CQQ #14: Coping with Grief...?

When your skies are grey in the midst of sunshine...

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Thank you, Rob Moore, for suggesting this topic!

Grief is something many of us can relate to. It's not just something we go through when a loved one passes away; a really bad breakup, the loss of a job, moving away, and many other life-changing events can also lead to grieving.

People may process their grief differently, having their own methods to cope and requiring varying amounts of time to recover depending on the person and situation, be it an hour, a few days, or longer. Some, however, may fall into depression, draining the overall quality of their day to day lives. Such times can make one feel like they're the only one hurting inside while the rest of the world carries on without them, like they're stuck with dark clouds in the midst of sunshine. Some go searching for the right umbrella to endure the pain until the clouds pass. Some need a friend to bring that umbrella and walk with them across the puddles.

CQQ #13: Carnal Christian...?

Carnal? What an oxymoron! (No, I didn't call you a moron.)

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Thank you, Paul Ahnert, for inspiring this topic with your suggestion!

Ever come across people who engage in questionable behavior, putting others down and finding no fault in their spite-filled actions, then find yourself surprised when they claim to be Christian?

Sadly, this is a common occurrence in today's world.


If they really are what they claim to be, one may perhaps consider them "carnal".

Being carnal means living "in the flesh", or living according to our own sinfully self-gratifying ways. This is considered the opposite of living in the Spirit—honoring God in how we live, act, and treat one another, taking account of biblical wisdom.

"Carnal Christian" sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it?

I've had former friends who were supposedly raised in "Christian" families, their homes even decorated with "Christian"-themed items like crucifixes, angel ornaments, and paintings like da Vinci's The Last Supper, and rosaries hanging from the front-view mirror in their car (a number of them were particularly Catholic)... Things that would imply their awareness of their supposed beliefs. Some of them even wore cross necklaces and attended church on Easter Sunday or Christmas evening, some even saying "God bless you" and participating in communion. Yet such beliefs played no real part in their day to day lives, and everything about them still resembled the typical fleshly behavior of the world.

Many supposed believing families have a dysfunctional and tense relationship, leading their kids to follow their own desired path as if God didn't matter or didn't exist to them, even if they still claimed to believe. And those in such questionable upbringing who still believe may walk in such a way that their approach to their supposed beliefs are carnal, even appearing as harsh and self-righteous as Pharisees toward others; they care more about being correct than being kind to others.

CQQ #12: Thorn in the Flesh...?

How do you stand and walk among thorns?

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The phrase "thorn in the flesh" can be defined as a chronic struggle, burden, annoyance, or source of trouble in one's own life.

For many it's an injury, illness, disorder, or medical condition contracted from birth or later in life. For a number of you, it's the struggle to overcome addiction, anxiety, or personal fears and phobias. For others, it's depression, loneliness, insomnia, intrusive thoughts...

Perhaps your thorn is situational, or something that too often interferes with your quality of life or ability to work. Perhaps it's your enemies, bullies, or difficult people who make your life more chaotic. Or perhaps it's a personal flaw of yours, like pride or impatience, that holds you back.

CQQ #11: Fandom as Religion...?

Fandom, a rising church in today's world?

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A fandom (fan club or fanbase) is a community of enthusiasts of a particular shared interest, be it a sports team, a work of fiction (and often a certain character or romantic pair), a singer or music band, a celebrity or popular YouTuber or content creator... Anyone and anything with an enthusiastic, loyal following can become the center of a fandom.

The people who engage in said fandom (the fans) may don a creative label to represent their fanhood; for instance, 'Trekkie' for those who love Star Trek, 'Whovian' for Doctor Who fans, 'Brony' (or 'Pegasister') for My Little Pony fans, etc.

Some may perhaps enjoy their interest(s) casually and harmlessly, while others may treat it as a way of life with undying loyalty, expressing their "love" by craving endless merchandise (and anything that reminds them of that interest), and becoming easily offended and hostile when someone disagrees about anything regarding their interest, any "insult" perceived as blasphemy no matter how small.

Others may take their "love" for their interest so extreme that actual riots ensue for whatever reason, be it their favorite sports team lost a game, or McDonalds didn't make enough Szechuan sauce to satisfy those diehard Rick and Morty fans.

CQQ #10: The Apocrypha...?

Is there anything to pull from non-canonical texts?

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Thank you, Paul Ahnert and HonnieBunnie007, for inspiring this topic!

During my college years, I once attended a class titled "The Bible As Literature", the required "textbook" being The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha (NRSV). I still have that very thick, heavy, red study bible on my shelf today.

I've yet to go through the rest of that book; we were only required to read parts of the New Testament for the class. But thinking about it recently has peaked some curiosity.

CQQ #9: Guardian Angels...?

Is there a guardian angel watching over you?

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Angels. A topic that may fascinate many and has its popularity in media and merchandising, yet we know so little about them.

Some bible verses have been quoted by others to speculate on or suggest the idea of guardian angels, angels that supposedly watch over a child or person they're assigned to watch, with one in particular from the words of Christ Himself...

CQQ #8: Accountability Partners...?

Hey friend, how's your prayer life?

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Thank you, Rob Moore, for suggesting this topic!

Having done a lot of growing alone with God on my spiritual journey, I can't really say a whole lot about the topic of accountability partners and their effectiveness. But perhaps some of you readers can.

I can say, however, that it is certainly a healthy thing to give yourself time away from your busy life to reflect on your spiritual walk. I often do so in the mornings (while reading daily devotionals) and pretty much anytime I talk to/connect with God during my alone time. Whether alone or with a friend/partner, I encourage spiritual checkups, not as a means to harshly criticize yourself in your failures, but rather as a means to look at your life honestly, learn and grow, develop healthy spiritual habits, bring to light any struggles you're dealing with, and connect deeper.