Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Through the weekly and daily devotionals you can be constantly encouraged in your great role of parenting, the highest career in the nation. You can also stay updated on what's happening with the Above Rubies ministry.

Strengthening Families Across the World through the encouragement of women in their high calling from God as wives, mothers and homemakers.

YOU ARE NOT ON YOUR OWN

NotYourOwnWhen invited to a birthday party recently, our grandson, Zadok replied, “Can God come to the party? Because if I come God will come.” The guy was taken aback, but affirmed he would be okay with God coming! And of course, wherever Zadok goes, God comes. People come to know Jesus, they are challenged to walk closer to Him, and often people are healed.

Was Zadok being facetious? No. This is biblical truth. We may not always live it, but God says that when we receive Christ into our lives He comes to dwell within us. Colossians 1:27 says: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I love the words of Jesus in John 14:23: “If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and WE WILL COME UNTO HIM, and make our abode with him.” What amazing words. Did you notice that Jesus said, “WE will come”? The Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit! Emmanuel! God with us!

Dear mother, if Christ indwells you, God (the God of the universe) goes wherever you go. When you wake up in the morning and go into your kitchen God comes with you. He is with you in your kitchen as you prepare breakfast and get the household chores going for the day. He is with you as you homeschool your children. He is with you in whatever you must do today.

You cannot have a normal and boring day if God is with you. And you don’t need to get overwhelmed and anxious if God is with you. He is bigger than any problem or circumstance you face. Thank for Him for His presence with you today. Walk in the power of Who He is in you. Walk in all the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Have a wonderful day,

Nancy Campbell


Painting: Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller ~ The Homecoming.

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MOTHERHOOD IS NOT FOR WIMPS

NoWimpsThere are those who would spurn the vocation of mothers
And say it’s inferior to the career of others,
I'll have to admit that it's not easy work,
It's relentless and from it you cannot shirk.

It takes all your energy to be a mother and wife,
It requires daily commitment and a disciplined life,
It demands all your resources of patience and love,
Long-suffering and wisdom from God above.

It takes self-control and continual endurance,
It needs constant and faithful perseverance,
It is total sacrifice and forgetting yourself,
You may sometimes think you are left on the shelf!

And what about time? It’s no longer yours,
It belongs to everyone else who comes in
your doors.
Can you claim your own rights? No, they're gone too,
Like your right to sleep the whole night through!

It's not so easy to crawl into bed with a book
Or go off and dream in some quiet little nook.
It seems like you're totally losing your life
To be a good mother and a godly wife.

But oh, dear mother, please do not despair,
In God's great vision you have a share,
Fulfilling your destiny planned before creation,
To nurture children and BUILD A NATION!

You walk in the footsteps of Jesus your Lord
Who sacrificed all, His life He out-poured,
He didn't cling to His rights with selfish futility,
He didn't claim any privilege, but walked in humility.

He gave up His own life to save millions of others,
This same principle is at work in the lives of mothers,
When you lose your own life you'll find it again,
A rewarding life, without guilt or shame.

So lift up your head, embrace your calling so high,
You're in God's perfect will, there’s no reason to sigh.
You may often feel worthless--don't listen to this lie,
For your influence goes higher than the clouds in the sky!

As you nurture and train your God-given seed,
As you sharpen these “arrows” by word and by deed,
You shape the nation; you determine its course,
Your mothering’s not wasted; it’s a great mighty force!

As your children leave home and go into the world
The stamp of your training will be unfurled,
You’ll influence countries where you've never been,
And down the generations its extent will be seen.

Your work is so powerful, no wonder it's tough,
But God is behind you; He's the GOD WHO IS ENOUGH,
His strength and wisdom He daily gives to you,
He stands behind His promises which are totally true.

He is always with you, right through to the end
As you follow His leading and deny the world's trend,
Each morning you wake, your strength He'll renew.
He'll fill your home with His presence and His
blessed peace too.

Love from Nancy Campbell

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IT’S HARD WORK!

