This Story is included with the purchase of every Cross.

We are no strangers to family crises. A few years ago, our lives were challenged with consecutive crises that tore through us like a double edge sword. Pain and suffering were with us daily and it felt as though there was no escape. Chaos claimed every waking minute of every day. The New Year began with the news of a terminal illness in my brother that a few weeks later, claimed his life. Shortly thereafter, the announcement came of a devastating family divorce, followed by personal health problems and financial strain that weighed on us with unbearable pressure. Relief from these burdens seemed obscure and distant; an unobtainable goal. Emotional conflict consumed us. After consecutive months of darkness and despair, we opted to take drastic measures; action we should have taken initially. We turned our lives over to God.
We referenced scripture, Matthew 6:25-34, The Worry Chapter and Hebrews 11:1, The Faith Verse, where the words took us where we needed to be; totally trusting in our Lord, Jesus Christ. While the world had let us down so often, God is always there, even when we are not listening. we were so tired, so weary and resting in His arms, brought us the peace we were so desperate for. Our next step would be bold and a little scary, but knowing our decision was faith-driven, we were ready for major changes. We decided that an adjustment in our lifestyle was required for us to obtain the desired result of a less stressful existence. The "for sale" sign went up in our front yard and we gave notice at our jobs. At that time we lived in a beautiful golf course community in Richmond, TX, a suburb of Houston. We had a very comfortable income and enjoyed the benefits if offered until our life turned upside down and the cost of having "stuff" quickly became onerous. We were ready to leave it all behind and trade it in for a moment of peace. Some call our actions brave, others call it insane; we just call it "faith walking."
Kerrville, Texas, a small town in the heart of the Texas Hill Country would become our new home. Having visited Kerrville many times over the years, we decided it was perfect for our new, lower-key lifestyle. We were right. we settled in quickly and pursued a dream of opening a gift shop. Evidence of God's direction was abundant. Everything fell into place. What we did not know at that time, was the gift shop was only temporary; a conduit to a much greater mission.
After several weeks in our new shop, we made many new friends. One friend in particular, is a woodworker. When we voiced interest in learning the trade, he graciously shared all his knowledge with us. Before we knew it, we were now designing and creating beautiful furniture. Then, one day, I noticed a small slab of wood that was much too small for a piece of furniture, but because of its intrinsic beauty, I knew it would be something lovely. Until then, I kept it on the counter where I hoped I would someday be inspired to use it. Then one evening as we were closing up the shop, I looked down at this little piece of wood and at once felt compelled to sketch a cross. The cross, however, was asymmetrical, unlike traditional crosses. I knew that the Holy Spirit had guided me, but I had no idea what His plans were for this little cross. Bruce cut and finished the cross. Intended only for our own enjoyment, we hung it in the shop behind the counter. Almost immediately, visitors to the shop inquired about purchasing the cross. We then realized God's plan. However, this was not a task we took lightly. After days of prayer and contemplation, The Keepsake Cross was created, following the same path that God took us down to making the first original cross.

"The Keepsake Crosses are intentionally imperfect; handcrafted without use of patterns to remind us how unique, individual we all are. As our creator, God in Heaven made each one of us in His image, we are His children and perfect in His eyes, as He does not make mistakes."

In 2006 we made a difficult decision to close our shop and dedicate our time to making The Keepsake Crosses. While we miss being in our shop from time to time, the joy of having this ministry fills us, knowing we are able to take the WORD of our heavenly Father to the four corners of the earth. Worldly treasure has diminished importance and we now rejoice in living a simple, rustic and humble life in our small cabin in the country. God kept all His promises as He said He would. We have learned to live one day at a time and trust in Him. when new crises arrive, we lay them at the foot of the cross. They no longer consume our being.
Our prayer for humanity is that we might be able to touch someone's life through The Keepsake Cross Ministry and help them see there is always hope, even during the darkest hours and that hope is in God, our Father, His Son, Jesus Christ.