41
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on November 10, 2024, 04:23:43 PM »I've been having issues for a few days with my laptop so belated Happy Birthdays to Jonty, captainkeefy, Raindrops and misscharlie
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42
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Amanda_George on November 09, 2024, 10:40:07 AM »Aaaand I'm back. Thank you to Pip for taking over the birthdays for the first few days but I noticed that she forgot to tell you it was her birthday on the 5th too 
Belated
to Jonty and captainkeefy on the 6th then on 7th November it was Raindrops turn and misscharlie is celebrating today.
I'll try and remember to keep checking each day but until JanNo has finished and I'm properly back into my routine again, I can't say that I won't miss some... I'll try not to, obviously, but I can't guarantee it.
Belated
to Jonty and captainkeefy on the 6th then on 7th November it was Raindrops turn and misscharlie is celebrating today.I'll try and remember to keep checking each day but until JanNo has finished and I'm properly back into my routine again, I can't say that I won't miss some... I'll try not to, obviously, but I can't guarantee it.
43
The Lounge / Re: Members birthdays
« Last post by Pip on November 05, 2024, 05:12:37 PM »
Zita and heartbroken44
One Step At A Time / Re: fighting depression and getting back in shape
« Last post by jali on November 05, 2024, 02:51:18 PM »!!! I've got no problem with swearing at all, but I hope there's a child's version of it 'cos my 10-year-old wanted Wolverine knitted for him and I'm not sure that his parents would appreciate all the expletives!
You're doing soooo well, Jali and you just keep getting better and better with each video!
sorry for the late reply, unfortunately it's rated R, anyway just finished another piece, just a short one this time, hope you like it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHG3A-zR7CY
45
Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on November 03, 2024, 05:31:43 PM »https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/03/30/silent-saturday-wasnt-so-silent?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9yq16Ts4ljxDtZilMfkBd_W8zvPXJDsMOY_DAkexMVncnfM-uUPHtLvfrBDmZ7Hp92TL0NMfE1rSAq4BmdWKjRZRyqJg&_hsmi=298116949&utm_content=298116949&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
Silent Saturday Wasn’t So Silent
March 30, 2024
by Dr. Joel Muddamalle
“When a person dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes.” Job 14:14 (CSB)
Editor’s Note: Today’s devotion is part of a special series for Holy Week! From March 24 (Palm Sunday) to March 31 (Easter Sunday), each devotion will focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ resurrection. We pray these words will prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of our risen Savior.
You may be faced with something so difficult at this very moment that it seems hopeless. It may seem like a closed door or a flat-out rejection. In the midst of this, you’re wondering if the silence of God is evidence of His absence. Even worse, you may be wrestling with the truth of His goodness. This is probably how the disciples felt as they watched Jesus die. This must have been the heavy burden of their hearts as they buried Him. These feelings must have been their only companion on the day after Jesus died the day before He rose again from the grave a day we’ve come to know as “Silent Saturday.” All they knew was what they had seen: the death of the One they believed was the Messiah. The sudden end of any hope of Israel’s liberation from Rome. Every minute of silence was a reminder of their hopelessness. But things are not always what they seem. There’s always an earthly and cosmic reality to everything. And, friend, the disciples of Jesus were not the first to feel hopeless in the waiting. Long before they walked the earth, there was a faithful servant of God named Job. And he struggled just as we do. Job lost everything. He sat in silent agony, wondering why. This is the tension Job faced: He knew that death was a reality for everyone. And when a person died, he thought, they would never rise again (Job 14:12). “When a person dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes” (Job 14:14).
What Job questioned, only Jesus could answer. Jesus did come back to life after He was laid in the grave. Jesus defeated death through death. Jesus is victorious. Even when He seems not to be working, He’s always working for our good! If you find yourself today in a place of silence wondering if God is working dealing with doubts about His activity in what seems to be an echo of divine dormancy remember that what we see in an earthly context is but a shadow of the cosmic context. For two days, Jesus’ disciples mourned the death of their Messiah. But in a cosmic context, this time was preparation, developing patient endurance, for when they would celebrate His victory on the third day. The victory of Christ gives us full assurance and confidence that the pain, heartache, suffering and torment of this sinful world are not the full story. Jesus is always working in our waiting. In the meantime, we pray that our eyes will be opened to the cosmic reality of Christ’s victory that we live in today.
Silent Saturday Wasn’t So Silent
March 30, 2024
by Dr. Joel Muddamalle
“When a person dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes.” Job 14:14 (CSB)
Editor’s Note: Today’s devotion is part of a special series for Holy Week! From March 24 (Palm Sunday) to March 31 (Easter Sunday), each devotion will focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ resurrection. We pray these words will prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of our risen Savior.
You may be faced with something so difficult at this very moment that it seems hopeless. It may seem like a closed door or a flat-out rejection. In the midst of this, you’re wondering if the silence of God is evidence of His absence. Even worse, you may be wrestling with the truth of His goodness. This is probably how the disciples felt as they watched Jesus die. This must have been the heavy burden of their hearts as they buried Him. These feelings must have been their only companion on the day after Jesus died the day before He rose again from the grave a day we’ve come to know as “Silent Saturday.” All they knew was what they had seen: the death of the One they believed was the Messiah. The sudden end of any hope of Israel’s liberation from Rome. Every minute of silence was a reminder of their hopelessness. But things are not always what they seem. There’s always an earthly and cosmic reality to everything. And, friend, the disciples of Jesus were not the first to feel hopeless in the waiting. Long before they walked the earth, there was a faithful servant of God named Job. And he struggled just as we do. Job lost everything. He sat in silent agony, wondering why. This is the tension Job faced: He knew that death was a reality for everyone. And when a person died, he thought, they would never rise again (Job 14:12). “When a person dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes” (Job 14:14).