ItsHardWorkNothing in this life comes easy. Nor does motherhood. It’s the greatest career God has given to women. It’s fulfilling. It’s filled with joys too big for the heart. It’s our DNA. It’s what we are born for.

But it’s HARD WORK! It’s demanding. It never lets up, day or night. It’s also filled with heartaches and crying tears of intercession for our children. But isn’t that true with any great work? No great work just happens. No great work is without challenges, heartaches, disappointments, and setbacks.

Even the Bible reminds us of this truth. When writing to the Thessalonian Christians Paul said to them: “Remembering without ceasing your WORK OF FAITH, and LABOR OF LOVE, and PATIENCE OF HOPE in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father” (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

God spells it out to us here. Faith is proved by our works. Love is proved by our hard work. And hope is proved by our patience endurance. It’s not airy-fairy stuff!

I love the J. B. Phillips’ translation: “We never forget that your faith has meant solid achievement, your love has meant hard work, and the hope that you have in our Lord Jesus Christ means sheer dogged endurance in the life that you live before God, the Father of us all.”

That’s it, lovely ladies. Love means hard work. Love is not only a feeling. It is action. Because we love our husbands, we work hard to serve them, bless them, and please them. Because we love our children, we don’t complain that we no longer live to ourselves, but delight to give our lives to mothering. Because we love our homes, we rejoice in efficiently maintaining them. We don’t let it go to chaos. It takes diligence and hard work, but this proves our love.

Be encouraged today. You prove your love by hard work. Forget all the grumbling and groaning. Rejoice in it. Work is wonderful. God gave it as a principle before the fall. It is a God-given blessing. Hard work never kills anyone. When you embrace it with joy because your heart is filled with love, you’ll enjoy every minute of it. And you’ll sleep well at night because your body will be ready to sleep.

Love to you from Nancy Campbell

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WE DO NOT LIVE UNTO OURSELVES

BeggingBreadHow we live, what we do, and the decisions we make not only affect our own lives, but our children’s lives too. Our obedience to God’s commandments also determines the destiny of our children. Here’s a sampling of Scriptures regarding this truth:

Deuteronomy 4:40 (ESV): “Therefore you shall keep his statues and his commandments, which I command you today, that it MAY GO WELL WITH YOU AND WITH YOUR CHILDREN AFTER YOU.”

Deuteronomy 5:29: “O that there was such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep ALL my commandments ALWAYS that it might be WELL WITH THEM, AND WITH THEIR CHILDREN FOREVER!” Do you notice that this Scripture has an exclamation after it? It must be important in God’s eyes.

Deuteronomy 12: 28: “Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it MAY GO WELL WITH THEE, AND WITH THY CHILDREN AFTER THEE FOREVER, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.”

Psalm 112:1, 2 (ESV): “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! HIS OFFSPRING WILL BE MIGHTY IN THE LAND; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” Do you notice another exclamation mark in this Scripture?

What a responsibility we have as parents. Even our attitudes, negative or positive, ugly or godly, pass on to our children and future children. Parenting is not just for today. We are building dynasties—for good or for bad, for God and His kingdom or for the enemy.

May we pour out lives into building godly dynasties.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

P.S. FOR THE BEREANS:
For those who would like to check out further Scriptures, here are some more Scriptures for you:
Read also Deuteronomy 5:16; 6:2, 3; 12:23-25; 28:1014; 30:1-20; Psalm 25:12,13; 37:25, 26; and 102:28.

God blesses the future generations of righteous parents:
Genesis 9:9, 22:15-18; 26:1-5; 35:11, 12; Exodus 33:1; 34:6, 7; Numbers 14:24; 25:10-13;
Deuteronomy 1:8; 4:37, 40; 5:10, 29; 6:2, 3; 7:7-10; 10:15; 11:19-21; 12:23-25, 28; 28:1-14; 29:29; 30:19; 2 Samuel 22:51; 1 Kings 2:33; 2 Kings 10:30; 15:12; 1 Chronicles 28:8; Ezra 9:12;
Psalm 14:5; 25:12,13; 37:25, 26; 102:28; 103:17, 18; 106:30, 31; 112:1, 2; 128:1-6; 132:11, 12;
Proverbs 20:7; Isaiah 44:1-3; 61:9; Jeremiah 32:39; 35:18, 19;
Luke 1:50; Acts 2:38, 39; 3:25; and 2 Timothy 1:5.

