I Pray Because - Rick Block

Hi, my name is Rick Block, I am part of the Inspire Spiritual Care Team

I joined the Inspire team last August together with my wife Jacquie. It’s a wonderfully diverse team – frankly its still hard to believe I’m one of the oldest! One aspect that really drew me in to join this group was its focus on reconciliation – I see evidence in the natural world around us how God created pathways for regeneration and new life, so my hope and prayer is that God will work in our lives (both youth and adults) so that we sense and see transformation, new life, and fruitful relationships in our hearts and in the lives of our communities.

I feel I have grown in the past several years in becoming more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and in doing so to see prayer as an essential part of my journey as a Christ-follower. Author Dallas Willard is quoted as saying “grace is opposed to earning, not to effort” and that has stuck with me for many years. I see how that relates to prayer through my own life – in good times I might forget to humbly walk with God; in tough times I might feel cynical to be vulnerable in seeking healing, peace. And so its good for me to talk with God each day, at least to some degree. He goes before me, along with me, and somehow is also behind me. He has plainly stated his yoke is easy and his burden is light. And so my ‘efforts’ to live in his grace come more fluidly and naturally. Our dog Sabrita likely doesn’t know it, but walking her in the neighbourhood, or along the river, has become a treasured time to pray and to listen.