What Job questioned, only Jesus could answer. Jesus did come back to life after He was laid in the grave. Jesus defeated death through death. Jesus is victorious. Even when He seems not to be working, He’s always working for our good! If you find yourself today in a place of silence wondering if God is working dealing with doubts about His activity in what seems to be an echo of divine dormancy remember that what we see in an earthly context is but a shadow of the cosmic context. For two days, Jesus’ disciples mourned the death of their Messiah. But in a cosmic context, this time was preparation, developing patient endurance, for when they would celebrate His victory on the third day. The victory of Christ gives us full assurance and confidence that the pain, heartache, suffering and torment of this sinful world are not the full story. Jesus is always working in our waiting. In the meantime, we pray that our eyes will be opened to the cosmic reality of Christ’s victory that we live in today.
46
Depression Central / The Dangers of Inhalant Use Disorder
« Last post by Pip on November 01, 2024, 03:23:40 PM »https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/the-dangers-of-inhalant-use-disorder?ekey=RUtJRDpFOTIxNUQyMy03MkY0LTREOEUtQjRBRi1GNEI1RjcyQ0M4ODM%3D&utm_campaign=emailname&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Q3toXx5OdHeTiuCEFIrhcQq2sdxT-VwYo6avepF6-jd5_gxupH8oArc-ndrK1ttNeodja5HwcHms_AZLGEiNBsfKqUg&_hsmi=330101293&utm_source=hs
The Dangers of Inhalant Use Disorder
Author(s): Syed Murtaza, MD, Lama Mahmoud Abdurrahman, BS, Michelle Raji, MD
Key Takeaways
Inhalant use disorder involves the misuse of volatile substances, leading to severe health risks, including neurological damage and sudden death.
Adolescents, particularly from marginalized backgrounds, are at higher risk for inhalant use disorder, often underreported due to societal stigma.
SHOW MORE
Inhalant use disorder is a form of substance use disorder characterized by the intentional inhalation of volatile substances for their psychoactive effects.
TALES FROM THE CLINIC
Case Vignette
In the bustling landscape of the outpatient clinic, we encountered “Michelle,” a woman aged 27 years who has a medical history of inhalant use disorder, hypertension, and major depressive disorder (MDD). Initially, she came to us in a state of profound sadness, struggling with medication adherence. We proposed a fresh start with her medications and recommended additional therapy. However, she missed her subsequent appointment and disappeared from our radar for 6 months.
When she resurfaced, it was under dramatic circumstances—post hospital discharge. Michelle reported that she missed her follow-up appointment and was nonadherent with her medications, which deepened her feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and self-loathing. In her search for relief, she turned to a dangerous and readily available escape: inhaling an office cleaning duster. A friend had suggested it for a quick high, and, trapped in her despair, Michelle found the idea appealing. Her use of inhalants spiraled quickly. Over a mere 2 weeks, she had consumed 30 to 40 cans weekly. This hazardous practice led to several bouts of unconsciousness, persistent nausea, and frequent vomiting. During one such episode, she experienced a fall that resulted in a head injury. Fortunately, her brother visited unexpectedly, found her unconscious, and summoned emergency services.
In the emergency department, the situation grew more dire. The rapid response team found Michelle severely dehydrated, with critically low potassium levels, which had plummeted from 3.1 mEq/L to a dangerous 1.6 mEq/L. An electrocardiogram revealed a perilously prolonged QTc interval over 600, indicating serious heart rhythm issues, whereas her eosinophil count was abnormally high at 9%. This constellation of symptoms necessitated immediate admission to telemetry, where her usual medications were temporarily discontinued.
Following a critical period of cardiac monitoring and electrolyte replacement, she was stabilized enough to be transferred back to psychiatry. There, a dual-focused treatment approach awaited her, aiming to address both her MDD and her perilous journey through substance use disorder (SUD). This case poignantly underscores the complexities at the intersection of mental health and SUDs, highlighting the importance of comprehensive, integrated care approaches that address the full spectrum of a patient’s needs.
Inhalant Use Disorder
Inhalant use disorder, also known as volatile substance misuse, is a form of SUD characterized by the intentional inhalation of volatile substances for their psychoactive effects. These substances are often found in common household, industrial, or medical products, making them easily accessible and contributing to the prevalence of the disorder. The substances commonly misused include solvents and volatile compressed gases, such as hydrocarbons, fluorocarbons, nitrites, and nitrous oxide (see Table). The misuse of these substances can lead to significant health risks, including neurological damage, organ dysfunction, and even sudden death.1
One of the new additions to these inhalants is office dusters. The easy access to office dusters in retail and online markets has contributed significantly to their misuse as inhalants. These products, typically used for cleaning electronic equipment and hard-to-reach areas, contain compressed gases that can be misused for their psychoactive effects. The widespread availability of these dusters, often with minimal age restrictions or purchasing limits, facilitates their acquisition by individuals, including teenagers who seek a quick and inexpensive high. This accessibility raises concerns about the potential health risks associated with inhalant use disorder, as the chemicals in these products can cause severe neurological damage and other health issues when inhaled. As a result, there is a growing need for regulatory measures to control the sale and distribution of such potentially harmful substances. The disorder is often associated with significant social and health-related problems, including academic failure, family conflict, and physical and mental health issues.
Epidemiology
Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that inhalant abuse is prevalent worldwide but often overlooked due to underreporting and societal stigma. In many regions, it predominantly affects adolescents, often from marginalized backgrounds. Data indicate that youth in lower socioeconomic settings tend to be at higher risk due to easier access to products like paint, glue, and solvents.
