April, 2008
Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship
Raleigh, NC
Issue 229

Tiffany Christensen

The Divine Healing of Dying
 
Most of us choose not to think much about that powerful “D”word, dying: it’s sad, it’s scary, and it’s the ultimate unknown.What if, in addition to all of that, it had the potential to be joyful and beautiful? What if it turned out to be the time in our lives when we are most connected to the Divine and filled to the brim with love? Would we be more inclined to ponder it then? This is a talk about dying that will inspire you to think about how you are living.

Tiffany Christensen has lived with dying since she was 6months old, when she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a genetic illness that primarily affected her lungs. She didn’t really get to vote on pondering her mortality; during the course of two terminal illnesses, she had little choice in the matter. Yet now, after two life-saving lung transplants, she looks forward to the dying she has to do in the future. Join us for a glimpse into her experience as a twice-terminal patient who dared to travel beyond the walls of her spiritual comfort zone and hear her share the peace that came with having “one foot on the other side.”

After a sickly childhood, Tiffany became acquainted with in-patient hospital care when she was 12. At 23, she was placed on the list for a double lung transplant at UNC Memorial Hospital. After a long and difficult 5-year wait, during which her lung function dropped to 18% capacity, she received her first set of donor lungs in April of 2000. In May of 2002, she was diagnosed with chronic rejection, and once again she grew gravely ill. Her lung function dropped to 10% of capacity and she was told she only had months to live.

As her outer body weakened, her inner journey opened and she found unexpected gifts of insight, perspective, humor, and strength. She began to know an inner peace she had never thought possible. Raised in a conservative Christian home, she went seeking a more inclusive spiritual outlook, embracing many traditions from shamanic journeying to Buddhism. Eventually, her road brought her back to her roots with a deep acceptance of her personal worth. Today, she uses all of the various traditions she has explored as her life’s compass.

A series of wonderful and unusual events enabled Tiffany to receive a rarely performed second lung transplant just in the nick of time. After the surgery, she awoke with a clear awareness of being “called” to work with those touched by illness and death. As soon as her recovery allowed, she trained as a hospice volunteer and began developing her talks and workshops.

Since 2005, Tiffany has participated in many speaking events, enjoyed coaching those in the medical maze, and finished her book, Sick Girl Speaks! In January of 2008, Sick Girl Speaks Inc. was created and she began working withProject Compassion with a year long grant. Throughout 2008, she will lead workshops on patient advocacy, advance directives, and organ and tissue donation. She’ll be published in various newsletters and magazines including Boom!, CFRoundtable, and Airways; and she’ll appear on the popular national NPR radio show, “The People's Pharmacy.” DukeContinuing Studies will host her workshop, “10 Opportunities of Illness.” These and many other exciting projects are the beginning of a promising new voice in the medical community. Learn more about Tiffany and her work at www.SickGirlSpeaks.com.

Tiffany’s story is for every human who will someday cease to be (that's all of us!)—a story of dying that will inspire you to find the divine in living each day. After a lifetime of difficulty and victories, this illness warrior has emerged with insight, clarity, and purpose. Through her talks, her book, and the way she lives her life, this “sick girl” is ready to speak! “There are many kinds of healing, and dying is merely one of them,” she says. We invite you to listen to her story and allow her journey to inspire you to live your best life

 


 
Calendar of Events
May 1 , 2008- Susan Reintjes
Unmasking your True Awareness
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June 5, 2008 - Psychic & Healing Fair
Our annual fund-raising event
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July 3 , 2008- No Meeting
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This Month's Angel Door Prize
A hardcopy edition of Sick Girl Speaks.
Copies of Tiffany’s book will also be available for sale.

SFF Raleigh Mission
At the Raleigh Chapter of Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship International, our mission is to enhance the spiritual, mystical, and metaphysical awareness and consciousness of our community by sponsoring programs that facilitate personal growth and development and a holistic approach to health and living.

Within the scope of our mission, we choose speakers who offer a variety of views and philosophies, but SFF does not endorse any speakers’ staements or beliefs. You are invited to come with an open mind and depart with all that feels true for you.

 
Thursday,
April 3, 2008

Location:
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall
3313 Wade Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27607

Doors Open: 6:45 PM
Lecture: 7:15 - 9:30 PM
Cost: $10
Seniors/Students: $8 with valid ID

Early Meditation: 6:30 PM
Cost: FREE

 
 
 

SFF Lecture Recordings
We generally record all of our lectures and you may purchase audio tapes of most lectures from the late 1980's through September, 2006. For lectures beginning with September, 2006, lecture recordings are now availble on CD.

Tape recordings are $10 which includes postage.
Cassette tapes are available of most SFF lectures dating back to 1988. They may be available for future events as well.

CDs are available in two formats.

Two disk audio CD sets are $15
Because audio CDs are limited to a maximum of 78 minutes, if you would like an audio CD of a lecture playable on any CD player.

One disk MP3 CD is $10
If you would like a CD using the MP3 format (playable on your computer and many new CD and DVD players but not on older CD players), it will be on one disk.

 
Our meetings are held in the lower level of the newly re-modeled and expanded
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh
at 3313 Wade Avenue in Raleigh.
 

Healing Meditation
with
Deborah Gray
(See Below)

Time: 6:30 - 7:00 PM

Cost: Free

An open guided meditation will be held at 6:30 PM in the Ralph Waldo Emerson room (the upper building, lower level) at the UUFR

The lectures begins at 7:15 PM following the meditation. We look forward to seeing you!

 

 
 

Healing Meditation
with
Deborah Gray
Time: 6:30 - 7:00 PM

Cost: Free

Come early and treat yourself to the gift of a healing and centering meditation. The first few minutes are focused on sending healing love and light to Mother Earth and her inhabitants.

Deborah Gray then will lead us in a transformation mediation that may open you to the opportunity to release blocks and to transmute thoughts and beliefs that no longer serve you. Allow the experience of a deeper awareness of your connections with God, humankind, and the universe. You will be guided to a state of oneness in spirit, allowing you to release those things you are ready to release and receive the gifts of Spirit that you are ready to receive.

Deborah holds a Bachelor of Metaphysical Science, University of Metaphysics; and Bachelor of Criminal Justice, Mount Olive College. She is a Certified Metaphysical Practitioner, a support and spiritual coach, a workshop facilitator, an ordained minister, a prayer team leader, and the prayer chaplain at Unity Church of Raleigh. She helps clients grow spiritually through healing and coaching sessions, meditation CDs, and workshops. Contact Deborah at DGInTheSpirit@yahoo.com.


If coming from the front parking lot, go down the steps between the two buildings. There's an entry door on the right side of Peace Hall. Go in this door and down the hall, and the Ralph Waldo Emerson room is on the left at the end.

If coming from the back parking lot, go up the steps between the main building, which houses the sanctuary in front and Fellowship Hall in the rear, and Peace Hall, the building to the left. Entry door will be on the left a short distance up the stairs.

Please arrive on time to optimize the energies of the group dynamic.

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