The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Manitoban singer/songwriter Barabara Joy to release her latest single, "Pray (Heal our Land)" this past week.

Barbara has been active around Manitoba and on YouTube with her hymn arrangments and original content. Written over a year ago, "Pray (Heal our Land)" speaks to the current epidemic being faced by the world.

"This is what we need to hear. Its a prayer based on 2 Chronicles 7:14," she says. "We need revival. We need to humble ourselves and look to God's agenda and not to the ways that we always want to do everything. We need to look to God. The scripture says that if we turn to Him, He will heal our land."

The music teacher also says that spending time at home is allowing her to focus more on collaborating with other musicians.

"I am writing more songs with the award-winning group, Infinitely More from St. Catherines Ontario. We've got some songs waiting now to get finished up and bring into the studio. It's a good time to get into some of these things"

Part of her more recent music ministry revolves around taking familiar hymns and creating fresh arrangments.

"Not everyone knows a lot of Christian Contemporary music, but they're familiar with hymns like Blessed Assurance and How Great Thou Art. I've also been singing a lot of those and putting them up on my YouTube channel. I've been getting very positive responses of how comforted and encouraged people are from those old songs."