The onset of inhalant use typically occurs in adolescence, with the peak prevalence in the midteen years. However, the disorder can persist into adulthood and occurs in both men and women.2 The prevalence of inhalant use disorder varies widely across different regions and populations. Globally, it is estimated that tens of millions of individuals have used inhalants at least once.3 According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 0.8% of the population 12 years or older reported using inhalants in the past year in 2019.4 The prevalence is highest among adolescents and young adults, with 1.4% of individuals aged 12 to 17 years reporting past-year inhalant use.4
One of the new additions to these inhalants is office dusters. The easy access to office dusters in retail and online markets has contributed significantly to their misuse as inhalants. These products, typically used for cleaning electronic equipment and hard-to-reach areas, contain compressed gases that can be misused for their psychoactive effects. The widespread availability of these dusters, often with minimal age restrictions or purchasing limits, facilitates their acquisition by individuals, including teenagers who seek a quick and inexpensive high. This accessibility raises concerns about the potential health risks associated with inhalant use disorder, as the chemicals in these products can cause severe neurological damage and other health issues when inhaled. As a result, there is a growing need for regulatory measures to control the sale and distribution of such potentially harmful substances. The disorder is often associated with significant social and health-related problems, including academic failure, family conflict, and physical and mental health issues.
Epidemiology
Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that inhalant abuse is prevalent worldwide but often overlooked due to underreporting and societal stigma. In many regions, it predominantly affects adolescents, often from marginalized backgrounds. Data indicate that youth in lower socioeconomic settings tend to be at higher risk due to easier access to products like paint, glue, and solvents.
The onset of inhalant use typically occurs in adolescence, with the peak prevalence in the midteen years. However, the disorder can persist into adulthood and occurs in both men and women.2 The prevalence of inhalant use disorder varies widely across different regions and populations. Globally, it is estimated that tens of millions of individuals have used inhalants at least once.3 According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 0.8% of the population 12 years or older reported using inhalants in the past year in 2019.4 The prevalence is highest among adolescents and young adults, with 1.4% of individuals aged 12 to 17 years reporting past-year inhalant use.4
The Dangers of Inhalant Use Disorder
Author(s): Syed Murtaza, MD, Lama Mahmoud Abdurrahman, BS, Michelle Raji, MD
Key Takeaways
Inhalant use disorder involves the misuse of volatile substances, leading to severe health risks, including neurological damage and sudden death.
Adolescents, particularly from marginalized backgrounds, are at higher risk for inhalant use disorder, often underreported due to societal stigma.
SHOW MORE
Inhalant use disorder is a form of substance use disorder characterized by the intentional inhalation of volatile substances for their psychoactive effects.
TALES FROM THE CLINIC
Case Vignette
In the bustling landscape of the outpatient clinic, we encountered “Michelle,” a woman aged 27 years who has a medical history of inhalant use disorder, hypertension, and major depressive disorder (MDD). Initially, she came to us in a state of profound sadness, struggling with medication adherence. We proposed a fresh start with her medications and recommended additional therapy. However, she missed her subsequent appointment and disappeared from our radar for 6 months.
When she resurfaced, it was under dramatic circumstances—post hospital discharge. Michelle reported that she missed her follow-up appointment and was nonadherent with her medications, which deepened her feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and self-loathing. In her search for relief, she turned to a dangerous and readily available escape: inhaling an office cleaning duster. A friend had suggested it for a quick high, and, trapped in her despair, Michelle found the idea appealing. Her use of inhalants spiraled quickly. Over a mere 2 weeks, she had consumed 30 to 40 cans weekly. This hazardous practice led to several bouts of unconsciousness, persistent nausea, and frequent vomiting. During one such episode, she experienced a fall that resulted in a head injury. Fortunately, her brother visited unexpectedly, found her unconscious, and summoned emergency services.
In the emergency department, the situation grew more dire. The rapid response team found Michelle severely dehydrated, with critically low potassium levels, which had plummeted from 3.1 mEq/L to a dangerous 1.6 mEq/L. An electrocardiogram revealed a perilously prolonged QTc interval over 600, indicating serious heart rhythm issues, whereas her eosinophil count was abnormally high at 9%. This constellation of symptoms necessitated immediate admission to telemetry, where her usual medications were temporarily discontinued.
Following a critical period of cardiac monitoring and electrolyte replacement, she was stabilized enough to be transferred back to psychiatry. There, a dual-focused treatment approach awaited her, aiming to address both her MDD and her perilous journey through substance use disorder (SUD). This case poignantly underscores the complexities at the intersection of mental health and SUDs, highlighting the importance of comprehensive, integrated care approaches that address the full spectrum of a patient’s needs.
Inhalant Use Disorder
Inhalant use disorder, also known as volatile substance misuse, is a form of SUD characterized by the intentional inhalation of volatile substances for their psychoactive effects. These substances are often found in common household, industrial, or medical products, making them easily accessible and contributing to the prevalence of the disorder. The substances commonly misused include solvents and volatile compressed gases, such as hydrocarbons, fluorocarbons, nitrites, and nitrous oxide (see Table). The misuse of these substances can lead to significant health risks, including neurological damage, organ dysfunction, and even sudden death.1
One of the new additions to these inhalants is office dusters. The easy access to office dusters in retail and online markets has contributed significantly to their misuse as inhalants. These products, typically used for cleaning electronic equipment and hard-to-reach areas, contain compressed gases that can be misused for their psychoactive effects. The widespread availability of these dusters, often with minimal age restrictions or purchasing limits, facilitates their acquisition by individuals, including teenagers who seek a quick and inexpensive high. This accessibility raises concerns about the potential health risks associated with inhalant use disorder, as the chemicals in these products can cause severe neurological damage and other health issues when inhaled. As a result, there is a growing need for regulatory measures to control the sale and distribution of such potentially harmful substances. The disorder is often associated with significant social and health-related problems, including academic failure, family conflict, and physical and mental health issues.
