You keep asking about me

Well, here I am, about to take on a hefty YET gentle challenge, ...

📵 After 8

You’re probably wondering, … “What does she mean by no phone after 8?” “What is going on with her?” “You ghost us and return with more potential to keep ghosting, are you kidding?”

Truth is, I am very much aware of what I have done and what I am about to do. But how did I get to this point? Who challenged me and why is this so important to me?

Well, a round of applause to everyone’s AI friend or better said, ‘Bestie of the new age‘ — ChatGPT! And before you judge me, know that I already judged myself BUT I have carefully thought through this.

Photo by Tom Krach on Unsplash

I, just like most of you here am an avid user of the popular AI medium — ChatGPT. Afia will tell you, “don’t request to know what sort of conversations I have with it” Yhup, that’s me too. I ask it literally everything ; from food suggestions to Biblical topic explanations, you name it.

And just as always, I keep getting caught in a limbo — “Do I keep writing or should I just silently call it quits” (Don’t worry the latter obviously can’t happen, at least not yet. Just because I am a certified yapper, I just can’t stop yet) But also, when I have stayed too long away from tapping into my creative self, it becomes a fight with my brain trying to get back at it. Often times I worry I might be losing my touch.

Surprisingly, ChatGPT recognised it too. Funny enough, its recognition had more to do with my spirituality than creativity. It realised the biblical narrative help questions had stopped coming. The “Help me plan an outline for a lesson on this topic from these verses” weren’t as frequent as they’ve been. And I am sure it was just a matter of time till it’d have screamed in my face, just like everyone of you this week:

“Are you okay? You seem off”

Photo by Volkan Olmez on Unsplash

So, when I jumped on it for suggestions on topics to write about, I would assume it deviated from the prompt because, tell me why ChatGPT suggested to me, I pick an After 8 no social media feed challenge — A gentle challenge to hear God again.

Suprisingly, I’ve been thinking a lot about noise lately. The kind we invite in, not the kind we escape from. The pings, the scrolls, the perfectly-filtered lives that fill our screens late into the night. I don’t know about you, but sometimes it feels like my phone knows more about my thoughts than my prayers do. I mean!! Didn’t I speak much on that already some months ago?

And it’s not just the noise. Because for my case, I despitefully hate notification sounds and pop ups, I disbaled most of them. It’s what we find ourselves reaching for when we’re tired, lonely, or restless. It's the content we consume to fill a void, sometimes harmless, sometimes not. Sometimes it’s funny reels, other times, it’s things we’d rather not name. And before we know it, a few minutes become an hour. An hour becomes a habit. And habits... become altars and idols.

Hence the urge to even accept the challenge — a small, gentle challenge that I’d like to invite you to join me in:

No social media after 8PM.

That’s it. Just a boundary. Just some silence. And an opportunity to save on some internet bundle charges.

Not because screens are evil, but because souls are sacred. An perhaps, we are losing all of the sacredness left within us to the algorithm.

ChatGPT called this challenge “After 8” and I think I’ll stick with that. I like it.

Each night, I’ll trade the feed for stillness. I’ll try and journal what rises. (Because quite frankly, I have not journaled in a hot minute. Feels like I quit on myself and what I enjoyed doing) And I’ll pay attention to what God might be whispering beneath the static. And maybe try and catch some sleep early too. You too can do same.

Also here’s what this whole challenge is really about:

It’s not just digital detox. It’s heart detox for myself.
For me, this is a first step toward addressing something deeper — the pull toward addictive content, especially the kind that distorts our view of love, worth, and desire.

Stay with me, no cause for alarm.

We must admit, it’s hard to heal what we keep feeding. It’s hard to hear God when our eyes are glued to a glow that never satisfies. And a noise that never quiets down.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be trying my best for myself and for my sanity. I would like to write more on this, to keep myself accountable and also to share my journey trying to blur the lines between faith and technology. The struggle with online temptation, and what it means to live wholly and attentively in a distracted age.

A topic I would really love to explore on this journey is “Prayer versus Prompt — When AI Becomes Your Go-To Answer.”

But this challenge is the doorway to finding answers and a better approach to this topic and many more.

This time will be my small, consistent “no” that creates a lot of needed space for a deeper “yes” to faith, to freedom and to peace.

If you’d like to join me, let me know. But you also don’t have to announce it if you don’t want to. You can do it privately, that’s very okay.

However you choose to engage, even if it means keeping accountability tabs on me, I hope this sparks something inside you, not guilt, not fear, just… an invitation.

To rest. To listen. And To come home again.

Photo by Ernie A. Stephens on Unsplash

But, I won’t make any promises. Not because I am setting myself up for failure soon (can be easy right? But not at all) But because of how personal this journey feels for me. I only feel it’s appropriate I share a bit of what I am up to. Especially since my audience here is constantly growing as more of you are choosing to read along.

I have been waking up to email titles from subtack reading; “New free subscriber to NABI's DIARY!” And the beauty of it is that almost all of you newbies are Recommended by: Sante from Sante’s Substack. I meannnnnnn, Sante recommended me?? Okay!!

I feel both humbled and honoured about the recommendation. And I think we can do same for Sante, so please visit her substack and show some love through subscription. Tiwaa is really excited about Sante’s content and so, I am too! And the first post on Sante’s substack speaks volume of her personality. And we love, love, love people with peronalities right?! So, kindly go over with some love to Sante’s and subscribe, NOW!

Thank you for being obedient and prompt.

For those enjoying the warmth from the sun, stay hydrated.

And for some of you enduring the rain, stay warm and please DON’T catch the flu!

Love always and love freely,
NaBi🦋🖤