A king can't be a king, without the strength of his queen.
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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.
Are you groveling in self-pity or looking to Jesus. When you look to Him 
and trust Him, you’ll find that He’ll show you what to do. You’ll never hear God when all you are thinking about is your problem. #trustgod #looktojesus #godisincontrol #castoutselfpity #aboverubies #repost
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Tonight thousands of witches from all over the country and the world are gathering together TONIGHT, 25 November, at 11.59 pm to put a binding spell upon President Trump (and all those who stand with him) to stop “his malignant works.” They want freedom for their “reproductive rights, and fascism, and protection of the earth” and so on. Mr. Hughes wrote. "It is ripping the bullhorn from his hands, smashing his phone so he can't tweet, tying him up, and throwing him in a dark basement where he can't hurt anyone."
We as Christians must unify and pray against this attack of the enemy. They are putting a binding spell upon Trump, but Jesus gave us the authority to bind, and He is greater than the devil.
Matthew 18:18-20: “Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again I say unto you, that IF TWO OF YOU SHALL AGREE on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where TWO OR THREE are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Most families reading this post have more than two or three. Gather your family together today or this evening and pray together in agreement that all their words and spells and bindings will by bound by a power which is much greater, the power of Jesus Christ, who is King of kings and Lord of lords and who defeated the devil.
When Balak hired Balaam to curse the children of Israel, he tried to curse them, but every time he opened his mouth, out came blessings. You can read all his prophetic blessings in Numbers, chapters 23 and 24. Numbers 23:19, 20 says: “Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he that blessed; and I cannot reverse it.”
I believe that God has sovereignly chosen our president to sand for righteousness and the life of the unborn and the protection of our nation. Because of his stand, the enemies of God hate him. I don’t think there is another man who could have withstood the continual hate and threats against him. Take this Scripture before the Lord as you pray.
More promises to claim as you pray against these wicked spells. Isaiah 54;1;7: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”
Psalm 149:6-9: “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.”
Please don’t forget to pray and remind others to pray.
Make time to PRAY WITH YOUR FAMILY TODDY OR THIS EVENING. You may like to gather others into your home with you to pray.
Yours in prayer and intercession,
Nancy Campbell
To read more go to: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39090334
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I’m sharing another testimony from one of the ladies at the Above Rubies retreat. She shared how she has just moved into a new home. As God has blessed them with more children (after a tubal reversal) now God has blessed them with a bigger home.
As she is beginning to get everything into shape, she shared how started at the center of her home. She said, “I began with my table, and then my dining room to make it special and beautiful. I want to make it a place of wonderful memories for my children.”
This lovely mother was doing the right thing. When God told Moses how to build the tabernacle in the wilderness, the first thing He told him to build was the ark of the covenant which was to reside in the Holy of Holies. He then began to show Moses what to do about the Holy Place where there were to be three pieces of furniture.
The first piece of furniture was the table! God began with the table, which was called “the Table of Shewbread.” God said it was to be placed on the north side in the Holy Place. The Scriptures tell us that Heaven is in the north, and God wanted the table to point toward Heaven where He already has a table.
Did you know that God had tables in His heavenly kingdom before we ever had them on earth? God is the originator of the table. And the table in your home is important to Him. He wants to come and dwell with you at your table.
Make your table a place of beauty, a table that draws the family together.
He also wants it to be in order. Did you know that God loves order? In Exodus 40:4, 22, 23 God said: “And thou shalt bring in the table, and SET IN ORDER the things that are to be set in order upon it . . . And he (Moses) put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward . . . And he set the bread IN ORDER UPON IT before the LORD (in the presence of the Lord).”
Proverbs 9:2 tells us that the wise woman “furnishes her table.” She sets her table and makes it beautiful. There is something about preparing an orderly table. When you set and orderly table, it impacts those who come to the table. When your children see an orderly table, subconsciously they want to be orderly too.
We must care for every home in our home but remember to start with your table and dining room, because that’s were God starts. Make sure that this part of your home is lovely.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
Picture: Jillian’s table.
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I love testimony time at our Above Rubies retreats when women share their stories. I love hearing about the little anecdotes too.
Recently a mother shared how she loves wearing her I LOVE MOTHERHOOD bracelet, but it went missing. Guess where she found it? In her toddler’s potty with the pee!