Epidemiology
Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that inhalant abuse is prevalent worldwide but often overlooked due to underreporting and societal stigma. In many regions, it predominantly affects adolescents, often from marginalized backgrounds. Data indicate that youth in lower socioeconomic settings tend to be at higher risk due to easier access to products like paint, glue, and solvents.
The onset of inhalant use typically occurs in adolescence, with the peak prevalence in the midteen years. However, the disorder can persist into adulthood and occurs in both men and women.2 The prevalence of inhalant use disorder varies widely across different regions and populations. Globally, it is estimated that tens of millions of individuals have used inhalants at least once.3 According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 0.8% of the population 12 years or older reported using inhalants in the past year in 2019.4 The prevalence is highest among adolescents and young adults, with 1.4% of individuals aged 12 to 17 years reporting past-year inhalant use.4
One of the new additions to these inhalants is office dusters. The easy access to office dusters in retail and online markets has contributed significantly to their misuse as inhalants. These products, typically used for cleaning electronic equipment and hard-to-reach areas, contain compressed gases that can be misused for their psychoactive effects. The widespread availability of these dusters, often with minimal age restrictions or purchasing limits, facilitates their acquisition by individuals, including teenagers who seek a quick and inexpensive high. This accessibility raises concerns about the potential health risks associated with inhalant use disorder, as the chemicals in these products can cause severe neurological damage and other health issues when inhaled. As a result, there is a growing need for regulatory measures to control the sale and distribution of such potentially harmful substances. The disorder is often associated with significant social and health-related problems, including academic failure, family conflict, and physical and mental health issues.
Epidemiology
Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that inhalant abuse is prevalent worldwide but often overlooked due to underreporting and societal stigma. In many regions, it predominantly affects adolescents, often from marginalized backgrounds. Data indicate that youth in lower socioeconomic settings tend to be at higher risk due to easier access to products like paint, glue, and solvents.
The onset of inhalant use typically occurs in adolescence, with the peak prevalence in the midteen years. However, the disorder can persist into adulthood and occurs in both men and women.2 The prevalence of inhalant use disorder varies widely across different regions and populations. Globally, it is estimated that tens of millions of individuals have used inhalants at least once.3 According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 0.8% of the population 12 years or older reported using inhalants in the past year in 2019.4 The prevalence is highest among adolescents and young adults, with 1.4% of individuals aged 12 to 17 years reporting past-year inhalant use.4
47
Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on November 01, 2024, 03:15:57 PM »https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/03/26/leaning-into-the-power-of-asking-questions?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_kws5K3bqpDjBZnNV64XQT9qGl3JsQg240LnKe9XS0Tgr1WJENisqdmXYgWyz1MIbMWjM1KVZXthsUyNC_RlI35-YWLQ&_hsmi=298115584&utm_content=298115584&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
Leaning Into the Power of Asking Questions
March 26, 2024
by Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young
“Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’” Matthew 21:24 (NIV)
Editor’s Note: Today’s devotion is part of a special series for Holy Week! From March 24 (Palm Sunday) to March 31 (Easter Sunday), each devotion will focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ resurrection. We pray these words will prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of our risen Savior. My daughter was recently struggling with a decision a teacher made. All the confusion, frustration and misunderstanding came tumbling out as she unpacked the details for me. This decision came at a cost to my daughter and other students. My instinct was to call the teacher and defend my daughter. However, I decided it was more important to coach my girl on how to articulate her concerns respectfully and ask good questions. Jesus was a master at asking purposeful questions. He used questions to teach, defend, challenge, make people think, meet people in their grief, and help center the stories of those who were often treated as outsiders.
* Jesus asked a lonely Samaritan woman at a well, “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7, NIV) and engaged her in conversation, revealing Himself for the first time as the Messiah.
* Jesus asked a chronically sick man, “Would you like to get well?” (John 5:6, NLT), having him consider what he believed before receiving healing.
* “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked Peter in a poignant moment with His disciples before facing His death on the cross (Matthew 16:15, NIV).
* After His resurrection, Jesus asked two unassuming men on the road to Emmaus: “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” (Luke 24:17a, NLT).
Jesus modeled how to use thoughtful questions to foster understanding, build relationships and deepen faith among the people around Him. During Holy Week, the chief priests and elders came to Jesus and challenged His authority to turn the tables in the temple and teach the gospel. Jesus didn’t argue but responded to their questions with a pointed question: “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” (Matthew 21:24-25a, NIV).
The leaders were stumped. They knew if they answered that John’s baptism was from heaven, Jesus would ask why they didn’t believe him. They also knew if they answered “human origin,” then their own people, who believed in John the Baptist as a prophet, would turn against them. They had maliciously hoped to trap Jesus with their challenges, but instead He trapped them in their questioning.
Friend, can you think of a time in your life when you were unsure of how to handle a situation?
When you experienced something frustrating or witnessed an injustice?
When you longed to overcome a rift in a relationship?
Jesus isn’t scared of our questions or doubts; in fact, He welcomes them. Questions are a powerful way to engage, respectfully challenge and even care for others. Don’t underestimate the power of a question.
Leaning Into the Power of Asking Questions
March 26, 2024
by Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young
“Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’” Matthew 21:24 (NIV)
Editor’s Note: Today’s devotion is part of a special series for Holy Week! From March 24 (Palm Sunday) to March 31 (Easter Sunday), each devotion will focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ resurrection. We pray these words will prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of our risen Savior. My daughter was recently struggling with a decision a teacher made. All the confusion, frustration and misunderstanding came tumbling out as she unpacked the details for me. This decision came at a cost to my daughter and other students. My instinct was to call the teacher and defend my daughter. However, I decided it was more important to coach my girl on how to articulate her concerns respectfully and ask good questions. Jesus was a master at asking purposeful questions. He used questions to teach, defend, challenge, make people think, meet people in their grief, and help center the stories of those who were often treated as outsiders.
