If you are a missionary or someone who is involved in missions, you may have heard of prayer cards. Prayer cards are very helpful when you need to get your prayer requests out to your friends, family, and church back home. Yet, it might be hard to find the perfect prayer cards for either you or for you and your family.
What is a missionary prayer card? A missionary prayer card is an international card mailed from missionaries to their sponsors, friends, and family, to update their prayer requests, praise reports, and/or needs. It is a way to engage others back home and to establish consistent communication and information.
This post will help to guide you through the options of prayer cards. We have many suggestions, as well as examples to help you on your way to the best missionary prayer card for you. The options that you’ll find vary greatly, from using a corporate company, to making your very own prayer cards from craft supplies. One is not better than another, but it’s important to find the option that best fits your needs.
Choosing Templates & Designs from Prayer Card Websites
There are plenty of sites out there that have made their own custom designs for missionary prayer cards. We will list some sites below that have added their own photos, will do revisions for you and will print them for you.
ComissionCreative.com will even give you a personal designer to help you from concept to completion. You will be able to choose from all shapes and sizes, and you’ll even find additional services such as magnets and newsletter services.
Print4Missions.com is another site that will give you custom designs that are already made. There will not be much else you need to do besides choose which one is right for you. They also keep in mind that a missionary’s budget isn’t always high, so they will help you to find affordable prices. Here you’ll also find so many additional services, including magnets, newsletter services, bookmarks, and reply cards.
TerheelDesign.com is another site where you’ll be able to order your own missionary prayer cards. They specialize in making you and your family a personalized prayer card, just for you with a professional designer. On their website, you’ll find examples of their work. If you’re also interested in creating your own mission websites, Tarheel Design will be a great company for you to work with.
Buying Them On Etsy
Etsy is a site where many people make high quality, handcrafted goods. It also claims to be the world’s most imaginative marketplace, and when looking at their missionary prayer cards, I think you’ll agree that there are plenty of creative, yet attractive options.
For missionaries, we have found the link to the prayer cards. Click here to find the customizable templates for prayer cards.
Using Canva To Make Prayer Cards
Canva is a free site with thousands of templates for all circumstances and needs. For missionaries, we have found the link to prayer cards. Click here to find the templates for prayer cards.
You’ll find this site quite easy to use, and everything is customizable. So even if you find another type of card, you could always turn it into a prayer card for your own needs.
Another nice feature about Canva is that it will be very easy to add your own photos. Whether that be for yourself, your entire family on the field, or of missions related photos. You’ll have a lot of fun getting creative on this site, whether that be choosing from a vast variety of quotes, finding the best color palette, or simply choosing a template.
We also recommend Canva, because you have options. You can choose to print your own cards at home if you have the right supplies. Otherwise, they will print them for you and deliver them right to your door for their fee. You’ll be able to choose from matte to glossy finishes. There truly is so much variety with this site.
Crafting Your Own Prayer Cards – DIY
An alternative to using the Internet for your missionary prayer card is simply doing it from scratch. This could look like a number of things, but basically you would find card stock, high-quality ink pens, potentially stencils, and maybe a picture of your family. You would use these items to craft each prayer card. Although time-consuming, it would give a very personal touch to each card, making your friends and family feel special. We would only recommend this option to the very crafty people who don’t have the resources to use a website.
Also, within this category, is using Word, Pages, or some other software on your computer to create a prayer card. This would be from scratch because you wouldn’t be using any templates. You would have to add everything manually yourself.
Examples of Missionary Prayer Cards
No matter which card you decide to go with, there will be a certain style that you are attracted to. While choosing your card, you’ll have to ask yourself what you would like to portray to your audience. You’ll also have to ask yourself how much written content you would like on your card, versus how many photos you would like to fit on it.
Recommendations:
- Make sure that your photos are clear, bright, and not too busy.
- Use language that is easy to understand, even for those who don’t understand your mission work entirely.
- Make sure to list your prayer requests in a clear format, such as bulleting or numbering.
Let’s take a look at a few examples so that you can get an idea of what you prefer and to know what types of cards are out there.
Example #1
Found on Pinterest, this prayer card is very unique. The photograph is made to mimic a polaroid, which creates a unique visual for your friends and family, causing the card to immediately standout. It very clearly shows the missionary’s nation of work through graphic design, and it has her contact information very clearly. However, it is missing prayer points. This could be added before you order the cards.
Example #2
From ComissionCreative, we really like this example of a missionary prayer card. One of the best features is the photo that the family chose to use. It clearly shows their faces, while also displaying their nation. At the same time, the photo leaves the perfect room to add text to the photo that pops. The color scheme is also simple. This prayer card has a backside, where you can add all of your necessary information.
Example #3
This example is taken from Canva. While there is not a current personal photo on the prayer card, Canva is very easy to use, and you will be able to add your own photo. We like this prayer card, because of its simplicity. You find the missionary name and a clear statement on what the card is for. You can easily add your prayer requests on the back of the card, and have them mailed to your door, or print them at home.