Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Dear mother, please be encouraged. You are right where God wants you to be. You have the highest career in the nation as you train the next generation; as you make a stable, loving, peaceful home for your children; as you daily fill them with God's Word; and as you prepare them for the destiny for which God has brought them into the world.

And there's more. Your career is an eternal one. You came naked into this world and naked you will go out, not taking anything with you, except your redeemed soul and the redeemed souls of your children, which are eternal. Others may pour their lives into careers outside the home which will all be left behind. You are pouring your life into lives that will live forever. You are doing an eternal work.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians telling them: "Therefore, my beloved brethren be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Motherhood is the "work of the Lord." It is God ordained. God has commissioned us for this task. Yes, I’ll admit, it is work. It's consistent work. It's hard work. It's never-giving-up work. But it will never be in vain. Read the promise again: "Your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

God also tells us that he wants us to be “steadfast” in our calling. This word means “to be settled." Other translations say: “strong in purpose,” “stand firm and steady,” and “stand your ground.”

The dictionary meaning for "settled" is to be "placed, established, fixed, composed, and adjusted." Not tossed to and fro and hankering after another lifestyle. You've come to terms with God and yourself, knowing that this is the life for which you were born. You know you are in the perfect will of God.

You understand there is more to motherhood than just loving your children. You actually LOVE motherhood. Every mother loves her children, but when you love the career of mothering, it makes all the difference in the world. Psalm 128:3 (TLB) is your testimony: "Your wife shall be contented in your home."

Be settled in your great calling today.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

The only way we can keep a soft attitude is by the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Our fleshly nature gets offended, hurt, bitter, and then hard. We must guard against these evils.

Instead, we must yield to the Holy Spirit to flood our hearts with His forgiveness and love. But what do you do when your love flies out the window and there is none left? You still have God’s love—His agape love that loves in the face opposition and hatred.

Romans 5:5 says: “The love of God is shed abroad (poured into) our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Offense leads to bitterness, bitterness leads to hardness, and hardness leads to divorce.

Stop the downward path to destruction now. Dear lovely wife, if you are offended by your husband, seek to get right. Forgive—there is no other option. Unforgiveness not only hurts your husband, but YOU, and your family. Love him with God’s love.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).

Love to you today,

Nancy Campbell

Meanwhile, hanging over our heads was the possibility that my husband could lose his job and thus we would lose our visa status. We had been renting a very small three-bedroom house. Absolutely nothing in our circumstances even suggested we could, should, or would buy a home.

We had previously worked with a realtor, and seemingly out of the blue, he contacted us to show us our “perfect house.” Everything we had on our wish list. I opted not to go to see the house. What was the point? Plus, I was very ill at the time.

Very excitedly, my husband called me. He said I HAD to go see the house. I dragged myself out and went. Pulling into the driveway I exchanged a look with my eldest daughter (who was a mere 15 years old at the time). We immediately could see its great potential. Five bedrooms, ample bathrooms, and a wonderful, big backyard. This was indeed OUR Family Home! It truly was perfect.

Against every human reason in the world we bought that house. Now what? If we lost our visa status we would own a home we would have to leave. But God! Don’t you love it when the Bible says, “but God”?

Because He is so loving and caring He showed us we had nothing to worry or be anxious for. My husband ended up being “acquired as intellectual property” when the startup was purchased by non-other than Microsoft. Even in our wildest dreams we couldn’t have imagined that the LORD would show Himself so faithful.

Because of that acquisition, God provided abundantly for our family as it grew to include four more children.

DAWN KERR
Edmonds, Washington, USA
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Picture: Dawn and Clifton’s family: Candice married to Tim who have two daughters--Abigail (8) and Lilian (4), Vanessa (29), Natasha (26), Gabriel (21), Nathaniel (19), Tabitha (17), Josiah (16), Adam (14), Micah (12), and Lucas (11).

And yet it is accepted as norm in our society today. Truly we have turned things upside down. God says these very words in Isaiah 29:16 (ESV): “You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, ‘He did not make me’; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding’?”

No one can mother a baby like the true mother. Day care workers can be conscientious to protect, feed, and care for babies and young children, but they do not intuitively understand the true needs of the child. They don’t even have the hormones of oxytocin and prolactin filling them with love and motherliness. In fact, they are doing it for pay!

