Ok...first I have to say Darpel...that pix is freaky!!! LOL I'm so glad I found this posting thread, because I'm not using anything but God to get me through this. I'm holding onto 1Cor 10:13 as my personal mantra verse, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God IS faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted; He WILL provide a way out so you can stand up under it"..(NIV) I'm on day 3 starting today....I HATE this mind chatter though...this is where I start to get weak at the knees here. I, like maybe some of you, know I need prayer to cover me and to keep me on task. I read that post by Martha about the Navy Seals and "Old Misery". What a beautiful analogy as to how she used it to bring it to us here. How the team-mates are there if one gets weak or falls behind and supports each other. We here, even I being new, understand where we all were and at with this addiction. We all carried our own logs, but here others help you carry "your log, misery" and make the moving of it lighter. So, what I guess I'm really trying to get to is this....I am NOT using any thing but God to help me .....I need prayer because the urge to get a cig is starting to be strong today...I don't PHYSICALLY crave it........But my MIND WON'T BE QUITE!! I've read the junk thinking sheet I printed out... and this thread...I know that I see the truth in it...but I'm soooooooooooo wanting one..but I'm not. help??? irish [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/28/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 2 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 40 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8.70 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 44 [B]Seconds:[/B] 54

Just remember, you cant do it without GOD, I pray every time I crave...... [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/19/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 5 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 100 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $17.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 41 [B]Seconds:[/B] 13

I thought I would bump this as there was so much encouragement here and we have so many new quitters. In reading through some of these posts I feel bad about so many names we don't see anymore. I hope they are living smoke free lives. I hadn't realized how many have dissapeared. Anyway....if you are new and missed this thread it's here to brows through. Mercy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 178 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,560 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $795.66 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 34

Thank you for the comparison! Live works in mysterious ways, it is up to us to guide it through :) Josie, Support Specialist

Alright, I read this and the parallels to quitting smoking were striking. Be encouraged everyone - especially you newbies. Even though it may not feel like it...Hell week really does only last a week ;) Old Misery By Zo� Elmore "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:28-29, NIV) Being the only female in our household, (even our pets are male), I think I've seen just about every program the military channel offers, and believe it or not, I actually enjoy watching some of them. My husband and sons find it hilarious that "the princess of our home" is also a huge sports fan and a part-time student of the military. Hey, I say if you can't change them (and you can't), then join them! Last week as I threw myself an elaborate pity party over the constant barrage of struggles this life brings, the Lord reminded me of one program in particular on the men who desire to become Navy SEALS. The physical and mental stresses these men are required to undergo was beyond my comprehension. The first five weeks of the training prepares them for the sixth week, better known as "Hell Week." During this week, trainees participate in five and one half days of continuous training, with a maximum of four hours of sleep. "Sugar cookie drills," a combination of surf torture and whistle drills leave the trainees with sand over every inch of their bodies in preparation for the four-mile run up and down the beach (don't tell those expensive day spas that charge a fortune for a full body polish that rolling in the sand and surf does the same thing). One training exercise really caught my attention "Old Misery." Exhausted, wet, and hungry teams of men hoist "Old Misery" (a 400 hundred pound log) onto their aching shoulders and then carry it up and down the beach. When one man would stumble or fall, his teammates immediately helped him up, carried his portion of "Old Misery" until he was steady on his feet, and encouraged him to finish the task. Each man knew the value of teamwork and how the load increased exponentially when one man stumbles. I was astonished at their ability to persevere as each task was more difficult than the last. I kept asking the question "Is all of this really necessary?" My husband and sons looked at me as if to say, "Hello, these men must remain focused on their mission no matter the cost!" Those who quit during Hell Week - and often, more than half do - are the ones Navy SEALs believe would quit on their real-world missions. What a clear picture of God allowing struggles in my life as a way to keep my attention focused on my mission to be conformed to the likeness of His son. Pain and struggles can be tools to reveal areas of weakness in my life. God also uses them to shape and prune me. This "sanctification process" begins when we first ask Christ to enter our lives and ends when we meet Him face to face. Another purpose for stressful circumstances is to reveal my true convictions as my faith and commitment are tested. It's easy for me to say, "Praise God, isn't He good," when things are peaceful. But when struggles enter my life, what I really believe about God becomes evident in my thoughts, words, and actions. Just as the trainees in the program had teammates to rely on, the Lord has provided me with my own teammates. The Holy Spirit is my team captain and is there to comfort, encourage, lead, guide, and direct me through the difficult and stressful times. I also have fellow teammates, men and women who have experienced stressful situations in their own lives and they have encouragement to share. As you encounter your own "Old Misery" situations, remember you are not alone. The Lord has provided His Holy Spirit to help you carry the load and He will place people in your life that will help you and encourage you to finish the task of becoming more Christ-like. That way, you and I can live the command of Ephesians 4:1, "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called." Dear Lord, help me rely on Your Holy Spirit to comfort and direct me as I encounter "Old Misery" situations. Place godly teammates in my pathway and keep my focus on the goal of Christ-likeness. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Proverbs 19:21, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." (NIV) James 1:2-4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (NIV) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/5/2004 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1069 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 21,380 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $4,810.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 81 [B]Hrs:[/B] 15 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0

