(WHITING, IA) The Little Cross and Gift Shop in Whiting will celebrate its one year anniversary this November. Its creator started making wooden crosses in his garage three years ago - handmade reminders of his life journey.     

Charlie Mortensen found salvation in alcohol for almost 50 years.

"I have drank since probably I was 14 or 15 years old," says Bill "Charlie" Mortensen, The Little Cross & Gift Shop owner.

He sobered up for eight years but one night he crashed, hitting rock bottom.

"He looked at me and he says, Charlie, there's no medical reason for you to be here today. None whatsoever. He says, you need to look elsewhere," says Mortensen.

That's exactly what he did, joining the Christ-centered program Celebrate Recovery, and creating daily reminders of his second chance - handmade wooden crosses.

"So each one of mine may have a flaw here or a flaw there. And I guess that's kind of like my life. A little flawed along the way," says Mortensen. 

This time Charlie is finding salvation in something stronger.

"It was a team of two guys trying to recover from something they didn't need to do anymore," says Mortensen.

"What brought us together - God actually brought us together to help one another," says Ron Armstrong, The Little Cross & Gift Shop assistant.
      
Ronnie Armstrong is Charlie's right-hand man and a fellow recovering alcoholic. Charlie designs and cuts the crosses. Ronnie sands and stains them.

"We work on our crosses and stuff and that's our pastime," says Armstrong.    

Both men are thankful their journey through life is now a sober one.

"That's what makes my job such a joy. Because I'm doing it with clear eyes and a clear mind. And so far, thank God, it works," says Mortensen.

Every cross he creates comes from the heart, each one a symbol of the void Christ now fills in his life.

"Each one of my crosses I go ahead and sign," says Mortensen, as he signs his name, location and year the cross was created.

And every day Charlie lives by words he wrote to celebrate his sobriety:

"At first I thought I needed, then I knew I wanted it. Now I'm grateful for it. God's word," recites Mortensen.

Thursday is the third anniversary of Celebrate Recovery in Whiting and Charlie's sobriety. His crosses have found homes in 16 states and 5 countries all by word-of-mouth advertising.

To learn more about The Little Cross & Gift Shop, you can call the store at 712-455-CROS or stop by at 616 Whittier Street in Whiting.

Reported by Erika Thomas. You can contact her at ethomas@kmeg.com.