Page 238: Russ Taff Part 2: Silencing the Voices of Shame

The Unfolding

Northwestern Media

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.9 • 809 Ratings

🗓️ 2 May 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Guilt says you did something wrong. Shame says you *are* the thing that’s wrong. Russ Taff grew up believing he’d never be good enough. Raised by an alcoholic Pentecostal preacher and a co-dependent mother, his childhood was marked by abuse, secrets, and the suffocating weight of shame. But even in the darkest moments, music was his refuge. Russ’s extraordinary talent propelled him to the heights of Contemporary Christian Music. By 23, he was performing with The Imperials, later becoming a celebrated solo artist and member of the Gaither Vocal Band. With GRAMMY wins and a place in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, his success was undeniable. But behind the spotlight, Russ was fighting a silent battle. The echoes of shame never faded — and only alcohol seemed to silence them. What followed was a decades-long hidden struggle with addiction. This episode is the second of a two-part story sharing Russ Taff’s raw, redemptive journey through trauma and addiction, and the healing power of Love.

Show notes:

“I Still Believe” Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpHdjcCfrSg

I Still Believe Book: https://www.amazon.com/Still-Believe-Wreckage-Recovery-Relentless/dp/1642931489

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RussTaff

Website: https://russtaff.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russtaffofficial/

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Page 238 of the unfolding is part two of the story of Russ Taff.
0:06.1	Shame, you can't believe shame.
0:08.4	You had it before, but now you're doing what your dad did.
0:11.6	I hated myself because I became him, and that was the worst thing that could happen to me.
0:17.3	I hated him and what he did to the family, and now I'm doing it.
0:22.4	God's story has been unfolding.
0:25.9	Since the beginning of time.
0:29.0	He invites you to be a part of it.
0:34.5	Another page in the unfolding.
0:37.9	What happens when you dare to believe healing is possible, no matter what, is in your past?
0:44.7	Hi, I'm Meredith Foster.
0:46.6	After recording Russ Taft's story, I drove away from his home with one thought that I just couldn't shake.
0:52.4	Our stories have power, real power to bring hope,
0:57.4	to point straight to the ultimate healer. Russ's story is one of those. It left me in awe of
1:03.3	God's love and his strength and his grace, and I believe it will leave you feeling the same.
1:08.8	This is a story of hope, but it is also a hard one. So if you have
1:14.1	young children listening with you, you may want to preview this first. Okay, if you missed page
1:19.5	237 of the unfolding, that's part one of Russ's story. You'll want to pause this, go back, and listen.
1:26.0	That's where you will hear about Russ's childhood in a small
1:29.1	California town, growing up with an alcoholic father, a codependent mother, and a house full of
1:36.0	secrets and pain. When we left off, Russ was just 18 years old, standing by a road in Arkansas
1:42.3	watching his parents drive away. And for the first
	...

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