* Jesus asked a lonely Samaritan woman at a well, “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7, NIV) and engaged her in conversation, revealing Himself for the first time as the Messiah.
* Jesus asked a chronically sick man, “Would you like to get well?” (John 5:6, NLT), having him consider what he believed before receiving healing.
* “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked Peter in a poignant moment with His disciples before facing His death on the cross (Matthew 16:15, NIV).
* After His resurrection, Jesus asked two unassuming men on the road to Emmaus: “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” (Luke 24:17a, NLT).
Jesus modeled how to use thoughtful questions to foster understanding, build relationships and deepen faith among the people around Him. During Holy Week, the chief priests and elders came to Jesus and challenged His authority to turn the tables in the temple and teach the gospel. Jesus didn’t argue but responded to their questions with a pointed question: “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” (Matthew 21:24-25a, NIV).
The leaders were stumped. They knew if they answered that John’s baptism was from heaven, Jesus would ask why they didn’t believe him. They also knew if they answered “human origin,” then their own people, who believed in John the Baptist as a prophet, would turn against them. They had maliciously hoped to trap Jesus with their challenges, but instead He trapped them in their questioning.
Friend, can you think of a time in your life when you were unsure of how to handle a situation?
When you experienced something frustrating or witnessed an injustice?
When you longed to overcome a rift in a relationship?
Jesus isn’t scared of our questions or doubts; in fact, He welcomes them. Questions are a powerful way to engage, respectfully challenge and even care for others. Don’t underestimate the power of a question.
48
The Lounge / The spookiest abandoned places from around the world
« Last post by Pip on November 01, 2024, 03:06:53 PM »https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13962561/the-spookiest-abandoned-places-world.html
The spookiest abandoned places from around the world
FEMAIL explored some of the creepiest places from all around the world
By Emily Lefroy For Dailymail.Com
Published: 23:47, 31 October 2024 | Updated: 00:24, 1 November 2024
There's nothing creepier than somewhere that used to be bustling and full of life now completely empty. While the world is full of abandoned pockets, the spookiest are always where life stands stuck in time, or where its inhabitants have been forced to flee in a panic. From towns whose populations gradually dwindled until they were completely void of people due to natural disasters wiping out whole cities, these structures and buildings sit still, capturing a moment in time - until someone dares explore them. With brave explorers diving into the danger, fascinating pictures and videos of these places can help tell a tale of the past. Here, FEMAIL has rounded up some of the eeriest places worldwide.
Picher, Oklahoma
Picher, Oklahoma was once a thriving mining town for lead and zinc ore until mining ceased in 1967, and it became America's most toxic town. After decades of mining, lead and iron waste began to infiltrate water and soil and the town became part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Tar Creek Superfund Site, which they documented on their website. In 1979, the town caught the attention of the state government and the EPA when the water started flowing from underground mines and into Tar Creek. There are also chat hills throughout the town, which is a hazardous byproduct of lead and zinc mining. As per the CDC, lead exposure can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems and hearing and speech problems. According to the Picher Historical Society, health and safety concerns in the town continued to grow and the federal government offered buyouts to residents and business owners, though many people initially opted to stay. However, in 2008 a tornado tore through the town resulting in six deaths and destroying more than 160 homes, with the EPA evacuating the town. The federal buyout process was completed in 2009 and municipal operations ceased not long after.
San Zhi, Taiwan
The pod houses located in San Zhi, Taiwan are abandoned and never-completed pod-shaped buildings. According to Architectuual, construction of the buildings began in 1978 with the initial intention of a vacation resort. However, the buildings were plagued with tragedies and abandoned in 1980 following investment losses and deaths during construction. There were several rumors as to why some strange deaths occurred during construction. This included the site being "haunted," as it was a burial ground for Dutch soldiers and another that suggested the misfortunes were brought upon anyone who entered due to the workers destroying a Chinese dragon statue at the entrance of the site for road widening, as noted in Rethinking The Future. The eerie pods, which look more like an abandoned alien abduction site rather than a resort, were completely demolished in 2010.
Kennecott, Alaska
When it was established in 1903, the Kennecott mine site in Alaska was a hive of activity, becoming the richest copper mine site and resulting in the nearby village, McCarthy, becoming a bustling town. However, mine abruptly closed in 1938 after its copper ran dry Kennecott suddenly became a ghost town; leaving a slew of buildings totally empty and located in an extremely remote area and surrounded by shuttered mines. After sitting totally abandoned for 30 years, the area was declared a designated National Historic Landmark in 1998, as per the National Park Service. People can visit Kennecott today, with the area featuring many interpretive exhibits at the various structures, with the town of McCarthy still home to a few residents, as per Atlas Obscura. While it's not necessarily haunted, the historic area gives visitors a glimpse into the past, and what a working mining town looked like.
Presidio Modelo in Cuba
Presido Molelo in Cuba was a model prison built between 1926 and 1928 by President-turned-Dictator Gerardo Machad. There are a total of five eerie cylindrical buildings. In each building, the cells are built around the curved walls of the five-story towers with a single, elevated watchtower in the middle. The design idea was that prisoners would always feel like they were being watched. Presidio Modelo has been closed for over 55 years and is now a national monument. It also hosts a museum in its old hospital wing, as per Atlas Obscura.
