A Heartfelt True Story

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Hello, my name is Tracy DuBord. If you are taking your precious time to read my author page, I am truly honored.

In 1963 I was born and raised in the San Francisco/East Bay Area in California. Specifically, in Martinez and Antioch. I grew up in a divorced, abusive, violent, alcoholic home. I graduated from Antioch Sr. High School in 1981. In 1982, I attended a trade school and earned a certificate for Medical Office Management. Something I never wanted to do, but was pushed into it by my parents. 

In 1983 I married my "angel" Todd DuBord. Something I definitely wanted to do!  Together we moved to Scotts Valley, California, then to Pasadena, California where Todd attended Bible College and Seminary. I was a stay-at-home mom taking care of our two children. I also worked from home doing part-time secretarial work, and as a community coordinator for student housing residents who lived on campus at Fuller Seminary.

During this time I also pursued acting. Southern California/Los Angeles was the television and movie "mecca" in all of America. The perfect place to "make it big!" I attended an acting class at Pasadena City College and a commercial workshop in hopes of launching my "career." Trying to do this on top of caring for two children, working, and with a husband who went to school and worked full time proved impossible. In addition, I learned it was impossible to get anywhere in the acting world without an agent, a SAG card, and most of all, connections in the industry. Having none of those, I gave up.

In 1992, we moved to Palmdale, California where my husband became an associate pastor at 1st Presbyterian Church of Palmdale. I helped him with the youth groups for Jr. High and High school as well as teaching sunday school for high school students. I partnered with Todd in the small group ministries as well as many other adult ministries.

Singing on the worship team was my favorite thing to do. But, I was unable to have healthy personal relationships wherever I went. I ended up sabotaging my relationship with the worship leader and with the Senior pastor and his wife. It led me to quit the worship team. Something I regretted. But, in hindsight, it was mostly my fault. My whole life I struggled getting along with people. It was all part of my dysfunction, PTSD, and brain disorder.

I was forced to go back to work a couple of years after we moved to Palmdale. We were unable to defer my husband's student loan payments any longer. And his salary wasn't enough to pay them. I got a job working for two cardiologists in Lancaster where I worked for a year-and-a-half until we moved to Lake Almanor.

In 1996, we moved to Lake Almanor, California where my husband accepted a Sr. Pastorate position, which he had for 12 years at Lake Almanor Community Church. I was given another opportunity to sing on the worship team. I also enjoyed acting in vignettes during Sunday morning worship services, and at other functions. 

Due to my brain disorder, dysfunction, deep insecurities, low self esteem, and inability to have healthy relationships, I was never able to lead in any capacity. However, for several years when my children were young, I helped with the AWANA program for children.

In 1998 I started working for our local hospital. It had a whole fourteen beds! I worked in the office billing insurance. I worked there for a total of eight years. In between I took a two year hiatus to pursue a career in real estate. 

For two years I attempted to sell real estate and wasn't very successful. When the bottom fell out of the market in 2008, I quit and went back to work at the hospital for six months until we moved to Texas.

In 2008, my husband was offered a job as a chaplain for the actor, Chuck Norris. It was in his production company working with people in his Kick-Start-Kids organization among other things. We spent eight months a year in Texas and four months at our house in Lake Almanor, California. 

As hard as I tried to make Texas my home, I couldn't. I was a native Californian. It was too ingrained in my soul. It's like the old saying goes, "You can take the girl out of California, but you can't take California out of the girl." 

During this time, my bipolarity was taking it's toll. I was officially diagnosed in 1999. For thirteen years I'd been running from facing and accepting it. But, it wouldn't let me go.

By 2012 it took over total control of my being. This combined with my PTSD and wounded heart catapulted me into a brick wall that crash landed me into a mental hospital for eight days. 

I had a nervous breakdown. I spent two years in recovery. During which time my husband moved us from Texas back to California full time. The doctors said I needed as stress free lifestyle as possible. This wasn't possible with his job. So, in 2014 he quit his job in Texas and started a church in our hometown. Mt. Lassen Community Church, where he pastored for 10 years and renovated Mt. Lassen Theatre before retiring from 35 years of pastoring.

Since 2012, we have been living a quiet life in our mountain hometown of Chester, Ca. 

In 2015 I wrote my book. 

As of 2017 I'm writing volume II. 

We have two biological children and five grandchildren. Outside of being a wife to Todd, my favorite roles in life have always been being a mom and grandmother, and pet owner (in that order).  

I have been managing my bipolarity with the help of my wonderful husband. I have my ups and downs. We meet once a month with my psychiatrist to monitor my medications. Life is good!