Inspirare and Prayer Ministry: A New Purpose
There’s been a change in recent years to the way Inspirare has been introducing itself. It goes something like this: “Once a singing-only ministry, we are now also prayer warriors for Christ.” The introduction serves as our means of informing the congregation that, besides singing for them, we want to pray for them.
While it seems like an additional activity in our ministry, prayer didn’t just give us an opportunity to memorize Bible promises as well as a closer way to reach out to people. When Inspirare began to pray as part of ministry, something changed in the choir. It was gradual, but somewhere along the group’s spiritual journey, Inspirare became meaningful. Profound. Personal. And if God hadn’t been there to make Inspirare the way it is now?
I would have quit Inspirare.
I remember the thought of quitting lingering in my mind. When I had been a member for maybe two years, something felt wrong. I joined Inspirare for reasons of connection, community and ministry. Two years after joining, however, all I found myself clinging on to was my belief that singing for God was the right thing to do. The thought, no matter how clear it was in my head, did little to ease the feeling that I was putting up with choir, that I didn’t actually like being in choir and that I was just pretending to be someone who mattered in the group.
“Once a singing-only ministry, we are now also prayer warriors for Christ.”
Two years ago, I reached a breaking point. During one of GYC Southwest’s annual weekend meetings, I remember praying to God for the will to reconsider quitting and the strength to sing after a sleepless night, and He did provide! Just when I felt I was going to last, we decided to hike together. Hiking is okay, but not when you feel like you’re the one holding everyone else back. I remember others happily going on ahead while I struggled to keep up. Feelings of uselessness resurfaced, and I swore to myself I was quitting after that weekend.
But God is good. We had an activity after the hike, something I believe God inspired the leadership of the choir to host: a compliment and apology activity! Through kind words from other members I will cherish forever, I began to see that I was looking at myself through a worldly perspective. God used Inspirare to show me the person He knew I was and not the person I thought I had to be to be accepted. After that activity, I found myself at peace with the choir and with myself.
I’ve long since restored my reasons for being in Inspirare since, and by God’s leading, I look forward to seeing what God has in store for Inspirare!
Contributor: Giordanne Manalo
