5 Tips For Your Handmade Card Ministry

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.  Galatians 6:10

There are few things that make you feel more special than opening the mailbox and pulling out a cute envelope with your very own name on it.  With great anticipation you walk back to the house to open it – or you may be so excited that you open it as you walk.  You pop open the seal carefully so as not to damage the washi tape on the envelope and pull out your card in all its beauty.  After admiring the pretty layout on the front, you open the card and read the sweet, personal note from your friend.

     By now, you may be about excited enough to rush out to your mailbox and check to see if you have a card there.  Well, more than likely you don’t, but let’s turn all of this enthusiasm in a different direction.  How would you like to bring that kind of joy to someone you know? 

     Making cards is a great ministry that can be done from home by just about anyone.  And the good news is that almost anyone would also enjoy getting a handmade card.  In other words, you will never lack for an audience to send your cards to.  From family and friends to handing a cashier a card with a tract in it, your card ministry audience is waiting!

Tip #1 Make a pretty card

     Of course the foundation for a card ministry is: a card.  Making a handmade card does not have to be complicated or take a lot of supplies.  In future posts I plan to go into more details on some of your options for making cards.  They can be as simple as a piece of cardstock cut and folded in half with a pretty picture glued on the front.  Or, they can be as fancy and glitter covered as you want!  It comes down to preference and what you have on hand.

     I find it helpful to think about the person I am making the card for.  Think about their tastes, favorite colors, interests, etc.  It makes it more special when you can include something that you know will mean something to the person and show them that you were thinking of them specifically.

     Make sure to enjoy the process!  Decorating cards can be time consuming and a bit messy, but it can also be a great hobby at the same time as being a card ministry.

Tip #2: Include Bible Verses   

One way to use your cards as ministry tools is to write Bible verses inside them.  I try to make sure that each card I send out has at least one Bible verse in it.  You can also write them on the outside of the envelope for people to see as it goes through the mail system.  Yes, I know it’s mostly done by machines these days, but it’s still possible that the mail carrier or someone else will see it.

     Card making can be time intensive.  I find that by the time I make a card, I would rather not spend too much time writing in it.  Does anyone else feel this way?  This can be especially true when I’m writing in a birthday card after someone’s birthday.  Sigh, that happens more than I would like.  I am mentally working on a better schedule for sending out cards, and I plan to keep y’all updated if I reach a good solution.

     Well anyway, I finally came up with a way to include verses in my cards without constantly needing to choose new verses, look up references, and write out the verses.  My solution is a printable page with several verses.  I print them and cut them out, then keep them handy to tape in cards as I need them.  If you would like to put these verses in  your cards, subscribe to the blog for access to this printable and more!  If you have already subscribed and have gotten access to the freebie library, click here to go download your copy!  It has a selection of Bible verses all with the theme of peace.

Tip #3: Write a Personal Message

     Besides verses, the message of your card is also important.  It is a good opportunity to be encouraging and make person feel special.  What kind of card do you most prefer: one with just a signature, or one where the sender took the time to write you a personal note?  The personal note wins for me!  That is almost more important to me than how the card looks.  

     Don’t skimp on your card message.  It doesn’t have to be long or fancy, but a couple of personal sentences make a world of difference.  You can wish the person a closer relationship with the Lord in the days ahead and encourage them in the special plan He has for their life.

Tip #4: Decorate the Envelope

     If you want to go the extra mile, you can decorate the envelope too.  When I use paper doilies on my cards, I sometimes cut a matching piece or two to decorate the envelope.  You can always just put on a sticker or a piece of washi tape.  Wax seals are also really fun if a bit more challenging. 

     I enjoy making the envelope match the theme or color scheme of the card through a few subtle additions.  Using a colored pen that matches your color scheme really helps with this.  I also enjoy writing the recipients name with a brush pen, although I am still inexperienced.  But it’s good to practice!

Tip #5: Pray for the Recipient  

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.  Acts 6:4  

Before you drop your finished card ministry masterpiece in the mailbox, don’t miss one very important step: prayer.  You can pray throughout the process that God will guide you in making a card that will be meaningful to that person.  It is also important to pray for the person receiving the card and ask God to make it a blessing in their lives.  This is something I need to do more often.

     You’ve probably realized that a lot can go into a handmade card ministry.  This is true, but I think it’s completely worth it.  We are blessed by the Lord to be given this ministry opportunity that is so easily accessible to us. 

     If you’re ready to get started, don’t forget to get your free printable Scripture sheet to make the process a little bit easier.  If there is a theme for a Bible verse sheet that you would like to have, please let me know in the comments.  I plan to make more topical Bible verse sheets in the future for us to use.

     Until next time, happy card making!

In Christ,

Bethany

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17