2009 12 People You Need to Know: Jennifer Rothschild

Diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease at the age of 15, Jennifer Rothschild experiences life with a minimal amount of light perception. While others may see blindness as an insurmountable hurdle, Rothschild hasn't let it stand in the way of living a life worth watching.

"I have received incredible hope," says the Miami, Fla.-native, who battles a form of retinitis pigmentosa. "We live in a world that challenges our native inspiration and sometimes makes hope feel counter-intuitive. I want to encourage the discouraged and equip those who feel frail and give them a deeper purpose and a higher goal."

After shelving her dream to be a commercial artist, Rothschild began sharing her story in spoken and written word. Today, she's an author, speaker, singer and event producer. She resides in Springfield with her husband, Philip Rothschild, professor of entertainment management at Missouri State University, and their two sons.

"I am a product of what happens when the nexus of preparation and opportunity collide," Rothschild says. "I slowly along the way responded to opportunities that came about."

Rothschild speaks at 35 to 45 faith-based and corporate events per year, and women are a big part of Rothschild's audience. Known for her down-to-earth style, Rothschild uses colorful stories, universal principles and music to help audiences find strength and celebrate each day.

Her story has been told on "Good Morning America," the "Dr. Phil" show and a Billy Graham television special. Rothschild also has been a featured speaker for the nation's largest women's conference, Women of Faith, and plans her own series of faith-based conferences for women in 2009.

"They will run between 1,000 and 2,000 women each, and our attempt is to bring together women from all different churches - Catholic, Baptist and Presbyterian - in the same room," Rothschild explains. "They will come to connect as women who have similar beliefs."

Writing is also an important way for Rothschild to share her personal message of faith. She has written four books and two Bible studies, which have sold more than 150,000 copies and are used in more than 5,000 churches. Her most recent release, "Fresh Grounded Faith," is a story-driven daily devotional that also acts as a personal journal for the reader.

Rothschild also is an accomplished songwriter and recording artist, with six albums to her credit, including "Walking by Faith" and "Along the Way." She is currently recording a new CD, which should be out by early fall 2009.[[In-content Ad]]