ABOUT THE AUTHOR - JIM LITES

Personal – Jim is married and has three sons, ages 24, 29 and 31. A special thanks goes to his A+ Certified 29 year-old for his assistance and computer expertise in helping his dear old dad put the Armor Of God Stop Smoking Method Home Page together. Also, Jim performs as a magician for business, school and church groups. Further, Jim is active in Vietnam veterans activities, having served with the 15th/90th Special Operations Squadron, Nha Trang, RVN from 1970-71. He is a member in good standing of Stray Goose International, a veterans organization comprised of current and former members of C-130 special operations squadrons. Jim is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he was a member and officer of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society.

RAMBLINGS

17 December 2011

This will be a short ramble...much as transpired since August...I've had the opportunity to spread the Word about the AOG website on a couple of radio stations around the country. Please check the links to the latest interview on radio station KBJS. I do apologize for the pop-up advertisement page that comes with the link, but it does provide you with a short, but good program. To top the interviews, I ended up finding someone who loves me as much as I love her, and we were married back on November 3rd. So, there has been much happiness, and I thank Him for all of His wonderful gifts. At this season of joy, I hope each and everyone of you has a blessed holiday, and a wonderful new year. The start of the new year is as good a time as any to consider ceasing your nicotine addiction, so if you're still struggling, please take a look at the AOG method as a way to stop. God Bless.

24 August 2011

Here it is, August, 2011…I look back since I last made a Ramblings entry, and realize how long it has been. So much has changed in my personal and business life since that last entry. Throughout both the highs and lows of life over the last 6 years, I have persevered completely in my commitment to never touch tobacco again, and, as always, it was only through His grace that carried me. Each of you can also persevere over the challenges placed before you, just raise up your concerns, fears and even joys to Him…He WILL listen and provide every time. Remember, all is in His time not ours (that has always been a tough one for me, but I get over it).

Over the last couple of months, thanks to the Veterans Administration, I have quit a second job I held for 8 years, and it has afforded me the opportunity to again focus on the AOG Ministry and expanding the AOG Method to book form. I give you the basics of the AOG Method on the website, but attempt to provide a more detailed view of my interpretation of the Gospel of Paul through the book version (albeit a small book, but good things come in small packages at times). I have begun an outreach program, and invite each of you to pass along information on the website wherever you believe it will help someone break the cycle of nicotine addiction. We are all brothers and sisters in the Word, and I ask each of you to join me in this journey. God Bless – Jim

18 September 2005

I was performing some updates on the AOG website recently, and it occurred to me that it has been ages since I’ve made a posting to Ramblings. I think I have been so overwhelmed with my business and personal obligations over the last couple of years, I’ve neglected ongoing updates. Not that my words of wisdom (using the term loosely) or musings are of any great importance to the overall message of the AOG website. When I initially setup the website, I wanted it to be able to stand on its own merits. Even then, I knew I wouldn’t have scads of time to devote to maintenance, although I certainly didn’t envision the amount of time I have obligated myself to of late, so I wanted my interpretation of the lessons of Paul’s Gospel to provide a message of hope for those addicted to nicotine. I have made some changes over the years. I expanded my original writings to include those which are included in what perhaps one will be a real book, but the Lord hasn’t yet determined the time for that to happen. Everything happens in its own time, which includes escape from addiction.