She washed it clean and it was all ready to wear again!
She shared how this can be a little bit like motherhood. It’s certainly not all perfect. It can even get pretty dirty. And we as mothers are not perfect either. We can get angry and shout! Oh help! That’s spoiled our lovely mothering day.
But praise the Lord, we have an advocate (1 John 1:1, 2). We can repent and ask forgiveness and our Savior is always ready to forgive and wash us clean.
When you lose your temper and “blow it,” don’t give up. Come to Jesus. Ask His forgiveness and for His precious blood to wash you clean. 1 John 1:9 says: “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Things may get dirty from time to time, but don’t stay dirty, dear mother. Keep washed and clean in the precious blood of Jesus.
Have a wonderful mothering day.
Love to you,
Nancy Campbell
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Why do some women spurn
The joy of motherhood?
To care for precious souls,
Is a gift sent for our good.
There is no greater goal,
Or place of high esteem
Than to teach a child God's way
To become all they should be.
Yes, we each have gifts
To do all kinds of work,
But to nurture human souls
Should not be snubbed or shirked.
It seems as if today
"Just" to be a mom and wife
Is seen as low and boring,
As if missing out on life.
But stop and take a look
At what this view has wrought.
Do things keep getting better?
Are we prospering, or not?
The world is going crazy
As we value fame and wealth
More than faith and family,-
God's plan for life and health.
Let's seek the ancient paths
Where mothers are held high;
Where children aren't just burdens,
But the essence of blessed life.
There is no work that's higher;
God's word reveals it's true.
To love your spouse and children
Is His plan and will for you!
2019, Val Halloran
www.valhalliran.com
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Are you a reading mother? I spent hours reading to my children. It seemed as though I was full time reading nursery rhymes and stories when the children were little. As they grew older we gathered around every night after supper and read serial stories, a few chapters each night, the children calling out for more as they never wanted me to stop reading. I often read until my eyes wouldn’t stay open. Such great times. Sadly, reading to children often gets put aside in this society of TV and social media. Mothers, get out the story books. One of my favorite authors for reading to the little children is Bill Peet. I loved them because they were all in rhyme. Check them out. #readingmother #readtoyourchildren #booklovers #encouragereading #billpeet #ilovereading #familytime #familyreading #nancycampbell #aboverubies
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Do you love work? When I was a child, I used to think that God gave work as part of the curse! But of course, that’s a lie. God introduced work at the very beginning. As soon as God had created the Garden Home, He put the man in it to work and guard it. The Hebrew word “avad” for work means “to serve, till, labor, to make weary.” That sounds like hard work.
But work is a blessing. Physical work saves us going to gym. Work releases creativity. In my last post, I shared how God created us to be creative beings with the anointing “to make.” But work precedes creativity. As we work, we think of better ways of doing things. More efficient. More ingenious. And then of course, when we think of these things, we get involved in more work. But that will release more creativity. Isn’t that exciting?
Let’s embrace work with a joyful and exciting attitude? Let’s have the right confession. Do you ever say, “I love work.”? I love to say these words.
Get your children to love work. This is a very important habit to instill in them while they are young. It breaks my heart to see lazy children who don’t want to work. They haven’t been trained. We train our children to work. Not by nagging them. Not by yelling at them to stop being lazy. Not by punishing them. But by encouraging them. By thinking of ways to show them how to make it fun.
Work is part of human dignity. Work is an expression of the image of God. He is a Creator and therefore He works. After resting on the seventh day, He began working again. He created the Garden of Eden and then He planted a garden. Yes, God, the ruler of the universe, prepared the soil and put His hands right into the soil and planted (Genesis 2:8)! Some people think they are better than God and they would rather not get their hands dirty.
Jesus said: “My Father is always working, and so am I” (John 5:17).
God looks upon all work as holy, whether it is sacred or secular. Working in your home—scrubbing toilets, changing diapers, vacuuming, preparing meals, and washing dishes are just as sacred as the pastor preaching on Sunday. We often think of the priests as holy men of God. But the majority of them were butchers, slaughtering beasts and cutting them up all day long. They were tough and I am sure had well developed muscles. Others were bakers and cleaners and watchers over the temple (yes, they were bouncers!). And they were all holy and anointed for these “sacred” tasks.
