I know this is very unexpected, especially since I'm active on chesscom and in CYCT.

But these are the news: after praying and asking God, and considering and reconsidering my choice, I decided I'm going to be leaving the social side of chesscom and thereby CYCT as well. I know hearing these news isn't comfortable, especially after we had other admins leave recently, and neither is it for me.

I will quickly state the reasons why so that I don't leave you with curiosity, till I post a long, detailed and "official" goodbye in CYCT. I thought I'd let you, the staff, know beforehand so that it's not such a big surprise when I make it public in CYCT. I already told Les about it but I just told him I'm thinking about making this decision. Now, I have made it.

The reason why is because I realized how much of my time is spent online. I want to have more time to read books (for different reasons), and so I need to spend less time online, because my schedule is already full. After I read "The Shallows" by Nicholas Carr, my whole perception of the internet changed. Another reason is not only the time, but how it influences one's thinking and physically changes how the brain makes connections whilst thinking. I wouldn't be able to tell you what the book says because to understand the conclusions of it you need to have a context first and I can't write that because it's too long, but the idea is that the internet is built in a very specific way that encourages a specific way of thinking. This specific way of thinking is different than the one used when reading books or the one that philosophers use when creating an argument, for example.

So why would I leave because of this? I am now deeply interested in philosophy and apologetics and am thinking about even studying philosophy. If I do become a philosopher, I don't want to be an ordinary one. If I study philosophy, I'm thinking about studying at some of the best universities in Germany. I can't do these things and do the bare minimum for it, I want to give everything I have. I need to take my time and actually study.

I know God gave me many talents and I want to make sure God is able to use them to their maximum in me. I know that God wanted me to serve as an admin in CYCT because of the reasons I mentioned in the forum "How to know if you're doing God's will". But I believe that now, he wants me to start doing something else and focus on other things. I am currently reading Norman Geisler's "Christian apologetics" and the more I read, the more I want to learn and use what I learn.

The Bible says: "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6.

How should I answer everyone if I don't learn? Don't get me wrong, I learned so much in CYCT. But I believe I have to continue learning in a different way, which in this case would be through personal study and books.

Why do I believe God wants me to do that? First of all, I prayed about it and even though I haven't gotten a clear "yes" or "no", I think God gave me enough hints to figure out what the right answer is, and I the the answer is "yes" in this case.

Also, one time at night I opened my Bible at a random page and started reading and I read this passage:

Acts 18:

"Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a] and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah."

I think the passage speaks for itself and how and why it spoke to me.

I don't know exactly what God's plans are for my life or what my exact purpose is. I am currently reading "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren (along many other books) and I think this will help me. I don't know if he wants me to go to university and if yes, where and what to study. These are just plans of mine. I learned something recently and you can see what in the "Poems" forum in CYCT. I firmly believe that at this point, God wants me to take a break from the internet for a while.

I just thought I'd let you know before I make it official. I'm not leaving yet, I'm going to leave when I have a laptop. I want to give up on having a smartphone so that I have more time to do other things, but I need a laptop to "replace" my phone. I haven't started looking at laptop options yet so there's still time. I also have to make some forums I said I was gonna make.

That was it I guess. I'm not leaving and never coming back again though. I'm just not going to come online daily. So you can still message me (after I leave), especially if you have prayer requests, I'll gladly pray for any of you. I thought I'd become a super admin one day, but it seems as if God has other plans.

Thank you (really, thank you), Coltey.

Actually, Noah. I decided I'm going to post my real name when I officially leave so that I'm not as mysterious XD. So here it is. But please keep using Coltey in public, I'm still Coltey in CYCT.

Lol XD.

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