Randy Hartley

Just outside Nashville in Brentwood, Tennessee, Randy Hartley lives with his beautiful family and works as a financial planner. Sounds like the American dream, right? Except for a while, it wasn’t. For quite some time, Randy’s family, especially his daughter, harbored deep pain from past trauma.

While seeking a solution, Randy met a Rwandan family who immigrated to America after escaping the 1994 genocide in their home country. With their new friends, Randy’s family found themselves facing a harrowing journey halfway across the world in Murambi, Rwanda — a journey that God used to bring healing and peace to their brokenness.

Randy shares this incredible true story in his recent book, Beautifully Broken and his movie by the same name. But today, what we really want to know is how that risk-laden adventure impacted his relationship with Jesus in the day-to-day. Enjoy our eye-opening conversation with Randy and be encouraged!

QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT

There's much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?

I grew up in Slidell, Louisiana, and though I’ve been gone for almost 40 years, that will always be “home” for me. If I could go back in time, my favorite meal would be a bowl of gumbo at Vera’s Seafood, an old hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a stilted house on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Vera’s has long since closed, but when I was a kid, my family would go there about once a month.

Vera’s was very popular with the locals, and because they didn’t take reservations, we’d often have to wait outside until they called our name. I’d play along the edge of the lake, looking for crabs or skipping rocks across the water while we waited. Once inside, we’d all order the same meal. And finally, after the meal, my dad would give us a nickel to go play an old arcade game, where we used a mounted BB gun to shoot metal targets as they would pop up or pass by.

The taste of the food, the fun of being with my family and the innocence of childhood would make a bowl of gumbo at Vera’s the perfect meal.

QUESTION #2: REVEAL

We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So, what are yours? What so-called "nonspiritual" activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?

I love to go on safaris. After my first mission trip to Africa (Rwanda, to be specific), I was encouraged to take a safari in the Masai Mara in Kenya before flying home through Nairobi. That first trip to Rwanda with my daughter was such an emotional and transformational journey for us both and when we left, I had so many thoughts and feelings running through my head. Spending three days on safari was the perfect time and place to process everything we had done on this mission trip.

Camping safaris are also so peaceful and glorious. The expanse of the Masai Mara was unlike anything I’d ever seen, and the combination of the beautiful setting and abundant animal life was like a religious experience. I told everyone when I returned that I had seen God in Africa in two ways — in the people of Rwanda and the splendor of safari in Kenya.

My daughter ultimately moved to Kenya after college, so between visits to her and mission trips to Rwanda, I have been fortunate to return to Africa many times. Each time I go, I take a safari and have never been disappointed. Every time, I have felt an incredible spiritual connection to God.

QUESTION #3: CONFESS

Every superhero has a weakness. Every human too. We're just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So, what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?

I have to say that my biggest weakness is patience, or more accurately, the lack thereof! I have always admired people with patience and have seen what a blessing the patience shown by teachers, coaches and parents is to the ones they love and assist. Unfortunately, as much as I admire the trait, I seem to lack it.

My impatience has probably been most hurtful to those I love the most. Whether it is waiting for Darla (my wife) to get ready to go out, driving through traffic or waiting on service from someone, my impatience can impact my mood and the moods of those around me.

We can miss what God is trying to tell us when we are impatient, and I have felt that there were times when God has caused a delay so that I could see and appreciate the greater plan that he has. Even with my book and movie, there have been many times when the project got bogged down. Those instances would sometimes cause me to question whether I was doing what God had intended. But in each case, the delays have actually made the timing better.

For example, the true story in our book, “Beautifully Broken,” involves the Mwizerwa family, my friends who are refugees from Rwanda. Their story sheds light on the plight of refugees, puts a human face on the issue and demonstrates the great gifts that we receive from each other. I believe the timing of the story is ideal for our world and our country right now as it chronicles what can ultimately happen when people are sharply divided against one another. Many of us need to hear this story and take heed. And to think, I impatiently fretted the delays, but God’s timing is perfect.

QUESTION #4: FIRE UP

Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?

The story behind “Beautifully Broken” has been my primary passion for the last few years. Producing the movie and now writing the book have taken quite a bit of time and effort, especially since I have a full-time job as a financial planner. Telling this story can also be emotionally demanding, as it includes some particularly painful times for my family. But I feel that our story is a powerful one that can bring hope and healing to others.

I do feel that telling our story is what I have been called to do. When the miraculous events told in the book were taking place, I paused at one point and asked God if I was supposed to be taking notes and writing all of this down. Then, in telling our experiences to a friend, he told me to write down what I had just told him because it was powerful and others needed to hear it. That was confirmation to me that it was God calling me to tell the story.

An added blessing in telling our story is that it also depicts the story of Legacy Mission Village, the refugee ministry founded by William and Ebralie Mwizerwa, the co-authors of the book. Their ministry does such incredible work in serving refugees from all over the world. They have been through some of the most horrific situations, and yet their grace and gratitude never fail to inspire me.

QUESTION #5: BOOST

Cashiers, CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it's God when it happens?

At times, the work behind the movie and the book has seemed overbearing. And I have to admit, I question at times whether the effort is what God really called me to do. But each time I’ve felt discouraged, the Lord reminds me of how our story is impacting lives.

Just this week, I received the kindest email from someone who saw our movie two years ago. He said that his family was moving to South Africa to work in missions and that our story was part of the process that God used to lead them to Africa. It was a powerful reinforcement to hear that our story made a difference in someone’s life!

