Praying with Artist Trading Cards

Sep 16, 2012

Friend Jim Bickford uses artist trading cards to draw his intercessory prayers. Artist trading cards are like baseball cards. Artists create their artwork on them and then trade them with other artists. The 2.5″ x 3.5″ cards are the perfect size for portable pocket-prayers–kind of Goldilocks size –“not too big, not too little, but just right.”

Here is a picture of some of Jim’s prayers. When a person needs special or urgent prayer attention, Jim puts the card in the window of his wallet. Jim says, “So each day a new name appears in the window. It’s easy to pull out a few cards and focus on these friends and family. Since I have more invested in the cards than just writing down someone’s name the experience seems much more personal. My praying in color prayer cards have become a vital part of my daily idiosyncratic rule of life.”

 

I just found out today that my husband Andy has been holding the wallet-window seat of honor for the past week since heart bypass surgery. Now that Andy is home and making a wonderful recovery, Jim will return him to the not-so-urgent stack and replace the card with another person whose prayer needs are more immediate.

Thanks, Jim, for all of those prayers! In the past ten days I have felt a wave of round-the-clock “unceasing prayer” from Jim and all the other loyal pray-ers around the world who have carried Andy (and me) through this surgery and recovery. Thanks be to God!

 

6 Comments

  1. Thanks be to God that Andy is home and making a good recovery! Yes- lots of prayers for both of you continue from Virginia and other places, Sybil.

    May the Lord continue to bless and keep you as Andy heals,
    Nancy

    Reply
  2. I’m so blessed for for finding your website and blog. For some time now I’ve been wanting to draw or paint but couldn’t get started. I’ve prayed about it and had started searching online for inspiration. Although I saw some lovely work, I was very intimidated as I have no artistic ability. For 7 years I’ve been making greeting cards but earlier this year, I’d become so discourage with the results that I’d stop cardmaking.
    This morning, during Sunday School, my Pastor mentioned how creative I am making beautiful cards. Hours later, I found your website. Perhaps the Lord was telling me that I should stop comparing my work to others and get start. What do you think?
    I am going to bookmark your site before I go.
    God bless your health and may you continue to glorify the Lord through your work.

    Reply
    • Thanks for posting, Pauline. I think your Pastor was giving you not only permission to draw but an invitation and a charge. I think evil wins a huge victory when we judge our creative efforts and stop doing them because we find them wanting. I love to doodle but I can’t draw a cat or dog that is recognizable. I think God used my weaknesses in drawing, my inability to find the right words and my fidgety body to give me a way to pray through doodling..”My grace is sufficient for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Peace to you. Sybil

      Reply
  3. Thank you for inspiration. I found your web site after a conversation with the art teacher at the school where I work. We started of talking about doodling and zentangles and then she told me about praying in colour. How wonderful!! I couldn’t wait to get home and try. I have a friend who is hospital having major back surgery and this method of praying was just the thing. This morning I spent an hour with Father God in black and white. Thank you again. May the Lord continue to bless you, to show you his loving kindness and mercy.

    Reply
    • Thank you, Maryann, for writing to me.

      Reply
  4. Thank you so much for posting, I found it via pinterest. I’ve always felt God in the creative aspects of my life and been challenged recently to share creatively in prayer – this may well be an accessible starting point for all ages and abilities.

    Reply

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  1. More Artist Trading Card Prayers | Praying in Color - [...] friend Connie uses Artist Trading Cards for many of her prayers. She keeps them in loose-leaf binders in plastic…

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