Making Crosses: A Creative Connection to God

by Ellen Morris Prewitt

Making Crosses introduces a new spiritual practice for those who want to experience God beyond day-to-day prayers. More than analytical thinking, the practice of making crosses offers a way of prayer where understanding comes from doing.

This new prayer form can take as little or as much time as you have or want to commit. You bring your own creativity to bear and make a representation of the cross of Christ. Each cross is unique, but they all share some deep truths, and Ellen Prewitt invites all to explore the ways in which making crosses can deepen a life lived for Christ. As she

“I’ve found that anyone can make a cross, and by making crosses we are better able to understand what God needs for us to understand about ourselves, our church, or whatever may be working in our lives. To make a cross is to pray in a new way, but it’s not as simple as old-fashioned petitionary prayer; making crosses is a way for God to pray through you.”

Genres: Spirituality, Prayer, Nonfiction

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

ELLEN MORRIS PREWITT is an award-winning author who weaves her Southern life—and family secrets—into her fiction. Her stories have twice been nominated for Pushcart Prize; one received a Special Mention. The stories in her award-winning audio collection Cain’t Do Nothing with Love have been downloaded over 50,000 times. Her fiction has appeared in Porchlight, Gulf Coast Review, Unleash Lit, Image, Arkansas Review, Crack the Spine, Southern Women’s Review, The Pinch, Exterminating Angel Press, and elsewhere. She's Writer-in-Residence at 100 Men Hall, an iconic blues site on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A former lawyer and current swimmer, she’s frequently asked to speak on the transformative possibilities of writing. She loves hand-sewing, Godzilla, and cafe au lait with beignets. She lives in New Orleans where she (and her husband and her dog and her house) can frequently found in costume. Check out her writing journey at EllenMorrisPrewitt.com. When We Were Murderous Time-Traveling Women to be released in 2026 is her first traditionally published novel.

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part of Paraclete's active prayer series (same series as Praying in Color, Praying with the Body, and Writing to God) which incorporates movement, creativity and kinesthetic activity into the life of prayer. This gives a step by step process and opportunities for biblical and personal reflection in making crosses.

[Margo Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book about the meditative quality of working with your hands. Prewitt calls it kinetic prayer, in which you abandon yourself, your worries, and fears to the Holy Spirit and build a cross from them using found and broken objects. She provides guidance both for working g alone and in a workshop setting. I am excited to try both.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific book, and I can't wait to share it with friends and church family. Ms. Prewitt presents the concept of kinetic prayer, or prayer that involves physical activity such as dance and creating art. Giving encouragement and the Scriptural basis for using the physical act of making a cross as meditation, prayer, and fellowship, she provides true anyone-can-do-it guidance in collecting materials and crafting, and in sharing the finished products as a spiritual exercise and as an opportunity to share one's beliefs and possibly even to raise money for those in need. Her joy and excitement are palpable, and her book could be used by one person alone, or by groups of any size and configuration.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for creative people who sometimes feel restless in church or in prayer. I love practices that involve our whole selves, and this is one that uses our hands, minds, and hearts. Good times.

[David Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good quick read - a great resource for a lenten workshop or session on a spiritual retreat...makes me want to get to the many crosses I have thought about - especailly one I have already collected the broken pottery for!

[Shasta]

A very interesting book/Bible study/faith enrichment read about using found/reclaimed/repurposed items to make crosses. It seems to be written for individual use but I'm trying to figure out how to do it as a group study/project.