My Quit Smoking Journey Day 30

 

As some of you may know, I have been on a significant journey. The journey that I am referring to has to do with quitting smoking. As of today, I have officially gone a full month without a single cigarette. For those of you who know me personally know how big of a feat this has been for me. For this reason, I have decided to write this blog documenting my quit-smoking journey. The reason I want to do this is because I would like to give some encouragement to any Christian with mental illness who struggles with smoking. After all, I would like them to know that there is hope in Christ. If God can take away my addiction to cigarettes, then the Lord can do that for anyone. I am no one of importance. I am not more special than any other Christian (Actually, besides the Apostle Paul, I am probably the worst Christian!). Basically, what I am saying is that I am merely an average human being. There is no reason why God would favor me over another Christian. Anyway, so you may be wondering just how common smoking cigarettes is for people with mental illnesses, right? Well, according to the CDC (Center For Disease Control, people with mental illnesses, 

"...are more likely to smoke cigarettes (34.8% mentally ill people vs 16.5% non-mentally ill people" 

This is quite a remarkable statistic, right? However, there is more to this statistic, though. The CDC actually breaks this down to individual mental illnesses. For example, according to the CDC, 

"Schizophrenia: 62% to 90% of individuals smoke cigarettes
Bipolar Disorder: 44% to 74%of individuals tend to smoke cigarettes 
Major Depressive Disorder: 34%-46% of individuals smoke cigarettes 
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: 45%-61% of individuals smoke cigarettes" 

As someone who deals with Schizoaffective disorder bipolar type, I find this information astounding. It seems like I honestly had no chance of being a non-smoker. According to these statistics, I was a lost cause and I really should have been. However, the Lord never gave up on me, even when I was ready to give up on myself. All the glory goes to Him. 

Next, I would like to tell you about my story because I would like for you to know where I came from so that you will understand why it is such a celebration to see where I am now. The first time I ever started smoking was when I was in foster care back in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I was about 15 years old. I remember my foster brother and I would sneak outside around one in the morning to go by the outlet stores in search of what we called "re-fries". What we meant by "re-fries" was old cigarette butts that we would find outside. If you find this nasty, I do agree with you. It really was nasty and at the time I felt very uncomfortable, but I went along with it anyway. However, this only lasts for a couple nights. After that, I did not smoke again until I was nineteen years old. At this time, I was living in a teen group home called Step-In Group Home in Canon City, Colorado, and I was working towards getting my GED. In my GED class, there were two girls named Rita and Crystal. I would hang out with them literally every day and they are the ones who introduced me to Newport 100s. After a few hits on that cigarette, I was instantly hooked! However, after I moved out of the group home and into my own place, I could no longer smoke Newport 100s anymore due to their prices. So, I was thinking that there should be a cigarette that was just as good, but not so expensive. This is when I discovered Camel Wides and I really loved them  As a matter of fact, I loved them so much that I would "break the bank" by buying a pack of Camel Wides every day. However, there was still something about Newport 100s that I missed. I was not sure at the time what that was, but looking back, I know that it was the menthol I was missing. This is when I discovered Camel Crush. I felt like I finally found my perfect cigarettes because now I can smoke a menthol cigarette but it would be cheaper than Newports. I was completely satisfied with Camel Crushes and I would smoke these all the way up until my early 30s. At this time, I was living in Toledo, Ohio and I could no longer afford Camel Crushes. As a result, I began smoking Montego Menthols and I stuck with these all the way to the present time because they are the cheapest brand of cigarettes here in Ohio, besides Senecas, which I refused to get. If it seems like I love cigarettes too much, it is because it is the truth. I really do love smoking. I love how it makes me feel and how it tastes and I love the smell. But, I do realize that cigarettes are not good for my health and it really is killing me. For this reason, I am glad God has taken away these cravings finally. 

