Jeanne Stevenson started 'Cards for His Glory' to share her God-given talents at suggestion of parish priest

PLYMOUTH — In an age of text messaging and social media, Jeanne Stevenson still believes that nothing beats the impact of a greeting card. Stevenson, a graphic artist and art director, started her line of Catholic greeting cards nearly 15 years ago.  

“When people take the time to choose a card and write out a personal message, it’s something tangible, unlike a text. They can hold it in their hand and re-read it,” Stevenson said. “A card helps us lift each other up and love each other.”

Cards For His Glory began in 2004 and is sold in 15 states and online. Despite the trend toward digital messaging, Stevenson’s card line continues to grow, even though she never set out to be a greeting card writer and designer.

After graduating with a bachelor's degree in graphic design and fine arts from the University of Michigan, she worked for 20 years designing packaging, brochures and logos for education, automotive and other sectors.

“God is always full of surprises,” Stevenson said. “When I encountered Jesus, everything changed. My work is so much more meaningful now that I’m using my gifts and talents to unleash the Gospel.”

Before she started Card For His Glory, Stevenson and her husband had been digging deeper into their Catholic faith, partly with the help of Fr. John Riccardo, pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, where the Stevensons are members. Fr. Riccardo taught some of the catechetical and Scripture classes they had taken, and to thank him, Stevenson designed a set of notecards and gave them to him as a gift. Fr. Riccardo called her the next day and suggested she produce and sell her cards.

“When Fr. John said that, it was like the eyes of Jesus telling me to do this,” Stevenson said. “I was really drawn to my faith and the beauty of it, and the cards were a way to express that.”

Stevenson had always made cards for family and friends, but had never considered making a business out of her hobby. 

Back then, Stevenson was a busy homeschooling mom and a freelance graphic designer. Nonetheless, she decided to explore the idea. She joined a Catholic marketing network and went to trade shows with her cards, and soon began selling to stores through cold calls and networking.

Cards For His Glory stand out from other religious cards. Stevenson describes them as having “an updated contemporary look with the tradition of the Church.” The cards feature rich photography and design paired with heartfelt sentiment and Scripture. The back of each card includes “bonus text,” as on the baptismal card, which highlights an excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI’s homily during a Mass on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

“It’s a call to the parents of the baby who’s being baptized, reminding them that they’re the first educators of their child,” Stevenson said. “The cards are a way to inform and evangelize. Rather than keep the back blank, I use it to communicate another message.”

Cards For His Glory customers are loyal and growing in number. 

Natasha Taberski, buyer for Our Lady of Grace Bookstore in Ann Arbor, always keeps a wide variety of Stevenson’s cards in stock.

“They’re in high demand at our store, to the point that customers will tell me when I’m almost out of a particular card before I even notice,” Taberski said. “Of course the images on the cards are beautiful, but the sentiments that go inside come from (Stevenson’s) heart and are well thought-out, so it’s no wonder they’re so popular.”

Stevenson takes many of the photos for the cards herself. On a pilgrimage to Rome in 2004, she took a photo in St. Peter’s square that she named, “All the Saints Greet You,” based on 2 Corinthians 13:13. She uses the photograph on cards and also sells prints through her website.

Even Fr. Michael Schmitz, the popular Q&A video blogging priest whose videos have been viewed by millions online, has a copy of Stevenson's photograph in the background of some of his videos.

Stevenson says that sending a card today is more meaningful than ever, especially one that helps someone feel closer to Christ.

“These are dark times,” she said. “People need to be uplifted and encouraged, and I pray my work helps them do that.”

Stevenson plans to expand her card line and the number of stores in which they are sold. She also creates custom Mass cards for parishes, holy cards for first Communions and ordinations, and invitations and programs for weddings and funerals.

To see the full line of Cards For His Glory, find a store where they are sold, or order cards and gifts online, visit www.cardsforhisglory.com.