Hi there. My name is Debi, & up until 3 days ago, I was a non-smoker for close to four years, after smoking for 15.Up until four years ago, I had tried over & over to quit, actually accomplishing it for months at a time. But, I'd always go back. But, I live in British Columbia Canada, & every so often, the government ups the taxes on smokes, & it got to where I couldn't afford to smoke my 2 packs a day without borrowing money at the end of each month. This money was adding up, & each month it grew. I had prayed for years to be able to quit, & just wasn't motivated enough, I guess. Well, finally, I'd say, God had prepared me for the right time. I thought about all the money I owed & was still borrowing & how unfair it was to the other person, how I never had money for anything else - just my 275./mo on smokes. So, I went & bought the patch...again. But, this time was different. I put on the patch, & had no cravings. I put it on the 2nd day...the same. By the third day, I didn't even bother with the patch, & I had quit, no pain. I know I couldn't have done this without God's help. WELL, 3 days ago, I was at a friend's house who smokes. We were involved in a very intense conversation about something that was upsetting me. She smokes, so in the middle of talking, I said, "I need a cigarette." She threw me 1 & a lighter. I lit up, we continued to talk, & all of a sudden I said to my friend, "Robbie, what am I doing?". She said, "What?" Look at my hands. She said, "DEBI!!!" It had happened out of pure habit. That night, I smoked 6 cigarettes. On my way home, I fought with myself about stopping for smokes, & I won. But, two days later, I was on my way back to her house, & picked up 2 packs on the way. I was enjoying myself. While there, we smoked up & chatted, just like the old days. But, as I was preparing to leave, I asked Robbie where the cheapest place to buy a carton would be. I decided on Safeway. As I was driving, I kept thinking about Safeway, & feeling sicker & sicker about it. I thought of all the negative reasons why I shouldn't go. It'll take all my extra money, I'll smell, which will be bad for my any-day-now grandchild, I may be developing emphazema, It's a waste of time, how long will it be before I can quit again....Out of the blue (or God's mouth) came the thought, "Go to the drug store & buy the patch." Suddenly a great peace came over me. I knew what I had to do & what I was not to do. That night, I smoked & part of the next morning. Then, again was another "thought". "Run the rest of the smokes under the tap & throw them away." I did that, & I felt so free & at peace that I've been floating on cloud nine ever since. I'm so thankful to God for seeing me through this mess I got myself into, & helping me get myself out AGAIN!
God bless you all. You can do it, too. When you're ready, when it's your time, you will succeed.
Love, Debi