Abi’s Notebook

  Have you ever experienced the “dark night of the soul?” The dark night of the soul is typically described as a period in one’s life that is excruciatingly difficult. Sometimes after the death of a loved one, or a breakup of a really important relationship, or the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness. The dark night of the soul goes beyond feeling sad or down, it’s a painful, gut-wrenching feeling that tears your very soul apart and causes you to question everything, including your very existence or whether you should even continue to go on anymore. If you’re someone who follows God you may even beg Him to have mercy on you by taking your soul because the pain is too unbearable to go through alone anymore. As painful as the dark night of the soul may be though, and believe me, I get it, I have had it multiple times and am going through it again, it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps it is a time where our faith is being tested and our character is able to grow s...

  It’s November 19th, which means it’s National Men’s Day. I wanted to write about men today because I feel like they get attacked too often and aren’t given the credit they deserve. We hear the term “toxic masculinity” thrown around a lot. While I do think there is such thing as toxic masculinity, I don’t think my definition is the same that, that term is used for. I would in fact say toxic masculinity isn’t true masculinity at all. The term is thrown around for any man who happens to have any form of masculinity or even if he happens to be a conservative politically or a Christian. This is not toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity in my opinion would be to misuse and abuse their power as being men. If you have a husband, boyfriend, coworker, or boss who is being abusive, gaslighting, using their power as a man to overpower anyone (not just women), that would be toxic masculinity to me. Again, I wouldn’t even call that masculine at that point, because a true masculine man won’t abu...

  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. - James 1:2-4; 13 (ESV) Consider it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. How can we consider when we have trials in our lives to consider it all joy? Well, I think for one, we often confuse “joy” and “happiness” with each other. We tend to equate the two together as if they’re the same thing. Happiness is a feeling/emotion, while I think joy is a state of contentment regardless of the circumstances. An example of this I think would be Hebrews 12:2. “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith...

 I know there are plenty of people (especially men) who have heard about “No Nut November.” I remember it used to be called “No Shave November” but I guess they changed it. Anyway, if you haven’t heard about NNN, it’s basically this challenge guys have created to not masturbate, have sex, no physical intimacy at all for the entire month of November. There are some guys who are going so far as to not even see or communicate with their significant other for the entire month (good luck keeping her), all for this challenge. I think it’s a great idea if a couple isn’t married, especially if the guy struggles with things such as lust and masturbation, etc, to have a challenge like NNN, although I think “why does it have to take a challenge like this to work on that?” I think also when it goes so far as to not communicate with their significant other for an entire month, this poses a challenge in their relationship as well, because women need that communication and connection. To lack tha...