Pripyat, Chernobyl, Ukraine
The city of Pripyat, in northern Ukraine, was evacuated after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 1986, and despite once being home to nearly 50,000 people, has not been inhabited since. Haunting snaps taken by thrill-seekers show a city stuck in time; with pictures of a once populated nursery, complete with rows of cots, mattresses and dolls still eerily in place. Other photographs show thousands of gas masks lying abandoned on the floor and theme park rides which are now being overtaken by nature. Radiation contamination later forced abandonment even outside the 18 mile zone around the plant, and the exclusion zone is expected to be in place for at least the next 20,000 years as the uranium gradually degrades.
Wittenoom, Western Australia
The country town of Wittenoom, Western Australia, once boasted a population of 20,000 people and a booming mining industry. The Wittenoom mine, which once exported blue asbestos to the world, was closed in 1966 and is blamed for causing the deaths of at least 2,000 workers and their families who breathed in the deadly fibers, with many diagnosed with mesothelioma, as type of deadly lung cancer as cited on the mesothelioma information website. The town was declared a contaminated site in 1966, and in 1978, the State Government began encouraging residents to relocate due to concerns over health risks from the presence of airborne asbestos fibers, as the noted on the government website. Now, the town has been taken off maps and is no longer marked by road signs.
Yungay, Peru
In 1970, a small town in Peru was completely erased in a matter of minutes after an earthquake struck and destabilized a glacier sitting high up on the mountains above the town, burying it in a landslide. According to the Air Mobility Museum, the earthquake claimed 74,000 people that day, and over 25,000 were declared missing. The only things that remain are four palm trees, the church steeple; a bus, twisted into the ground; and the cemetery.
Four Lost Towns of the Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts
In Massachusetts there are not one - but four 'lost towns' of the Quabbin Reservoir. However, these ghost towns Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott don't exist how they once did because they're now underwater after the area was turned into a reservoir. The New England website notes the Quabbin Reservoir was settled in the early 1700s, and by the 1920s had become earmarked by the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission to help supply water to the eastern part of the state. In order to construct and expand the Quabbin Reservoir, it required evacuating the towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott. In order to do this, it required relocating people and the homes, schools, churches, and shops and exhuming and relocating 7,613 bodies from local cemeteries. Today, a large part of metropolitan Boston get their drinking water from the Quabbin Reservoir.
The spookiest abandoned places from around the world
FEMAIL explored some of the creepiest places from all around the world
By Emily Lefroy For Dailymail.Com
Published: 23:47, 31 October 2024 | Updated: 00:24, 1 November 2024
There's nothing creepier than somewhere that used to be bustling and full of life now completely empty. While the world is full of abandoned pockets, the spookiest are always where life stands stuck in time, or where its inhabitants have been forced to flee in a panic. From towns whose populations gradually dwindled until they were completely void of people due to natural disasters wiping out whole cities, these structures and buildings sit still, capturing a moment in time - until someone dares explore them. With brave explorers diving into the danger, fascinating pictures and videos of these places can help tell a tale of the past. Here, FEMAIL has rounded up some of the eeriest places worldwide.
Picher, Oklahoma
Picher, Oklahoma was once a thriving mining town for lead and zinc ore until mining ceased in 1967, and it became America's most toxic town. After decades of mining, lead and iron waste began to infiltrate water and soil and the town became part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Tar Creek Superfund Site, which they documented on their website. In 1979, the town caught the attention of the state government and the EPA when the water started flowing from underground mines and into Tar Creek. There are also chat hills throughout the town, which is a hazardous byproduct of lead and zinc mining. As per the CDC, lead exposure can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems and hearing and speech problems. According to the Picher Historical Society, health and safety concerns in the town continued to grow and the federal government offered buyouts to residents and business owners, though many people initially opted to stay. However, in 2008 a tornado tore through the town resulting in six deaths and destroying more than 160 homes, with the EPA evacuating the town. The federal buyout process was completed in 2009 and municipal operations ceased not long after.
San Zhi, Taiwan
The pod houses located in San Zhi, Taiwan are abandoned and never-completed pod-shaped buildings. According to Architectuual, construction of the buildings began in 1978 with the initial intention of a vacation resort. However, the buildings were plagued with tragedies and abandoned in 1980 following investment losses and deaths during construction. There were several rumors as to why some strange deaths occurred during construction. This included the site being "haunted," as it was a burial ground for Dutch soldiers and another that suggested the misfortunes were brought upon anyone who entered due to the workers destroying a Chinese dragon statue at the entrance of the site for road widening, as noted in Rethinking The Future. The eerie pods, which look more like an abandoned alien abduction site rather than a resort, were completely demolished in 2010.
Kennecott, Alaska
When it was established in 1903, the Kennecott mine site in Alaska was a hive of activity, becoming the richest copper mine site and resulting in the nearby village, McCarthy, becoming a bustling town. However, mine abruptly closed in 1938 after its copper ran dry Kennecott suddenly became a ghost town; leaving a slew of buildings totally empty and located in an extremely remote area and surrounded by shuttered mines. After sitting totally abandoned for 30 years, the area was declared a designated National Historic Landmark in 1998, as per the National Park Service. People can visit Kennecott today, with the area featuring many interpretive exhibits at the various structures, with the town of McCarthy still home to a few residents, as per Atlas Obscura. While it's not necessarily haunted, the historic area gives visitors a glimpse into the past, and what a working mining town looked like.
Presidio Modelo in Cuba
Presido Molelo in Cuba was a model prison built between 1926 and 1928 by President-turned-Dictator Gerardo Machad. There are a total of five eerie cylindrical buildings. In each building, the cells are built around the curved walls of the five-story towers with a single, elevated watchtower in the middle. The design idea was that prisoners would always feel like they were being watched. Presidio Modelo has been closed for over 55 years and is now a national monument. It also hosts a museum in its old hospital wing, as per Atlas Obscura.
