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Cold Turkey on Thanksgiving
A smoker is inspired to turn her back on tobacco as an act of faith and friendship.
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Charita Braker and I met at church choir practice 15 years ago. She has brightened my life ever since. She may have even saved it.
It happened one Thanksgiving, a rough time for me because that was when my mom died. Charita invited me to her house. We had a good time cooking together. But my thoughts kept going back to how badly I missed Mom.
Soon I was craving what I reached for when I got emotional—a cigarette. I slipped out the door and lit up. I’d taken a few drags when Charita came outside.
“Would you do something for me?” she asked.
“Of course,” I said. “You name it.”
“Would you stop?” she said, staring at my cigarette.
“Why? What’s the big deal?” I asked.
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Charita took my hand. “Because, Miriam, I love you. And I don’t want to lose you. So, will you quit? Please?”
Her words shook me. I knew the heartache of losing a loved one, and I didn’t want to put anyone through that. I stubbed out my cigarette, walked inside and threw out my pack. Then I wrapped my arms around Charita.
That was 11 years ago. I haven’t smoked since. I’ll always miss Mom, but Thanksgiving is no longer a sad time. Now I think of it as a celebration of love and gratitude, particularly for Charita and the new beginning she gave me.
The Great Smokeout will be held on November 17. For some help in quitting, check out our tips on how to stop smoking.
Download your FREE ebook, The Power of Hope: 7 Inspirational Stories of People Rediscovering Faith, Hope and Love.
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Your Comments
What a heart-felt story! I too have had great losses in a very short time, my mother and my father both died of Small Cell Lung Cancer, both were a pack a day smokers! Then in 2006 my loving husband went to the Lord, he was 46 years old.
I never thought I could stop smoking because that was my go to for my pain and stress release... a cigarette!
I prayed to the Lord for help to quit smoking. I received a call a few days later on my recording machine, about a Stop Smoking Program through Stanford University, CA.
I joined it, and have been smoke free for 8 months now. I believe, and have faith that God put me right where I should be to get help. Now I'm on a mission to help my younger brother quit too, he has two adorable children he needs to be around for!
If you have trouble with quitting, try to find a program in your area, the support, tools, and some patches do help.
Milla
In Dec. 1988 my husband and sons begged me to stop smoking. They hated the second hand smoke which choked them, and the smells, and well everything that went along with smoking. I liked to smoke, but knew it was wrong and harmful to them. But I also knew I could not stop on my own as like most smokers, I had tried to stop a hundred times. So I prayed "Jesus please take this nasty dirty habit from me, I can not do it alone, I can only do it with your help, Lord. My family needs me to quit and I want to please them.So please Jesus help me stop smoking". You know, I stopped that day, and never had another craving. All because I had the faith that Jesus would take away my sins. Faith is a powerful weapon. I didnt hope He'd take away my habit, I KNEW He'd take it away and He did. Have faith in Jesus, believe He can and will heal us of our sins.
My mother started smoking at the age of 18 at the suggestion of her family doctor, who thought it would help her "nervousness." Though she tried many times, she was unable to quit. In fact, as she was dying of lung cancer she asked my sister to turn off the oxygen so she could have a cigarette. Dying is a final way to quit.
I remember some time later as I was cleaning out my car I found a crumpled empty pack of Lucky Strikes. I cried like a baby for the years she had lost because of this crutch.
please pray I judy quit smoking to please jesus the addition is in my mind cravings and habit real hard to lose those flesh habit pray the holy spirit give me the help to win thanks judy
I also quit on Thanksgiving - 19 years ago! Good for you!
My 17 year old son asked me to quit smoking as he lay dying of brain cancer. A year after he died, I began to pray about this habit that was so greatly ingrained and joined a quit smoking class at our local hospital run by former smokers. With this class and God by my side, I was able to quit smoking and have not had a cigarette in 18 years. It was the hardest thing i have ever done, but with God's help and someone to talk with, I was able to quit. I truly believe that God is with us every step of the way if we only ask and believe Candee Emmons
I had smoked for 52 years and had been told many times, if you don't stop smoking , it will kill you. I tried many times within a three year time frame and I had a nervous
breakdown each and everytime, which placed me int an
emergency room for treatment. finally,I came down with
chronic pneunomia and my doctor said you are slowly on your
way to the grave because of those cigarettes. If you don't
stop, you are shortly a dead man.Believe you me and I did
believe at that moment and told my heavenly Father that I
didn't have the will power to throw them aside and quit and
I needed his power of love and healing to be cast upon me, as
I was going to purchase the medicine necessary to assist me in stopping my habit. I did that the following day and gave
away all of my remaining smokes(11 Cartons)the very next day. I turned everything over to My God and have never had a
cigarette in my mouth for 10 years. Thanks be unto GOd .AMen.
My Mother smoked for over fifty years. She quit the hard way...with a collapsed lung in intensive care for 17 days.She never went back to smoking. Smoking numbs that part of your brain which deals with spirituality, identity self image, and sexuality. It is hard to stop if there has been trauma in that part of your past. Mother cut me out of her life for years because I was a Christian, but after she quit smoking she found her peace with God and me. Prayer is the key that unlocks Gods storehouse of blessings. Keep praying for healing. it will come.
I smoked for 28 yrs. and quit 10 yrs. ago, and I am very happy that I did, but smoking does not numb your brains from making personal decisions in your life. I have had and always will be spiritual and would never claim that smoking destroyed my self-image or sexuality. That is just crazy talk and should not be allowed on any web-site.
We can all have our own beliefs, but what has been said here is just false and prejudice.
This is where I draw the line with religion and religious fanatics, and this is why many people leave their churches, temples and parishes, because of people like this.
I believe its ok to say Father, God, Jesus. Our Father which art in Heaven is with us always. Do you know what the Trinity is. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Son. They're all one. I lost a daughter last year and she had COPD plus other things, she was only 48 yrs. old. Her husband smokes my son smokes and a granddaughter. I love them all very much and pray that the Cig. will make them sick so they'll throw them away. I've put it in the Lord's hand that my family that does drugs plus cig. that he will take them away from them. I love my family and friends and wish they didn't have those bad habits. We all have bad habits, but the Lord will help us if we ask. Love in Christ, Grace Lawler
When my husband got the revelation that he had already been delivered by the finished work of Jesus at the cross, he put his cigarettes down and never smoked again. That was February of 1995. He had been smoking for 40 years. His revelation came under the steady hearing of the Word through the ministry of Andrew Wommack. The Word is true and filled with power.
Have lost so many friends to COPD--lung cancer & some, even because of 2nd hand smoke so you need to quit before it's too late!!!! Not to mention the COST; Need to do it for you--as well as your family & friends I pray in Jesus name--that nasty filthy EXPENSIVE habit will be withdrawn & you'll be sickened at even the thought of wanting a cigarette! That Jesus will take away the desire of wanting one & you'll be SO surprised how much better you feel & how good food & surroundings will taste & smell!! In Jesus Name--AMEN
To CS
If we were not able to come boldly to God's throne, Jesus would not have given us that fine example of prayer. However, the only way that we are able to come before the throne of God is through the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. When we pray in Jesus's (Incidentally, as a former English teacher, it is correct to add the additional "s" when forming the possessive of a singular name ending in "s".)we are acknowledging the fact that we alone are not worthy to approach God. Still, although it is good to acknowledge this, I do not think it is absolutely necessary to tag every prayer with this acknowledgement. If you have accepted the blood of Jesus as the payment for your sins, you are now the joint heir with Jesus of all that God has. I believe that the only prayer God will acknowledge of a sinner is one of repentance. I urge you to find another church and talk this over with the pastor. You need Christian fellowship, and there are pastors who will be glad to have you. God bless you as you continue to grow in His kingdom.
Is it evil to pray to God, as Jesus taught us to pray, saying, "Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." This is what we have been told by our minister. The minister says it's evil not to pray "in Jesus' name..." We believe in Jesus, that he came to the world to save us, but we like to pray directly to God. We haven't been back to church since that sermon. Please help clarify this. Thank you.
NO, it is not evil to pray directly to God. God is the Father, God is Jesus, and God is the Holy Spirit. None of them is the other, and all of them are God. That is the mystery of the Trinity. If you believe in the Trinity, then there is no sin in praying to God in any one of His "hats".
And even if you don't believe in the Trinity, there is no sin in praying as Jesus taught us to pray. He came to atone for our sins, but He also came to teach us how to live as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. And that was one of the things He taught us.
Is it evil to pray to God, as Jesus taught us to pray, saying, "Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." This is what we have been told by our minister. The minister says it's evil not to pray "in Jesus' name..." We believe in Jesus, that he came to the world to save us, but we like to pray directly to God. We haven't been back to church since that sermon. Please help clarify this. Thank you.
Please pray for my son Mark Loeffelbein and grandson Logan Lake to give up these cigarettes and snuff. I pray every day for every one that is afflicted with this addiction. I enjoy your message so much. May God richly bless youall for what you do. Your sister-in- Christ. Shelia
I've been praying for 40 years for my husband, Walter, to quit somoking. They stink, they make him stink, they make the vehicles stink, even make me feel like I stink !!!
HE gets up every morning coughing, choking , and carrying on, and I say, "Do you enjoy living like that?" HE just says I want to "bitch" at him about something. ALL the Grandchildren have said, "PaPa , please quit smoking and I love you and I don't think I could stand it if something happened to you." His Doctor has said, "Walter, have you thought about how wonderful your health would be if you gave up cigerettes.?" But he still keeps using that "crutch" that he really doesn't need , he just isn't willing to put it down. Please, please, I beg you, everyone that knows the power of prayer, please pray for Walter. thank you, thank you very much. May God bless....
Dear Lucille,
You and Walter are in my prayers. I'm praying especially for Walter to quit while he still has time to enjoy his wonderful wife and family. My husband and I quit cold turkey together back in January of 1998, and we have felt better and better! May God bless you both by answering this prayer in Jesus' name!
I wish my husband would quit our son is 20 months.
Dear Robin,
Don't just wish - pray hard for him everyday! I join you in this prayer that your husband will stop smoking if for no other of many good reasons that he will live to enjoy and help his son grow up! May God bless your family by answering this prayer in Jesus' name.
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