We have seen so much going on in the world since I last wrote. Unfortunately, war continues in foreign lands, but not in the United States. The terrible tsunami and hurricanes have ravaged lands abroad and here in the States. Then there are the earthquakes and fires, and it is almost enough to believe the End Times are upon us. However, the thing is that all of the natural disasters have been upon our earth from the beginning of time, with war being not far behind. Our communications are more rapid than they have ever been in the history of man, so, as previous generations have found, it does not behoove man to attempt to guess God’s timetable. Everything is His direction, even in your own life, He directs you, He talks to you, He makes every effort to guide you….but, if you are like I was, you don’t listen. You enjoy your comfort zone, you “love” the rush the nicotine gives you as you take your smoke break away from your office. There is even a subculture within most of corporate America, where the smokers are forced to socialize with other smokers at the “Butt Hut” or whatever designated smoking area there is for any particular employer. Actually, the best informal information (gossip) within corporate America comes from the exchange of information by smokers. There is something grotesque about such a situation, but it’s a fact. So, not only do smokers have the addiction of nicotine, but they have the additional addiction of gossip. Wow! I truly did not know where this Ramblings was going when I started, but after all of these years, both addicted and non-addicted, I have never hit upon the idea that gossip was addictive. Guess what smokers, many of you are dealing with a double whammy, but not to worry both can be overcome.

Proverbs 20:19 states: “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.” NIV. As gossip betrays confidences, and many times destroys personal relationships, nicotine betrays you. Learn to overcome both, as He who loves you will guide you. He is always there for you. Do not fear…have faith. Songs and words of faith reach deep into my soul, as, even at this stage of my life, I find my faith in my own abilities is tested many times each day. I have to remind myself that I truly am not in charge, He is, and He will provide for me and mine, He will guide me, He will heal my physical and spiritual wounds and He will meet me at the end of my life’s journey. He will do this for each person who calls out for Him, and sometimes He will even whisper hope into your ear…just listen.

God Bless,

Jim

11 January 2004

God Bless

Jim

1 January 2004

God Bless,

Jim

11 November 2003

Wow!!! Today’s date marks the fifth year anniversary of my personal freedom from nicotine addiction via the use of the smoking, noxious fumes of burning tobacco!!!

Have YOU set your Quit Date???

If you have, Congratulations!!! If not, why not??

All things are possible with His help! You are not alone in this fight for your life. There are those of us, even through tough, resistant hides, who have accepted the gifts of our Savior. Even if we might not have thought we deserved them, we finally let down our personal, earthly defenses, and let Him into our lives.

Would I change what I’ve done? Do I have any regrets? Would I do it again?

I wouldn’t change a thing, I have no regrets, and I’m sorry it took me 33 + years to getting around to truly letting Him into my life.

Letting Him into your life helps guide you along the crooked and narrow path that we all must walk. Are there missteps? Do you live in a perfect world after surrendering to Him?

Sure there are missteps, we’re only human, and the only perfect world is not contained within this limited, earthly life, but is ours for eternity…if we merely accept it.

Does stopping smoking and/or the use of tobacco products change your life? Certainly it does, but every bit of it is to your benefit, and also of benefit to those you love and who love you.

Now, if you haven’t set your Quit Date, or haven’t committed to extending your life by ending your nicotine addiction, it is time.

Please accept the marvelous gifts He has to offer, you will never regret it.

Happy Veterans Day and God Bless,

Jim

28 April 2003

Greetings! I can’t believe so much time has elapsed since my last entry on this page. It was a dark day, which begat many such following days in our family. We have now gone through Christmas and Easter without my father-in-law, it hasn’t been easy, but we know he now sings with the angels. As many of you know, Dr. Elbert Morton was a major catalyst in my developing the Armor Of God Stop Smoking Method, although he himself smoked until he closed his eyes at his computer one dark November night, and never opened them. Did his smoking contribute to his early death? I cannot say for sure, but it certainly didn’t help.

The uncertainty of such situations sometimes causes us to avoid seeing our health picture in the long run. You might not have cardiac, circulatory or pulmonary problems at the present time, but think about where you will be in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years...or, do you just avoid thinking about the future, in order to enjoy your addiction now?

I will tell you that one of the things I was told when I first began my own journey was, not immediately, but in the foreseeable future, I would experience significant health problems if I did not quit smoking. There is no question in my mind that I have added years to my life, and I plan to enjoy them for what they are, a gift from God. Where will you be in the foreseeable future?