Oh, there is a great different when we do something for pay than when we do it intuitively because everything inside of us wants to do it. I watch my daughter, Serene, mother her little baby, Solly. She totally mothers her. She nurses her constantly. Her baby is rarely out of her arms or her baby carrier. When she is on her lap she is talking to her, adoring her, squeezing her fat little thighs (because she is growing fatter and fatter), massaging her, and just doting on her. Solly is mothered to pieces.

And then she has all her siblings vying to hold her, laugh and smile at her, and love her. A baby in a day care is watched over, but never gets this amount of love and attention. And it is all for delight and love. The mother isn’t dreaming of money.

I read this morning in Job 7:2 about the employed person who waits for his or her wages. A day care worker can do her work diligently and conscientiously, but ultimately, they do it for pay. They wouldn’t be there if they weren’t getting paid. Conversely, the mother nurtures out of her mothering anointing. Jesus also speaks of the difference between the hired worker and the true shepherd in John 10:11-13. The true shepherd gives his life for the sheep whereas the hired worker does it for pay.

Let’s not get sucked into the deception of this society. There’s just too much deception around. Let’s stand up for the real and genuine, even if we need to sacrifice and go without!

Love to you today,

Nancy Campbell

Our third child and first son, Joshua William, came six weeks early and was our only child to be born in the hospital. He was transferred to the Children's Hospital a few hours later. After receiving the best care, the Children's Hospital could offer, he passed away in the wee hours of the morning he would have turned ten days old.

Our Lord's provision for us began before any of the bills came in. I have been blessed to be a homemaker and my little girls were used to being with me 24/7. But suddenly I had to be at the hospital with my newborn.

Who will take care of my girls? My parents were able to take our girls (then 3 1/2 and 2) the day Joshua was born, and friends helped take turns. My brother's wife, Regina, was my "hero" during that time. She came with her baby at a moment's notice whenever we were ready to go to the hospital. She was God's answer to my heart's constant prayer for my two precious little girls waiting at home for us.

The Lord had already led us to live without insurance and we trusted Him to provide for Joshua's expenses. As the bills came in, we contacted each billing agency, asking if we could wait a few weeks until most or all the bills had come in. We could then see what payment arrangements could be made for each of them. The expenses were staggering, and we were surprised to receive so many individual bills! We understood having an ambulance bill for me and a bill for transporting Joshua between hospitals, but the hospital where he was born had about five or six bills. (Pathology? I had a baby, not surgery!)

We had some savings to work with. Our church designated an account specifically for us and money came in from family and friends. Prayer went out through the ministry we were part of, and someone we still have not met sent money to help with our need.

A well-meaning person recommended a certain funeral home to us thinking that services provided for infants was free. This was not the case. It was another large expense, expected to be paid within one month. But God pays for what He orders. The first bill we received was for the ambulance and it was the last one to respond to our settlement appeal. That bill was completely forgiven. To God be the glory, ALL of Joshua's medical expenses were settled in just six months!

My parents gave us money to purchase a headstone. The day we were ready to make our selection, the person at the monument company showed us a sale notice in the paper. In addition to an engraved picture of Jesus with three lambs, the name and date, and wording of our choice, we were able to have the other side of the headstone engraved at no extra charge!

The "front" of Joshua's headstone reads, "He obeyed the Voice of his Creator." We had told Joshua what basic position he should be for birth and about when we expected his birth. But we would always add, ". . . unless the Creator tells you something different." Although Joshua had been head-down at our last prenatal checkup, he did a somersault and came out bottom first. (I had pictured him that way a few days before his birth.)

This was good because he had hydrocephalus (commonly called "water on the brain), and his head had already begun to swell. His position, combined with being six weeks early, made for a relatively easy and uncomplicated delivery.

He also obeyed His Creator when it was time to leave us. After visiting with us the last night at the hospital, my brother told his wife it was as if he could hear Joshua saying, "I love you. I'd like to stay with you, but Jesus is calling me. I have to go. I love you."

The "back" of his headstone has beautiful script writing\ with his name at the top and then "For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me" (Genesis. 22:12b).

A friend donated the cemetery plot. The Lord even provided a couple to "babysit" the site for us and we often find floral arrangements when we visit the cemetery.