Pripyat, Chernobyl, Ukraine
The city of Pripyat, in northern Ukraine, was evacuated after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 1986, and despite once being home to nearly 50,000 people, has not been inhabited since. Haunting snaps taken by thrill-seekers show a city stuck in time; with pictures of a once populated nursery, complete with rows of cots, mattresses and dolls still eerily in place. Other photographs show thousands of gas masks lying abandoned on the floor and theme park rides which are now being overtaken by nature. Radiation contamination later forced abandonment even outside the 18 mile zone around the plant, and the exclusion zone is expected to be in place for at least the next 20,000 years as the uranium gradually degrades.
Wittenoom, Western Australia
The country town of Wittenoom, Western Australia, once boasted a population of 20,000 people and a booming mining industry. The Wittenoom mine, which once exported blue asbestos to the world, was closed in 1966 and is blamed for causing the deaths of at least 2,000 workers and their families who breathed in the deadly fibers, with many diagnosed with mesothelioma, as type of deadly lung cancer as cited on the mesothelioma information website. The town was declared a contaminated site in 1966, and in 1978, the State Government began encouraging residents to relocate due to concerns over health risks from the presence of airborne asbestos fibers, as the noted on the government website. Now, the town has been taken off maps and is no longer marked by road signs.
Yungay, Peru
In 1970, a small town in Peru was completely erased in a matter of minutes after an earthquake struck and destabilized a glacier sitting high up on the mountains above the town, burying it in a landslide. According to the Air Mobility Museum, the earthquake claimed 74,000 people that day, and over 25,000 were declared missing. The only things that remain are four palm trees, the church steeple; a bus, twisted into the ground; and the cemetery.
Four Lost Towns of the Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts
In Massachusetts there are not one - but four 'lost towns' of the Quabbin Reservoir. However, these ghost towns Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott don't exist how they once did because they're now underwater after the area was turned into a reservoir. The New England website notes the Quabbin Reservoir was settled in the early 1700s, and by the 1920s had become earmarked by the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission to help supply water to the eastern part of the state. In order to construct and expand the Quabbin Reservoir, it required evacuating the towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott. In order to do this, it required relocating people and the homes, schools, churches, and shops and exhuming and relocating 7,613 bodies from local cemeteries. Today, a large part of metropolitan Boston get their drinking water from the Quabbin Reservoir.
49
Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on October 30, 2024, 10:56:21 PM »https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/03/22/lord-do-you-care?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9lFJAuri_bf0CKWBidJaaPeUqbH2YMInp7RrWVFc-v5JbZzRdQgIC8Qd76vAserKL664kq7C4GJRZKYGG8yb4JPAi6VA&_hsmi=296357416&utm_content=296357416&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
Lord, Do You Care?
March 22, 2024
by Jodi Harris
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4 (NIV)
I was grateful for the dark worship auditorium that concealed my running makeup and shame-filled soul. Events and behaviors earlier that year had led to a broken relationship and failed attempts to repair it. I was ashamed of my inability to make things right, no matter how hard I tried. I wanted to do better. To be better. In this moment in church, as we belted out praise, I wondered, Lord, do You care?
This was my repeated question during summer walks as the sun set behind the Rocky Mountains. The brilliant colors God painted across the sky with His finger were awe-inspiring. If He cared about that, did He care about me?
The writers of the Old Testament often spoke about God’s finger to communicate His creative power and authority over His creation. God’s finger was also known for sending destructive plagues and inscribing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 8:19; Exodus 31:18). But recently I discovered something else. In John 8:1-11, Jesus was teaching in the temple courts when teachers of the law brought in a woman caught in adultery. As they accused and sentenced her to death, Jesus bent down and wrote in the dirt. How many times have we wondered what Jesus was writing?
And why did John even mention it in his Gospel?
John didn’t just say Jesus bent down to write in the dirt. He said, “Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger” (John 8:6b, NIV, emphasis mine).
God’s finger is the finger that created the heavens and us. It’s the finger that inscribed the perfect law. And now this finger wrote in the dirt. Oh, to be face to face with Rabbi Jesus, who holds the power in His finger to put sinners to death, but instead He set the accused woman free from sin and shame (John 8:10-11). God has all power in His finger, yet He chooses to forgive us. To bend down low and write in the dirt. Dirt He used to create us (Genesis 2:7). He first wrote His law on stone tablets; in Christ, He now writes His love on our hearts. “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4).
Sweet sister, what shame or sin might you carry today that keeps you stuck?
Picture yourself in the place of the woman in John 8, your accuser bringing you to Jesus to condemn you. Turn your eyes to His face as He stoops down where you are crumpled on the ground in shame. As He kneels in front of you, He says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11, MEV).
Lord, Do You Care?
March 22, 2024
by Jodi Harris
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4 (NIV)
I was grateful for the dark worship auditorium that concealed my running makeup and shame-filled soul. Events and behaviors earlier that year had led to a broken relationship and failed attempts to repair it. I was ashamed of my inability to make things right, no matter how hard I tried. I wanted to do better. To be better. In this moment in church, as we belted out praise, I wondered, Lord, do You care?
This was my repeated question during summer walks as the sun set behind the Rocky Mountains. The brilliant colors God painted across the sky with His finger were awe-inspiring. If He cared about that, did He care about me?
The writers of the Old Testament often spoke about God’s finger to communicate His creative power and authority over His creation. God’s finger was also known for sending destructive plagues and inscribing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 8:19; Exodus 31:18). But recently I discovered something else. In John 8:1-11, Jesus was teaching in the temple courts when teachers of the law brought in a woman caught in adultery. As they accused and sentenced her to death, Jesus bent down and wrote in the dirt. How many times have we wondered what Jesus was writing?