What else has transpired since I last made an entry...oh, lets see...perhaps a war??? Since this is my “Ramblings” page, that means sometimes I do ramble. Many prayers have been lifted up over the last few weeks. We have friends who have 2 of their 3 sons on the front lines...one an Apache pilot/weapons officer and the other a company commander of combat engineers/bridge builders. I would imagine most of you know of someone who is involved in some form or fashion in Operation Iraqi Freedom. War is a terrible thing, but to ignore an evil and a threat in today’s world is far more terrible. I confess that I orchestrated a counter-demonstration that effectively stopped an anti-American demonstration from invading the grounds of the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Yes, people have a right to dissent...but, just because there is a right to do something doesn’t make it right. Additionally, I have personally experienced some feelings with which I have a hard time addressing, both to others and myself. After the Gulf War, Vietnam veterans, more than most, made sure that our returning troops knew we supported and loved them. There were parades and homecomings, because we were not going to have the troops trying to second guess if their sacrifices were worth what they paid. There are still some lingering issues, such as the Gulf War Syndrome...much like Agent Orange was to Vietnam...having an Agent Orange-related disability, that issue is still a daily part of my life. There will probably be some similar situations that result from Operation Iraqi Freedom, but the warriors will know that they are not forgotten.

I would ask that each of you pray daily for peace in all of the trouble spots around the globe, and pray for the peacemakers.

God Bless

Jim

3 November 2002

The sun, from sorrow, refused to shine today. Sometime late Saturday night or early this morning, the person who first exposed me to the Armor of God verse, my father-in-law, Dr. Elbert E. Morton, ascended in glory to the mansion our Savior had prepared for him. It was very sudden and unexpected, and, though we are comforted in the blessed assurance that Grandpapa is dancing with the saints, we are faced with a great void in our earthly lives. Dr. Morton was an educator who touched many young lives over his years of teaching. I think one of his greatest joys was seeing his daughter, my wife, start her second career as a elementary school teacher just this year. I learned much from him over the years, and considered him as much a friend as an in-law. I would ask the friends of the AOG website to lift up the man we called Grandpapa and those of us who already dearly miss him. Many thanks.

God Bless

Jim

28 October 2002

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7, NIV. Wow! What words!!! What a promise!!! I’ve been mulling over a topic for the “Ramblings” section for a few weeks, and these words from a recent Gospel lesson at church just jumped off the page at me. Think about the first 4 words...”Do not be anxious...” You want to talk about anxious...think about nicotine cravings, and how anxious it can be if something upsets the apple cart and gets in the way of feeding that craving? I’ve been there, I’ve done that...I know about anxious...odds are, so do you. The Word next tells us to put everything in prayer and petition...”with thanksgiving” (key words) to God....and, I’m not saying to pray....”Thank you Lord for giving me a chance to light up”...No, I’m talking about the promise that follows....”...the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. I’m saying to thank the Lord for the gift of His Son, His love and His understanding. Key words with “peace of God” are “which transcends all understanding”. Don’t try to second guess what He has in mind for your life...merely accept what He offers. Thank Him for each day, hour or minute that you don’t poison your body with the drug nicotine. Through Him and with Him all things are possible. Have a good Fall Y’all!

God Bless

Jim

6 August 2002

The saying goes, the more things change, the more they remain the same. The AOG website has gone through minor but sutble changes over the last couple of years. After about a year and a half, I discovered that the AOG website’s message was being accessed by folks in countries around the world that I, even being a fairly decent geography student and having traveling halfway around the world and back, had to look up in the world atlas. At that point, I decided to add the word “Worldwide” into the website title, changing “The Armor Of God Stop Smoking Home Page” to “The Worldwide Armor Of God Stop Smoking Home Page”. I even installed the fancy little spinning globe animated image...well, I think it’s neat. Today, I’m taking the AOG website a step further along in my own journey of faith, with the addition of the word “Ministries” to the title; thus, you will now find “The Worldwide Armor Of God Stop Smoking Ministries Home Page”. I have had several people comment on my “ministry” over the last 3 years, but I haven’t thought of myself or my efforts as being worthy of such a term. However, I now believe I can accept the charge of the word, and I pray that I can continue to be able to help people find an answer to the addiction of nicotine...or whatever addiction to which they are able to apply the AOG method principles. I would ask that each of you assist me in these efforts by passing the AOG website URL to at least one other person who you feel might benefit from the message. Working together, we can fight the good battle to end the blight of nicotine addiction.