Thought some of you could use some encouragement. I know I ALWYAS CAN. STICKY BUNS Have you ever had Super glue or oil based paint stick to your hands? Soap and water doesn't work...but the right solution will wash it clean. Trying to quit smoking can be the same way. It just sort of sticks to us......like glue!! Someone had prayed: "I can't seem to shake this burden. It's something I haven't been able to give up, and I haven't been able to give it to God. I'm very sad about it and know I must hand it over to Him. I truly need God's strength to rid myself of it." The joy of the Christian life if knowing that God hears us and can handle anything we hand over to Him. But at the same time we like to hang on to stuff (like our memories and desires to smoke). We all know the feeling. All our smoking burdens just seem to stick to us like super glue. We need to take those burdens off our own hands and put them on God's shoulders. The Bible tells us: "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you." (Ps 55:22) Why carry those sticky burdens? GOD TELLS US TO BURDEN HIM WITH WHAT BURDENS US. Mercy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 158 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,160 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $706.26 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 20 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 44

Today I will: (do at least one of these:) -Seek God�s direction in everything I do, in order to be wise. -Ask the right questions in order to learn. -Be deliberate in the use of my time in order to succeed. -Make a decision plan and act, in order to move toward my dream. -Confront a problem promptly in order to de-clutter my life. -Take captive every thought in Christ, in order to think straight about life. -Dare to dream beyond my comfort zone in order to stretch. -Pick my friends carefully, in order to create a supportive environment. -Add value to at least one other person, in order to serve. -Strive to do the right thing in every situation, in order to live with integrity. -Live the Intentional Life in order to grow. From a favorite print titled: My Intentional Life in Christ, by Dr. Randy Carlson. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/11/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 13 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 195 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $52.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 29 [B]Seconds:[/B] 23

Unhooked, I'm glad that you've enjoyed the thread - thanks to Mercy for starting it! I think it is a real source of strength for many of us. God's word is powerful: "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) This verse has also been rolling around in my head the last couple days and it certainly can pertain to the battle of nicotine addiction. "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:13-14 NASB) [color=Navy]Chin up quitters! You CAN do this - have faith [/color] ;) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/5/2004 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1051 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 21,020 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $4,729.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 80 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 50

Yep - I got the date 21 June as my quit date while I was praying about quitting (back in March), so I committed that date as my quit date. I also had quite a lot of prayer yesterday morning...so yeah, absolutely, prayer is the most important part [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 15 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �2.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

Thanks for the bump! Danielle, Bilingual Support Specialist