An heirloom painting. A new mantel. And a forgotten toy.
In October 2024, just after our wedding and honeymoon, my husband and I were settling into our new home. Boxes were stacked in every room as we worked to make the space our own. One fall day—quite close to Reformation Day, actually—my parents came by to help. While unpacking, we stumbled across a small Playmobil Martin Luther figure my husband had tucked away. Originally made for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, he was far too cute to toss in with the rest of our childhood toys.
My mom, ever the creative one, had a better idea—why not place him on the mantel? We had just set up a painting passed down from my grandparents—an oil of Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden, with its little German church nestled among autumn trees and misty mountains. She thought Luther would fit perfectly in front of it, as though proclaiming the Gospel to an imaginary village right there in our living room. With her characteristic wit, she quipped, “It’s like Elf on the Shelf, but Luther on the Ledge!” That felt a bit precarious, so our next suggestion—Marty on the Mantel—stuck.
From then on, little Luther stayed right there. We loved watching guests discover him, sparking conversations about faith and the Reformation. And I couldn’t shake the thought—what if there were a tradition like Elf on the Shelf, but centered on Christ and the truths of Scripture? What if Marty could help families and kids count down to Reformation Day—teaching them, encouraging them, and making faith a visible part of daily life?
And that’s how Little Reformer began. Out of one tiny figure came a vision—to carry forward the stories and truths of the Reformation through thoughtful, Christ-centered traditions and beautiful, quality items. Our hope is simple—that these little reminders will help families live out their faith with joy and boldly share the Truth for generations to come.
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