The Carry Cross, a local faith-based ministry founded on Oct. 11, 2009, began not in a workshop or business plan, but in a driveway with borrowed tools, collected driftwood and a renewed sense of purpose. At one of the lowest moments of his life, a simple piece of driftwood became the beginning of something far greater than a woodworking project — it became a ministry.
“I had never worked with wood before,” the founder, Jim Crunden recalls. “This was all completely new to me.”
At the time, his wife Lori had been collecting driftwood for years, and those pieces became the first materials used to create small handheld wooden crosses. Each cross was carefully shaped by hand and later engraved with God’s Word — messages of hope, faith and encouragement meant to be carried daily as reminders of God’s presence.
When the driftwood supply ran out, help arrived unexpectedly.
A neighbor offered an old wooden pallet he had brought home from work. Using a crowbar, the pallet was taken apart piece by piece, and new crosses began to take shape from reclaimed wood. During the process, a moment occurred that would forever define the ministry.
“As I was cutting out one of the crosses, I noticed nail holes on that cross were exactly where Jesus’ wrists and ankles would have been pierced,” he said. “I knelt down right there in the driveway and cried.”
In that quiet moment, he felt a clear calling.
“That’s when I heard God speak to me that we needed to call this ‘The Carry Cross,’” he said. “Man makes pallets to carry things; God sent his only son to carry the sins of man. Shortly thereafter, it was revealed to us that we needed to add a motto, ‘Don’t Leave Earth Without Him.’”
What began as personal healing soon became a mission to encourage others. Each handcrafted cross serves as a tangible reminder of faith during difficult seasons — something people can hold onto during prayer, grief, uncertainty or gratitude.
“In the beginning, I was using a hand burner to write scripture on these crosses,” said Crunden. “A generous friend purchased our first laser machine in 2016. And that took it to a whole new level. Three years ago, we bought a second machine. We have been blessed to do large orders for churches and schools and organizations where we can laser their logo.
“We were blessed to create crosses for the graduates of Episcopal School of Jacksonville in 2015. The crosses were made using wood from The Great Oak, a 450-year-old oak tree that had to be removed from the campus. For generations of students, the tree had been the source of thousands of cherished memories and held a special place in the school’s history.
“We have been honored with the opportunity to make trophies the last few years for a few organizations. Neptune Baptist, a local church, has been ordering them for years for their annual fishing contest. FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an international organization, has ordered trophies for several Northeast Florida counties. We have also had the privilege of working with some fabulous non-profits like former Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin’s The Jay Fund.”
Over the years, The Carry Cross has grown from humble beginnings into a meaningful local ministry, sharing thousands of crosses with individuals, churches and communities around the world. Every piece remains rooted in its original purpose: spreading hope through God’s Word and reminding people they never carry their burdens alone.
The ministry assembled an evidence manual and filled it with notes, emails, text messages from people sharing how their Carry Cross impacted them. The consistent response almost always began with, “Dear Carry Cross, you have no idea …”
“We absolutely love that, because we know that we had nothing to do with it, but God had everything to do with it,” Crunden said.
In addition to the handheld wooden crosses that began the ministry, The Carry Cross has expanded its offerings while staying true to its original purpose. One unique design features the cross preserved within the very block of wood from which it was cut, a piece they call “The Charger,” symbolizing strength, foundation and the idea of being spiritually renewed.
“My father-in-law, Pop Pop, is the one that inspired the charger,” Crunden said. “He said that way at the end of the day when you had pretty much blown it or were just overwhelmed, you could put your cross back in the charger, and you could rest assured that, as Jesus promised, your sins would be forgiven.”
Smaller versions are also created as mirror hangers and keychains, allowing people to carry a reminder of faith with them wherever they go. And, on some occasions, they will make handheld wooden hearts. Many customers have requested to have the recipient’s name hand-burned on the side of the cross or the heart. You can purchase these from them directly or they can be found at both locations of Hope’s Closet Thrift Store.
The ministry continues to create handheld wooden crosses engraved with Scripture, each one symbolizing restoration — both of reclaimed wood and restored lives.
For its founder, the message remains simple:
“God can take what feels broken and turn it into something meaningful. These crosses are a reminder that faith can begin anywhere — even in a driveway, with a pallet and a prayer.”
Learn more at thecarrycross.com or call 904-237-1068.
