. She was all in and ready to do whatever God asked of her.
That night she attended a business leadership event and was seated next to a man who shared his story with her. He mentioned James Dobson, and she told him how Dobson’s book had ministered to her as she was going through issues in her marriage. He was so moved by her story that he texted Dobson right on the spot. Her new friend handed her his phone and she texted Dobson telling him about the influence his book had had on her life. It was an amazing moment.
Three days later, Dobson invited her to be a guest on his podcast. He wanted others to hear her story, too.
“What did I get myself into?” was the first thing Russell recalled thinking. “I don’t have a major ministry. I don’t have a book. I’m just a woman at 50 years old who sold out to God, to share her story with the world. At that moment, I committed to doing whatever it takes.”
Even though she felt ill equipped, she shared her story on Dobson’s podcast where more than five million listeners heard the story of how God saved her marriage. From that point, God has continued to open doors for that story to be heard. Russell now hosts a weekly podcast called “Heart of the Story” which she uses to minister to women and to empower women to become transformational leaders.
She wrote a guide for women, “The Art of My Story: How to Create a Message to Remember” that led her to finally formalize her business.
“I want to motivate other people to be all that God wants them to be,” said Russell. “I feel called to empower 100,000 women in the story of their lives – to go out and share that message. In some ways, I feel like I have always been in this ministry.”
Russell sees herself as opening the door so that others are given the tools to share
Barby Clinton Foulkrod ‘86 (far left) and Christi Wolaver Wade ‘85 (far right) have been friends with Tracey for more than 40 years! Barby was her first friend at Westminster and they were all cheerleaders together in high school.
their story. Even during the pandemic, God has shown her new ways of doing just that. Through “Art of My Story Online,” she is now training hundreds of women to share the story that God is telling through their lives through online workshops and coaching. “I’m just one seed,” said Russell. “This is
“I believe that there are a lot of untold stories that can activate the next generation to faith,” said Russell. “My story is not as important right now as what
Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
God is allowing me to learn from the people he is surrounding me with so that we can equip others to share.”
From losing her marriage to God’s miraculous restoration, Russell believes that the many ups and downs in her life was God preparing her for this next chapter. She is saying yes to all of the her podcast, Christian radio show appearances, addressing audiences at conferences, and more. She is also writing a book that will be released in the fall to help expand the reach of her marriage story.
exponential. I feel called to activate and inspire people to tell the story of what God has done in their lives.”