The sins of the fathers are passed on to the third and fourth generation:
Exodus 20:4-6 (Exodus 34:6,7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9 and Jeremiah 32:18);
Numbers 14:33; Deuteronomy 28:15, 18, 41, 45, 46, 58, 59;
1 Samuel 3:11-14; 1 Kings 2:33; 2 Kings 5:25-27; 17:41; Job 21:17-19; 27:13, 14;
Isaiah 14:20, 21; Jeremiah 9:13-16; 16:10-13; 29:31, 32; 32:18; 36:29-31;
Lamentations 1:5; Hosea 4:6; 9:9-17; Amos 2:4; and Matthew 27:25.

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BLESSED EYES AND EARS

IHaveHiddenIn Matthew 13:10-17 Jesus says that not everyone who has eyes will see and not everyone who has ears will hear, but then He says to His disciples in verse 16: “But blessed are your eyes for they see: and your ears for they hear.”

Are you training your children to have blessed eyes and ears? I believe this is a principle that we as parents must get a hold of. We can’t glide over it. Unfortunately, many children grow up in Christian homes with eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear all that God wants them to hear.

Yes, they hear a lot of stuff. They hear big doses of the garbage of this world system which is all around them-- the media, their iPhones, school, and just living in this warped society.

Are we training them to see spiritual things and to hear God speak to their hearts through His living Word? I have just finished reading a wonderful book, “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus” by Nabeel Qureshi, a devout Muslim who came to Christ. He didn’t come easily or quickly. It was a long and painful process because he was so ingrained in the Quran and the Hadith from the time of his birth.

He mentions in this book how Muslim children are infiltrated with Islamic doctrines at “family devotions.” Yes, he used the word family devotions. And yet most Christian families don’t take time in their day for family devotions. He talked about how their faith is forged into their very beings around the family meal table. Help, so many Christian families don’t even sit around the family meal table. If they do, it’s just to eat a meal, with no thought to speak God’s truths into the ears and hearts of their children.

I was also challenged when he said that Muslim children are schooled in Muslim apologetics from young children. He was trained in all the answers against Christianity and was surprised when he talked to Christians that they didn’t know the answers to the questions he asked. They had no depth of understanding.

Are you consistently and daily filling your children with the word of truth (Colossians 3:16)? Are you teaching them to have eyes to see and ears to hear? Or are they dull and glazed to spiritual things?

For what reason do you raise your children? Do you allow them to be slowly propagandized by the spirit of this world or are you constantly, daily, diligently, passionately, and thoroughly teaching them God’s truths? The Amplified version of Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says: “You shall teach them diligently to your children (impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths).”

Above all pray over your children. Don’t allow the enemy of their souls to blunt and deceive them. Don’t allow them to grow up with insipid eyes and ears to God’s truths.

Amen and amen.

Love from Nancy Campbell

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THE MISSING INGREDIENT: ZEAL

ZealIt's difficult to accomplish anything very powerful when you are apathetic about it, isn't it? Many things can only be accomplished by the "zeal of the Lord." Isaiah 9:7 tells us that "Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end." How is this going to be accomplished? The rest of the Scripture says: "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." It is the passion and zeal of God that will perform this wonderful promise.

When Jesus beheld what was happening in the temple which was called "The House of Prayer" He didn't stand by indifferently. He rose up in righteous indignation and drove the sheep, oxen, and money changers from the temple, kicking over all their tables. When the disciples saw it, they remembered the Scripture: "The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up" (John 2:17 and Psalm 69:9).

Isaiah 59:17 gives a picture of God preparing to take action: “For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.” He wrapped His coat of zeal around Him.