On another occasion, I received a beautiful message on the “Beautifully Broken movie Facebook page” right at a time when I was particularly discouraged. The writer said that she had been broken, having faced the trauma of sexual assault just as our daughter had, as told in our story. She said that our story spoke directly to her in a way that we could never know, giving her encouragement and making her feel worthy. I was in tears after reading her raw, real, personal story and I thanked God for the perfect timing of her encouragement.

These are just two of the many messages that I’ve received that confirm that my mission in telling our story has been worth it.

QUESTION #6: inspire

Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So, spill it, which spiritual practice is workin' best for you right now?

I have always felt God’s presence when serving others. I know it is cliché, but I’ve always received far more from serving others than what I have given.

I have been most active in service through Legacy Mission Village, a refugee ministry founded by the Mwizerwa family. Every time I have worked with our refugee community, I have been so inspired by those we serve.

The refugee community inspires me in how they lean so heavily into their faith and how their faith gives them the strength to keep going. I have had so many refugees tell me that as long as they have Jesus, they’ll be fine. That level of faith is enviable and helps me feel God’s presence when I am with them.

I have also found that serving others is the best way for our own wounds to heal. Seeing the gratitude and grace from those we serve increases our capacity for gratitude and grace.

I know that my daughter was deeply wounded by her sexual trauma. Yet she says her healing started when she began volunteering at Legacy Mission Village. The children she served would greet her every day with smiles and hugs, saying how much they loved her. This affirmation allowed her to realize that she had value and had something to offer. That realization may seem apparent to many people, but for those who feel lost and broken, the realization of value and purpose is perhaps the most valuable gift possible. It’s a gift realized when we feel God’s presence in serving others.

QUESTION #7: FOCUS

Our email subscribers get free ebooks featuring our favorite resources — lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are some resources that have impacted you?

I love reading books about people whose stories inspire me. In that regard, a friend of mine volunteered at Tenwek Hospital in western Kenya’s vast rural area. He told me the incredible story about Ernie Steury, the doctor who started Tenwek Hospital and toiled in near anonymity for years, faithfully serving the people who desperately needed his help. I read his biography called “Miracle at Tenwek: The Life of Dr. Ernie Steury.” It is truly humbling to read about someone who gave so tirelessly and served so many.

In the same vein, there was a young lady from my hometown of Brentwood, Tennessee, Katie Davis, who moved to Uganda for mission work and ultimately adopted several children while serving many more. Katie was the same age as my daughters, and they knew many of the same people from school. Her book, “Kisses from Katie,” is another biography that just humbles me and encourages me to give much more.

The stories of Ernie Steury and Katie Davis cause me to pause and ask God for the strength, guidance and wisdom to do more to serve his kingdom.

Finally, I was really moved by the book “When Helping Hurts,” which Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert wrote to help us all think about missions and helping others in ways that do not have unintended consequences. Someone recommended that I read this book before my first mission trip to Rwanda, and I found it to be very thought-provoking. Charity and mission work needs to be done in a way that lifts up the church and institutions that remain when we return home so that God and our good work can continue to serve the local people.

We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season — and tell us what it's done for you.

I became a fan of country music when I moved to Nashville years ago. One of my favorite singers from the 1980s and ’90s was John Berry. John had great songs like “Your Love Amazes Me” and was named CMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 1995.

I was blessed to have John sing the title song of my movie, “Beautifully Broken,” and his version of the song reminded me of what a beautiful tenor voice he has. As a result, I got to know John a bit and learned what a wonderful Christian man he is and how his heart is even more beautiful than his voice.

John is releasing an album of classic church hymns called “Find My Joy” and just pre-released his version of the old hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.” I’ve saved his version of the song on my phone and love listening to it.

Life can be chaotic at times, and on occasion, I wonder what the result of the chaos might be. Listening to his angelic tenor voice sing “It Is Well with My Soul” is a blessed reassurance of where our faith and hope lie. If we keep our eyes on Jesus through it all, it is well!

QUESTION #8: dream

God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So, give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?

My experience with the movie “Beautifully Broken” and now the book has made me see the power and the impact that stories of faith can have on people. I also believe that stories of faith told well can reach an audience that may currently be unchurched, and we have to reach those not in the pews where they are.

I feel that I’ve learned quite a bit since the beginning of this journey, and I’d love to take that knowledge and see if I can make an even bigger impact with a future project. I’ve met so many wonderful, talented people along the way, and I’m working on a couple of projects that I hope will come to fruition.

We are still very early in the process, and I’m not sure yet what God has called me to do with it. Nevertheless, I’m trying to be patient and faithful to his will. I suppose that, if it is meant to be, you will see this financial planner taking another swing at a faith-based film or book.

Our culture tries to define us by our job title. It’s no coincidence that “What do you do?” is often one of the first questions to come up after meeting someone.

In Randy’s case, it might be tempting to try to pigeonhole him as a financial planner. After all, he’s had a successful career of over 30 years and counting! But as talented a financial planner as Randy is, that’s not the only way God uses him. He’s also done incredible work in missions and with his book and movie.

Because he was willing to step out of his comfort zone and follow God’s voice, numerous people are finding the courage to do the same — whether that calling leads them to the mission field or simply to local ministry.

Randy’s story certainly encourages us, and we hope it encourages you, too. Whatever God asks of us — even if it’s not in our official job description — will we simply say yes?