God Bless

Jim

26 June 2002

Summer is upon us in the American South...heat and humidity. I remember when I smoked, I would go out into the heat and take a drag of that hot smoke, and get hotter than I already was, but my addiction didn’t care, it was getting fed. It didn’t matter that the heat combined with high humidity would nearly take your breath away, I just had to suck that super-heated smoke into my lungs. These days I just have to put up with the heat and humidity, and I hope (for those of you in warm climates) that is all you have to put up with.

Now that I’ve given the weather report, how about a prayer report? I know most of you who visit this website have many prayer visits with God. I know you’ve discussed your addictions at great length, but have you thought about others facing the same challenges? You know the old saying, “two heads are better than one”. Well, you can apply that to prayer too. I have a challenge for each of you, each day take a moment and pray for all the others who are fighting their own personal addictions. Of course, you can include yourself, but pray for those who are seeking help for their addictions, and also pray for those who do not know or understanding their need for help with their addiction. Also, listen for answers to your prayers for both yourself and others. I think you will find, once you begin the process, that going forward, prayers for others will come automatically. Try it, you’ll like it!

God Bless

Jim

27 May 2002

Today is Memorial Day in the United States, and, as it always does, it causes me to reflect on the sacrifices required to maintain a free country, and the men and women who made those sacrifices. The name of one of my high school acquaintances is carved into the black granite of both the Arkansas and National Vietnam Veterans Memorials. May 2nd of this year marked the 35th anniversary of his date of casualty. I made time to go by and leave a remembrance ( a copy of the Pine Bluff Commercial notice of his death) at the Arkansas memorial, which is not far from my office. Today as I remembered not only James Edward “Peanut” Hill’s sacrifice, but all others from Revolutionary times to present, the thought occurred to me what brought us all together in high school, we all smoked together. Back in the mid-sixties, it was not uncommon for high schoolers to smoke at school, and in some cases, in designated smoking areas. Maybe if I hadn’t smoked way back when, I might not have gotten to know Peanut. I really never did know anything about his family. His obituary said he was married, but that was the first I’d ever known about his life since he dropped out of high school in the 11th grade. I don’t know if he ever had any children, he was a 19-year old Marine when he died in a firefight near a no-name village in the jungles of Vietnam. Much has changed both in myself and the world over the last 35 years, marriages, children, jobs and I quit smoking, although for the vast majority of those years, I did smoke. I still never forget, and I make every effort to honor our fallen heroes each year, I just don’t follow it up with a smoke afterwards. Many of you who are now searching for answers to your nicotine addiction will associate smoking with activities, friends, places and events that make up a part of what you are now. Sometimes you are afraid that if you let go of your smoking you’ll be letting go of a piece of what and who you are...guess what? You’re right, but if you do quit it takes nothing away from where you’ve been, it just adds to the joy in your life going forward. Never forget where you’ve been and what has brought you to this point, but know the joy of His gifts of love. Your nicotine addiction can, and should, be a part of your past. Leave it there, and go forward in praise of His name. Let Him into you life, and His light will show you the path.

God Bless,

Jim

1 April 2002

I hope everyone’s Easter was a good one, and that your year has also treated you well. In the corporate world we know today as the “start of the 2nd quarter”. Let me ask you, how was your 1st quarter of 2002? How many of you made New Year’s resolutions or Lenten intentions to quit smoking? How have you done? Have your resolutions or intentions met your expectations? I hope and pray they have, but if they haven’t, don’t despair, and don’t give up.