I believe we also need the zeal of the Lord as we tackle the greatest career in the nation, that of mothering and training the next generation who will detriment the course of the nation. WE CAN'T DO IT HAPHAZARDLY. WE CAN'T DO IT APATHETICALLY. WE CAN'T DO IT HALF-HEARTEDLY. WE CAN'T DO IT PART TIME!

We must rise up in the zeal of the Lord, knowing the power and destiny of our calling and the urgency of this hour. It should consume us. Titus 2:14 exhorts us to be "zealous of good works" and the greatest work you are doing is raising your family. Do it with zeal.

May you have a wonderful day,

Nancy Campbell


Picture: Dianne Dengel photo: “Bathtime for Children.”

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FILL MY HOME...

FillMyHome

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COME TO THE TABLE

ComeTableFrom Psalm 128

“Come to the table, supper’s ready to eat!”
All the children come running to find their seat,
At the head of the table father takes his place
And with all gathered round he says the grace.

He’s made an effort to be home from work,
From his place at the table he will not shirk,
He affirms his commitment to his family and wife
And his presence at the table eliminates strife.

Mother has taken time to prepare a nice meal,
Full of nutrition, not a pre-packaged deal,
She delights to cook for her growing brood,
Knowing it’s a sacred task to prepare their food.

The table’s inviting – a clean tablecloth too,
The plates nicely set, perhaps a candle or two.
The children all help and do their part
To make the table look great and very smart.

What joy to be together at the end of the day,
To laugh, communicate, and each have a say,
To share the day’s happenings with one another
And tell what they’ve learned to father and mother.

The plates are now empty, they’re full to the top!
Is it time to leave the table? No! Stop, stop!
We’ve fed only the body and the soul so far,
The best part’s to come, and it’s not out of a jar.

It’s time for devotions; we must feed the spirit,
Of the blessing from this, there is no limit.
Father opens the Bible and to his family he reads
Sowing into their hearts God’s eternal seeds.

Now it’s time to pray, each one takes a turn,
They pray for needs as God’s will they discern,
They give thanks for blessings with a grateful heart
And develop a spirit of gratitude right from the start.

God’s blessing is on this family we know
As around the table their “olive plants” grow,
God’s smile is upon them as they follow His way
And establish this principle for now and always.

Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

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KEEP THEM ON THEIR TOES

KeepOnToesTen of our grandchildren sat around our supper table the other evening. And as usual, we end our meal with family devotions—reading God’s Word and praying together. It was such an exciting time. Family Devotions do not need to be boring.

My husband loves to ask questions as he reads the Bible. It helps to keep them on their toes. Interested. Interactive. If he only reads, the children can soon get into dreamland! Even I can get into dreamland.

And the great thing is that children love to answer questions. The biggest problem is getting them to put up their hand rather than them all calling out at once as they are so eager to be involved.

I’ll give you a little sample as he read from THE DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH which we use each day. We love this book as it is only the pure Word of God with Scriptures put together on a certain theme. My husband read about 10 Scriptures, but this is just a few of the questions:

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as . . .” “What’s the word?” “Scarlet” one of them remembered. “They shall be as . . .” “White as snow” answered another. “Though they be red like . . .” “Crimson” yelled another. Oops! They were meant to put up their hand! “They shall be as . . . “ Something starting with ‘w.’” Yes, one of them got it – “Wool.” (Isaiah 1:18).

The children love to fill in the blanks. And they remember the words far more than if you only read the words to them. And if your children know the words you know they are getting the Word into their hearts. If they don’t know the words, they need a lot more FILLING of the Word.

“I, even I, am he that . . . out thy transgressions.” “What does God do with our sins when we repent of them? It’s starts with B.” Yes, one of the older ones knew it. “Blotted.” (Isaiah 43:25). You could then ask the children what happens when God blots out our sins.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the . . . (three words).” Yes, one of the older ones knew it. “Washing of regeneration.” And something else. “and . . .” “Another three words. It starts with ‘r.’” Yes, they were doing so well. One of them got it: “renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus 3:5, 6).

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, who . . .” “What comes next?” It begins with “f.” Yes, Isaiah got it: “Forgiveth all thine iniquities.” (Psalm 103:2, 3).

