Today is the day

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

Day 56 - Desires Within

James 4:1-2 tells us, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? DonÂ’t they come from your desires that battle within you?"

I got upset. I really didn't care for how some people would go off on rants in the KTC community from time to time. Whether in chat, forum, groupme, etc... I observed it with people in my quit group and people out of my quit group. Generalizations about other religions, comments with racial undertones, questioning another person's manhood or sexuality, the idea that foreign is bad, etc... Why does it upset me? It touches close to home. There is a lot of misplaced anger wrapped up in the comments. This misplaced anger impacts me and people who I love dearly. So... I stepped away from the level of engagement that I usually engaged in for about 3-4 days. I needed to remove myself from an environment that was triggering the same kind of stress that used to lead me to dipping. Imagine that... a community to help me quit dipping, is triggering me to dip. But is it really??? I know there is a deeper desire that is not being unmet inside of me.

With that being said though... maybe the comments coming from people making generalizations about groups of people are about their desires left unmet within them. After all, most of the things they say are not grounded in much logic or fact when you peel back the layers. They are usually grounded in a collection of anecdotal examples, lack of exposure, and misguided information. There is a reason why these people avoid thoroughly thinking their thoughts though. It could be stress that comes from simply thinking about the situation. Life is complex after all. It could be fear of what it would uncover about themselves. It could be shame in how they drank the Kool-Aid they drank. It could bring up bad childhood memories. After all, a lot of it starts in the family. There could be many reasons why people avoid dealing with the roots of their discomfort. There are many escapes to avoid it. Dip is was one of them.

Those of us in here started dipping for a variety of reasons. I would imagine that most of us did not start dipping because it comforted us. However, I would imagine that a large portion of us grew to find comfort in dipping and this helped sustain the addiction. We would get stressed out, so we would dip. We would get frustrated, we'd dip. We'd ................, we'd dip. We'd often use dip as an escape from our problems. What happens when we quit though? Does it make the root of the problems go away? Even if you find a healthy alternative like exercise. Does it go away?

It doesn't make the problem go away. It just helps you maintain while dealing with it. It's like a Band-Aid. The Band-Aid doesn't fix the problem that caused the cut. It just helps ease it. When we go off on tangents about different groups of people, it doesn't solve it either. It just gives that person temporary gratification and makes them feel like their testicles are large. It just plays into a paintjob we create for a car with a broken down engine.

There are usually desires that battle within us that create fights internally and externally with others. We run away in a lot of ways. I literally used to leave an argument and go straight to dip. It's good to quit dipping. It won't help you any. However, is dip really at the root of your problem or was it simply one of many escapes that you use? Are you using other groups of people to escape and displace your problems too?

I quit with you all today. Let's keep peeling back the layers though... dip is only the surface.

[KingNothing]

Day 52 -- As the Honeymoon of KTC Fades...

Here I am on day #52... might as well be day #1 for all I care. We're all one hiccup away from day #1 anyway. I remember coming into this community. I was initially a little unsure and wasn't sure how to navigate it. However, I really appreciated the quickness in which some people were able to rope me in as if I were another brother of theirs. It felt good to connect with people who were bonded in a common struggle.

I caught on really quick and went to work to assist my cohort in establishing a sense of community. I worked with other guys to establish organization, communication, accountability, try to set a system of equitable duties, etc... that system is in place and it is working it's magic. I'm proud to say that I was a vital part in establishing it. There are many other newbies and vets who played important roles in that coming together.

However, over the last 50+ days as that organizational network came into formation, I've noticed something different about the brotherhood that I once enjoyed. I've observed just how shallow it can be at times. We are connected in that we are quit from Nic EDD and work on it ODAAT. However, that alone does not sustain a brotherhood and the community often enables a culture to persist that excludes some or at least makes it difficult for those "outsiders" to feel comfortable being here. It appears that some people have more loyalty for their hate than they do for this brotherhood. They just don't care. They have a right not to care. That's fine. What's most troubling is not so much the loud few who might rattle things that would chase some quitters away if they were gay or a woman or black or an immigrant or a Muslim or etc....it's the people who choose to remain silent. That's what is most deafening.... the silence... the enabling... Now this isn't some "PC police" rant as I can't really stand that stuff either. However, if we are in the business of actually helping support people to escape this can and kill it, you'd think more people would tell these loudmouths to shut up. Instead I've found that actually speaking out against it get's even more of a reaction out of people then the comments at first. People mobilize to defend it. The people who disagree, they stay silent.