Many times we think if we “put our minds to it” then “it’s” going to happen. As one of my favorite lines from the Bard states: “All things be ready if our minds be so”. However, not only must our minds be ready, but also our spirits and our spiritual life. As many of you know, I don’t consider myself to be a worthy messenger of the AOG Method, but, considering where the message is coming from, I’m not in a position to question my Navigator. I had no idea where my path would lead when I started this website. In other words, I really had no expectations. I knew the enormous size of the Internet. I knew everybody and his or her brother or sister had a website, but I was certain that I should share the gift that had freed me from nicotine addiction. I truly didn’t expect my simple sharing would grow to the size it has, but I had faith that I was being directed. That is the message of this Ramblings...have faith...be directed by Him....accept His love....trust in Him. The gifts of such faith will truly amaze you!

God Bless You All,

Jim

1 January 2002

Wow! The start of a new year! I think I’m more amazed at each passing year...growth of children, changes in jobs, maturing of relationships and that I’m still around and kicking. I think if I had stayed the course I was on before I quit smoking, then the story might be different. Quitting smoking is a very positive experience, although it might not seem to be to the person who is in the midst of ending their addiction to nicotine. Perhaps some who are reading this have made a New Year’s resolution to quit. To be honest, I never was real good in holding to New Year’s resolutions...in fact, most folks who make the effort to even voice their resolutions do so with the knowledge that the resolutions will not be kept. If you are one of those people, please DO NOT make a resolution to quit! Wait until the next day, and approach your addiction with both a postive and serious attitude. He will provide you with the strength to fight your addiction. Use every resource available to you, and you will overcome!

I’m very excited about the possibilites of the new year. Another AOG Method workshop is in the works for late January or early February. I’m looking into producing both audio and video versions of the workshop, so keep checking back to the website for their availability. Or, drop me an e-mail, and I’ll notify you as soon as either are available. Have a GREAT New Year!

God Bless

Jim

11 December 2001

Wow! It has been a busy time...over the past month or so, another year of freedom from nicotine addiction has passed (with all praise and glory to our Lord for this gift), I presented the first AOG Stop Smoking Method workshop at Oak Forest United Methodist Church (also with His help) and I’ve added a new, used computer (much faster and more reliable).... squeezed in between was a Thanksgiving road trip....yes, the holiday season is upon us. The holiday season between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day should be a time of great joy with family, friends and fun; but, we also know a great amount of stress can begin to build during this time. It is a fragile time for persons who are attempting to break the bonds of addiction... it can be very tempting to backslide and say “I’ll start back after the holidays”. Let me ask you, does He take a vacation from you during the holidays? Is this not a time of great spiritual hope and joy...the celebration of the birth of the Savior of the world...the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world...the gift of the Father. Although there can be much stress and temptation during the holidays, it is also a time of great strength of the Spirit...this, more than any other time of the year, is the time to rejoice, thank Him for the gift of His Son and the gifts of His love...His armor which you use to defeat the evil of addiction. I wish each of you a very merry Christmas!