Now, I know you may be thinking "What about me?" right? I know you are probably feeling a little jealous of me because God has taken my craving away from me but not from you. Again, I would like for you to always keep in mind that I am no one special in God's eyes. I am "simultaneously a sinner and saint" just like you. It took me a very long time before I was able to quit smoking and even then it happened only after many years of begging God to take my cravings away. If you are currently smoking and you feel condemned, I would like to remind you of Romans 8:1, which says, 

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Italics mine)

Did you notice how Paul is speaking in the present tense in this verse? I do not believe this was an arbitrary choice from him. Paul was telling his readers that if we believe and trust in Christ then that means right this very moment we are no longer condemned. It does not matter what you do or have done or will do because you are forever covered in the grace of Christ. Ultimately, it does not matter if you keep smoking or if you want to quit. I know that statement is going to land me in a lot of hot water, but please hear me out. What I mean is this, if you are in Christ, that means your salvation is secured forever no matter what you do. When Christ was on the cross, He cried out "It is finished", and at that moment, the fate of all of God's elect was forever saved. It does not matter whether we sin or not because nothing can separate us from His love. However, there are many reasons why you should quit smoking. Three main reasons you should quit are: 

1) For your physical health benefits 
2) Smoking can cause you to urinate your medications out
3) Smoking breaks down the effectiveness of your medication

Now, it is time for me to give you some sound advice on how to overcome smoking cigarettes. The advice that I will dispense to you is the advice that applied to myself. If you consistently apply this advice to yourself, every moment of every day, you will be able to quit in God's time. The first passage of Scripture I'd like to draw your attention to comes from Matthew 14:22-33, which says the following, 

"22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way[a] from the land,[b] beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night[c] he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,[d] he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”"

As you can see from this text, as long as Peter was keeping his on Jesus, he was able to walk on the water toward Him. However, the very instant he took his eyes off Christ, he began to sink. When I read three different life applications to this passage. The first application, see is that just like Peter, we need to always keep our eyes on Jesus. This is vitally important because as soon as we look at the evil around us, we will inevitably sink. Our enemy is always looking for ways to cause us to look away from Jesus, but we must not succumb to sin. The second life application I see from this text is knowing that Jesus is always in control of everything that comes to pass. I am sure that you noticed how as soon as Jesus entered the boat, the wind and waves ceased. This is how powerful our God is. Nature listened to the God-Man. Isn't that fascinating? I think so. The third life application I see from this text is that Jesus is merciful when we fall into sin or when we take our eyes off Him. He should have left Peter to drown to death, but that is not what He did whatsoever. In actuality, He reached out His hand to rescue Peter. Jesus is doing the same for us who are addicted to smoking cigarettes. He does not condemn us, but He does want to set us free from anything that is holding us hostage. We just need to grab his hand that is reaching out to us. 

Finally, the next passage that I'd like to draw your attention to is commonly called the Parable of the Persistent Widow and we can find it in Luke 18:1-8. It says the following, 

"18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" 

As you can see from this text, the widow never ceased bothering the judge to fulfill her request. The text does not how many days she bothered him, but the point is that she never stopped. In other words, she begged him. This is actually the very thing that has helped me to quit smoking. I know that this may sound strange, or even pathetic, but it really did benefit. We should not think of ourselves as too good to beg God. He wants us to depend on Him wholeheartedly and He has ways of humbling us if we are too prideful. In my life, I got to the point where I decided that I was not too great to beg God. I literally would beg God every day and every minute of every day that He would take away my craving for cigarettes. I did not make any promises to God because I already knew that I would break them. No, instead, I just literally looked into the sky and begged the Father to cause me to quit. I did this literally every day and finally, He answered my prayers. I was basically the Persistent Widow, but God is a righteous Judge who granted me my request simply because He is good. 