It just reinforces the fact that we can not rely heavily on our family, our friends, or even this community... because the brotherhood can be shallow and can turn on you quickly... depending on what you believe in and where your convictions are outside of quitting dip.

That's why I continue to quit in honor of God. My God, Jesus Christ, sees all this foolishness and he sees the people who spread strife amongst others...he sees the prideful arrogance... he see the hurt people who hurt people... I don't quit for anybody else and I am not accountable to anybody else, not even in here... I am only accountable to Jesus.

This community has been helpful and I'm not going anywhere, but it certainly has it's limitations.

I'm sorry to hear this stuff CIKI. Let me start this post with saying that day 49-59 for me were a really tough stretch, to the point that I thought about post/ghosting and that be the extent of my involvement here. So I absolutely get what you're saying.

However, I think you're turning your back on what got you to where you are. I don't want this to turn into a religious debate. I, like you am God-fearing and put my faith and trust that He and His Son will save me in the end. However, my nicotine addiction has nothing to do with God. I didn't dip for Him, in spite of Him, or anything else. My nicotine addiction is centered in my animalistic selfish desire for pleasure, as is yours. God does not limit your ability to dip. You were given free will. You make the choice to If you aren't accountable to your brothers and sisters on this site, and they don't do the same for you, then this is just a very fancy calendar. When you were all piss and vinegar the first few weeks of your quit, it was great to see the fire that some of us have let wane during our quits.

That being said, this is your quit. I'm sure you've heard this before, but take what you need and leave the rest. That doesn't mean post and ghost, but it does mean you are well within your rights here to ignore some dickhead that wants nothing else than to mess with you. I, for one, rarely see that kind of thing. Oftentimes, it's coming from a good place disguised in dickheadishness to be funny, persuasive, etc.

I have come out of the day 49-59 "fuckits" a better quitter. I am more resolute than ever that I need to shove my addiction down nicotine's throat. I do it for me, first and foremost, and for my family next, but I could never have gotten it done without the people I've met on KTC. I still read hundreds if not a thousand posts a day because it reinforces all the reasons that I need and want to be quit.

You will do what is best for you CIKI, and you will absorb the material on KTC that you choose to absorb, but I would encourage you to open your mind a little to what is going on around here. It's not as doom and gloom as you might think, and it's certainly no reason to go into a shell where you only answer to God. He won't be posting on the forums today, and likely not tomorrow. We can hold each other accountable because we are all intimately familiar with nicotine addiction and its effects. As such, I can't thing of a better group of people to hold me accountable.

Just something to think about.

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

Day 52 -- As the Honeymoon of KTC Fades...

Here I am on day #52... might as well be day #1 for all I care. We're all one hiccup away from day #1 anyway. I remember coming into this community. I was initially a little unsure and wasn't sure how to navigate it. However, I really appreciated the quickness in which some people were able to rope me in as if I were another brother of theirs. It felt good to connect with people who were bonded in a common struggle.

I caught on really quick and went to work to assist my cohort in establishing a sense of community. I worked with other guys to establish organization, communication, accountability, try to set a system of equitable duties, etc... that system is in place and it is working it's magic. I'm proud to say that I was a vital part in establishing it. There are many other newbies and vets who played important roles in that coming together.

However, over the last 50+ days as that organizational network came into formation, I've noticed something different about the brotherhood that I once enjoyed. I've observed just how shallow it can be at times. We are connected in that we are quit from Nic EDD and work on it ODAAT. However, that alone does not sustain a brotherhood and the community often enables a culture to persist that excludes some or at least makes it difficult for those "outsiders" to feel comfortable being here. It appears that some people have more loyalty for their hate than they do for this brotherhood. They just don't care. They have a right not to care. That's fine. What's most troubling is not so much the loud few who might rattle things that would chase some quitters away if they were gay or a woman or black or an immigrant or a Muslim or etc....it's the people who choose to remain silent. That's what is most deafening.... the silence... the enabling... Now this isn't some "PC police" rant as I can't really stand that stuff either. However, if we are in the business of actually helping support people to escape this can and kill it, you'd think more people would tell these loudmouths to shut up. Instead I've found that actually speaking out against it get's even more of a reaction out of people then the comments at first. People mobilize to defend it. The people who disagree, they stay silent.