Oh yes, something I didn’t tell you. I left it until the last. Another meaning of the word “avad” means “to worship.” Work is worship to God. When we do it with a willing and joyful spirit, we are actually worshipping God because He created us in His image to work! As you are busy working in your home, you are worshipping all day long.
Are you getting excited about work? Gather your children around and remind them how God created work for our blessing. It is holy and sacred. And when they do their chores with a willing heart, they are worshipping God. And if they try to do them to the best of their ability, God will show them better and quicker ways of doing them. And they’ll have more time for play!
I love work, don’t you?
Love from Nancy Campbell
Photo: My granddaughters, Georgia, Breeze, and Haven working hard to rake up leaves in the woods for my compost pile.
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“Sometimes it is very dark. We cannot understand what we are doing. We do not see the web we are weaving. We are not able to discover any beauty, any possible good in our experience. Yet if we are faithful and fail not and faint not, we shall someday know that the most exquisite work of all our life was done in those days when it was so dark.”
― J. R. Miller
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Dear wives and mothers, you are created in the image of God to reflect His glory. As a female God has destined you to reveal His nurturing and compassionate anointing to the world.
Our God is the Creator and loves to create. Because He created you in His image, you also have within you a desire to create. When God came to the sixth day of creation, He said: “LET US MAKE man in our image.” The essence of “let us make” is not only in God, but He has put it in His human creation.
Erick Gray writes: “Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she will make a baby. If you give her a house, she will make a home. If you give her groceries, she will make a meal. If you give her a smile, she will give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.”
Yes, it is true, cooperating with God you make babies. Some women will say, “Is that all I’m good for? Making babies and keeping house?” Of course you are good for that. You were made physically and innately for motherhood. It is your glory. It is not only glorious, but powerful! Mothers are the greatest influence upon the next generation, and therefore the nation, and therefore future generations, and therefore eternity! For our children are eternal souls that will live forever.
But dear ladies, your whole life is creating. You were created “to make.” Because you are in the home you make it a beautiful home. You have the freedom to create it to be what you want it to be. Your imagination is limitless.
You create a beautiful table to gather your family and visitors around. You have complete freedom to develop the gifts and talents God has inherently put within you. Maybe you love to cook, so you’ll make wonderful meals, not only your family, but to invite others to join your table.
You love to bake cakes or homemade bread? You can even sell it. Everything you make you can turn into a home business if you want to. Although we have to guard that desire. There are seasons for everything. When we have little children around us, it is best to wait until they are older when you have more helping hands. Or you have older children to help with the younger ones and even help with the home business you are creating.
You may make crafts and sell them. You can write books and sell them. You can paint pictures and sell them. Do you sew or knit? Oh I am sure you make the most amazing things with these abilities. You can create a wonderful garden. You can do whatever gift God has given you. Your creativity is boundless.
But here’s another thing to remember. You don’t have to make money out of everything you do! Yes, it can be a blessing (especially as you have older children) to help bring income into the family by selling your creative works. But we should never do everything for money. We do it for the joy of being creative. The joy of fulfilling the gift God has given to us. Or the joy of bless others. That’s the greatest motive of all.
1 Peter 45;10 (HCSB) says: “Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.” Do you notice those words, “to serve others”? Yes, you may do it to make money, but the greatest purpose is to serve and bless others. Don’t let’s forget this word from God.
You don’t have to leave your home to be liberated! No. You are in your glory in your home as you bring forth babies and create a glorious homelife for your family. But you are also FREE to fulfill the gifts that God has given you in your home. The sky is the limit. You are free to create in whatever gift God has uniquely given to you. Please say Hallelujah!
John Garr writes: “There is no doubt that the term ‘image of God’ . . . refers to man’s inner charismatic endowment as a creative being. Man’s likeness to God expresses itself in man’s striving and ability to become a creator.”
Be blessed as you create in your home today,
Love from Nancy Campbell
Painting by Hans Heyson (I have this painting hanging up in our visitor’s bedroom).
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I am currently doing a series on THE GLORY OF WOMANHOOD on my weekly podcast. This morning I came across this beautiful quote and so am posting it for you.
“O that God would give every mother a vision of the GLORY AND SPLENDOR of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained!