I wish you could have been with us to see their excitement. They were all so eager and trying to be the winner. And they will remember so much more of the reading by participating than sitting like stuffed ducks!

Make your Family Devotions exciting.

Love from Nancy Campbell

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YOUR HIGHEST VOCATION!

HighestVocDear happy homemaker in word and deed,
God’s purpose for you is to raise godly seed,
Obedient children who are righteous and pure,
With mother at home, they’ll be happy and secure.

Secure in God’s love and protected from the world,
Guarded from evil and grounded in God’s Word
By a mother who has embraced her calling divine,
The mandate God gave from the beginning of time.

You’re now planted at home, you’ve found your “glory,"
Left career behind--that was another story!
You’ve now been promoted to a much higher career!
You’re in God’s perfect will so you don’t have to fear.

You’re nurturing, nourishing, and building your nest,
Under your husband’s covering, you’re totally blessed.
God has promised to provide, He is Jehovah Jireh,
He will always be faithful, He is not a liar.

You are an “arrow polisher," daily sharpening your arrows,
You’re not pecking on the ground like little sparrows,
But soaring like the eagle, your stature is high,
You’re changing the course of the nation as on God you rely!’

Dear mighty mother, stand up and be strong,
Don’t be fooled by the enemy and the worldly throng,
Don’t be deceived by the mindset of this society,
Embrace your motherhood, it’s your highest priority!

Don’t be conformed to the humanistic trend,
It only leads to heartache in the final end.
Be a non-conformist, stand against the tide,
You don’t have to be governed by this world’s pride.

Instead be transformed by God’s living Word,
He is restoring His truth, will you be stirred?
Will you be part of this end-time restoration
To train godly children and change the nation?

God is preparing a people for Jesus’ second appearing,
He wants an army of arrows, trained and unfearing,
Straight arrows to go forth from the parents’ bow,
The deceptions of Satan to overthrow.

May you experience God’s anointing and His daily renewing
As you become part of this revival which is all God’s doing.
You will be part of heralding the coming of the King
As you build God’s army–and His praises will ring.

~ Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

P.S. Will you be part of God’s end-time restoration? Read Malachi 4:4-6.

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TWO WAY STREET

2WayStrObedience is a proof of love. A child shows his love to his parents by obeying them. A wife shows her love to her husband by lovingly submitting to him. God says we show our love to Him when we obey His commandments (John 14:15, 21, 23; 1 John 2:5; 5:2, 3;

On the other hand, God says that when we obey Him that He will love us. He will also reveal Himself to us and be our friend (John 14:23 and 15:14). But there are more blessings yet. God loves to bless those who obey Him.

Let’s check all the blessings God says He will pour out upon you when you “obey his voice.” He will “have compassion on you . . . prosper you . . . multiply you . . . abundantly prosper the work of your hand . . . and the fruit of your womb . . . and the increase your livestock . . . and the fruit of your ground . . . you will live and multiply . . . and God will bless you (Deuteronomy 30:2-20).

Do you notice how God shows His love to us by blessing us with the fruit of the womb? We see this again in Deuteronomy 28, the blessing chapter. I am not sure why I call it the blessing chapter as there are 53 verses of cursings and only 14 verses of blessing. I don’t like reading the cursings as much as the blessings.

Two times in the few blessing verses, God says He will bless the fruit of our womb and then continues with all the blessings of provision to provide for the fruit of the womb. Check them out.

I know there are many who don’t want to be blessed with the fruit of the womb. We are so far removed from the truth of God’s Word and the reality of His heart for us, aren’t we? And yet this is how God wants to pour out His love upon us.

It is only the deception of Satan in our hearts that makes us think that children are not a blessing. And yet what material blessings can even compare with one life created in the image of God, let along many? I felt so blessed at our table the other night. Ten of our lovely grandchildren sat around our table and at the end of our family devotions we got out our hymn sheets to sing a hymn. But they wouldn’t stop at one. They wanted to keep singing. And oh, what a beautiful choir as they sang with all their hearts. What joy.