It just reinforces the fact that we can not rely heavily on our family, our friends, or even this community... because the brotherhood can be shallow and can turn on you quickly... depending on what you believe in and where your convictions are outside of quitting dip.

That's why I continue to quit in honor of God. My God, Jesus Christ, sees all this foolishness and he sees the people who spread strife amongst others...he sees the prideful arrogance... he see the hurt people who hurt people... I don't quit for anybody else and I am not accountable to anybody else, not even in here... I am only accountable to Jesus.

This community has been helpful and I'm not going anywhere, but it certainly has it's limitations.

[invader]

This is really good stuff, Ciki! REALLY good stuff. And for anyone else reading this, please do what Ciki is doing. You WILL acquire wisdom during your quit, and that wisdom is extremely valuable. PLEASE share it with others. We are quite literally are in the business of saving people's lives on this website. At 239 days quit, what Ciki wrote has given me something to think about and something that has strengthened my quit.

Thanks, Ciki! Quit with you!

- Invader

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

Bringing Clarity to "the Fog" - Day 40 Reflection

Trying to understand what the hell "the fog" is and how to make it better can be confusing for many people. In my experience, it is more about being self-aware than anything. You don't have more fog during days 20-30, around HOF, or even right before your comma... I'm not convinced there is a timeline for all this. Sure, there is a estimated time that the nicotine actually is leaving your system and your body is ridding itself from a physical addiction. However, there are a variety of things to keep on your radar as you uncover the mental, emotional, and behavioral addictions. These aspects (and maybe other aspects) have quite a domino effect as you peel back the layers. Here are a few that I noticed about myself.

Fog at work - When I was dipping, I developed a habit of drinking a lot of water and eating more, smaller meals. I picked up the habit of drinking water often because I was usually dipping on my way to work. I always had water with me. The dipping dehydrated me a little and my body was continuously asking me to restore the fluid. Additionally, I developed the habit of eating throughout the day. Why? If I split up my lunch, this gave me more time during my actual lunch to step away and dip. Of course, I did more than just dip. I usually read scripture and/or talked to the Lord during that time. However, the dipping was primary. When I stopped dipping, I changed both of these habits. I would begin drinking more coffee, instead of water. I didn't feel the need to break up my meals to make room for dipping at lunch. Therefore, I notice that I've bee dehydrating myself and have created longer gaps between my meals. Due to the hunger and thirst, I would begin to lose concentration and enter into a certain fogginess... This was most prominent in the afternoon when the caffeine from the coffee was beginning to wear down and out.

I wish I could share more right now... I might add a little later...

However, I will say this... be in tune with your behaviors as you quit dip. What are you doing differently? Are you drinking more alcohol? Are you drinking more coffee? Are you eating more, less, or different? How's your water intake? Are you stepping away to clear your head like you used to do while dipping? Now that you can't run to dipping when stressed, what do you run to? If you don't run to anything, what impact is that having on you?

More to come...

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

First off, I don't know where to post this so I apologize if this is in the wrong forum. Tuesday October 27, 2015 was my quit day. To help my quit, I've stopped drinking alcohol for the mean time (alcohol makes the temptations almost impossible to resist for me) and am just grinding it out.

One thing I have noticed immediately after quitting was that I've got a sore throat/lump in the back of my throat.. Is this normal? I went to the doctor today and got blood work done and was given a clean bill of health but figured I'd get yalls insight.

Finally, I am thrilled to have found a resource like this to help me quit. I'd bet that this forum has had a major impact so I'd also like to say THANK YOU for giving me a spot to help me quit and stick to quitting!!

Hey Long Time Coming,

This is great to hear! Good choice. I am going to suggest that you post this to the February 2016 quit group. This would be the group you would be a part of.

I will be right back. I'll post the link in here for you.

