My teenage daughter began hanging out with the wrong crowd, picking up their habits! How could I ever manage to get her to quit smoking? We gave her rules and consequences to no avail! Anxiety filled my days.  Every talk I had with her ended up with no lasting impact. I remember back to how it all began by her crying, “Mom, can you just help me to stop, instead of taking my phone away again!” I foolishly thought if she’s asking for help, then she has the desire to quit this terrible habit. But smoking was a bigger problem than she could conquer on her own. Years passed and my prayers went out to God,“Lord, please make her stop. She has no idea how bad this is for her.” Then one day God led me to pray a new way for her, “Father, You know how upsetting this it to me. Could You please take away her desire to smoke! Could You make her feel physically sick from it!”

Months had passed since I prayed that prayer. I began to lose hope for any change in her habit. One day ,I brought up the subject about her smoking and she told me that she had asked God for help to stop. I looked at her in unbelief and said, “Tell me about it!”

“I began to understand from my classes how bad it was for me to keep smoking.” (She’s in college now, going for a Medical Secretary Diploma.) She went on to say, ” I couldn’t even finish a cigarette anymore. I began to get sick from the smell, so I quit!”

“God, You heard both of our prayers!” I had given up hope that things would ever change for my daughter. It has been months now since she told me she quit. That habit that seemed to take over and control her is now nowhere to be found. She doesn’t talk about it anymore. I’ve been told that when she hangs out with her old friends, she doesn’t care if she’s not doing what they do. Not until she asked God for help, was there going to be any change. He knew what she needed to go through and was there with her all the way. I praise God for leading me to pray differently and how He alone He has the power to conquer what seems impossible! Signed, One Thankful Mom

Praying Scripture for your child is a powerful tool against the enemy that can hold our kids captive.
These verses speak to the very need my daughter had. Insert your child’s name and pray this to the Lord. “Reach down from on high and take hold of ________; draw _________ out of the deep waters. Rescue ________ from his/her powerful enemy, from his/her foes who are too strong for him/her.” Psalm 18:16-17