Our Story - Expanded Version

The Love Cross™ is an inspired design that came to me during the early years of marriage to my husband, Darryl Wright.

Prior to meeting in 1999, we had both been saved, but still lived, experienced, and processed life in a very worldly way. We were like babies in Christ that fell in love as we encouraged each other in deepening our relationship with the Lord. When we got married in 2002, we committed into our marriage a life scripture, 2 Peter 1:5-8, which says:

Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In 2004, we purchased our first home and celebrated the arrival of our son Caleb, all while operating our quickly growing print brokerage company. Life and the weight of our responsibilities grew heavy as we learned that marriage takes work. We also learned that "making every effort" to live out our life scripture would require an intentional commitment. Sometimes it's hard just getting past the first effort of being "good", let alone learning to practice "self-control", or "brotherly kindness". We were committed, but it was definitely hard.

One day, as I was preparing for a presentation I was very nervous to lead, I began to feel overwhelmed by the load we were carrying. We were new to marriage, new parents, and new to entrepreneurship. I felt inadequate and unequipped for the tasks of the day. I wasn't well versed in scripture, and didn't really know how to navigate through. I went into deep prayer searching for peace, understanding, and relief from my nerves and angst. During that prayer time, a few scriptures I had committed to memory during previous difficult seasons of my life, fed into me: Philippians 4:4-9, Romans 5:1-8, 2 Peter 1:12-21, and the last sentence of Psalm 55:23 which simply says "But as for me, I trust in you."

I had never been comfortable with my ability to reference scripture at will. However, the Holy Spirit was able to use those scriptures to guide me through prayer. I cried out to Him for insight and understanding and He poured out His love and mercy into my soul. I emerged from prayer strengthened, encouraged, and at peace, with a renewed and personal understanding that the more I read His Word, the greater my relationship with Him would be. A light went on, and I knew, that I knew, that I knew, that the Lord had a covering over us. I had nothing to worry about. God was there to carry our burdens by His love and grace.

Not long after this assurance, I saw an image of the word "Love", reading downwards. As soon as I saw it, the Love Cross design immediately came to mind. The image of LOVE on the cross resonated with me. It humbled me as it brought to mind the sacrifice God made simply because of His love and desire for a deep relationship with us. At the time, I had no idea that this inspired design was going to lead us into a new ministry almost 10 years later. Darryl and I were print brokers... not jewelry makers. Although I was moved by the idea of this necklace design, my only thought was that one day, I'd like to make one for myself.

Fast forward through 10 years, and Darryl and I went through many ups and downs. During this decade we lost our baby, Angel; welcomed our long prayed for daughter, Avangeline; experienced great success and great loss in our business; owned multiple properties, and also almost lost our home. We stuck together and grew in our faith and in our relationship with the Lord, who delivered us through all of it. We were grateful for our print business, but began to feel a calling for something greater. We both shared a desire to build a ministry that bridged the gap between the private sector and those in need of resources. At the time, we couldn't see how God could use us in this way.

For my birthday, in March 2014, Darryl bought me a cross. We shared our Love Cross™ design and commissioned a local jeweler to make one. As soon as we started the process and saw the necklace materialized, we knew the design was a blessing that was meant to be shared. We patented the design, and prayed for direction.

We began with our fine jewelry line of the Love Cross™ which has an inscription of lovecross.org on the back of each necklace. Through lovecross.org we desire to serve as a place of resource and encouragement for believers to get into the life changing and life giving Word of God. We partnered with Minister Sharon W. Jones and Integrity of Heart Ministries to bring regular devotionals to the site, as well as share inspirational scriptures and testimonies.

We were quickly led to develop a Love Cross™ Fundraising Program, which has become the heart and soul of our ministry. Through our fundraiser, majority of the profits go to support the fundraising group, and we couldn't be happier to help them cover the costs of their good works.

Our sole purpose of bringing the Love Cross™ to market was driven by our leading and desire to help support missionaries, youth groups, and outreach ministries doing a good work in serving others. We learned through this process that you don't have to be wealthy to help others, you don't have to have ministry experience to help others, you don't even have to be jewelers to make an inspired necklace. You simply need to have a heart for God, continually be renewed as you learn more about Christ, learn to seek Him in all you do, and learn to listen for His voice saying "This is the way; walk in it." - Isaiah 30:21.

We are constantly praying over this ministry, and look forward to seeing it develop and grow as we seek His will for it.

May God Bless You Abundantly,

Stacy Wright

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