I hope that this blog gives you hope that one day you will be able to quit smoking. If you do not ever quit smoking, that is fine too because you're not condemned either way. However, if you do quit, it will greatly benefit your health. If you think you are someone who is not capable of quitting, trust me, my closest friends thought the same of me too. As matter of fact, my brother, Joseph McDermott, told me that he would always tell his wife that he does not think that I will ever quit. Also, I am sure my brother, Joe Roman, thought the same thing after he gave up on trying to get me to vape instead, So, if anyone deserves God to cause them to quit smoking it would not be me. However, I am thankful that the Lord has healed me from my addictions. Soli Deo Gloria!

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

The Mental Health Of Benefits of Reading Books

 

As an avid reader of many books, I can testify to the many mental health benefits of reading good books. I know it may sound strange to hear that reading books can have mental health benefits, but numerous studies testify to this fact. In this blog, I shall discuss some of these benefits, but keep in mind that there are many more benefits. I do understand that for some people reading may be difficult due to short attention spans, ADD, or whatever else may be going on. The purpose of this blog is to generate more interest in people to read books for themselves. If you find reading too difficult, I recommend you start off small. You can start by reading one paragraph at a time until your mind gets stronger. Being a good reader is much like physical exercise. I say this because when you first start exercising, you cannot just jump right into lifting 500 lbs on your first day. No, you must start by lifting 10 lbs, then 20 lbs, etc. In the same way, when you start reading, you cannot start off reading a 500-page novel right away. You need to start by reading one paragraph, or even one sentence, at a time. Once you grasp that paragraph, even if you have to read it numerous times, then you will be able to move on to the next paragraph. If this sounds tedious, well, it is. Exercising your mind is very much like exercising your physical body. It may be difficult at first, but over time it will get easier and you will be grateful for the benefits. 

Some people say that they only read the Bible and that is perfectly fine, but even the Bible tells us that the Lord gives us teachers for the edification of the Church (Ephesians 4:11). This means that we were not meant to just interpret Scripture by ourselves, but that we are to look to teachers who have a firmer grasp of Scripture than we do. This does not mean that we shut off our brains and simply believe everything that our teachers tell us. No, we should always make sure that everything some teacher tells us actually lines up with the Bible. I agree that reading the Bible should take precedence over every other book, but that does not mean that the only book we should read is the Bible. As the great "Prince of Preachers" Charles Spurgeon once said, 

"Read many good books but live in the Bible" 

I believe what he desired when he said this was for people to actually get into the habit of reading more often. In today's day and age, people are so wrapped up in their technology (such as smartphones, smart TVs, video games, etc) that they neglect to read. As a result, people are suffering from stunted growth and mentality. I would love to reignite in people a newfound passion for reading. We should be grateful for the invention of the printing press because without it we would all be illiterate people who just blindly listened to what others in authority tell us. 

Now, that all that has been said and done, I will focus on what some of the mental health benefits of reading. As I've already said, these are some of the benefits, but they are not all the benefits. For the sake of this blog, I shall focus on only three benefits, but if you can think of any more, please feel free to share them in the comments below. 

Increase Critical Thinking Skills 

As I have alluded to earlier, if it were not for the invention of the printing press, we would all be illiterate people who blindly trusted authority figures. Nowadays, since we can read for ourselves, we can always fact-check anything we hear from someone. Reading for ourselves has greatly helped us develop critical thinking. There are literally millions of books out there on many different topics so the possibilities of learning are literally limitless. This does not mean all books are created equal. Just like there are false teachers in the world, there are false teachings too. This is why any time you pick up a book to read if it is not fiction, you should make sure the book lines up with God's Word before you trust the information in the book. 

Distraction 

One of the skills in DBT (Dialectal Behavioral Therapy) is called Distraction and it is one of my absolutely favorite skills that I've learned in therapy. I love this skill because anytime life gets too rough or my mental illness is becoming too great to bear, it helps me to get lost in a good novel Currently, one of the books I am reading is a novel called Batman Resurrection. I love to read books that transport me into another world where I do not have to worry about everyday life problems. However, I will caution you by saying that you can overdo distraction. What I mean by this is if you find yourself reading so much that you are neglecting to take care of daily chores or even neglecting your spouse or children, then you have to stop utilizing this skill and take care of your responsibilities. Distraction is an amazing skill to utilize but only within moderation. 