Peace On Earth,

Jim

1 October 2001

Much has transpired in the world that we knew since I last made an entry to this section. I think it has taken me this long to get around to addressing the events of September 11th just from the sheer horror of those grim days that followed. There was certainly a drop off in the number of persons visiting the AOG website. Sometimes there are just other priorities, and sometimes we must take a step back in order to catch our breath. After a couple of days, I finally had to quit watching the continuous news that seemed to play the crash scene over and over. I remember back to a time in my life where you never knew if someone you had never met or seen would lob a mortar shell or a rocket on top of you. I remember the long, and sometimes wet, nights standing in a one-man guard post on the flight line perimeter. Waiting for a faceless enemy in black pajamas carrying a satchel charge. I will always be grateful, not only did the mortar rounds and rockets miss, albeit a bit too close for comfort a couple of times, but Charlie never came over the wire on my watch. I have several friends who weren’t so lucky. I have always hoped and prayed that none of my sons would ever have to experience living in a war zone, thinking in terms of a foreign land, such as I had experienced. It never occurred to me in my wildest dreams that they might face such an experience in our own country. It breaks my heart to see, not only my own children, but all children in America face such a prospect. I still pray each day for every person who is attempting to end their addiction to nicotine, but also I pray for those who labor each day to clear the destruction of September 11th. I pray for the lost souls and I pray for those who mourn. I wonder where society has gone when it takes the murder of over 6,500 innocents to make people seek and call upon the Lord. I guess to that end, their lives were not sacrificed in vain. When all else is lost, He is always there for us. Never, ever forget the Son’s life was given up on the Cross so that salvation and eternal life was available for all of us. Within a week of so after September 11th, I started noticing in the newspaper that the everyday events we normally saw were now more noticeable, because their basis did not relate to the World Trade Center, the Pentagon or Pennsylvania. The births, marriages, divorces and deaths were still there each day. There were arguments between local politicians and the garbage is still picked up on Thursdays in my neighborhood. Life goes on, but it is life with an edge, which is what you find in a war zone. You learn to push it to the back of your mind, but it is always lurking, waiting to raise its ugly head. I pray for healing of our land and I pray for our children. I pray for our sailors, soldiers and airmen…Godspeed to each of you. Your actions and bravery will write the next chapter in the history of the world. I call upon each of the visitors to the AOG website to pray daily for not only your personal salvation, but that of our country.

God Bless America

Jim

2 September 2001

This past Friday, I received the annual membership roster for my favorite old airmen’s association, Stray Goose International. I spent a fair amount of time that evening going through the listing of names, remembering faces and times long gone, with a couple of those faces now gone forever. It reminded me of Shakespeare’s great line from his play “Henry V”. “…Old men forget, yet all will be forgot, but he will remember with advantage the feats he did…”. The Bard is correct, but we must remember that the feats we perform, whether those of our youth or those of today, pale in comparison to the passion of the Cross. With the ultimate act of sacrifice, you and I were given the wonderful gift of salvation. We were given choices as to what to do with our lives, and we implement those choices everyday we go through this world. My question to you, gentle readers, is what are you doing with your choices?

I know I’ve made my share of bad choices over the years, but I’ve also made my share of good choices. Most definitely, one of my best choices was to quit smoking when He started whispering his gift of love in my ear. Another good choice was to share my experience with others through this website. I told my minister a couple of weeks ago that I truly didn’t know why I was given this call, but if I can help one person, then I’ve accomplished my original goal. There are some really exciting things about to happen with the AOG Stop Smoking Method, one being the start of an AOG Method workshop at my church, probably in mid-October. As a result of the workshop, I’m hoping to be able to provide some videos to anyone who might be interested. If there is any interest out there, just send me an e-mail.

10 November 2000

Here it is on the eve of my stop smoking second anniversary date. It never ceases to amaze me how my acceptance of His love has helped me break the vicious cycle of nicotine addiction. In the overall scheme of things, I would have to say that His greatest gift is that of salvation; however, the gifts and joy He can bring into our lives in this world are immense. At times, the enormity of the challenges that assail us in our day-to-day lives can be overwhelming. Personally, for the last year or so, my “day jobs” have caused much turmoil, but even in the darkest of times, His light has helped show me the path I should take. Really great things have been happening with the AOG website, with the addition of a top-level domain name and the AOG Delphi Forum. More and more we are showing a significant increase in the number of visitors to the website, which always gives me hope that I will have helped at least one person kick the nicotine addiction. I encourage everyone who has a similar story of nicotine addiction to participate in the AOG Forum, or drop us an e-mail with your ideas and thoughts. A big thanks to all visitors and regular readers.