The Lord provided a special blessing to help overcome our grieving. About one year and one month after Joshua's birth, Anna Faith was born. The Lord blessed me with the easiest labor and delivery so far--instead of pain with each contraction, I had only a mild soreness. The intensity increased as labor progressed, but the recognizable pain was not there! This was part of our Lord's provision at the Cross where Jesus took upon Himself not only our sin, but all the curse associated with our sin. I was very blessed and very grateful for that experience!

In 2007 the Lord blessed us with a new house, a new job, and another son. David has always been one of my favorite names and I always knew I would either marry a David or have a son named David. Isn't God good to us? You would think we would have named our first son David, but our loving Lord knew so much better!

I told Jeff the week we were engaged that I would like to have a son named Joshua so that was our first choice for a boy. It sometimes brings tears to my eyes to think how much God cared about my desire to have a son named David. He made sure we did not give that name to the son we were not permitted to keep. So today I still have a David! David's middle name is Seth because, like Eve, I felt that, "For God . . . hath appointed me another seed instead of [Joshua]" (Genesis. 4:25).

In 2010, Daniel Joseph was born at home. However, when the midwife came for his 24-hour checkup, she told us we should take him to the emergency room at the Children's Hospital immediately. He was admitted to the hospital around midnight. When the doctor came in and began talking to us about Daniel's physical issues (which were entirely different from Joshua's), the tears came.

I told her we had had a baby die at this hospital and we needed to take this baby home alive. I reminded her every day and she worked with us until Wednesday afternoon, when she told us, "If you want to take him home alive, you need to take him home tonight."

Friends from church passed the word that we would host a "Welcome Home Party" after Wednesday night activities. About 70 people rejoiced with us in Daniel's life.

The hospice nurse (which God provided at the last minute through a service we had heard advertised on Christian radio) encouraged us to take turns holding Daniel and telling him what we would have liked to do with him as he grew up. What a treasured time with our precious son! We were able to have him home for about 12 hours and this Christian hospice service was free!

Daniel lived for 5 1/2 days but his expenses were still huge. The dynamics had changed for us as well. Jeff lost his job just three months before Daniel's birth. Yet we had already been experiencing God's provision. The day after the lay-off, I was at Aldi and found several meat packages with "$2 off" stickers. A neighbor brought us day-old bread, thinking we could use it for our chickens. We made sure they could see us taking some to the chickens, but we ate most of it ourselves. Another neighbor down the road emptied the chest freezer when their son moved out and discovered that he had left several meat packages behind. He didn't want them, so she offered them to us. Wow! Several packages of specialty cuts wrapped in butcher paper! We ate well when Jeff was out of work!

Another thing that happened the day after the lay-off was that we discovered our lateral lines needed replaced. The Lord provided professional help at a discount and a friend who came to help with that project also gave us money he had been saving for a desired purchase, but felt he should give to us.

Shortly after Daniel's decease, my brother stopped by with an envelope from an anonymous donor(s) containing a large sum of money. Our church again designated an account for us as well.

A friend went with us to negotiate our bills. Jeff believed the Lord revealed to him the total amount to be paid. The man at the office for the Hospital did not think our low settlement offer would be accepted, but God answered our prayers with a yes. "The heart of the king is in the hand of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:1).

He called the next day and said we could come right over and pay. He was surprised, but we were not. When negotiating with the Physicians' bill, they were very willing to accept our offer once they understood Jeff had been unemployed.

We were surprised the next week to receive a third bill, this time from pathology. Our doctor had tried to help diagnose Daniel's situation so they could better pursue treatment and so they could tell us about how long to expect him to live. We called the man at the hospital to enquire about this unexpected extra bill. He was surprised as well, but said we should not expect any more. We called the pathology office about it, and when they learned that Daniel was already deceased, they said they would forgive the bill as soon as they received a copy of his death certificate. So the total medical cost was exactly the amount our Lord revealed to Jeff. To God be the glory, ALL of Daniel's medical expenses were settled in just two weeks! Even when Jeff was out of work!

Again, about one year and one month after Daniel's birth, our son Jeffrey Isaac was born. Jeffrey was born the day after Jeff's 45th birthday, so his first name was the obvious choice. The name Isaac came from Genesis 21:6: "And Sarah [that's my name!] said, 'God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.'"