Could she have but one glimpse into the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into its soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God’s world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers and she would commit to no other hands the sacred and holy trust given to her.”
~ James Russell Miller (1840 – 1921).
Painting: Theodore Robinson (1852-1896).
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I have some little people with fine hair and rosy cheeks,
They giggle and they squeal quite as often as they speak,
They climb on me each morning and chase me through the day
Asking lots of questions and begging me to play.
It’s easy to get busy with the things I need to do
Forgetting that their playful days are fleeting and too few.
Oh, Lord, please help me notice what’s important and what’s not,
To cherish precious moments and to mother as I ought,
Please keep me from distractions that would rob me of the joy
That you have planned to give me through my precious girls and boys.
Please help me teach them of Your ways, this is my highest aim,
I long to see my children live to glorify Your name.
O, help me be the model that would draw them to Your throne,
Let me make for them a haven that would turn their hearts to home,
And in these fast and fleeting years, please help me not to miss
The treasures that you give me in each cuddle and each kiss.
When I am old and looking back at every blessed year
I will rejoice that I was there to share each joy and tear.
By Val Hallaran
www.valhalloran.com
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Did you ever listen to the podcasts I did with Meadow? You can check them out here.
No. 11 FACING FEMININITY HEAD ON
https://www.buzzsprout.com/…/776016-episode-11-facing-modes…
No. 12: MODESTY AND FEMININITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
https://www.buzzsprout.com/…/776938-episode-12-modesty-and-…
Painting: “At the Cottage Door” by William Henry Margetson
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A POST FROM MEADOW
Many of you have got to know my lovely granddaughter, Meadow, Pearl’s daughter. Recently Meadow and her husband, Kendall celebrated their third wedding anniversary. As usual, I love what she wrote, and she has given me permission to share it with you. Kendall and Meadow are currently living in Japan as Kendall is an engineer with Nissan. They are looking forward to their second baby in April 2020.
MY TRUE IDENTITY
“Three years ago we entered this covenant relationship called marriage . . . how much growing has happened since then! While the honeymoon season was exciting and sweet and filled with so much joy, I'm so glad I'm not the same person I was back then.
I was an insecure wife. I had the most affectionate and loving husband who adored me, but that did not cure my insecurity. This was because my identity was in the wrong place. No matter how much my husband assured me, I kept buying the lie that many women believe these days that I will never "be enough.”
This past year, God has been showing me where my true identity lies. Even though it's wonderful that my husband finds me beautiful and loves me, my value does not come from what my husband or others think of me. It comes from what God says about me, and who He created me to be.
Now that I don't have to look to my husband to find my value and worth, I can just love him, truly love him. Insecurity is so selfish. Sometimes we think it's humility, but it's really keeping our eyes on ourselves, instead of becoming love.
A few months ago, I told my husband, "I'm so sorry I've been insecure for so long. That wasn't loving to you."
Marriage isn't about having your needs fulfilled by someone else. It isn't about finding your value. Marriage isn't even 50/50. Marriage is "I love you." It isn't "I love you; do you love me too?"
My husband is such a blessing to me. I'm still amazed that I got to marry him. I think about how much God must love me to give me such a wonderful gift as him, but that's exactly what he is for me. He's my gift. But I am only fulfilled by Christ. And when two people are fulfilled by Christ, there are no more false expectations you put on your spouse.
I'm so thankful God is showing me how to love Kendall more. I know I have more to learn, but He is creating a work in me.
MEADOW HALL
Facebook: Meadow Hall
Instagram: _m_e_a_d_o_w_
Photo: Celebrating their wedding anniversary at the New York Grill in Tokyo.
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He was just a little boy,
On a week's first day.
Wandering home from Bible school,
And dawdling on the way.
He scuffed his shoes into the grass;
He even found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod,
And blew out all the 'filler.'
A bird's nest in a tree overhead,
So wisely placed up so high,
Was just another wonder,
That caught his eager eye.
A neighbor watched his zigzag course,
And hailed him from the lawn;
Asked him where he'd been that day
And what was going on.
‘'I've been to Bible School,” he said
And turned a piece of sod.
He picked up a wiggly worm replying,
‘I've learned a lot about God.’
“M'mm, very fine way,” the neighbor said,
“For a boy to spend his time.
