Peace After a Traumatic Experience

We often talk about the PalmCross as a gift for those in a time of need, especially sickness, and for special occasions like baptisms, weddings, and birthdays. But this recent e-mail reminds us that the PalmCross can just as well be a gift to yourself.

I very recently went through a traumatic experience. While meandering through my local religious shop in search of comfort and healing I came upon the palm cross. From the moment I picked it up I could feel God's gentle healing presence starting to work its way through me and knew that the palm cross was a special gift from God that I could give to myself. That was about 8 hours ago and now I am at home with my palm cross. Words cannot describe the sense of hope and peace that I have felt in this short period of time while just holding my palm cross when only hours ago I felt nothing but anxiety and despair. I know the palm cross will be an important part of my healing process. Thank you so much for so lovingly creating this powerful tool for prayer, healing, and comfort.

Sincerely,
Beth P. of Troy, NY

June Message from Jesus through Anne of Ireland

Every month, these messages from Jesus through Anne of Ireland are so powerful.

Beloved apostles, so close to Me, do you see that you have something that most do not? Do you see that your anticipation of ultimate safety provides you with a solid wall at your back which will, someday, absorb you into Itself?

June 1, 2011

Jesus

Dear apostles, humanity suffers. If you have eyes to see, then you will see that all around you there are children of God who have become disconnected from their Father. When a child suffers, that child is consoled if his Father is nearby and engaged with him. The child feels understood, even in his great pain. The child feels that there is ultimate safety, even when he faces temporary risk. To know that one is destined for ultimate safety provides for a disposition that withstands any difficulty, even the prospect of death. Beloved apostles, so close to Me, do you see that you have something that most do not? Do you see that your anticipation of ultimate safety provides you with a solid wall at your back which will, someday, absorb you into Itself? At that time, you will never be at risk again. You will be one of those who rejoices completely, not only in your own safety, but in the safety of all those around you. You will be absorbed into the Communion of Saints who now so perfectly understand the struggle of humanity that they work tirelessly and joyfully for the salvation of their brothers and sisters remaining on earth.

When you finish your time on earth, you, too, will understand the great things that I accomplished through the little yes answers you gave Me on your journey through time on earth. You will say, yes, it was worth everything. You will say this, dear friends, regardless of the amount of suffering or sacrifice you endured. But, even as I rejoice in your heavenly heading, I urge you to strain forward in My service. Others should possess this confidence and security. If I told you that there was one person who was lost and that he could be found, would you rejoice with Me? If I told you that this person, currently suffering, could be claimed for heaven through your allegiance to Me on this day, would you give Me that allegiance? For one more day?

This is what I am asking of you. Answer yes to Me. Give Me this day today. Watch, dear apostle, what I can do with your yes answer today. Look back and see what I have done with your yes answers in the past. You will see, in looking back, the barest truth about what I accomplished through you. Only in heaven will you see the full extent of what the Father has gained through your presence in His heart. Trust Me, while I obtain peace for you and peace for others through you.

The Lord's (May) Message through Anne the Apostle

I always really appreciate the monthly messages delivered by Anne of Ireland. They make the Lord seem so very near to me - ready to meet me where I am. "I will not ask you for anything you cannot give to Me. I will ask you to serve Me in a reasonable manner that is consistent with the gifts I have given to you." The Lord is so good to us. But He does expect us to increase our holiness, find greater hope, and remain diligent for His direction.

Dearest apostles, I speak to you today with a heart filled with love. I am grateful for your steady service. I am grateful for your fidelity to My plan for Renewal. If there is something that is keeping you from total abandonment to My cause, I will show you. Will you accept My light? Will you allow Me to direct you to even greater holiness? I want this for you. I want you to make additional gains in holiness. Perhaps you are afraid of this because you fear I will ask you to give more than you can give. I assure you, dear apostles, I will not ask you for anything you cannot give to Me. I will ask you to serve Me in a reasonable manner that is consistent with the gifts I have given to you. What I am urging you toward is greater intimacy with Me and with My heart. My heart beats with love for humanity in an uninterrupted beat. The rhythm of My beating heart provides you with a steady source of zeal for the spread of the gospel message. Too many of God's children are without hope. This lack of hope brings them to actions that hurt themselves and others. There is no need for this, dear apostles, and you can change the experience of many if you do as I ask. You will have to be alert in order to hear My instructions, though, and it is for this reason I call you to concentrate on what is good about your life. I call you to concentrate on what I am seeking to do through you. Be at peace. I will help you in everything and, together, we will offer the Father the gift of your ongoing conversion.

