The Year in Brief

Jennifer J. Schwirzer
               
                Probably the single most significant happening this year was leaving the management job at Expressly Vegetarian Café to enroll in a Masters course in counseling. I love cooking, but I was ready to move on. I do so much counseling on a casual basis that I thought I’d make it official. Peggy Bond is also working toward a counseling degree. I’m still working in conjunction with the café as the director of health education.

This year blessed me with many opportunities:

·         Seminars in Washington , Pennsylvania , Canada , Wisconsin , Chicago

·         A week of prayer at Oklahoma Academy

·         Campmeetings in Pennsylvania and New England

·         Concerts and one-time speaking appearances in Arizona , Florida , California and Arkansas

·         Speaking appointment for the Loma Linda University Women’s Auxiliary

Katie Millea Sings Ransom

Have you ever heard a voice so sweet you wanted to cry? Or maybe you did cry. That’s the kind of sound that emerges from Katie Millea. One of Michael Ministries ’ long-term goals is to sponsor young artists in music ministry, and Katie is our first artist. This year work was begun on her debut album, Ransom. In fact, all the recording and arranging is finished and it is beautiful!        Katie is currently living in the Detroit area, taking classes toward a nursing degree. Like so many, Katie wandered from God in her youth. Through a series of events, she heard the personal call of God and gave her life to Christ. Not long after that Katie heard the call of God to use her talent of singing for His glory.
            Her voice is an angelic mezzo soprano, rich and emotive beyond her years, yet youthful and fresh. The CD is a collection of hymns and ballads arranged in a tasteful, contemplative style.  Through the sponsorship of Michael Ministries , Katie was able to record 11 songs at Advent Studios in Connecticut . Producer David Gonzalez has perfected the songs, and with the proper funding the album will be printed. If you would like to donate specifically to Katie’s project, write “Katie” anywhere on the envelope.

Eating Disorders Book Released

About six years ago, Review and Herald Publishing asked Jennifer to write a book on eating disorders. Being a survivor of Anorexia, Jennifer felt qualified to speak with conviction on the subject. The short version of the (somewhat long) story is that the book Dying to Be Beautiful was released this past spring. Jennifer has given three radio interviews and written several articles on the subject.  The book is $15 ppd.

Marinated Tofu

  Tofu doesn’t keep for a long time unless it is vacuum sealed. But if it is marinated and cooked, it will not only keep longer, but it will be ready to throw into salads, sandwiches or other dishes. This recipe is ultra-simple, but remarkably tasty.

  Blend briefly in a blender:

  ¼ C lemon juice

¼ C soy sauce or Bragg’s Amino Acids*

2 drops lemon oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

Slice 1 pound of tofu ½ inch thick and place the slices on a Pam-sprayed 9x12 cookie sheet (make sure it has rims). Pour the blended mixture over the tofu and bake, basting, for about an hour. The sauce should absorb into the tofu. Cool and store in the refrigerator.

*Can be purchased in most Health Food Stores, and is a delicious non-fermented alternative to fermented soy sauce.

Product Spotlight

Jennifer has been recording her original songs since the early 1980s, but she didn’t make her first fully-produced CD until 1992. Yet the “lost decade” was Jennifer’s most prolific period as a songwriter. A generous donor felt that the best of the early songs needed to be summoned up out of the archives and treated with the best of technology and arranging. Marteen and Perry Iannone worked miracles to bring forth a compelling CD, entitled Scrapbook