Actually, I'm going to emai it to you as well because you might not see it here. Just in case though, here it is:

topic/11383298/35/#new

Thanks!! Thats a huge help. Appreciate the quick help and assistance.

My pleasure...feel free to lean on me if ya need help.

U might wanna venture over to the live chat...there is always someone there to help

[LongTimeComing]

First off, I don't know where to post this so I apologize if this is in the wrong forum. Tuesday October 27, 2015 was my quit day. To help my quit, I've stopped drinking alcohol for the mean time (alcohol makes the temptations almost impossible to resist for me) and am just grinding it out.

One thing I have noticed immediately after quitting was that I've got a sore throat/lump in the back of my throat.. Is this normal? I went to the doctor today and got blood work done and was given a clean bill of health but figured I'd get yalls insight.

Finally, I am thrilled to have found a resource like this to help me quit. I'd bet that this forum has had a major impact so I'd also like to say THANK YOU for giving me a spot to help me quit and stick to quitting!!

Hey Long Time Coming,

This is great to hear! Good choice. I am going to suggest that you post this to the February 2016 quit group. This would be the group you would be a part of.

I will be right back. I'll post the link in here for you.

Actually, I'm going to emai it to you as well because you might not see it here. Just in case though, here it is:

topic/11383298/35/#new

Thanks!! Thats a huge help. Appreciate the quick help and assistance.

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

First off, I don't know where to post this so I apologize if this is in the wrong forum. Tuesday October 27, 2015 was my quit day. To help my quit, I've stopped drinking alcohol for the mean time (alcohol makes the temptations almost impossible to resist for me) and am just grinding it out.

One thing I have noticed immediately after quitting was that I've got a sore throat/lump in the back of my throat.. Is this normal? I went to the doctor today and got blood work done and was given a clean bill of health but figured I'd get yalls insight.

Finally, I am thrilled to have found a resource like this to help me quit. I'd bet that this forum has had a major impact so I'd also like to say THANK YOU for giving me a spot to help me quit and stick to quitting!!

Hey Long Time Coming,

This is great to hear! Good choice. I am going to suggest that you post this to the February 2016 quit group. This would be the group you would be a part of.

I will be right back. I'll post the link in here for you.

Actually, I'm going to emai it to you as well because you might not see it here. Just in case though, here it is:

topic/11383298/35/#new

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

First off, I don't know where to post this so I apologize if this is in the wrong forum. Tuesday October 27, 2015 was my quit day. To help my quit, I've stopped drinking alcohol for the mean time (alcohol makes the temptations almost impossible to resist for me) and am just grinding it out.

One thing I have noticed immediately after quitting was that I've got a sore throat/lump in the back of my throat.. Is this normal? I went to the doctor today and got blood work done and was given a clean bill of health but figured I'd get yalls insight.

Finally, I am thrilled to have found a resource like this to help me quit. I'd bet that this forum has had a major impact so I'd also like to say THANK YOU for giving me a spot to help me quit and stick to quitting!!

Hey Long Time Coming,

This is great to hear! Good choice. I am going to suggest that you post this to the February 2016 quit group. This would be the group you would be a part of.

I will be right back. I'll post the link in here for you.

[LongTimeComing]

First off, I don't know where to post this so I apologize if this is in the wrong forum. Tuesday October 27, 2015 was my quit day. To help my quit, I've stopped drinking alcohol for the mean time (alcohol makes the temptations almost impossible to resist for me) and am just grinding it out.

One thing I have noticed immediately after quitting was that I've got a sore throat/lump in the back of my throat.. Is this normal? I went to the doctor today and got blood work done and was given a clean bill of health but figured I'd get yalls insight.

Finally, I am thrilled to have found a resource like this to help me quit. I'd bet that this forum has had a major impact so I'd also like to say THANK YOU for giving me a spot to help me quit and stick to quitting!!

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

Navigating the Fog w/ Jesus - Day 35 Reflection

Mark 4:38-41 says,

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Quitting dip can be quite a storm. Especially in the early days. The nicotine withdrawal, mental adjustments, behavioral adjustments, social adjustments, etc... it can be a lot of moving pieces. We can feel like Jesus' disciples in the boat above. You will hear a lot of people talk about leaning on KTC, leaning on your quit group, leaning on vets, exchanging numbers, posting roll, engaging in forums, engaging in the chat room, etc... These are all good ideas. However, these people and this site alone are not reliable sources to sustain your quit.

