About FOTC, from the Heart of the Owner:

FOTC stands for FOOT OF THE CROSS™, the place where we bring our trials and tribulations, joys, and hardships; the place where Mary, the mother of Jesus, stood and watched her son give his own life to save all mankind. Here is FOTC’s story:

It was the summer of 2021, when my family and I were visiting one of my best friends. My friend and I were picking up food for our families, when we struck up a conversation with a few other gentlemen sitting outside of the business next to the restaurant we were in, one of which happened to be a veteran. I was wearing a t-shirt by a veteran owned and operated apparel company that supports our military and first responders. The t-shirt I was wearing sparked a wonderful conversation and I thanked him for his service. I have much respect for our veterans and active duty soldiers, as they are in one way or another, signing up for a mission that could ultimately mean an end to their life here on earth. Many of them lose their lives every day, in order to save ours, and allow us to live yet another day as free men and women here on earth. I often think about this, however, this day was different from the rest. I found myself thinking deeper and deeper about the sacrifice that those men and women have given, and continue to give for us.

It was shortly after that interaction, and the constant thoughts of sacrifice, that the idea of a certain image was sent to me. The image consisted of the words “LIVE A LIFE WORTH HIS SACRIFICE” with the T in Worth being a Cross. It was a relatively simple image, with an exponentially great message. “HIS SACRIFICE” refers to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of his own life, crucified on a cross after undergoing a brutal physical beating. Jesus Christ took on the sin of the entire world; the world prior to his time on earth, the world as it stood during his time on earth, and the rest of the world still to come. I reflected upon that - what would it feel like to take on all of that sin? “LIVE A LIFE WORTH” with “WORTH” being the highlight, refers to what you and I do every day with the gift of life. We are only here on earth at this time, through the grace of God. Every moment of every day is a gift from God. We are only forgiven from our participation in sin, through God’s son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life to provide us with that forgiveness. What are we doing each day to Live A Life Worth what God has done for us? What do we do on a daily basis, to thank God for the sacrifice of his one and only son, so that we would have a chance to live with him in heaven for all eternity?

I pondered this image for days, and thought it would be nice to be able to find a shirt to wear with that image on it. For the next week or two, I searched the internet high and low, but couldn’t find anything even close. With the inability to find a shirt to purchase, I put the image aside, and moved on with my life. However, I could not stop thinking about it. This continued for about a month. That’s about the time I recognized God’s call for me to create the shirt. My original idea was to create a single shirt, so I could wear it. Very plain, very simple, one shirt, one person. Well, God had a different plan. When God originally sent this idea to me, his plan was much larger than creating a single shirt to wear.

Through a series of events involving more close friends of mine, I was able to successfully work with a graphic designer, as well as a trustworthy individual who could help me with the creation of FOTC LLC, as well as the appropriate trademarks and copyrights. All of this was quite a process, as at the same time I was/am a devoted husband and father, as well as a full-time healthcare worker. I learned a lot along the way, all of which I am very thankful for.

Fast forward to 2023, close to two years later, and FOTC LLC has been created. There are now a few designs of the original image, offered in multiple clothing options. God has been in full control, moving all of the pieces of my life’s puzzle, over the past two years. The conversation outside of the restaurant, all of the close friends who have been brought into my life throughout the past decade that I could turn to for assistance, my wonderful wife’s motivation and encouragement, my relationship with God the Father; without all of those pieces, FOTC may never have been. God is always at work in our lives. Every minute of every day. God is constantly crossing our paths with other’s paths, each for a specific reason. It is our job to develop and grow a relationship with God, to the point that we recognize the appointments that God has scheduled for us, listening to his calling to use us to proclaim his kingdom.