HEY MIKE! I can’t stop lying. Just when I think I’ve kicked this habit, I start up again. I’ve been praying about it, and my mom and dad have given me some Bible verses to read. But I need additional support. Any ideas?
—E.E., Mission Viejo, Calif.
Daily prayer and Bible reading are important ways of battling any problem, but now you’re ready for the next step: getting the support of friends who will help you kick this habit.
Try some positive reinforcement. How? Give this plan a try:
• Find a trustworthy friend—a guy who is serious about his faith.
• Confess your problem to him.
• Ask him to pray for you every day for 30 days. Also, set a time at the end of each week to meet with your buddy. When the two of you get together, be willing to truthfully answer this question: Did you lie to anyone this week?
• Agree to the following condition: Each lie you told during the week results in your doing a chore for your friend. In other words, if you told three lies, then you have to do three chores for him—taking out his garbage, cleaning his hamster’s cage . . . folding his underwear!
• Reward yourself if you made it through the week without ever bending the truth. Go to the movies or to the video arcade at the mall. (Either your friend pays or you can ask your parents for an advance on your allowance.) 
