Sandy Time

Contributed by:
Natalie Ward
care ministries director

Paul Bunyan was good with an axe and stronger than 20 men. Hearing stories of Lucky Pierre, a champion lumberjack from Bangor, Maine, Paul headed east to challenge him. Although an old man, Lucky accepted Paul's challenge to see who could cut more wood in six hours. After an hour, Lucky stopped working, went into the woods, then returned 15 minutes later. Paul kept chopping. An hour later, Lucky took another 15-minute break. Every hour he went into the woods. After six hours of chopping, Paul was sure he had won. Paul was stronger and had worked an hour longer. But when the wood was counted, Lucky Pierre had won the contest! Puzzled, Paul asked Lucky how he had done it. Lucky just smiled and said that when he went into the woods, he used that time to sharpen his axe.

The Heartbreaking Reality of Hell

Contributed by:
Natalie Ward
care ministries director

Conversations, opinions and perspectives vary in our world on what Hell will be like - it’s existence and who will end up there. In the Christian circles these same questions are being asked and opinions and perspectives are being given, thereby creating interest and exploration amongst churches and Christian communities into the topic of Hell. Pathway has been hosting a series on Heaven or Hell over the last few weeks, that will continue over the next few weeks.

A Stone In the Shoe

Contributed by:
Natalie Ward
care ministries director

“A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”- Author Unknown

Be bold. Stand up. Be fearless. Be passionate. Speak truth. These are often terms that are taught as foundational when sharing the gospel with a non believer. Unfortunately, terms like aggressive, argumentative, pushy and persistent, though, are also associated with these kind of interactions. Many times Christians will engage in what ends up being a debate of theological positions, and then after silencing the non believer with a “blow to their position,” will wave the flag of victory after perceived or assumed defeat of their “opponent.” On the contrary, there has been no victory. Few, if any, individuals come to recognize the Lord as their Savior through an aggressive exchange of terminology and heated debate.

Inner Healing

Contributed by:
Natalie Ward
care ministries director

What happens when we anticipate and we expect, but we are just met with frustration? What happens when we allow our circumstances to define us?

We can allow BITTERNESS to take root.

So what do we do with our bitterness?
Sometimes we attempt to take it on ourselves and become determined to solve it or control it - only to wind up wasting time, destroying and distracting ourselves, and then planting seeds of bitterness in others.