May you be blessed with all the blessings of God,

Nancy Campbell

Painting by Johann Georg Meyer von Bremen (1813 – 1886).

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IT’S RIGHT NOW!

RightNowAll the good things that are in Jesus Christ are available to you right now. Not some day in the future, but for whatever is happening in your life now. I know that life is not always perfect when you are mothering your children. You don’t have enough fingers to count how many things go wrong throughout the day. But don’t despair. Jesus Christ is with you. He lives in you. You don’t have to react to these things in your flesh. Instead, allow Jesus to live His life through you.

Let’s look at some Scriptures that remind us that God is working in your right now.

1 Timothy 4:8: “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the LIFE THAT NOW IS, and of that which is to come.” Most modern versions say: “For this present life.” Godliness does not only work in us for eternity, but for right NOW! Yes, right now.

Are you feeling upset and you really want to let everyone know? Instead of giving into the flesh and hurting everyone around you, allow the life of Jesus to work through you. He is filled with patience and longsuffering and HE LIVES IN YOU! That means you are patient and longsuffering too!

Romans 5:17: “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall REIGN IN LIFE by one Christ Jesus.” We will not only reign in eternity. This Scripture tells us that we can REIGN IN LIFE RIGHT NOW. We can reign over the power of the flesh through the life of Christ who dwells in us.

Are you down in the dumps and depressed? You don’t have to stay there. You can reign over your depression in the power of the name of Jesus. He lives within you and He is Joy. Joy that is not dependent upon circumstances, but on who He is!

We need to learn each moment to appropriate by faith the loving, joyful, longsuffering, victorious, and overcoming life of Jesus Christ, who lives within us.

I love 2 Peter 1:3: “According as his divine power hath given unto us ALL THINGS that pertain unto LIFE and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” Dear precious mother, you have EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN CHRIST to live a reigning and godly life in your home. No matter what the chaos. No matter the disappointment. No matter the challenge. Christ, the hope of glory, lives in you (Colossians 1:27). And He is with you right now.

2 Corinthians 6:2: “Behold, NOW is the accepted time, behold NOW is the day of salvation.” The Greek word for salvation is “soteria” and means “safety, deliverance, health, salvation.” Jesus Christ is health and salvation for us right now.

On Friday, I fell and broke three ribs. It’s painful. I can’t get out of bed without my husband helping me, although once I am up I can walk. This morning my grandson, Zadok, came over to pray with me. He loves to pray for people to be healed and literally saw six or seven miraculous healings over the weekend. And these were not people at church meetings, but at restaurants and on the streets! As he prayed, we believed for my healing NOW. I know I am still healing, but in faith I got down on my knees and we weeded the garden together! That’s miraculous!

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

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I’M IN AWE

ImInAweMy dear friend, Val Halloran wrote the following poem after a new grandbaby was born.

I’M IN AWE
Why is it that a baby's eyes
Can fix my gaze and paralyze,
Keeping me in awe for hours
With their mesmerizing powers?

Is it that I see a trace
Of God, the Great Creator's face,
And wonder how it is that He
Could bring this precious life to be?

Those ruby lips and button nose,
Ten little fingers, tiny toes
How is it that such perfectness
Has come into my life to bless?

I don't know but I'll stay awhile
To see if in a yawn or smile
I'll know just why I want to stay
And gaze in wonder all the day.

2017 Val Halloran

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NORMAL CHRISTIANITY

NormalI believe that converting to Christ should radically turn our lives around. Too many think they are Christians because they have recited the “sinner’s prayer,” but their lives don’t change.

I see something different in Paul’s conversion. He was on his way to persecute the Christians when “suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth and head a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”

When Jesus answered, Paul “trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:1-8).

I think it would be good to tell people that this is what it means to be converted, don’t you? When we turn to Jesus we say, “Lord Jesus, I now believe in You. I thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and taking my punishment. I turn from my old ways and want to live Your way. Lord Jesus, what do You want me to do now? Amen.”