God Bless,

Jim

14 June 2000 Edition

Dear Friends and Readers, Due to some hardware and software difficulties, it has been awhile since I’ve had time to sit down and just ramble on. Much has transpired in my personal life. Another job change…back to handling the laws, personalities and challenges that are a part of the world of health insurance. However, the change was a good thing, was much needed from a personal point of view and an answer to prayer. God is good, all the time…All the time, God is good! I truly hope and pray for all of the people who visit the AOG website, that at least one will use the AOG method to quit smoking, or whatever addiction with which they may need help. The application of the AOG method is limited only by one’s imagination. The Word is written to spread the good news of God’s love and the sacrifice of His Son for our sins. There are times in my daily prayers that I question my own sincerity in the acknowledgement and repentance of my sins. I wonder if He gets tired of hearing the same old story, but then I remember that He never gets tired of hearing His children talk to him, just as the sound of my childrens’ voices are always sweet to my ears. Whether of not I agree with them or condone their actions, I always love them. Never forget that someone always loves you, and loves to hear the sound of your voice in prayer. God Bless You All

Jim

February 20, 2000 Edition

Wow! There have been so many changes over the last three months. It is truly different to leave a corporate, salaried environment for that of self-employment. I have truly enjoyed my work in the marketing end of insurance, but it has not allowed me much time to work on the AOG Page. However, I have developed a hard copy brochure of the AOG Stop Smoking Method, and will start distribution shortly. If anyone would like a copy, please e-mail me, and I'll let you know what size of self-addressed, stamped envelope to send for your own copy. Now that I can count my salvation from nicotine addiction in terms of years, instead of minutes hours, days, weeks or months, I find that I use the same AOG Method for my day-to-day challenges and stressors, and I encourage my readers to try it. Please let me know if it helps. God Bless!

Jim

10 November 1999

Tomorrow, November 11, 1999, marks the first anniversary of my freedom from nicotine addiction. This has not been an easy path, and temptation has continued to lurk in the background, but the "flaming arrows" have continued to bounce off my Shield of Faith. If you start and slip, do not despair the Lord and His gifts are always with you, and it does not cost anything to start over again - just continue in faith.

Shalom - Jim

Fall, 1999

Dear friends, it has been some time since I have added anything to my "Ramblings" section. This has been due to uproar and relocation of my "day job" from Arkansas to Texas, and the realization, once in Texas, that my heart and home is in Arkansas. Further, during a moment of prayer at a nursing home where my family assists in a local outreach ministry, the Lord very distinctly told me "There is something else." I was fairly confident he had spoken to me when I first realized I must stop smoking; however, there was absolutely no doubt when I literally heard the words during prayer. I believe He has guided me to a new and challenging "day job", and it is with faith that I am taking one of the biggest steps in my almost 50 years on this earth. Not a day goes by that I do not put on my Armor, and I hope all who have been utilizing the Armor of God Method will continue to daily place their faith in He who is Lord.

8/10/99 Edition

I have considered adding a "Ramblings" section for some time now, and anyone who knows me personally understands why I would entitle the section "Ramblings". I must say "Thank You" to all of the people who have visited the AOG website, and special thanks to those who have signed the Guest Book (located on the home page). Personally, I have been experiencing the second corporate consolidation in my "day job" in the last two and a half years - except, this one I'm going through without cigarettes, which really hasn't been that bad. There have certainly been moments when it has seemed like it would be so easy to fire up a smoke. I still have a pack with 19 cigarettes sitting on my dresser. It is the last pack I opened in November, 1998. I keep it as a reminder - I know for some people it would be a great temptation, but I view it as a great victory for myself personally - that could not have been accomplished without God and His Word. Each of you must consider this when temptation reaches out to you - it is not an opportunity to backslide, but a chance to shout out the great victory you have won up to that point. You must raise your Shield of Faith, and, when you do, those "flaming arrows of the evil one" will just bounce off.

Keep the faith, and put on your Armor everyday!

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