Local couple encourages police officers with hand-coloured prayer postcards

Jenny Burr
Spur Ottawa Correspondent

A notable difference is being made in the hearts and lives of local police officers who have been personally handed a coloured prayer postcard. God placed the ministry Prayer Postcards 4 Police on the hearts of Janice and Ken Sadler.

While on holidays in Barrie, last summer, the Sadlers heard a sermon from RCMP and OPP chaplain Gerry McMillan.

“He challenged us to thank and pray for officers whenever we see them,” explains Janice. “After the service, as I walked to the car, my heart was strangely broken for police officers—strangely because I have no police officers in my family and I don’t know any police officers. I became preoccupied with thoughts of how I could thank and pray for police officers.”

Beginning with six colouring postcards, Janice heeded the nudging of the Holy Spirit to earnestly pray for the police as she coloured. Back in Ottawa, Janice was ready to distribute her six completed prayer postcards. She asked Ken to drive her to Parliament Hill. Although she was feeling nervous Janice prayed for courage and boldness.

“I listened to her talk to the officers, watched some of the responses from a distance, and felt a sense of pride in what she was doing.”

“It was a complete act of obedience to reach out and thank [the first] two RCMP officers,” she says. “I told them my name and that I had a ministry to thank and pray for police officers. They were surprised and curious. Then I asked if I could give them a prayer postcard. They were thankful, delighted, and appreciative.”

It didn’t stop at six. Janice purchased 100 more postcards to colour.

“I watched from the sidelines,” Ken shares. “It was somewhat troubling, because I wasn’t hearing God [talk to me about it]. It was a secret relationship between her and God.

“The first time that I got involved she asked me to drive her down to Parliament Hill. I listened to her talk to the officers, watched some of the responses from a distance, and felt a sense of pride in what she was doing.”

“This is a ministry for all individuals—real men do colour.”

Ken says, “Henry Blackaby’s book, Experiencing God, talks about looking for where God is working and then joining in. Somewhere along the journey this spoke to me and I just joined in. I was forced to sit down and think about the issues that I would pray for each of the officers. I created a list to help me be more effective in my prayers. Yes, I started to colour. This is a ministry for all individuals—real men do colour.”

“Prayer Postcards 4 Police,” explains Janice, “is a ministry that personally thanks police officers for their service and invites each officer to make a personal prayer request. The prayer postcard is a unique colouring card. Ken includes a list of things that we pray about for the officers, as we colour.”

The Sadlers include a stamped and self-addressed envelope with each card so officers can send them specific prayer requests. They keep all the prayer requests confidential. So far, the Sadlers say approximately 15 percent of the officers they have reached out to sent a response.

Colleen Mackenzie, who participates in a Bible study with Janice, says, “Jan shared how God had spoken to her heart regarding praying for our law enforcement officers, during our Bible study. With my art background and deep faith in the power of prayer, I offered to assist in praying and colouring the cards and also to encourage Jan as she progresses with this ministry.”

The Sadlers hope the ministry will eventually expand across Canada.

“The most compelling memory,” says Ken, “was at the Civic Prayer Breakfast, when an officer read one of Jan’s cards and told the story of the effect it had.”