This should be how we start our walk with God and this is how we continue it every day. “Dear Lord Jesus, what do You want me to do today?” This question means total abandonment to the sovereign will of God. This means yielding to Christ instead of the flesh. This means yielding my body to Him as a living sacrifice. This is normal Christianity.

It’s the same attitude Mary had when she said: “Be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).

And above all, it’s the same attitude Jesus had as He faced the cross: “Nevertheless not my will, but thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

Love from Nancy Campbell

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ARE WE TOO BUSY?

RTooBusyEach day my husband reads God’s Word to us from THE DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH. It is a devotional with Scriptures on a certain theme for every morning and evening. He commented this morning on Luke 12:37: “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find WATCHING.”

“Jesus is coming for those who look for him,” he said. “Are we looking for his coming?” However, what he said next really got to me. “Dear family, did you know that Jesus comes to us every morning and evening? When we read God’s Word, He speaks directly to us. He comes to talk to us and show us His ways.”

This is the challenge to us all. Do we look for His coming to speak to us each day as a family? Is it our delight to meet with Him morning and evening? Do we plan our day around making this happen? Or are we too busy doing what we want to do?

I know myself that unless I make it happen, it doesn’t happen. Instead of hoping it will fit in, I plan each day around our morning and evening meeting with God. Everything else fits in with these appointments. And can I ask? What else could be more important?

If we don’t look for His coming to speak to us each day, are we really interested in His second coming? If He is coming for those who look for Him as the Bible states in Hebrews 9:28, surely, we will look for Him every day. Most translations of Hebrews 9:28 say “those who EAGERLY AWAIT for Him.”

How eager are we for Him?

God bless you today,

Nancy Campbell

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FAMILY PRAYER TIME

FamPrayTimeWhat did you do for your prayer time with your family this morning? After our Bible reading we always pray together. And yes, we use our Prayer Boxes. I find them such a blessing for our prayer times. I have eight prayer boxes on different subjects. Every morning and evening we use our Family Prayer Box (which includes all the names of our extended family) and we choose one other box. This morning we used Our Persecuted Christians Prayer Box.

We dare not neglect to pray for our precious persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. There are 60 different countries of the world that persecute Christians.

I am always challenged by Hebrews 13:3 (NCV): “Remember those who are in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering as if you were suffering with them.”

The other week my daughter, Serene, was climbing down a tall ladder. Her long skirt caught the top of the ladder which caused it to fall. Bother the ladder and Serene fell to the ground with a thump. She could have broken her back and was in tremendous pain.

However, instead of suffering for herself I was really convicted when she said she was so glad to feel the pain. She said, “I know I am meant to pray for my persecuted brothers and sisters as though I feel their pain along with them, but because I feel great, I find it hard to really feel their pain. So, this time, as I suffered in great pain, I interceded for those being persecuted as never before!”

May God help us to remember them without having to go through so much pain!

Love from Nancy

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HOW WILLINGLY?

HowWillinglyEach Friday evening my husband, Colin reads Proverbs 31 at the dinner table. He often highlights specific verses. Recently, when he got to verse 13 about how the Above Rubies woman works willingly with her hands, he read “willingly, willingly, WILLINGLY.” That really caught my attention.

How do we work in our homes? Do we just work, or do we work willingly? Our attitude affects the atmosphere of our home. I was surprised to find that the word willingly, “chephets” in the Hebrew means “pleasure, delight, to like doing what you do.”

There may be many things we don’t like doing, but we don’t have to live by our feelings. We live by what’s right. Therefore, whether we like it or not, we decide to do it with pleasure and delight! The amazing thing is that when you tackle something with joy and delight, you soon feel happy doing it! Feelings catch up with action!

And when we do everything in our home with joy and delight, we teach this attitude to our children.

Challenge: whatever you face today, do it with an eager, willing, and delightful attitude.

Love from Nancy Campbell

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ONE LAW

In my post below, A FEW GUIDELINES, I said I would tell you my thoughts of what rules we should expect for people who come into our home. Here we go:

BeautyOrderWhen people come into your home to stay, how should they fit in? Should you allow them to make their own rules and do what they usually do? Or should you expect them to fit into your lifestyle and the way you run your home? What about when children come into your home and are disrespectful to your home?

