Local Author Turns Blog Series into Hands-on Prayer Aid
Amelia Rhodes remembers the call from a friend who wanted to talk about the events in her life, including a friend’s cancer diagnosis, and to ask Rhodes to pray. Of course she agreed, and added that request to her long list of things to pray for.“I remember feeling frustrated, guilty and overwhelmed because I wasn’t sure how I could pray for all the needs in my community,” said Rhodes, who lives with her husband and two children in Lowell. “I thought that if I could organize my prayer list into categories, it would be easier.”
She came up with the idea of praying for topics according to the alphabet, an idea that has grown into “Pray A to Z: A Practical Guide to Praying for Your Community,” a series of 26 cards featuring a topic for each letter.
Each card, about the size a 3x5 card, includes the topic to pray about, a prayer prompt, Bible verse, and space to write down specific names or organizations to pray for that relate to the topic. On the backside is a short written prayer to help get users started.For example, A stands for Adoption; the prompt encourages prayer for waiting adoptive families, waiting children, orphanages, caregivers, and adoption agencies.
Other topics include Pregnancy and Parenting, Unique Needs (for families with unique-need members), Singles, Widows and Widowers, and Zero Prejudice.
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Rhodes created her first cards as a download on her blog. She also did a blog series in which people shared their stories about each of the topics, from becoming a young widow to searching for a job to having a child with cancer.
That blog series is now a free ebook titled “Pray A to Z Moments” available on the website www.prayatoz.com. Local people including Cindy Bultema, Andy Rogers, Susie Finkbeiner and Sharron Carrns have contributed their stories.
Some users wanted to do more than download and print the cards. They wanted to buy a ready-made set to carry with them. Enter Rhodes’ husband Kedron. He designed each of the cards and designed the wooden stand they sit on. Gilson Graphics in Grand Rapids printed the cards, Kedron Rhodes made the stands, and the pair laser engraved the stands at GR Makers, a maker space near downtown Grand Rapids.“I never expected this to be anything but a blog series and a free ebook,” said Amelia Rhodes, who is also author of the book “Isn’t It Time for a Coffee Break?” “It’s taken me by surprise how many people are interested in using it in their devotional life and sharing it with friends.”
“Pray A to Z” is available on the website www.prayatoz.com and at Baker Book House. Ten percent of all proceeds are donated to local organizations supporting the topics featured in the series.
Rhodes is almost ready to print more “Pray A to Z” sets, and already has plans for a second set especially for families. The family cards will be written in language kids understand and will include practical things for families to do together such as writing letters to lawmakers or random acts of kindness. She also encourages churches to contact her about cards designed specifically for their needs.
“I want ‘Pray A to Z’ to be used so that, as we pray, our daily lives are impacted,” said Rhodes. “The topics aren’t just something we sit around and pray about, but we are prompted to live out every day.”
She’s also working on a second book that puts “Pray A to Z” into book form. It will include stories from everyday folks who had been impacted by the topics and who have very real struggles and challenges.
“A big element of this is peoples’ stories,” she said. “The more we know, the better we know how to pray and the more our eyes are opened to other people in our communities.”
For more information on “Pray A to Z,” visit www.prayatoz.com or www.ameliarhodes.com.
The “Pray A to Z” cards are available on the “Pray A to Z” website or at Baker Book House, 2768 E. Paris Ave. SE, Grand Rapids.
