Your keys go everywhere you go. They are in your hand when you leave the house, when you start the car, and when you come home at the end of the day. That makes a keychain one of the simplest ways to carry a reminder of your faith with you all day long.
At Genesis Xtreme, we wanted to make a Christian keychain that was more than a flat charm. So we designed the Ichthys Gear Keychain: faith you can carry, and faith you can feel.
What Is the Ichthys Gear Keychain?
It is a handmade wood keychain in the shape of the ancient Christian fish, built from three layers of laser cut basswood. Inside are real working gears that spin when you roll them with your thumb, and the back is an open fish bone skeleton you can see right through.
- Front: the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ and a small Genesis Xtreme engraving
- Inside: three working gears, a large cross gear and two Trinity gears, that all turn together
- Back: an open fish bone skeleton
- Size: about 3.7 by 1.7 inches and 3/8 inch thick, on a key ring
The Meaning of the Ichthys Fish
In the early church, believers used a simple fish to quietly recognize one another. The Greek word for fish, ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthys), spells out the first letters of a confession of faith: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.
The fish also points back to the day Jesus called His first disciples, who were fishermen by trade:
"Then He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" Matthew 4:19 (NKJV)
Carrying the Ichthys is a small, everyday way of saying the same thing those first believers said: I follow Him.
A Fidget With a Purpose
A lot of us reach for something to keep our hands busy, whether we are waiting in line, sitting in a meeting, or thinking through a hard moment. The gears on this keychain give your thumb something to do. Roll the big cross gear and the two smaller Trinity gears turn right along with it.
It is a quiet, simple way to pause and turn your mind toward the Lord, right in the middle of an ordinary day.
"Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart," Proverbs 3:3 (NKJV)
How It Is Made
Every keychain is laser cut from natural basswood and assembled by hand in our shop in Lynnwood, Washington. The three layers are stacked so the gears sit inside the frame and spin freely on small wooden pins, while the front holds them in place. The key ring attaches through a sturdy tab at the nose of the fish.
Because each one is made by hand, every keychain is a little unique.
A Christian Gift and Stocking Stuffer
Looking for a small Christian gift that people will actually use? The Ichthys Gear Keychain makes a great:
- Christmas stocking stuffer
- Gift for a new driver or a graduate
- Youth group, Sunday school, or VBS gift
- Thank you gift for a pastor or ministry volunteer
- Fidget for kids or adults who like to keep their hands busy
Order in Time for Christmas
The Ichthys Gear Keychain is $14.99, made to order, and ships in 3 to 5 business days. Order by December 12 to receive it by Christmas (US).