The idea of designing The Martyrs’Cross had been in my husband’s heart for some time before we got married. However, it was just a couple months before we wed that it fully ripened and became a reality. It was a symbol to us of our purpose in coming together.

We met at a Voice of the Martyrs’ conference both sure we would never marry and definitely not have any children. Well, almost 17 years married and six kids later, I am writing to you today deeply grateful that God knows better than we do.

We were so excited, after years of forming the idea of The Martyrs’ Cross, to finally hold it in our hands and give expression to what was in our hearts. And even more excited to begin to share it.

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The immediate feedback from others saying things like, “Finally, a cross that expresses my heart”, was awesome and strange all at once. It was an invitation to understanding that the gift and dreams we have are gifts to be shared and whether we realize it or not—feel confident about it or not—there is a place and a people actually waiting for our offering, our gift (and by that I mean yours too).

 

These things never really belong to us, yet we get the honor of them forming within us, shaping us, getting to hold them for awhile, letting it pass through our hands, our minds, our hearts and we’re the blessed ones too.

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Our hearts had been called into a service of remembrance and awareness of the pain and suffering of others, but as it works, in the process we were getting filled with strength and honesty about life. That brought freedom and continues to. Man did we need that. It has been an uncovering of unexpected gifts from every direction, including some very painful ones—the most valuable of all.

 

We went “running to help” but once arrived found ourselves the ones lame and in need. We went ready to hear their stories of suffering and pain but instead met faces that radiated with joy, deep-down joy.

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“There was once a fiddler who played so beautifully that everybody danced. A deaf man who could not hear the music considered them all insane. Those who are with Jesus in suffering hear this music to which other men are deaf. They dance and do not care if they are considered insane.” ~Richard Wurmbrand, Victorious Faith

May I share with you a piece of artwork my daughter brought to me recently? It is of a character she named “Joy” and the title of this piece is: Joy, a Journey on the Cliffs.

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Be brave and courageous today friends, “…we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

One Step at a Time
Today, I’d like to highlight the work of The International Justice Mission, a global team that includes hundreds of lawyers, investigators, social workers, community activists and other professionals at work through 17 field offices. Have you heard of them?

Their vision is beautiful, in not only are they reaching out to individuals in need but also working to stop violence before it starts by helping local law enforcement, courts and communities protect the vulnerable, which is usually the poorest of the poor. And the best news? It’s working.

I recently got to hear their story and like all the good ones, God’s gentle leading through one step at a time was loud and clear. Now they are reaching for the end of slavery in our generation. Find out more at www.ijm.org 

How do you need to be brave today? For me the discipleship of my children I thought I’d never have right here in my home is crucial and trust me that takes a whole lotta brave and brings unspeakable joy, one step at a time.

Wanting to be brave with you,
Raynna

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I am the co-founder of The Martyrs’ Cross ministry, alongside my husband Jay, the designer of this symbol, a prayer tool, that we WEAR around our necks to remember persecuted followers of Jesus, and their persecutors—around the world—in prayer and loving action. Some people call it jewelry, and that’s alright, but to us—it’s more. To us, it’s a WAY. The Martyrs’ Cross is a message we wear around our hearts and minds. Worn in over 26 nations, the message is clear: we will not forget.

The Martyrs Cross

By God’s grace and with a commitment to believing in His faithfulness: we will fight for awareness for all of us in the midst of a culture of distraction. When life gets crushing, we will remember how Jesus suffered and as 1 Peter 4:13 (MSG) says “be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.”

What will you get out of subscribing to this site?

The tools and writing we provide will point to the Author and Finisher of our faith, a reminder for you and a sign for others.  We bring awareness and remembrance of those who are unjustly treated and persecuted for their faith.

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Purchase a cross for yourself or friend, or  sponsor a cross to be given to a persecuted Christian here.

Photography featured today copyright of Jay Myers 2016