I believe that if you are a Christian, your quit can't be just about your kids. It can't just be about your spouse or family. It can't be about your quit group. It can't just be about KTC even. It can't even just be about yourself. It can't even be just about yourself. Life is not all about YOU YOU YOU. Before, during and after this storm, the only reliable source to fully depend on is Jesus. Seek Him first, walk the narrow path, and then work out from there. You'll see that it will naturally flow to those other commitments. Nobody else can be fully relied upon, not even yourself. Only Him. Do this to honor your creator. You can fool others and you can even fool yourself, but you can't fool Him.

I respect a lot about the perspectives I get here in KTC. We have many "vets" who are more than willing to chime in and give good advice. I used quotations around vets because they are just as close to day #1 as the rest of us. However, my quit is not guided by the rules of this community or the advice I get from "vets." I respect the rules of KTC and many (if not most) are consistent with Christian values. I think we can find some parallels in many practices. However, I will be guided by principles that are biblically consistent as a Christian.

In just 35 days, I've seen "vets" turn into Day #1 over night. For years, I'm sure, the same approach has been taken. Someone caves and a storm is created for them to enter so that they learn their lesson and they are made an example of. It happens over and over... Yet.... people continue to cave. People give into their fleshly desires. As a Christian, it seems to me, that caving is just that, giving into your fleshly desires. Galatians 5:17 tells us that "the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please."

Therefore, the more that I am in the Spirit, the easier it will be for me to resist the desires of the flesh such as caving. With that being said, unless you give me advice that is intended on drawing me closer to the Holy Spirit, I will listen, but it won't stick very much. This is not out of disrespect for you. We simply have different guiding principles and I'm not interested in traveling your path.

I'm not afraid of caving. I'm not afraid about you or anybody else caving. I have faith in Jesus and am drawing closer to the Holy Spirit daily. THIS will sustain my cave if I am actively seeking God. Why? Because putting that garbage in my lip was doing nothing to advance my relationship with Him or carry out His will in my life. When someone caves or someone misses roll or posts late, I'm not going to worry that they are going to drown. If they are walking with Jesus, they'll learn to weather the storm with grace. I'm more concerned for you if you don't find Him, even if you've received a comma.

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

Money, Dipping, and the Christian Way

Jesus told His followers, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).

As a Christian, I am called to tithe 10% of my earnings to the church. We believe that the money we receive is not of our own, but it is a blessing from God. We are not giving OUR money away. We are giving back what God has provided to us, to the church, which is a part of the body of Christ. With this money, the church will handle the corporate approach to doing God's work.

How many times did I fail to tithe? Maybe an easier and less time-consuming question to answer would be, how many times was I actually obedient to this? To say the least, it was more the exception then the rule for me.

However... no matter how broke I was. No matter how broke my wife and I were, if the craving came about...I'd find the money to dip. I would go through hell and high water to come up with the treasure to store with my pimp. I never did the same to provide back to the Lord. I was honoring two Gods. However, I was giving preference to the Nic god. What a shame. However, I am a new man in many ways and have turned away from this idol.

Between quitting dip and quitting drinking (33 days and 26 days respectfully), I have saved a good amount of "my money." However, instead of seeing this as "saving my money" and then spending it on something else that really is not needed, I'm going to use this opportunity to restore it to it's proper place and take it as an opportunity to lead my family down the road of properly tithing.

This journey, once again, is bringing me closer to the Lord.

I quit today in His name.

Wow CIKI, I did not know you kicked alcohol and nicotene. Can't imagine the hell you have been through!! It is awesome to see other people walking closer to the lord through their quit. There is no way I would be where I'm at now considering where I was only 17 days ago without his help! He is truly an amazing God!

Amen, brother....amen.

God is good all the time.

Surprisingly, it hasn't been too bad. There have been moments though.

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

Money, Dipping, and the Christian Way

Jesus told His followers, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).