And why did John even mention it in his Gospel?
John didn’t just say Jesus bent down to write in the dirt. He said, “Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger” (John 8:6b, NIV, emphasis mine).
God’s finger is the finger that created the heavens and us. It’s the finger that inscribed the perfect law. And now this finger wrote in the dirt. Oh, to be face to face with Rabbi Jesus, who holds the power in His finger to put sinners to death, but instead He set the accused woman free from sin and shame (John 8:10-11). God has all power in His finger, yet He chooses to forgive us. To bend down low and write in the dirt. Dirt He used to create us (Genesis 2:7). He first wrote His law on stone tablets; in Christ, He now writes His love on our hearts. “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4).
Sweet sister, what shame or sin might you carry today that keeps you stuck?
Picture yourself in the place of the woman in John 8, your accuser bringing you to Jesus to condemn you. Turn your eyes to His face as He stoops down where you are crumpled on the ground in shame. As He kneels in front of you, He says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11, MEV).
50
Christian / Re: Devotions
« Last post by Pip on October 28, 2024, 07:06:29 PM »https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/03/21/jesus-never-loses-sight-of-us?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--NJfm9360hc3eXhlPxcl_vOqsCoEdeR1luSRgRg5N2Ia61HPoYyA7_gSgNqyxXnnsvGE6Oin2P8wQdcXMVvosUS_PAwA&_hsmi=296357021&utm_content=296357021&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread
Jesus Never Loses Sight of Us
March 21, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst
"Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land." Mark 6:47 (NIV)
When life gets messy, it can feel like our Messiah has gone missing. That's exactly the kind of situation we find Jesus' disciples in as we read Mark 6. Right after Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 people, the 12 disciples got in a boat to travel to their next city. But strong winds caused the water to get very rough. The disciples were “straining at the oars” as the realities of life beat against them (Mark 6:48, NIV). A deeper study of the Greek word basanizo (pronounced bas-an-id-zo) that is translated as “straining” in Mark 6:48 reveals just how distressing their circumstances were. Basanizo can also mean “to torment.” It’s a word we see used in the context of the torment caused by disease in Matthew 8:6 and demon possession in Mark 5:7. Mark clearly wanted to emphasize the serious turmoil and struggle these men were facing. This storm was terrifying for them. The waves weren’t just cresting and crashing like you’ve probably seen if you’ve ever been in rough waters. These waves were exploding all around them in unpredictable ways. They couldn't brace themselves or their boat. They were completely helpless and swallowed up by fear. I certainly can’t blame them for being afraid at that moment. Sometimes it’s hard not to be completely consumed by fear, isn’t it?
Oh, how thankful I am that even when our storms cause us to lose sight of hope, Jesus never loses sight of us. While the disciples were in the boat straining, Jesus was on the mountainside praying. From where He was, Jesus saw the disciples in the middle of the lake. “Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them” (Mark 6:47-48a, NIV).
I want us to notice Jesus’ response to the disciples, who cried out in fear, not faith, when He walked toward them on the water. The Scripture says “immediately” He spoke to them and said, “Don't be afraid” (Mark 6:50, NIV).
He didn’t criticize them for being afraid. He climbed into the boat with them. He’s saying the same thing to you and me. He’s not running from us in our fears. He’s climbing in to be right there with us. And with His presence comes peace. The same God who willingly revealed Himself to people in the Bible wants to reveal the fullness of His peace and the power of His presence to us as well. In the midst of whatever hurts and heartbreaks you’re facing today, I pray you will see Him. Friend, the Lord is near. We are safe. We are loved. We are seen.
Jesus Never Loses Sight of Us
March 21, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst
"Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land." Mark 6:47 (NIV)
When life gets messy, it can feel like our Messiah has gone missing. That's exactly the kind of situation we find Jesus' disciples in as we read Mark 6. Right after Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 people, the 12 disciples got in a boat to travel to their next city. But strong winds caused the water to get very rough. The disciples were “straining at the oars” as the realities of life beat against them (Mark 6:48, NIV). A deeper study of the Greek word basanizo (pronounced bas-an-id-zo) that is translated as “straining” in Mark 6:48 reveals just how distressing their circumstances were. Basanizo can also mean “to torment.” It’s a word we see used in the context of the torment caused by disease in Matthew 8:6 and demon possession in Mark 5:7. Mark clearly wanted to emphasize the serious turmoil and struggle these men were facing. This storm was terrifying for them. The waves weren’t just cresting and crashing like you’ve probably seen if you’ve ever been in rough waters. These waves were exploding all around them in unpredictable ways. They couldn't brace themselves or their boat. They were completely helpless and swallowed up by fear. I certainly can’t blame them for being afraid at that moment. Sometimes it’s hard not to be completely consumed by fear, isn’t it?
Oh, how thankful I am that even when our storms cause us to lose sight of hope, Jesus never loses sight of us. While the disciples were in the boat straining, Jesus was on the mountainside praying. From where He was, Jesus saw the disciples in the middle of the lake. “Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them” (Mark 6:47-48a, NIV).
I want us to notice Jesus’ response to the disciples, who cried out in fear, not faith, when He walked toward them on the water. The Scripture says “immediately” He spoke to them and said, “Don't be afraid” (Mark 6:50, NIV).
He didn’t criticize them for being afraid. He climbed into the boat with them. He’s saying the same thing to you and me. He’s not running from us in our fears. He’s climbing in to be right there with us. And with His presence comes peace. The same God who willingly revealed Himself to people in the Bible wants to reveal the fullness of His peace and the power of His presence to us as well. In the midst of whatever hurts and heartbreaks you’re facing today, I pray you will see Him. Friend, the Lord is near. We are safe. We are loved. We are seen.