No matter what the subject, my philosophy is to find out what God says in His Word. I find the answer to all my questions in God’s Word.

The children of Israel had many strangers living amongst them. Egyptians came with them out of Egypt. So how did they work things out? Did the strangers live according to their own laws or did they fit in with the laws God gave to the children of Israel? God makes it very clear in His Word that the strangers were to have the same laws as the "homeborn.” Let’s look at some of the Scriptures:

Exodus 12:49, 50: "One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. Thus did all the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they."

Numbers 9:14: "Ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land."

Numbers 15:14-16: "AS YE DO, SO HE SHALL DO. One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance forever in your generations: AS YE ARE, SO SHALL THE STRANGER BE before the Lord. One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you."

Numbers 15:29: "Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them."

Therefore I use this biblical principle in my home. Of course, I have grace and mercy, but there are times when I need to lovingly, but firmly, state the rules of our home. If parents do not have the decency to stop their children jumping on my sofas, I will tell the children to stop. I have often seen them jumping on beds and had to curtail them.

We like to sit up at the table when we eat. I don’t allow eating throughout the house, except in the kitchen and dining room. It’s not easy to keep a home clean when crumbs are dropped throughout the house and drinks are spilt on carpets.

We expect people who stay or live with us (and because we open our home continually in hospitality, we have many people coming and going) to join with us for Family Devotions morning and evening. This is part of the lifestyle of our homeborn family, and therefore we expect “strangers,” although usually friends, to partake with us. Now if we have non-Christians sitting at our table, we won’t expect them to pray personally around the table as we usually do. However, we don’t forgo reading the Word, but my husband will pray instead.

I think this God-give law should apply in our nation too, don’t you? Strangers who come into our nation should learn our language and keep to the same laws of our country. They should not expect to make up their own rules. This is a God-givem principle.

In His love,

Nancy Campbell

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HOLD ON TIGHT

HoldOnTightOne mother commented on my post about establishing an order for the home: “Most families in Christian homes in New Zealand were raised like this. The life led now is very different and many are working wives and divorce is prevalent.”

I think this is a true statement of all our western countries. But why? Why do we now live different lives? God’s plan from the beginning has never changed. He created women to be able to birth babies, nurse babies, nurture children, and manage the home.

Sadly, women have listened to a lie. A lie that tells them that motherhood and homemaking is insignificant and that going to work outside the home or establishing a career is more important. And so, women have left the home. They have left their most important career for lesser careers. They have left that which lasts for eternity for that which passes away.

Revelation 3:11 (ESV) says: “I am coming soon. HOLD FAST what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” Motherhood is the crown of womanhood. It is God-mandated. Because it is God’s plan, the devil wants to steal it from women. In fact, he wants to seize it from them, but we must HOLD IT FAST and not let it go! When we let it go, we do so to the detriment of the family and society.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Painting by Leon Emile Caille (1836-1907).

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BY THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT

ByLeadingSpiritWe have been talking about making ordinances for home to make it run smoothly. How do we do this? Do we copy what other mothers do? Do we get ideas out of a book? No, we get it by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

How did David get the pattern for building the house of the Lord? God gave it to him by His Spirit. 1 Chronicles 28:11-13 tells us that he received “the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit . . . for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.” Isn’t that wonderful?

God is interested in every detail of your home. Everything that is involved in the running of your home. Even the pots and the pans and how you should order your kitchen (1 Chronicles 9:32). God will show you how to set everything in order and how to order your days.

Ask God to show you and He will give you the plan by His Spirit. Wait for His plan. When He gives it to you, it will work. Sometimes you try to follow the ideas of others. It may work for them, but it doesn’t work for you. The way God shows you will work for you.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

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Above Rubies Address

AboveRubies
Email Nancy

PO Box 681687
Franklin, TN 37068-1687

Phone : 931-729-9861
Office Hrs 9am - 5pm, M - F, CTZ