Lady Jessica Criner

Lady Jessica Lauren Criner

First Lady

Lady Jessica Lauren Criner


Lady Jessica L. Criner, a native of Madera, California is the wife of Pastor D.J. Criner and is the first lady of Saint Rest Baptist Church in Fresno, CA.


Lady Jess accepted the Lord at an early age and enjoyed serving God’s people as a youth leader and youth missionary at her home church in Madera, CA, Second Missionary Baptist Church. She lettered in basketball for 3 years at Madera High and graduated top of her class in 2003, while accepting a full academic scholarship to Fresno Pacific University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Fresno Pacific University and a Masters in Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Lady Jessica Lauren Criner

Lady Jess has over 7 years of group sessions, individual counseling, therapy, and training, behavioral modification coaching, foster care work and training, marriage and family care and counseling experience with companies such as Spirit of Women, Families First, Inc. and Koinonia Family Services. The Lord has blessed her to connect with Dr. Deforest Soaries and Harvest of Hope Foster Care to be an advocate for children and teenagers in the foster care system.


First Lady Jessica Criner strives to be an example of a virtuous woman — a woman who is yielded to God in every area of her life. Lady Jess humbly serves as a children’s choir director, praise and worship team member, and her husband’s helpmate, as she raises three beautiful children, Faith Mia, Jesselle Emily, and Riley Joyce Yvonne. The Lord has given her a passion for children and she enjoys the extra special blessing of being a mother to her adopted daughter Faith Mia who she has raised with her husband since birth.


Lady Jess continues to aim toward and produce excellence in all of her ministry opportunities. She has a heart for people and is a committed prayer warrior.

Her life scripture is Proverb 31:30

”Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised…”

Get in Touch

We would be thrilled to hear from you

Contact Us

Share by: