Welcome to Kickin' the Habit.
00:00:23.42\00:00:25.15
My name is Raginee Edwards,
00:00:25.19\00:00:26.86
and today we're
going to talk about
00:00:26.89\00:00:29.79
maintaining a
smoke free lifestyle.
00:00:29.82\00:00:34.06
Now what we're
going to do at this point
00:00:34.10\00:00:36.67
is to encourage us on
our journey as a nonsmoker
00:00:36.70\00:00:41.34
because now we
should have overcome
00:00:41.37\00:00:44.07
the issue of withdrawal symptoms
00:00:44.11\00:00:46.34
because the withdrawal symptoms
go away within a week or two,
00:00:46.37\00:00:49.04
so we're past that.
00:00:49.08\00:00:50.61
We're...
00:00:50.65\00:00:51.98
have pretty much overcome
the environmental situation
00:00:52.01\00:00:56.48
of the chemical dependency
and when you see something,
00:00:56.52\00:01:00.29
you kind of want to
smoke that cigarette
00:01:00.32\00:01:03.26
or you see someone smoking,
00:01:03.29\00:01:04.63
you want to
smoke that cigarette.
00:01:04.66\00:01:05.99
We're a little bit past that.
00:01:06.03\00:01:07.36
And we're really getting
into more of a mental battle.
00:01:07.40\00:01:11.23
As you've heard before,
00:01:11.27\00:01:12.93
you know that
people can stop smoking
00:01:12.97\00:01:15.24
for years and some event,
00:01:15.27\00:01:17.37
usually something
pretty catastrophic
00:01:17.41\00:01:20.41
to them has happened,
00:01:20.44\00:01:21.78
whether it's a divorce or
just a major transition in life
00:01:21.81\00:01:26.35
that makes somebody want
to go back and pick up that,
00:01:26.38\00:01:29.48
that cigarette again.
00:01:29.52\00:01:31.42
And usually that's not because
they're craving to nicotine,
00:01:31.45\00:01:34.06
the chemical dependency
00:01:34.09\00:01:35.42
because it's
been 10 or plus years.
00:01:35.46\00:01:37.26
So a lot time it goes
right back to the thoughts
00:01:37.29\00:01:40.63
that are inside of our heads.
00:01:40.66\00:01:42.36
So I want to go
through some thoughts
00:01:42.40\00:01:45.50
that we might tell ourselves,
00:01:45.53\00:01:47.10
we want to
replace those thoughts
00:01:47.14\00:01:48.97
with something
that's more conducive to us
00:01:49.00\00:01:54.38
staying nonsmokers.
00:01:54.41\00:01:57.18
Thought, one of the thoughts
that sometimes we can think is,
00:01:57.21\00:02:01.22
"I need one cigarette to take
the edge off these cravings."
00:02:01.25\00:02:05.25
Okay, and now that again
is for a little bit early
00:02:05.29\00:02:08.22
on may be when you're
having a little bit crazy,
00:02:08.26\00:02:09.99
you feel like you're craving it.
00:02:10.03\00:02:11.36
Clear thinking says,
00:02:11.39\00:02:12.89
"Cravings become
weaker and less frequent
00:02:12.93\00:02:15.13
with every day
that I don't smoke."
00:02:15.16\00:02:18.13
Even just one puff
00:02:18.17\00:02:20.27
will feed the cravings
and make them stronger.
00:02:20.30\00:02:23.37
You know, you have all
these receptors in your brain.
00:02:23.41\00:02:25.67
And they're kind of,
let's just imagine they're,
00:02:25.71\00:02:27.88
they're sticking up like this,
00:02:27.91\00:02:29.51
and overtime those
receptors go down, down,
00:02:29.54\00:02:33.88
till you don't have any left.
00:02:33.92\00:02:36.18
Now what happens if you
just smoke one, one cigarette,
00:02:36.22\00:02:41.89
all those receptors pop
back up and say it just being
00:02:41.92\00:02:45.59
one receptor that
pops up or two or three,
00:02:45.63\00:02:48.30
all of them
fire at the same time
00:02:48.33\00:02:50.87
and the craving
becomes just as strong
00:02:50.90\00:02:53.64
as if you've been
smoking the whole time
00:02:53.67\00:02:55.84
even after 10
years of not smoking.
00:02:55.87\00:02:57.64
So you want to avoid going there
00:02:57.67\00:03:00.24
and taking that one puff.
00:03:00.28\00:03:02.98
Smoky thinking number two,
00:03:03.01\00:03:05.31
again these are things
that are cloudy in our brain
00:03:05.35\00:03:08.25
that don't quite make sense,
00:03:08.28\00:03:09.62
so you want to get some
clear thinking in there.
00:03:09.65\00:03:11.32
"It's been a long day,
I deserve a cigarette."
00:03:11.35\00:03:16.12
That's not a good thought.
00:03:16.16\00:03:17.53
Clear thinking says,
00:03:17.56\00:03:18.99
"I deserve a
reward after a long day
00:03:19.03\00:03:22.06
but there are better
rewards than a cigarette."
00:03:22.10\00:03:25.17
A favorite meal,
00:03:25.20\00:03:26.57
a funny movie or hot
shower will help me relax
00:03:26.60\00:03:29.84
without ruining my quit attempt.
00:03:29.87\00:03:32.71
Another thought
that we might think,
00:03:32.74\00:03:34.64
"The urge to smoke
is just too strong.
00:03:34.68\00:03:37.81
I can't take it."
00:03:37.85\00:03:39.98
Remember again,
00:03:40.02\00:03:41.35
even the strongest cravings
lasts less than three minutes.
00:03:41.38\00:03:45.05
The urge will go away
whether I smoke or not.
00:03:45.09\00:03:49.19
And smoking now will just
00:03:49.22\00:03:50.89
make it even harder
for me to quit later.
00:03:50.93\00:03:53.73
I can find something else to do,
00:03:53.76\00:03:55.26
anything until
the craving goes away.
00:03:55.30\00:03:58.23
Now remember,
00:03:58.27\00:04:00.10
the craving will go
away within a few minutes
00:04:00.14\00:04:03.00
whether you smoke or not.
00:04:03.04\00:04:06.37
Here's another
smoky thought, "I blew it!
00:04:06.41\00:04:09.11
I smoked a cigarette.
00:04:09.14\00:04:10.48
I might as well go
ahead and finish the packet."
00:04:10.51\00:04:13.31
That's smoky thinking.
00:04:13.35\00:04:16.65
What I want you to do
00:04:16.69\00:04:18.02
is to think of
yourself as a nonsmoker.
00:04:18.05\00:04:20.16
You're no longer a
smoker and even if you mess up
00:04:20.19\00:04:22.42
and you slip up and you
smoke that one cigarette,
00:04:22.46\00:04:24.79
you're still a nonsmoker
00:04:24.83\00:04:26.36
and that next cigarette
you don't have to smoke.
00:04:26.39\00:04:29.20
The clear thinking is,
00:04:29.23\00:04:30.57
"I'm still learning
how to be a nonsmoker."
00:04:30.60\00:04:33.00
It's normal to
make some mistakes.
00:04:33.03\00:04:35.17
But I don't have to
smoke that next cigarette.
00:04:35.20\00:04:39.07
I can learn from this
mistake and keep going.
00:04:39.11\00:04:43.55
Here's another smoky thought,
00:04:43.58\00:04:45.21
"I can't deal with never being
able to have another cigarette
00:04:45.25\00:04:48.42
for the rest of my life."
00:04:48.45\00:04:50.92
Clear thinking says,
00:04:50.95\00:04:52.39
"I only have to
deal with today."
00:04:52.42\00:04:55.62
Quitting happens
one day at a time,
00:04:55.66\00:04:57.99
sometime one hour at a time.
00:04:58.03\00:05:01.23
The future will
take care of itself.
00:05:01.26\00:05:04.53
Smoky thinking says.
00:05:04.57\00:05:06.23
"I'm too grumpy
without my cigarettes.
00:05:06.27\00:05:08.74
I'm going to do my friends
and family a favor by smoking."
00:05:08.77\00:05:14.21
Clear thinking says, "My
friends and family love me
00:05:14.24\00:05:17.71
and understand that
quitting smoking now
00:05:17.75\00:05:20.48
is the best
gift I can give them.
00:05:20.52\00:05:23.55
Grumpy or not, I'm
not doing them any favors
00:05:23.59\00:05:26.65
by continuing to smoke."
00:05:26.69\00:05:29.92
Smoky thinking says,
"I'm doing really well.
00:05:29.96\00:05:33.93
Just one cigarette won't hurt."
00:05:33.96\00:05:37.13
Clear thinking says,
00:05:37.17\00:05:38.50
"I have never smoked
just one cigarette before.
00:05:38.53\00:05:41.97
One cigarette
always leads to another.
00:05:42.00\00:05:44.37
I don't want to
undo all my progress
00:05:44.41\00:05:46.91
by smoking a cigarette now."
00:05:46.94\00:05:50.11
Another thought that
sometimes we think is,
00:05:50.15\00:05:52.45
"It's too hard to quit smoking.
00:05:52.48\00:05:54.48
I can't do this."
00:05:54.52\00:05:56.58
Clear thinking says,
00:05:56.62\00:05:58.12
"Quitting and staying
away from cigarettes is hard,
00:05:58.15\00:06:01.02
but it's not impossible.
00:06:01.06\00:06:02.92
About 40 million
Americans have quit smoking.
00:06:02.96\00:06:07.50
If other people
can do it, so can I.
00:06:07.53\00:06:10.33
It's too
important to give up on."
00:06:10.37\00:06:13.94
Another smoky thought,
"I've been smoking for so long,
00:06:13.97\00:06:17.61
quitting won't
make a difference now."
00:06:17.64\00:06:19.71
Now remember,
I've told you before,
00:06:19.74\00:06:21.54
I've had smokers that
quit at the age of 72.
00:06:21.58\00:06:26.82
It's not too late for you now.
00:06:26.85\00:06:29.12
You start noticing the
health benefits right away.
00:06:29.15\00:06:32.92
Clear thinking says,
00:06:32.95\00:06:34.29
"No matter how
long I've been smoking,
00:06:34.32\00:06:36.32
my body will
benefit from quitting.
00:06:36.36\00:06:38.73
The healing
process starts right away."
00:06:38.76\00:06:41.46
And before long,
00:06:41.50\00:06:42.83
I will start to feel
healthier and look better.
00:06:42.86\00:06:45.87
Smoky thinking says,
00:06:45.90\00:06:47.44
"I know people who
smoked their whole lives
00:06:47.47\00:06:49.70
and never got sick."
00:06:49.74\00:06:51.07
You hear that.
00:06:51.11\00:06:52.44
But clear thinking says,
00:06:52.47\00:06:53.81
"It's true that some
people may not get sick,
00:06:53.84\00:06:56.78
but there is no way of knowing
whether I will be one of them,
00:06:56.81\00:07:00.72
and I'm not
willing to risk my life."
00:07:00.75\00:07:02.82
The only safe choice
is to stop smoking now.
00:07:02.85\00:07:07.32
Smoky thinking says,
00:07:07.36\00:07:09.39
"I have already cut
down to a safe level."
00:07:09.42\00:07:13.03
Clear thinking says,
00:07:13.06\00:07:14.40
"There is no
safe level of smoking.
00:07:14.43\00:07:17.60
Smoking less is
a good first step,
00:07:17.63\00:07:20.47
but there are many more benefits
00:07:20.50\00:07:22.00
when I don't smoke at all.
00:07:22.04\00:07:23.64
Plus, every
cigarette that I smoke
00:07:23.67\00:07:26.37
feeds the habit and makes
it that much harder to quit."
00:07:26.41\00:07:30.55
Now you've heard
all the clear thinking
00:07:30.58\00:07:32.71
versus the smoky thinking.
00:07:32.75\00:07:34.48
Let's now hear
from our participants
00:07:34.52\00:07:36.62
about how they have maintained
a smoke-free lifestyle.
00:07:36.65\00:07:42.16
Well, the great thing about
maintaining being smoke-free
00:07:42.19\00:07:45.13
is now that I'm
smoke-free I don't want to smoke
00:07:45.16\00:07:47.60
because I
realized how free I am.
00:07:47.63\00:07:50.23
I don't have to
worry about this addiction
00:07:50.27\00:07:56.00
that's on my back.
00:07:56.04\00:07:57.37
I don't have to worry
about harming my children
00:07:57.41\00:07:59.47
or myself or
being in rebellion of,
00:07:59.51\00:08:02.34
you know, what the
Lord wants me to do.
00:08:02.38\00:08:04.01
I know for a fact
00:08:04.05\00:08:06.38
that I'm better
off without smoking.
00:08:06.41\00:08:08.82
And that in itself keeps me.
00:08:08.85\00:08:10.72
You know, being smoke-free
00:08:10.75\00:08:13.19
or having a smoke-free lifestyle
00:08:13.22\00:08:17.96
is rather simple now because,
00:08:17.99\00:08:20.80
number one there
is very few people
00:08:20.83\00:08:24.13
especially at home
or any that, you know,
00:08:24.17\00:08:27.60
I've to be bothered with smoke,
00:08:27.64\00:08:30.74
you know, those that do
smoke, they come to my house,
00:08:30.77\00:08:33.07
they're not
allowed to smoke inside
00:08:33.11\00:08:35.28
and then just the smell
00:08:35.31\00:08:38.41
of cigarette
smoke now is abrasive.
00:08:38.45\00:08:43.45
It just stinks, I
don't like it at all.
00:08:43.49\00:08:47.49
So it's really easy
now to shun that lifestyle,
00:08:47.52\00:08:52.53
you know, for myself.
00:08:52.56\00:08:54.66
How do I
maintained being smoke-free?
00:08:54.70\00:08:57.87
Joyously, I'm so happy
00:08:57.90\00:09:02.67
to have gained
the victory over that,
00:09:02.70\00:09:06.37
that it's not
chore to be smoke-free
00:09:06.41\00:09:10.85
because my mind is made up
00:09:10.88\00:09:12.71
and my body is
cleansed from that urge
00:09:12.75\00:09:17.49
to have the cigarette.
00:09:17.52\00:09:20.62
I love those responses,
again that's just so real,
00:09:20.66\00:09:23.53
so realistic, and you
can really get in touch
00:09:23.56\00:09:26.39
with how they
were able to maintain
00:09:26.43\00:09:28.90
a smoke-free lifestyle.
00:09:28.93\00:09:30.57
I love how Cathleen said,
00:09:30.60\00:09:32.60
just the thought of no
longer harming her body,
00:09:32.63\00:09:36.00
no longer harming her child
00:09:36.04\00:09:37.77
and just simply
doing God's will,
00:09:37.81\00:09:40.91
that helps her to
maintain a smoke-free lifestyle.
00:09:40.94\00:09:44.68
And you hear Isaac,
where he says, you know,
00:09:44.71\00:09:47.55
few people smoke now
00:09:47.58\00:09:48.92
so it makes it
little bit easier.
00:09:48.95\00:09:51.05
Where I was doing
most of the classes
00:09:51.09\00:09:53.79
to help people quit smoking
00:09:53.82\00:09:55.49
during the time that
I was the vice president
00:09:55.52\00:09:57.86
of the Tobacco
Awareness Coalition
00:09:57.89\00:09:59.86
they actually had a ban
00:09:59.89\00:10:01.23
to where nobody could
smoke in public places
00:10:01.26\00:10:03.97
or even near a public place.
00:10:04.00\00:10:06.07
So it had become
more and more difficult
00:10:06.10\00:10:09.64
for smokers to smoke
and really be near those
00:10:09.67\00:10:15.11
who may not want to
be exposed to smoke.
00:10:15.14\00:10:17.15
But not only that, it
became easier for those
00:10:17.18\00:10:19.11
who want to quit because not
a lot people were around them
00:10:19.15\00:10:21.98
being that trigger of the person
00:10:22.02\00:10:24.02
who is smoking around you.
00:10:24.05\00:10:25.39
You know what do I mean?
00:10:25.42\00:10:26.76
So that's just such
an interesting point
00:10:26.79\00:10:28.99
that he brought up.
00:10:29.02\00:10:30.36
And then you listen to Brenda,
00:10:30.39\00:10:31.73
she was just happy to
have gain the victory.
00:10:31.76\00:10:34.33
And she didn't want
any thing to mess that up.
00:10:34.36\00:10:36.50
And these were all
things that helped them
00:10:36.53\00:10:38.57
to maintain the
smoke-free lifestyle.
00:10:38.60\00:10:41.14
Now listen to the next question
00:10:41.17\00:10:42.50
because this is
really important.
00:10:42.54\00:10:44.57
Are you ever tempted to smoke?
00:10:44.61\00:10:46.94
Now you know that they have a,
00:10:46.98\00:10:48.31
some of them
haven't smoked in years,
00:10:48.34\00:10:50.55
but the question is even
after 10 years has gone by
00:10:50.58\00:10:54.15
and you're a nonsmoker,
will you ever be tempted again?
00:10:54.18\00:10:56.92
Let's hear what
they have to say.
00:10:56.95\00:10:59.82
Of course, there's
always going to be times
00:10:59.85\00:11:01.79
where you're tempted to smoke,
00:11:01.82\00:11:03.86
you know, you get a
familiar smell or a trigger
00:11:03.89\00:11:05.79
and Satan tries
to tell you, oh, man,
00:11:05.83\00:11:07.56
you know, you miss
that but it's not worthy,
00:11:07.60\00:11:10.37
and when you keep
things in perspective and.
00:11:10.40\00:11:12.43
you know, way the Lord's
way against the devil's way,
00:11:12.47\00:11:18.34
you have to just be logical.
00:11:18.37\00:11:20.38
You have to just
not go with the emotion
00:11:20.41\00:11:23.01
because emotions
will tell you anything.
00:11:23.04\00:11:27.32
Have I ever been tempted
to smoke since I've quit,
00:11:27.35\00:11:32.35
since I've overcome?
00:11:32.39\00:11:33.89
No.
00:11:33.92\00:11:35.52
It's not for me, thankfully.
00:11:35.56\00:11:40.93
I don't recall
being tempted to smoke.
00:11:40.96\00:11:45.20
I do recall,
00:11:45.23\00:11:47.44
I guess it would be
a temptation, the urge,
00:11:47.47\00:11:50.24
I could recognize the urge
00:11:50.27\00:11:52.31
but happily I'm
familiar with it,
00:11:52.34\00:11:56.71
and I happily can say
no, and it's not a problem.
00:11:56.75\00:12:02.32
So Brenda said, "Yes,
00:12:02.35\00:12:05.02
I'm tempted to smoke basically."
00:12:05.05\00:12:07.79
But she said that
when the urge arises,
00:12:07.82\00:12:10.03
she tells herself, no.
00:12:10.06\00:12:12.39
Just a simple no,
I'm not going to do it.
00:12:12.43\00:12:14.16
And that has helped her
to withstand the temptation.
00:12:14.20\00:12:17.63
Now you listened to Isaac,
00:12:17.67\00:12:19.03
he's just basically like,
"No, I realize it's not for me.
00:12:19.07\00:12:21.60
I'm not going to do it anymore."
00:12:21.64\00:12:22.97
So he's not even
tempted to smoke.
00:12:23.00\00:12:24.67
But you hear
Cathleen, she says, "Yes."
00:12:24.71\00:12:27.61
You're always going
to be tempted to smoke.
00:12:27.64\00:12:30.01
But I love how she
responded to that issue,
00:12:30.05\00:12:33.52
she said, "You have to
keep it in perspective.
00:12:33.55\00:12:37.45
You've to
realize that, you know,
00:12:37.49\00:12:39.89
there's a Lord's way
and there is a devil's way."
00:12:39.92\00:12:42.49
And she said, "You
can't follow your emotions"
00:12:42.52\00:12:44.59
'cause our
emotions can be a illogical.
00:12:44.63\00:12:46.49
That's interesting.
00:12:46.53\00:12:47.86
But when you think
about that, you know,
00:12:47.90\00:12:49.23
sometimes
emotions just take over
00:12:49.26\00:12:50.97
and if the craving
is no longer strong,
00:12:51.00\00:12:53.67
you can sit back and
think about that logically.
00:12:53.70\00:12:56.40
If possible, think
about that logically,
00:12:56.44\00:12:59.17
God wants to save you.
00:12:59.21\00:13:00.64
The devil just
simply wants to destroy you.
00:13:00.68\00:13:03.24
Which one do you want to choose?
00:13:03.28\00:13:05.58
The next question is,
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.32
how did you feel
when you relapse?
00:13:07.35\00:13:09.68
Only two of our
participants relapse,
00:13:09.72\00:13:11.32
so let's hear what
they had to say about that.
00:13:11.35\00:13:15.72
How did I feel when I relapse?
00:13:15.76\00:13:19.03
Second time I picked up
that cigarette after 13 years.
00:13:19.06\00:13:23.73
I felt kind of, number
one, I felt kind of stupid
00:13:23.77\00:13:27.30
'cause I knew I wasn't
going to continue on smoking.
00:13:27.34\00:13:32.31
Didn't know how long,
00:13:32.34\00:13:33.71
but I knew I
wasn't going to do this.
00:13:33.74\00:13:35.58
This wasn't something that,
00:13:35.61\00:13:37.45
you know, I'm going to
do for the rest of my life.
00:13:37.48\00:13:39.75
And so I felt really
silly because, I'm saying, man,
00:13:39.78\00:13:43.95
why are you
picking up this cigarette?
00:13:43.99\00:13:45.89
You know, you don't want it.
00:13:45.92\00:13:48.39
So it was, you know,
that was itself deprecating
00:13:48.42\00:13:52.09
but I did know that, you know,
this is really a stupid move.
00:13:52.13\00:13:58.83
You know, when I
relapsed after 10 years
00:13:58.87\00:14:01.67
of being
smoke-free, I felt shameful.
00:14:01.70\00:14:06.81
I felt annoyed with myself.
00:14:06.84\00:14:11.48
I even felt that
there was no hope.
00:14:11.51\00:14:15.28
I felt hopeless
because how do you get free
00:14:15.32\00:14:20.39
from something and then allow
yourself to go back into it?
00:14:20.42\00:14:23.93
That was really a
hard thing to deal with.
00:14:23.96\00:14:28.66
Now, Isaac and Brenda shared
their experience of relapse.
00:14:28.70\00:14:33.34
You heard what Isaac said,
he said, "I felt plain silly.
00:14:33.37\00:14:38.84
I didn't even
want to smoke anymore
00:14:38.87\00:14:40.44
and here I'm back smoking."
00:14:40.48\00:14:43.61
You heard Brenda, she
said, she was annoyed.
00:14:43.65\00:14:47.68
She felt
shameful. She was hopeless.
00:14:47.72\00:14:51.09
She knew it was hard.
00:14:51.12\00:14:52.82
And when she relapsed, she
became an undercover smoker
00:14:52.85\00:14:57.16
so that can make
it even doubly hard
00:14:57.19\00:14:58.96
'cause she was doing this alone.
00:14:58.99\00:15:00.90
So just know if you're out there
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.40
and you've
relapsed before, know that,
00:15:03.43\00:15:06.60
of course it's a
very shameful experience,
00:15:06.63\00:15:08.54
it's very hard.
00:15:08.57\00:15:10.17
You may get
annoyed with yourself.
00:15:10.21\00:15:11.77
You may think you're silly.
00:15:11.81\00:15:13.44
But know that
these two participants
00:15:13.48\00:15:15.81
got back up, tried again,
00:15:15.84\00:15:17.35
and now they have
successfully quit,
00:15:17.38\00:15:19.48
and they are
nonsmokers, and you can be too.
00:15:19.51\00:15:22.62
Now the next question
that we ask our participants
00:15:22.65\00:15:24.92
is what benefits did
you notice after quitting?
00:15:24.95\00:15:29.99
Let's hear the
good news about that.
00:15:30.03\00:15:33.90
When I first started quitting,
00:15:33.93\00:15:35.26
first week I saw
improvement in my lungs.
00:15:35.30\00:15:38.57
I didn't have a heavy cough
00:15:38.60\00:15:41.40
'cause I kept a heavy
cough for about a year one time.
00:15:41.44\00:15:45.27
And when I quit
smoking, my lungs cleared out,
00:15:45.31\00:15:48.88
I didn't have heavy phlegm.
00:15:48.91\00:15:50.81
I could breathe easier.
I could exercise easier,
00:15:50.85\00:15:53.62
everything,
physically started to improve.
00:15:53.65\00:15:58.35
And after a while
the withdrawals left
00:15:58.39\00:16:00.89
and so I didn't even, you know,
00:16:00.92\00:16:05.59
look for that as
an alternative stress
00:16:05.63\00:16:08.50
and it was kind of empowering
00:16:08.53\00:16:12.47
because if I
didn't have like a chance
00:16:12.50\00:16:15.97
to sneak out some place, it
wasn't the end of the world.
00:16:16.00\00:16:19.41
You know one of
the first benefits
00:16:19.44\00:16:21.61
I notice was that
00:16:21.64\00:16:26.38
I just did not want
00:16:26.41\00:16:32.15
to pick up the cigarette,
00:16:32.19\00:16:34.62
you know, that freedom
00:16:34.66\00:16:36.52
from having to have to go there
00:16:36.56\00:16:40.83
and smoke,
00:16:40.86\00:16:44.07
that freedom itself,
that breaking of that chain,
00:16:44.10\00:16:47.50
that was the, I think
has been the greatest benefit
00:16:47.54\00:16:51.87
of quitting smoking.
00:16:51.91\00:16:54.84
But the benefits that I noticed
00:16:54.88\00:16:57.11
after I quit the second time
00:16:57.15\00:17:00.08
was, I was more
aware of the sweetness
00:17:00.12\00:17:04.19
that I knew was about my person.
00:17:04.22\00:17:07.39
I didn't have to worry about
00:17:07.42\00:17:09.29
whether anybody could
smell cigarette in my hair
00:17:09.32\00:17:12.16
or my breath or my clothes,
00:17:12.19\00:17:15.03
there was no compromise with me
00:17:15.06\00:17:19.17
and I was just
excited about that.
00:17:19.20\00:17:21.24
So the benefit was
being able to be honest
00:17:21.27\00:17:24.91
with others and
myself as I presented myself.
00:17:24.94\00:17:30.81
I like how in essence
a few of them said that,
00:17:30.85\00:17:34.25
one of the benefits was
not necessarily physical
00:17:34.28\00:17:37.02
but it was just empowering
to now be a nonsmoker,
00:17:37.05\00:17:40.09
to know they've
accomplished something.
00:17:40.12\00:17:42.72
But going to the physical,
00:17:42.76\00:17:44.79
Cathleen said that she noticed
that she could breathe easier,
00:17:44.83\00:17:47.96
you know, before she had
this nagging cough for so long
00:17:48.00\00:17:51.80
and now she no longer has that.
00:17:51.83\00:17:54.07
She also mentioned that
she could exercise better.
00:17:54.10\00:17:56.34
I mean she could breathe better
so she could exercise better.
00:17:56.37\00:17:59.37
So she knows that benefit.
00:17:59.41\00:18:01.54
Also, you know,
you listened to Isaac,
00:18:01.58\00:18:05.58
I love how he described it.
00:18:05.61\00:18:07.02
He said, he...
00:18:07.05\00:18:08.45
the chain was broken
that he had freedom, you know,
00:18:08.48\00:18:13.22
it's almost like when you
are addicted to cigarettes
00:18:13.25\00:18:17.96
or any
addiction for that matter,
00:18:17.99\00:18:19.36
you feel like you're in bondage
00:18:19.39\00:18:21.33
or you're a slave to that thing.
00:18:21.36\00:18:23.67
And it must be such
an exhilarating feeling.
00:18:23.70\00:18:26.33
Oh, I know, it's an
exhilarating feeling
00:18:26.37\00:18:28.00
to know that you're no
longer a slave to that thing.
00:18:28.04\00:18:30.41
You're no longer in bondage.
So for him that was a benefit.
00:18:30.44\00:18:35.08
And for Brenda, she said that
00:18:35.11\00:18:38.55
just being more aware
of how good she smelled,
00:18:38.58\00:18:42.08
there was a sweetness about her,
00:18:42.12\00:18:43.45
I thought that was so
cute how she said that.
00:18:43.49\00:18:44.82
There was a sweetness about her.
00:18:44.85\00:18:46.19
And it was something that
she didn't want to compromise.
00:18:46.22\00:18:50.16
Now that's encouraging.
00:18:50.19\00:18:51.79
And this is
something that I want you do.
00:18:51.83\00:18:54.83
As a nonsmoker, I
called you a nonsmoker,
00:18:54.86\00:18:58.03
as a nonsmoker,
00:18:58.07\00:18:59.87
I want you to start
focusing on all the benefits
00:18:59.90\00:19:03.37
that you're
receiving on a day-day basis,
00:19:03.41\00:19:05.27
keep a journal, keep a log
00:19:05.31\00:19:07.21
and put down the
things that you are noticing.
00:19:07.24\00:19:09.54
If you're
starting to smell better,
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.58
taste better, touch better,
00:19:11.61\00:19:13.98
I mean everything
that you're noticing
00:19:14.02\00:19:15.48
from just feeling
better about yourself,
00:19:15.52\00:19:18.99
you want to
write these things down
00:19:19.02\00:19:20.66
because that's what's
going to encourage you
00:19:20.69\00:19:23.12
to keep on going.
00:19:23.16\00:19:24.49
If you're just
thinking about how much you miss
00:19:24.53\00:19:26.43
having that best friend
00:19:26.46\00:19:27.80
or that thing to
do with your friends,
00:19:27.83\00:19:29.56
you're going to be
thinking about the cigarettes
00:19:29.60\00:19:31.60
and not about all
the wonderful benefits
00:19:31.63\00:19:33.37
that you're
experiencing now as a nonsmoker.
00:19:33.40\00:19:36.67
Let's look at the next question.
00:19:36.71\00:19:38.94
Now this next question I
ask them especially for you.
00:19:38.97\00:19:43.38
I ask them, what
are your final thoughts?
00:19:43.41\00:19:46.21
If there was anything
that you wanted to tell someone
00:19:46.25\00:19:49.22
who wants to be a
nonsmoker like you,
00:19:49.25\00:19:51.05
what would you say to them?
00:19:51.09\00:19:52.65
Let's listen to the words
they have especially for you.
00:19:52.69\00:19:56.73
You know for
anyone that has the habit
00:19:56.76\00:20:00.76
or has had a habit,
00:20:00.80\00:20:04.27
you should realize that
God will ultimately help you
00:20:04.30\00:20:09.24
if you want that help.
00:20:09.27\00:20:11.54
If you really want
to quit, you can quit.
00:20:11.57\00:20:15.34
For those who don't pick,
have not picked up cigarettes,
00:20:15.38\00:20:18.35
don't pick them up,
00:20:18.38\00:20:19.71
it's something that is
very difficult to defeat
00:20:19.75\00:20:24.75
even when you think
you don't have a habit.
00:20:24.79\00:20:30.93
It's a habit.
00:20:30.96\00:20:33.96
You know, I was
blessed not to really have,
00:20:34.00\00:20:37.10
you know, great withdrawals
or at least withdrawals
00:20:37.13\00:20:39.43
that I felt but that doesn't say
00:20:39.47\00:20:42.50
that I wasn't hooked.
00:20:42.54\00:20:44.04
Of course while
I smoke I smoked.
00:20:44.07\00:20:47.58
So regardless
of how I felt about
00:20:47.61\00:20:50.88
or how I think or even
how I've spoke about smoking
00:20:50.91\00:20:54.18
while I was
smoking, I was hooked.
00:20:54.22\00:20:56.82
And God just
blessed me to overcome
00:20:56.85\00:21:02.29
because it is something
00:21:02.32\00:21:03.93
that was not
meant for mankind to do.
00:21:03.96\00:21:07.56
It's not part of His plan.
00:21:07.60\00:21:08.93
And He will bless you to defeat
any of the deceiver's strategy,
00:21:08.96\00:21:15.47
he wants to kill you.
00:21:15.50\00:21:16.84
I can say to encourage anybody
00:21:16.87\00:21:20.48
if you have the
problem of smoking,
00:21:20.51\00:21:23.68
you can gain the
victory just by asking God,
00:21:23.71\00:21:27.72
He will give it to you.
00:21:27.75\00:21:29.38
But if you don't have
enough to believe that,
00:21:29.42\00:21:35.16
then seek out help.
00:21:35.19\00:21:37.33
Don't be afraid to say,
"I need help with this."
00:21:37.36\00:21:41.06
There are agencies,
there are people among you
00:21:41.10\00:21:45.07
that can help you to get
over that slavery of smoking.
00:21:45.10\00:21:51.31
If I c1ould tell somebody
00:21:51.34\00:21:53.11
who was caught up in
addiction smoking, anything,
00:21:53.14\00:21:57.48
the only thing I would
really say is to go to God
00:21:57.51\00:22:00.48
because that's the only person
00:22:00.52\00:22:01.92
who can free
anybody of anything.
00:22:01.95\00:22:04.59
And to realize that you have
an option, you're not stuck,
00:22:04.62\00:22:08.22
this is not
something you have to be doing,
00:22:08.26\00:22:10.96
you don't have to feel like
you're missing anything either.
00:22:10.99\00:22:14.60
You can be freed whole
00:22:14.63\00:22:17.27
and it doesn't
00:22:17.30\00:22:19.60
have to be a loss.
00:22:19.63\00:22:25.07
Wasn't that beautiful?
00:22:25.11\00:22:26.54
Again that message was
special. It was for you.
00:22:26.57\00:22:30.81
And just to sum it up,
00:22:30.85\00:22:32.61
not to add to or take
away from what they said,
00:22:32.65\00:22:35.72
but they said go to God.
00:22:35.75\00:22:38.62
God can help you.
00:22:38.65\00:22:40.46
God can give you the victory.
00:22:40.49\00:22:43.99
I was listening to
a message recently.
00:22:44.03\00:22:46.90
It was kind of funny,
00:22:46.93\00:22:48.26
the speaker entailed the message
00:22:48.30\00:22:50.83
something like
how big is your but?
00:22:50.87\00:22:54.40
I know it makes you
laugh but this is serious.
00:22:54.44\00:22:58.17
The person who is speaking said,
00:22:58.21\00:23:00.24
a lot of times
when we have cravings
00:23:00.28\00:23:02.41
or dealing with cravings,
00:23:02.44\00:23:03.78
we say something
like this to ourselves
00:23:03.81\00:23:05.41
and I'm changing it up
00:23:05.45\00:23:06.78
'cause she was
talking about overeating
00:23:06.82\00:23:08.15
or something like that.
00:23:08.18\00:23:10.19
Picture in your mind,
00:23:10.22\00:23:12.49
"I want to quit,
but I'm too tired.
00:23:12.52\00:23:17.36
I want to quit but
I deserve a cigarette.
00:23:17.39\00:23:21.63
I want to quit,
00:23:21.66\00:23:23.00
but I just can't imaging
00:23:23.03\00:23:24.73
going forever
without a cigarette.
00:23:24.77\00:23:27.60
I want to quit,
00:23:27.64\00:23:28.97
but I just don't
have enough self-control."
00:23:29.00\00:23:33.54
She went on to
say something like,
00:23:33.58\00:23:36.18
well, I kind of
added this in there
00:23:36.21\00:23:38.11
but 'cause it's just
kind of goes along with it,
00:23:38.15\00:23:41.75
but she want to
say, God's but is bigger.
00:23:41.78\00:23:46.22
Now I'm not trying
to be facetious here.
00:23:46.25\00:23:49.32
Let's go to the word of God.
00:23:49.36\00:23:52.16
We want to look at
God's but being bigger.
00:23:52.19\00:23:56.23
Go to Genesis 8:1
and you understand
00:23:56.26\00:24:00.67
what I'm talking about
'cause I'm really serious
00:24:00.70\00:24:02.60
when I say that.
00:24:02.64\00:24:04.37
In Genesis 8:1, it says,
00:24:04.41\00:24:11.15
"But God remembered Noah,
00:24:11.18\00:24:13.45
and every living thing,
00:24:13.48\00:24:15.28
and all the cattle that
was with him in the ark."
00:24:15.32\00:24:19.19
If it wasn't for that but God,
would they have been forgotten?
00:24:19.22\00:24:22.69
Wouldn't they have
died with everyone else?
00:24:22.72\00:24:25.43
But God's but is bigger.
00:24:25.46\00:24:28.00
Let's look at another text.
00:24:28.03\00:24:29.76
I have Genesis 50:20,
00:24:29.80\00:24:33.50
and it reads, "But as for you,
00:24:33.54\00:24:37.41
you thought evil against me,
00:24:37.44\00:24:39.54
but God meant it unto good."
00:24:39.57\00:24:43.55
Again God's but was bigger
00:24:43.58\00:24:47.05
than the evil that
was meant against me.
00:24:47.08\00:24:49.78
Let's look at another text.
00:24:49.82\00:24:52.35
We have 1 Samuel
23:14, and it reads,
00:24:52.39\00:24:59.23
"And David abode
in the wilderness
00:24:59.26\00:25:01.33
and strong hold,
00:25:01.36\00:25:03.03
and remained in a mountain
in the wilderness of Ziph.
00:25:03.06\00:25:06.50
And Saul sought him every day,
00:25:06.53\00:25:09.54
but God delivered
him not into his hands."
00:25:09.57\00:25:14.44
Do you feel like
the temptation to smoke,
00:25:14.48\00:25:16.81
it's looking for you everyday?
00:25:16.85\00:25:19.01
Just remember,
God's but is bigger
00:25:19.05\00:25:22.52
and he won't deliver
you into those hands.
00:25:22.55\00:25:26.42
Another text is
found in Psalm 41,
00:25:26.45\00:25:31.06
Psalm 49:15, and it reads,
00:25:31.09\00:25:36.87
"But God will redeem my soul
from the power of the grave,
00:25:36.90\00:25:42.77
for he shall receive me."
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.17
Now that's just very clear.
00:25:45.21\00:25:47.38
His power will deliver
your soul from the grave.
00:25:47.41\00:25:52.21
The grave that can
come at the end of smoking
00:25:52.25\00:25:55.32
and that's not what we want,
we don't want to go that way.
00:25:55.35\00:25:58.49
Let's look at another text,
00:25:58.52\00:26:00.29
and this is
found in Psalm 73:26,
00:26:00.32\00:26:04.43
and that reads, "My
flesh and my heart faileth,
00:26:07.46\00:26:13.74
but God is the
strength of my heart
00:26:13.77\00:26:17.21
and my portion forever."
00:26:17.24\00:26:19.87
Let God be your strength, amen.
00:26:19.91\00:26:23.18
Let's look at one more text,
00:26:23.21\00:26:26.08
Romans 5:8,
00:26:26.11\00:26:32.52
and it reads,
00:26:32.55\00:26:34.19
"But God
commendeth his love toward us,
00:26:34.22\00:26:38.29
that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
00:26:38.33\00:26:42.93
Now I want you to remember
00:26:47.24\00:26:49.30
that little analogy
that we just put forth there.
00:26:49.34\00:26:53.91
You may have a lot of buts,
00:26:53.94\00:26:55.38
you may have a lot of
questions in your mind.
00:26:55.41\00:26:57.15
Is this something
that you can really do?
00:26:57.18\00:27:00.25
I want you to remember
00:27:00.28\00:27:01.72
that the buts
in the word of God,
00:27:01.75\00:27:03.65
when God intervenes,
00:27:03.69\00:27:06.35
there is healing,
there is deliverance,
00:27:06.39\00:27:08.82
there is the
entrance into a whole new life
00:27:08.86\00:27:12.03
you never
thought was imaginable.
00:27:12.06\00:27:15.13
Now remember when you've looked
at these personal testimonies
00:27:15.16\00:27:20.30
of all the participants,
00:27:20.34\00:27:22.00
you see that they
had ups, they had downs,
00:27:22.04\00:27:25.74
there were relapses,
there were struggles,
00:27:25.77\00:27:28.84
there were tears,
00:27:28.88\00:27:30.28
but they are nonsmokers
00:27:30.31\00:27:33.25
and you can be too.
00:27:33.28\00:27:37.39
My final thought with
you is, don't give up.
00:27:37.42\00:27:42.42
If you lose a battle,
00:27:42.46\00:27:43.83
you do not have to lose the war.
00:27:43.86\00:27:46.33
God is on your side.
00:27:46.36\00:27:48.13
He wants to see you
live and live a happy life.
00:27:48.16\00:27:52.70
The devil just
wants to destroy you.
00:27:52.73\00:27:54.90
Learn to satisfy
that craving within,
00:27:54.94\00:27:57.81
with God himself.
00:27:57.84\00:27:59.61