As a Christian, I am called to tithe 10% of my earnings to the church. We believe that the money we receive is not of our own, but it is a blessing from God. We are not giving OUR money away. We are giving back what God has provided to us, to the church, which is a part of the body of Christ. With this money, the church will handle the corporate approach to doing God's work.

How many times did I fail to tithe? Maybe an easier and less time-consuming question to answer would be, how many times was I actually obedient to this? To say the least, it was more the exception then the rule for me.

However... no matter how broke I was. No matter how broke my wife and I were, if the craving came about...I'd find the money to dip. I would go through hell and high water to come up with the treasure to store with my pimp. I never did the same to provide back to the Lord. I was honoring two Gods. However, I was giving preference to the Nic god. What a shame. However, I am a new man in many ways and have turned away from this idol.

Between quitting dip and quitting drinking (33 days and 26 days respectfully), I have saved a good amount of "my money." However, instead of seeing this as "saving my money" and then spending it on something else that really is not needed, I'm going to use this opportunity to restore it to it's proper place and take it as an opportunity to lead my family down the road of properly tithing.

This journey, once again, is bringing me closer to the Lord.

I quit today in His name.

Wow CIKI, I did not know you kicked alcohol and nicotene. Can't imagine the hell you have been through!! It is awesome to see other people walking closer to the lord through their quit. There is no way I would be where I'm at now considering where I was only 17 days ago without his help! He is truly an amazing God!

Amen, brother....amen.

God is good all the time.

[GrizBeGone]

Money, Dipping, and the Christian Way

Jesus told His followers, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).

As a Christian, I am called to tithe 10% of my earnings to the church. We believe that the money we receive is not of our own, but it is a blessing from God. We are not giving OUR money away. We are giving back what God has provided to us, to the church, which is a part of the body of Christ. With this money, the church will handle the corporate approach to doing God's work.

How many times did I fail to tithe? Maybe an easier and less time-consuming question to answer would be, how many times was I actually obedient to this? To say the least, it was more the exception then the rule for me.

However... no matter how broke I was. No matter how broke my wife and I were, if the craving came about...I'd find the money to dip. I would go through hell and high water to come up with the treasure to store with my pimp. I never did the same to provide back to the Lord. I was honoring two Gods. However, I was giving preference to the Nic god. What a shame. However, I am a new man in many ways and have turned away from this idol.

Between quitting dip and quitting drinking (33 days and 26 days respectfully), I have saved a good amount of "my money." However, instead of seeing this as "saving my money" and then spending it on something else that really is not needed, I'm going to use this opportunity to restore it to it's proper place and take it as an opportunity to lead my family down the road of properly tithing.

This journey, once again, is bringing me closer to the Lord.

I quit today in His name.

Wow CIKI, I did not know you kicked alcohol and nicotene. Can't imagine the hell you have been through!! It is awesome to see other people walking closer to the lord through their quit. There is no way I would be where I'm at now considering where I was only 17 days ago without his help! He is truly an amazing God!

[Can_I_Kick_It?]

Money, Dipping, and the Christian Way

Jesus told His followers, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).

As a Christian, I am called to tithe 10% of my earnings to the church. We believe that the money we receive is not of our own, but it is a blessing from God. We are not giving OUR money away. We are giving back what God has provided to us, to the church, which is a part of the body of Christ. With this money, the church will handle the corporate approach to doing God's work.

How many times did I fail to tithe? Maybe an easier and less time-consuming question to answer would be, how many times was I actually obedient to this? To say the least, it was more the exception then the rule for me.

However... no matter how broke I was. No matter how broke my wife and I were, if the craving came about...I'd find the money to dip. I would go through hell and high water to come up with the treasure to store with my pimp. I never did the same to provide back to the Lord. I was honoring two Gods. However, I was giving preference to the Nic god. What a shame. However, I am a new man in many ways and have turned away from this idol.

Between quitting dip and quitting drinking (33 days and 26 days respectfully), I have saved a good amount of "my money." However, instead of seeing this as "saving my money" and then spending it on something else that really is not needed, I'm going to use this opportunity to restore it to it's proper place and take it as an opportunity to lead my family down the road of properly tithing.

This journey, once again, is bringing me closer to the Lord.

I quit today in His name.