If you'll tell me where God is,
I'll give you a brand new dime.”
Quick as a flash the answer came!
Nor were his accents faint.
“I'll give you a dollar, Mister,
If you can tell me where God ain't.”
~ Unknown
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When Jesus was moved with compassion towards the hungry people who came to listen to him, he asked Philip where they could buy bread to feed them all. Philip replied that eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for all the thousands of people (John 6:7).
I think that would have been my reply too! Like me, Philip looked at the situation—they had no money, and even if they did, where could they get enough food to feed this multitude? Philip hadn’t yet learned to look past his situation and circumstances and look to his God.
Do you think we could change our thinking too? We are so prone to look at the difficulties or trauma we face. We think of the worst. But God wants us to look to Him. He is bigger than any situation that looms in front of us. When we look up to Him and trust Him, it’s amazing what happens. Our circumstances may not change but our attitude does! And that makes all the difference.
When you cast your burden upon the Lord, He will sustain you. When you can’t see your way out, don’t despair. Keep trusting God. Have patience. God is working all things out in His wonderful way.
Psalm 78:19 says that the children of Israel “spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?”
Can we change our confession from “Can God?” to “Thank You, Father. I trust You. I know You are in control.”
Have a blessed day,
Nancy Campbell
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What are you breathing today? Of course you breathe to keep alive, but what else are you breathing? Threatenings to your children? Or love and kindness and truth?
Proverbs 12:17 (AMP) states: “He who breathes out truth shows forth righteousness.” Isn’t that interesting? I checked it in the Strong’s Concordance, and yes, it is absolutely correct! The Hebrew, “puach”, means “to breathe, to puff.”
We breathe without thinking; it is completely natural to us. It should also become natural to us to breathe out truth. Truth breathing mothers are powerful mothers. Of course, before we can naturally breathe it out, we must be filled with truth. Richly filled. And then we’ll be richly filling our children’s hearts (Colossians 3:16).
May we become so filled with truth that we breathe it out unconsciously. This is the picture of the virtuous women. Every time she opened her mouth, she breathed out godly wisdom (Proverbs 31:26). Constantly dropping seeds of truth throughout the day.
Be blessed today, Nancy Campbell
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Each new baby is born with the stamp of God upon them.
John 1:9 describes Jesus, who was God, being the true Light, “which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Each person has an awareness of God for they are created in the “image and likeness” of God. They have a conscience. They have a knowingness of God.
Gerhard Eberling writes of “a spark of the Eternal implanted in the first human person and in all subsequent human progeny.”
This is the great blessing of children being born into a godly home. Godly parents will fan this flame. As you teach your children the ways of God and His Word the light increases. More understanding and revelation of God fills their lives.
That’s why children who are daily fed God’s Word can come to know Christ at an early age. They can be born again into God’s family while they are young. Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15: “From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Young children can receive Christ into their lives at three and four years of age.
Most of our children came to Christ at four years of age. They are in their fifties today and have never deviated from walking with God.
In an ungodly home where Jesus is never mentioned and His Word is never opened, this light can be dimmed and squelched. If it is an atheistic home, it may have a lot of water thrown on it. But the spark is always there. No human is exempt. Therefore, no matter how degraded the person, we can continue to witness to them of the truth of the gospel. The spark of light is waiting to be lit.
As parents, we keep fueling the light that God has put in our children. We want them to shine brightly. And we keep brining the gospel to children and adults who have no one to fan their flame.
When our children were small, we lived near a school. I used to have a Joy Time Club once a week and gather in children after school. I was able to share the gospel and teach God’s Word to up to 40 children each week.
Let’s keep lighting the flame.
Love from Nancy Campbell
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Before I was a Mom
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.
Before I was a Mom
I slept as late as I wanted
And never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth every day.
Before I was Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies.
Before I was a Mom
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom
I had never been puked on,
Pooped on, spit on, chewed on, peed on,
Or pinched by tiny fingers.
Before I was a Mom
I had complete control of . . .
My thoughts, my body, and my mind.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could
do tests.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't
want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces; when I
couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my
life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside
my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to
feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me
feel so important.
Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every
10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love,
the heartache, the wonderment, or the
satisfaction of being a mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.
~ Unknown.
Painting by George Moreau de Tours (1848 – 1901) French.
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