Improves Sleep 

This benefit is something I feel gets overlooked a lot. We tend to take our sleep for granted unless you are someone who struggles with sleep. Numerous studies have shown that a proper amount of sleep (at least 8 hours) has a great impact on one's mental health. However, some people still struggle with falling asleep or even staying asleep once sleep does come. This can be where reading a book can come into play. When you read a good book, it relaxes your mind and body. Once you are relaxed, then it should make it much easier for you to fall asleep and even stay asleep. I am not naive' enough to say reading will always help you sleep because there are always exceptions to everything. But, if you read before going to sleep, and have nothing else going on, it should make sleep easier and more enjoyable. 

I hope that this blog helps you understand the mental health benefits of reading books are. I could go on for hours talking about other benefits but I think you get the gist. Also, I hope that this blog encourages you to really give reading a chance. I know reading does not come easy for everyone, but if you can train your mind to read, then you will notice great benefits. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and may the riches of Jesus Christ grace bless you all!

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

How Doxology Is Good For Mental Health

 

Doxology is a word the modern American Christian is not accustomed to hearing in the twenty-first century. However, doxology is vital to a healthy Christian spirit. We must always thank our Lord and Savior, especially in these dark times. As a matter of fact, I would argue that if a Christian does not participate in doxology then that is evidence that their faith is a sham. What exactly is doxology, you ask? According to Dictionary.com, doxology is simply, 

"a liturgical formula of thanks to God" 

In other words, doxology is an expression of thankfulness to God. As Christians, we can always find things that we are thankful to the Lord for. I do not care how tough your life is because no matter how tough you may think you have it, there is always something you can be thankful for. I am not speaking as someone whose life has always been a cakewalk. During the thirty-six years that I've been alive on this earth, I've been homeless at least ten times. During those times I slept outside in extreme weather whenever I could not make it into the homeless shelter. Also, in my teenage years, I was incarcerated in juvenile detention. Furthermore, I have dealt with mental illness for a good majority of my life and I even almost lost my life on two separate occasions because of it too.  So, trust me when I say that if anyone has a right to not be thankful to the Lord, it would be me. However, no matter what I've been through in life, God has always shown Himself to be a faithful Father toward me. My life is a perfect example of the truth behind Romans 8:28, which says, 

"And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" 

The beautiful thing about this verse is that Paul is not saying that everything we go through in life will be good. What he is saying is that all things, whether good or bad, are currently working together for our good. We may not be able to see how a certain event is working out for our good, but since our God is sovereign and in control, we can trust Him in His word. 

You are probably wondering how this all relates to doxology and how doxology is beneficial to one's mental health, right? Well, before I get into the mental health aspect, I'd like to direct you to a certain Scripture. If we turn to Romans 11:33-36, we read the following, 

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that he might be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things! To Him be glory forever. Amen" 

As you can tell from this text, the Apostle Paul is breaking out into a hymn of thankfulness to the Lord. But, why is he doing this? Well, to answer that question, we must go back to the passages leading up to this final doxology. In chapter 7 of Romans, we see Paul talking about how the evil he does not want to do, that he does. But, the good he does want to do, that he does not do (Verse 15), He concludes that chapter by saying in verses 22-25,

"For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh, I serve the law of sin. (italics mine)

Here the Apostle Paul was looking inward and seeing that he was pure evil, which made him grieve. However, his solution was not to keep looking inward. When we look inward, we will be in despair because all we will ever see is bad. However, Paul realized the appropriate answer was to look outside of himself toward Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only good person because He is literally God, who is all good. It is precisely the fact that Jesus took our punishment upon Himself at the cross and rose again three days later, that we can look to Him and trust in His righteousness alone. When we trust in Him alone, we are not only credited with His righteousness but we are declared justified before the thrice holy God. This is why Paul can tell us in Romans 8:1, 

