Need help to quit smoking ... please

Hi brothers and sisters, I have a special requests from some dear friends of ours; their son Cliff, and his girlfriend, Arwen are starting their new non-smoking life shortly.

After numerous attempts, they have not been successful but this time, they are asking for God's help and asked their parents to ask all their prayer contacts to pitch in, so there is your job; remember these people in your prayers, please.

Maybe, this is the time for me to share my quitting smoking story:

Back in February 2008, I was considering quitting smoking for the upteenth time. So, I had chosen March 1-08 as my quitting date.

So, I was psyching myself up for that date, and a few days before that date; I decided I better ask God to help me with that as I was going to do it 'cold turkey'.

Then 3 days before my quitting date, a friend of mine by the name of Dave, ask me if I was still considering quiiting smoking; so I told him, 3 days from now on March 1-08 I would be a non-smoker.

He looked at me and said: "Why March 1-08? ... what's wrong with now?"

I was not sure what to say and probably said something to warrant my choice of date, excuses, lol.

Driving home that night from work, I was smoking my last cigarette (although I did not know at that time) and decided that I better go to the corner store to get another pack. On my way to the store, my friend's words kept ringing in my head: ' what's wrong with now, what's wrong with now?'

I simply could not find any logical justification for me to continue smoking as of that exact moment, and took a different way home.

At that moment, I remembered asking for God's help; could it be that God used my friend Dave to make me reflect on that question? ... a smile formed on my face and although nobody could see me, I could not stop grinning as I understood where all of this was coming from.

Why did I not ask God before? ... I am sure I had ... but God knows your heart and the sincerity of your prayer.

Now, as a non-smoker, I enjoy not having my grand-kids saying; "Grand-Pa, smoking is not good for you!"

I enjoy my partner not having to say;"go brush your teeth, if you want to kiss me!"

I enjoy not having to use the last money in my pocket to buy cigarettes.

I enjoy not feeling like a society reject when going to public places.

Friends, I have one more favour to ask of you; whenever you see someone who is a smoker, please say a little prayer in your heart that God will help them as he has helped me. the more of us who quit smoking, the better our society will be, the more money we will have for more important projects; as a nation, we will save huge on health costs, and keep a lot of parents, grand-parents, sibblings around much longer for all to enjoy and praise God.

God please, let us join Cliff's parents and be united in prayer for Cliff and Arwen to be non-smokers, and with all of us here, we ask Lord that You bless them and wrap them in a protective blanket filled with your love, give them the strength to stay non-smokers, give them the health to weather this storm as it sure does a number on your health, and bless their children who will be your voice for them along this path.

God bless you all, and please feel at home and write your requests in here anytime,

Your brother in Christ,

louis