The Shrine of Christ's Passion: Part 3

Continuing and completing Christ's Passion. Pictures taken at the Shrine of Christ's Passion in St. John, Indiana.

Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the cross.

He is crucified.

The man on his left said, "We are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

Jesus is taken down from the cross.

He is buried. My 5-year-old nephew holds his hand.

Shrine of Christ's Passion: Part 2

Continuing the journey from the previous entry. Walk with Jesus on His way to the cross.

Tenderly, Veronica wipes Jesus' face.

Christ falls a second time.

Yet still, he comforts the women of Jerusalem.

Jesus falls a third time. Are you ok, Jesus?

Stripped of his clothes.

Visiting the Shrine of Christ's Passion

During my last visit home to the Midwest, I went with my sister and her family to the Shrine of Christ's Passion in St. John, Indiana. It's a very moving place, and today seemed the best day to walk through the Stations of the Cross with you.

(This will be split into more than one entry.)

Jesus at the Last Supper. My nieces and nephews sit around the table.

The apostles sleep...

... while Christ agonizes.

Jesus is tried by Pontius Pilate. My 8-year-old niece sits by.

Christ falls for the first time.

The Son meets His mother.

Helping Simon help the Lord.

Our Lord's April Message to Anne the Lay Apostle

On the first of every month, our Lord gives Anne a new message about His call to service.

April 1, 2011

Jesus

Dearest apostles, you are serving Me despite trials and temptations. That is why you are called apostles, because you follow Me and serve Me. No life is easy or without strife, and I know, dear apostles, that you experience your share of difficulty. These difficulties are important for you because through the suffering of them you gain mastery over yourself. When you conquer a difficulty, using the holiness you have received from Me, you become stronger spiritually and then when the next difficulty comes, you both view it differently and treat it differently. You view it as expected, because your experience tells you that life in general, and service to Me specifically, will include these difficulties. You treat it differently because you know that I am with you today as I have been with you in the past. Additionally, you understand that all difficulty passes. What is it that remains, dear apostles, when the difficulty passes? Your commitment to Me remains and the work I will for you remains. You are not overcome and I need your help. And so we go on, Jesus and His apostles. The work continues and comfort and salvation are brought to God's children. Be at peace, dear friends. I am with you and I am factoring in your presence as I plan for the advancement of the Renewal.

"That Cross is my Clutch"

A testimonial received by mail in March 2011.

"I have already sent several crosses as gifts and I can't tell you how happy everyone was to receive it. I never let go of mine. My daughter, Sue takes hers to all chemotherapies and everyone asks her about the cross. Several people said they were going to order them. That cross is my clutch."

Florence

Chicago, IL

"A thoughtful, Personal, and Comforting Gift" for Those Battling Cancer

Many of our customers gift PalmCrosses to those who are struggling with medical issues. We hear often of people finding solace in this physical cross. We even hear of them taking crosses into surgery. I've even taken my cross into surgery with me, though they weren't serious procedures. It's just comforting.

Susan's response to my sister Shelley's email is below. Shelley is my oldest sister and works with my parents at ByRon PalmCross.

"I received both of your emails. Thank you for responding quickly. My husband had one of your palm crosses given to him during his battle with Lymphoma a few years ago and it was such a thoughtful, personal, and comforting gift. We have a young friend with a young family that is fighting cancer and this cross is for her."

Susan

Spiritual Tool for Comfort and Consolation

"I was given a PalmCross last spring and 'love it'! I have been giving them away as either Christmas gifts or more importantly as a 'spiritual tool for comfort and consolation' to friends and family who are sick. Those who received a PalmCross really like them and found comfort in them. God bless you in your ministry which is touching countless numbers of people throughout the world."

Mary from Virginia

Our Lord's Monthly Message Through Anne of Ireland

On the first of every month, our Lord gives Anne a new message about His call to service. To learn more about Anne, click here.

