Women Who Inspire: Tiffany Bulman

If you are one of the fortunate people who know the Bulman family personally, you already know that they posses a charismatic personality and a heart of gold. Every. Last. One. Of. Them. But if you haven’t had the pleasure, let me introduce to you Tiffany.

I met Tiffany when my family and I started attending the church that her and her husband (and family too, of course) were pastoring. Tiffany’s musical talents were a blessing to the congregation, but her warm personality is what really stood-out to me.

Many years have passed and the Bulman’s ministry continues, though in a different capacity. As you read about the trials and heartache that these two people have endured, I hope you find inspiration and hope. Even through their tribulations, they managed to cling to God and found their way back home.

Stephanie Kelley: For those who aren’t familiar with your story, please give us a brief introduction.

Tiffany Bulman: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest in a loving Christian family. I am the oldest of three children. After graduating from high school and attending a local community college, I moved to Southern California to attend LIFE Bible College. It was there that I met my husband, Rick. We married after dating for one year. Soon after getting married, we made a move up to Washington, where my family lived. Rick and I both got jobs and prepared to welcome our first son. From the start, our relationship was rocky. We were both firstborns, and instead of taking the time to serve and understand each other, we spent most of our days trying to convince the other person to see things our way, which, more times than not, ended in an argument.

Rick was a workaholic, and because of the differences in the way we were brought up, I was left feeling alone and neglected. After 16 years of marriage, we moved up to Bellingham to pastor a church. This was a job Rick had dreamed of for years. This job held his attention as no job had before, which left me alone in a new town. These feelings of being alone and neglected led me to make a choice that would affect my family and friends beyond what I could have ever imagined. I began having an emotional affair with my best friend’s husband, which developed into a full-fledged affair that lasted for three years. This choice was not something my husband and children deserved. I couldn’t believe what I was doing, but I didn’t know how to stop. I had such shame because of the sin I was living in; I began to drink wine every night to “numb out.” At first, it was a glass a night, which led to 2 glasses a night, then 3, and so forth.

And then, on December 26, 2013, my secret was found out. It was the darkest night, followed by turmoil, anger, tears, and then FORGIVENESS, HOPE, and by the grace of God, REDEMPTION! We went through a year and a half of intense counseling. It wasn’t easy. At times it felt impossible. At times I felt like giving up. But we made it!!

SK: What prompted you to write/tell your story in such an authentic and public way?

TB: At first, we began putting our story down on paper for our children. We wanted them to learn from our mistakes and not make the same ones that we had. But it seemed that every time I went online and was on one of my social media platforms, Facebook, etc., I learned about another acquaintance who had gone down that same path of sin that I had. Rick and I came to the realization that people needed to hear that there is hope after infidelity. Jesus can heal a broken marriage. It was our heart to be transparent in telling our story, and we know that bringing secret sin into the light takes away its power!

SK: What has been the biggest change in your life since the release of your book?

TB: Releasing our book has been very exciting, and God has used it in various ways. We have been traveling and doing marriage conferences and retreats. We have been interviewed on multiple blogs and podcasts. Also, we have been doing marriage coaching via Zoom. It is our heart to take the tools we use and share them to help other couples who are struggling. Basically, our passion is to make our mess our message! Any of the couples we have helped needed communication tools and practical advice to turn their marriage around. Some couples come to us early enough to prevent them from enduring what we’ve endured. Some come after experiencing the tragedy we experienced, and are now looking for healing and hope for their relationship.

SK: How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed your relationships with your husband, children, and others?

TB: Covid-19 has definitely changed our lives! I value my alone time and my space, so I have had to change my attitude and perspective about things. Because we are all in our home together, I have found myself waking up a bit earlier and staying up a bit later so that I can have my coveted space. My husband and I are still making it a priority to have our weekly dates, but they are looking different. We are going through Starbucks and sitting in a park or by the water and just enjoying being together. We have also been running errands and going grocery shopping together too!

SK: What is the most exciting part about starting your journey with CHRISTIAN WOMEN LIVING?  

TB: I love having conversations with other women. I can quickly strike up a conversation with a woman I’ve never met, and I think that’s because, as women, we have so much in common. It doesn’t matter the age, ethnicity, religion; it is easier for us to have deep, meaningful relationships. In this time (and after), CHRISTIAN WOMEN LIVING can be a light for so many right in our homes. We can reach one another, help each other, and cheer each other on and I’m excited to be a part of that!

We are so excited to welcome Tiffany to the Christian Women Living family. Look for some great new content from Tiffany Bulman soon.

Interact with Tiffany!

Website: http://rickandtiffany.com

Facebook: @rickandtiffany