An Affordable Chaplain Degree That Changed Everything – The Story of Michelle Tiffany

A Story of Redemption, Calling, and the Power of an Affordable Chaplain Degree

In a small town in northern Idaho, surrounded by goats, chickens, bees, and rescue pets, Michelle Tiffany lives a life that defies expectations. A wife of 25 years, a mother of two grown children, a massage therapist, a coffee roaster, a construction worker, and a church custodian—Michelle wears many hats. But her greatest joy lies in something deeper: ministering to the broken and pointing them toward healing in Christ.

“I’ve found that God sees greatness entirely differently than we do,” Michelle says. “He called me to sit with the broken—not walk with the great.”

Today, Michelle is a chaplain at her county jail, a life coach, and a servant of her community. But her path to ministry wasn’t smooth. It was marked by tragedy, labels, and limitations—until God used the affordable chaplain degreeprogram at Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) to open a new chapter of freedom and purpose.

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From Convicted Felon to County Jail Chaplain

At age 19, Michelle was involved in a tragic accident that resulted in someone’s death. Facing the death penalty, she entered early adulthood with a felony conviction that would follow her for nearly two decades.

“I lived under the label ‘convicted felon’ for almost 20 years,” she recalls. “Very few professional doors were open to me. But through the coursework at Christian Leaders Institute—especially the restorative justice classes—God began to challenge that identity.”

Eventually, she was led to confront the limitations she had accepted. Through what she describes as a miracle, the legal system removed the felony from her record. Then another door opened—this time through education.

“I didn’t even know where I was headed when I started taking CLI courses,” she shares. “But as I continued, God reshaped my beliefs about what was possible.”

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Mental Health Labels, Medical Diagnoses, and Miraculous Freedom

Michelle’s story is also one of healing from the inside out. Throughout her 20s and 30s, she was consumed by the mental health system.

“I was told that I was a hopeless case,” Michelle says. “A psychiatrist once said the best I could hope for was to stay medicated enough not to end up permanently institutionalized.”

But in 2022, Michelle stood before a judge again—this time to have all mental health flags removed from her record. It was another powerful step in her journey of restoration.

And then came a medical challenge. While studying massage therapy in 2019 and 2020, she was diagnosed with a genetic neuromuscular disorder. Doctors told her she’d never be able to sustain a massage career.

“But God had already prepared the next step,” Michelle says. “I had started the Life Coaching track at CLI without realizing how much I would need it after my spinal surgery.”

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Ministry Without Separation: Work, Calling, and Everyday Purpose

Michelle and her husband now run multiple businesses while serving in ministry. But for her, there is no dividing line between work and worship.

“What is work? What is ministry? What is play? It’s all the same to us,” she says. “We just want to do all the good we can, for all the people we can, with all the resources God has given us.”

Through her chaplaincy, Michelle focuses on helping people confront the lies they believe—about themselves and about God.

“I specialize in coaching captives into freedom. Everyone has their version of being held hostage by false beliefs.”

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Scripture-Filled Transformation and CLI’s Role

Michelle’s approach is grounded in Scripture. She points to 2 Corinthians 10:5:

“We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

She also draws strength from Romans 12:2 and Philippians 4:4–9. “Helping others renew their minds is at the heart of my calling,” she explains. “And CLI gave me the tools I needed to do that.”

Michelle completed her Bachelor of Divinity Degree with a Chaplaincy focus through Christian Leaders Institute, paying just $4,000 total—a degree made possible through CLI’s Free Access, Donation-Supported Education model.

“For someone with my background, an affordable chaplain degree wasn’t just helpful—it was life-changing,” Michelle says. “It’s education that equips the unlikely and restores the disqualified.”

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A Message for Others Considering Ministry

Now serving as a life coach and chaplain, Michelle’s office is a safe place where anyone can come—whether or not they can pay.

“Ministry is never about being the one with the answers,” she reflects. “My job is to help people know they have direct access to the God who loves them, heals them, and redeems every part of their story.”

Her encouragement to others? “Don’t believe the lie that your past disqualifies you. God will tear down every stronghold if you let Him—and Christian Leaders Institute is a powerful place to begin.”

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Ready to Start Your Own Story?

If you’re feeling called to chaplaincy but think a degree is out of reach, take heart—an affordable chaplain degree is possible. Christian Leaders Institute offers you the opportunity to:

✅ Earn a respected, Christian bachelor’s degree
✅ Serve in ministry settings like jails, hospitals, and recovery centers
✅ Study online, on your schedule, anywhere in the world
✅ Avoid student debt with a total cost of just $4,000
✅ Join a global community of over 7,000 ordained ministers and chaplains

👉 Start your journey today at ChristianLeadersInstitute.org