One highlight from November was celebrating Thanksgiving! While holidays in the USA are usually a season of people scattering to different states, some of the Inspire community had the joy of gathering and celebrating Thanksgiving together. As we ate and enjoyed life with one another, we took time to share how we are thankful for the fellowship group(s) we are a part of. Read some of the responses!
“I did not have a good family growing up and I don’t really have a relationship with those who are biologically my family. Inspire has given me the family I never had.”
“The Inspire fellowships I am in push me to seek Jesus more. In particular, recently, I’ve been motivated to be in the Word more. I’ve known it is something I needed to do, but it took hearing another person’s passion for Scripture in order to get me going.”
“The ministry I was a part of before I came here (Kentucky) really abused the word family. It left a bad taste my mouth and I vowed to never use the word family in a ministry context ever again. But, Inspire has redeemed the word family for me. I now see what it means to be a family with those you are in fellowship with. Thank you!”
“Inspire fellowships have wrecked me, but in a good way. I have learned what it means to really be the church and how Christians should interact with one another. There’s no going back. I will never see things the same again.”
The Inspire fellowship groups whether it is a house fellowship, fellowship band, or another means of discipleship have given so many individuals a community to call family. We emphasize not just “doing church”, but actually being the church for one another. We give thanks to God for the relationships He has formed and for teaching us how to be His hands and feet in each other’s lives.
One space we continually see the LORD move is in a practice called “carpet time”.
Carpet time is a time in which we pause to intentionally pray and minister to each other. The space is opened for people to share their prayer requests and ways they need the LORD to move in their life. After someone shares, everyone circles around the individual, lays hands on them, and prays for them. It is a really sweet time and Jesus often moves very powerfully through the prayers or other words spoken. It is not uncommon for someone to be moved to tears though what Jesus is doing inside of them. We are so grateful that the LORD meets with us and ministers to us each week.
Hannah is an Inspire Missioner based in Wilmore, Kentucky. She fundraises support so that she can give her full-time to ministry through Inspire.