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus"

In chapter 8 of Romans, Paul tells us how we are heirs with Christ Jesus. If we turn to verses 15-16, we read the following, 

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry 'Abba Father!' The Spirit Himself bears witness without spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" 

As someone who pretty much spent a good portion of my life in foster care, I find a special affinity with this passage. I've always wanted to be a part of a family because I never really had one for myself. Sure, I have my sisters but I did not grow up with them. I pretty much grew up as an only child until I went into foster care. Even while in foster care, I did not feel like they were my family. As a result, I wandered around this world searching for a family. I say all this because I want you to know that I understand and what it is like to feel like you do not have a family of your own. However, what Paul is telling us here is that the Body of Christ is the true family we did not deserve but God gave to us anyway. The reason we are a family is because we have the same Heavenly Father who is our protector and provider. He even disciplines us when we need to be disciplined too. As a result of God being our father, we are joint heirs of everything that belongs to Christ. Since Christ is a King, this would mean that we are now considered to be royalty. 

Romans chapter 9 is probably the most controversial text in the entire book of Romans because it perfectly describes how God has predestined His elect people for salvation before the foundations of the world. God did this before we did anything good or evil so that His purpose of the election would show that it is not based on our works but on His grace alone. I know that some people might think this is unfair, but if we truly got what was fair, then none of us would be saved because we all have rebelled against God. So, the fact that God has elected anyone by His grace is truly amazing indeed! 

All of this that was written finally concluded in the doxological praise we see in chapter 11 earlier. You see, when Paul truly contemplated all of what we just went over, his only response was to express gratitude and honor to God. This is our only rational response too. As a matter of fact, if you do not feel like expressing gratitude to God after reading all of this, then either you are not saved or you do not truly understand God's gift of salvation and justification. As Christians who are saved by grace through faith, how can we do anything less than worshiping the Lord? As Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2, 

"I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" 

Living a life of gratitude toward the Lord is the only rational thing we should be doing. Now, what does all this have to do with mental health, you ask? As I think about this, I can think of three ways that doxology can have a positive impact on one's mental health. I will explain these three things, but I want you to know that there are more than just three positive impacts on mental health. For the sake of this blog, I am merely choosing to focus on these three, but if you can think of any more, please feel free to comment below. 

Doxology Keeps You Humble 

When you realize that God is the one is provides everything for you and that you are completely dependent upon Him, this knowledge should keep you humble. As a matter of fact, if you feel prideful in any sense, chances are you have not truly understood your own dependency on God. We own nothing in this life and everything in creation belongs to Him. So, anything He provides us with is truly a gift from our Heavenly Father. 

Doxology Eliminates Hatred 

There is something truly remarkable about how when every Lord's Day people from every walk of life and every socioeconomic background and race can come together to worship God as one body. Although we are all different from one another in more ways than one, we all belong to one Father, who made us all from one blood. It is for this reason that there is no room for racism, sexism, or any kind of hatred in God's kingdom. This does not mean we gloss over sin because God does delight in Truth. But, truth without love is another form of hatred, and love without truth is fantasy. 

Doxology Makes Us Hopeful 

When we have our eyes on Jesus and we truly trust in Him, we will understand that He is completely sovereign because He has orchestrated everything that comes to pass since the beginning of time. Nothing that has or will happen is beyond His knowledge. We also know that our God is good. This means that no matter what we endure in this life, we can go through every trial with hope because our God is guiding us all the way. It is for this reason that we can rest easy no matter what life brings us. 

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that it helps you to understand why doxology is so important for the life of Christians and how it will have a positive impact on our mental health if we engage in it truly. God is a good God who deserves all of our praise and worship. Even if He never does anything for us, He still deserves our worship just because of who He is. So, the fact that He does anything for us is evidence of His glory and majesty. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all. 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website