March 1, 2011

Jesus

Be at peace, dear apostles. I urge you to strive daily to be at peace. All that surrounds you will benefit from your understanding that while the world changes, God remains the same. I am the same. I am with you and the reason I urge you toward a peaceful countenance is because the enemy of peace sows fear in God's children. You may think that I am asking you to be at peace but that this is too difficult. Dear friend of My heart, consider for a moment. What diminishes your peace? Which people? Which habits? Which activities? Ask yourself why these people or things diminish your peace? You must find these answers in contemplation of Me and contemplation of heavenly concepts. Only then will you be able to readily identify the contrast between the feeling of peace that heaven offers to you and the feeling of agitation that the world offers to you. The Spirit within you directs you to quiet, even in the midst of what might necessarily be a busy life. If you work from Me, you will retain your peace in activity and interaction with others because you will be giving and receiving Me. When you are with someone who is unable to accept My love, My love will surround that person until that person can receive it and you will not have wasted love because My love blesses you even as it moves through you. By working from Me, you are disciplining yourself to remain peaceful because I am peace. I am calm. I am love. How often I ask you to provide the world with a contrast and it is in remaining peaceful that you will do so. Be alert to My presence and you will spread peace.

"Starting on Eternal Resting Place" with PalmCross in Hand

This testimony was received Dec 21, 2010 from Theresa:

Pop started on his eternal resting place at 4:00 pm Wednesday Dec 8th 2010. Holding onto a PalmCross and an angel blanket. He lifted his arms up twice as if reaching towards God's loving arms. And quietly accepted at age 87 yrs. Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts. I miss him greatly. He was a very giving, loving, and thoughtful person. But I need to remember that he is not suffering and in the arms of Jesus. It hurts to think I will not see him again on earth. But I feel assured that I will see him again in Heaven. When the time is right. For now our priest said that the seed was planted before he was born. Pop cultivated it, and I must do my best to continue the seed. Thank you ever so much for your support. We put the cross on display at the funeral home for all to see and hold and pray for him.

We All Need to be Closer to the Lord

This is a recent testimonial from a PalmCross® customer. She references memorial kits, which include an oak easle frame, acrylic display and signage for funerals, weddings, ordinations, sacraments, anniversaries, special occasions etc.

I just received my memorial kit and PalmCross® yesterday. It is absolutely beautiful and I will always cherish it. You have such a unique idea and we all need to be closer to the Lord. Thank you so much for your beautiful work.

Respectfully,

Patricia

Realizing the Ministry

"In the beginning (1997), Elaine and I didn't realize the wonderful and fulfilling ministry given to us by our Lord.

"As my job of thirty years began to disintegrate due to downsizing and competition, our prayers were answered when we started making the PalmCross®. Soon we began to receive letters and phone calls from people sharing what the PalmCross® meant to them. God had given me a job and a ministry at the same time!

"Elaine and I invite you to share with us how the PalmCross® has perhaps graced your life. May God continue to bless each of you abundantly!"

~ Ron Foht, Creator and Carpenter of the PalmCross®.

How The PalmCross® Came Into Existence

Ron Foht experienced many retreats prior to March, 1985 when commissioned lay leader for a three-day retreat. The PalmCross® idea evolved from this team experience. He carved his very first PalmCross® to symbolize the power of prayer and unity as each team member either delivered a talk or prayed in the chapel holding the cross in the palm of their hands. The cross was sculpted from walnut wood with no finish applied. Ron was amazed as the PalmCross® eventually took on a beautiful, burnished, walnut sheen from the oils of the hands of the many people who prayed with it. Ron carved another nine crosses for family and friends before officially offering it to the public in December 1997.

Each PalmCross® is engraved with our trademark and year of copyright (1997). The numbers e.g. 2011/120 indicates the cross was carved in 2011 and is the 120th cross sculpted that year. The design of Christ's Corpus (also available without a Corpus and three Medallion styles) is artistically free-handed for each cross. You are invited to use your cross as a symbol of the power of prayer in your life. It may be used for retreat team formation, special occasions such as birth, baptism, marriage, receiving first Eucharist, in times of illness and treatments, etc. We welcome you to keep your PalmCross® within accessible reach so it remains a symbol of Christ's presence and power through your community of believers.

Welcome: Mission Statement

Greetings!

My name is Kristen, and I am the daughter of the PalmCross® creator and carpenter, Ron Foht. ByRon PalmCross® is a family business based out of Illinois.

The primary intention of this blog is to share customer testimonials and stories about the PalmCross®. This will be done with first names only as to not reveal identities, unless given permission otherwise. There will also be reflections on the uses of the PalmCross® and other spiritual meditations.

We hope you will enjoy this more in-depth PalmCross® narrative. Please visit us at the links listed below the header.