About Dr. Jen

Dr. Jen enjoys the challenge of running a small non-profit organization (Michael Ministries) through which she writes books, presents seminars, conducts a counseling practice, produces and performs Christian music, and just generally exhausts herself in God’s service.

 

As a teenager, Jennifer experienced what would be called a “radical” conversion from New Age philosophy and practice to Christianity, then to the Seventh-day Adventist religion.

 

A few years later Jennifer married her husband Michael Schwirzer, at the time a good-looking US Forest Service treeplanter (who still cleans up rather nicely). The couple has two lovely young adult daughters, Alison and Kimberly, and several grand-dogs.

 

In 1999, Jennifer graduated from Atlantic Union College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion. She completed her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling through Capella University in March of 2008 and a doctoral degree in counseling and traumatology from Liberty University in October of 2021. She runs a counseling practice out of her home office in Orlando, Florida, where she is licensed by the state.

 

Frequently Jennifer presents seminars at churches, retreats, conferences and campmeetings. Two of the most popular are Finding Peace, a seminar on individual mental health, To Love and Be Loved, on relationship health, and Joy Lessons, on incorporating positive emotions into our lives. Jennifer trains coaches and counselors through her counseling practice, Abide Network. Currently, the network has over 30 active providers. 

 

Jennifer has been a frequent guest on 3ABN, Hope TV, and other networks. She hosted three seasons of A Multitude of Counselors on 3ABN. Jennifer also co-hosted a 3ABN program on sexuality called Intimate Clarity. She has produced several series’ through Life and Health Network—7 Deadly Psychological Sins, 7 Deadly Relationship Sins, God Made Love, and Anxiety and Depression Relief, a six-week psychoeducational course.

 

To date, Jennifer has written or co-written fourteen published books: Testimony of a Seeker (Pacific Press, 1999), A Most Precious Message (Pacific Press, 2000), I Want it All (Review and Herald, 2003), and A Deep But Dazzling Darkness (Amazing Facts Publishers, 2004), Dying to be Beautiful (Review and Herald, 2005), A Light for the Last Days (Amazing Facts Publishers, 2006), Finding My Way in Milwaukee (Review and Herald, 2007), A Gospel Story (Michael Ministries, 2009) and Twice Upon a Time (Fire Engine Publishers, 2009), 13 Weeks to Peace (Pacific Press, 2011), and 13 Weeks to Love (Pacific Press, 2015). Damsel, Arise! was the women’s Pacific Press sharing book of the year in 2019. The second sequel to 13 Weeks to Peace, 13 Weeks to Joy, was released in January of 2020. Her 2022 memoir Philly & Me is available through Amazon. In addition, she has written countless articles, which have been published in magazines such as the Adventist Review and Liberty Magazine.

 

Jennifer’s unique folk-style guitar music has touched thousands of people. She has given hundreds of concerts all over the U.S. and Canada, and has appeared in Europe, Central America and Africa. Her CDs receive airplay on radio stations all around the U.S. She has recorded about 200 songs of her own composition, many of which have unusual titles, such as “My Favorite Foods,” and “It Stinks in the Ark but It Sure Beats the Ocean.” Her recordings have sold over 30,000 copies. In 2015 she completed, along with a collective of musicians called The Lesser Light Collective, The Lamb Wins, a cantata based on the book of Revelation, and The King Dreams, based on the book of Daniel. She released another solo recording in 2020 called Recovery. 

 

Jennifer’s greatest credential is that she loves Jesus and is a friend to many. A warm, caring Christian, Jennifer has touched many lives. She currently lives in Orlando with her husband Michael.