I hope this account (there is so much more) will be a blessing to you and even if your circumstances and finances appear impossible to face, Jehovah Jireh, the God Who sees ahead, is ready to meet your need and bring glory to Himself.

Remember, God always pays for what He orders.

SARAH BEDFORD
Guthrie, Oklahoma, USA
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Picture: Jeff and Sarah’s family: Mary (18), Charity (16) {Joshua, 10 days and with Jesus}, Anna (13), David (10) {Daniel, 5 1/2 days and with Jesus}, Jeffrey (6 1/2), and Elijah (3 ½).

During this time, I had become more aware of the obstetricians involved in providing abortions under the guise of “DNC’s” and other excuses so I researched to find an obstetrician who was pro-life in our city. This took many months! There were only two and one would not accept me due to a full schedule. Midway through the pregnancy I managed to get an appointment and eventually my fourth baby was delivered in full health, despite threats of medical intervention/caesarean. God is faithful.

Lauren is now three years and I long for more children. We have now begun homeschooling and have been blessed to connect with other godly families. Many have large families and their witness is a light in this dark world.

EMILY McKENNA
Perth, Australia
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Picture: Chris and Emily with MackKenzie, Rosie, Jessica, and Lauren.

This attitude begins in our family life. Daily blessing our husbands Daily blessing our children. And then we’ll be in the habit of blessing everyone else who comes into our lives.

The word “watereth” means “to satisfy the thirst, to satiate, to soak and water abundantly.” This speaks of more than giving water to someone. So many people are hungry and thirsty for more than physical water. They need water for their souls. Their souls are starving for encouragement, affirmation, and building up.

What kind of person am I? Stingy or generous? Am I too busy thinking of myself to be concerned about building up others? Am I so filled with self-pity and thoughts about myself that I don’t have time to minister to others?

I remember an incident in my life years ago when I was a young mother. I was walking over the doorstep of my home when I heard the Lord speak loudly to my soul: “Nancy how can I reveal to you the needs of others if you are always thinking about yourself?” Those words arrested me. If I am to water others, I must give room in my heart for others.

If we are preoccupied with thoughts about ourselves, we’ll never have room for God to speak to us about others who are in need. He can’t even get through our selfishness.

The wonderful thing is that when we water others God promises that we will be watered back. It is an eternal principle.

The TPT states: “Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.”

The NLT says: “The generous will prosper, those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

It’s the same principle in the New Testament where Jesus said: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35). We don’t find our lives by trying to save them. We find our lives by losing them in pouring them out for others, starting with our family.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Our hearts were burdened, and we cried out to God. It was then that He gave us this vision. We felt God saying: “For many, many, years, missionaries and mission works have come to Africa to help the orphans and widows. And that is good. There has been much work done to help the poor. And that is good. But I don't want you to treat the symptoms anymore. I WANT YOU TO DEAL WITH THE ROOTS!"

What are the roots?
1) Unfaithfulness in marriage resulting in HIV which creates an endless flow of widows and orphans.
2) Polygamy (common in the cultures), also resulting in HIV. It is also common among Christians, especially in villages.

As for poverty? It is not hard to figure out that a man with two or three wives and children from them all will often struggle financially to care for his family thus, increasing poverty.

The Lord impressed on our hearts that we could see a change in this generation and generations to come if we will start teaching His Word as it relates to FAMILY LIFE.

We lived in Kenya that year of 2011 and taught what God revealed to us. In that one year alone, we saw a tremendous change in families!

Since returning from that initial trip, we have prayed, waiting for the right time to return, and set up an ongoing ministry to African families. We finally think it's time!

Our desire and vision is not to go alone but take other families (who have a vision for family) with us also, for short or long-term missions. We saw firsthand the fruit born from our teaching the Word, but even more from their WATCHING our family life. They are turning to our western way and limiting children. They couldn’t believe we would have more than one or two children. They need to see godly family life worked out in marriages and families, and yes, big families. We are excited to see how many lives would be impacted when other families join our family on a mission trip! The more people who can come AS FAMILIES, WITH THEIR CHILDREN, the more impact.

If you would be interested or would like to get more information, please contact us. If you, your family, small group, church, or business would like to partner with us and help sponsor this work, contact us. We will be glad to serve the King of Kings with you.

NADIA PUTANA
www. mutanafamily.com
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As newlyweds we decided to wait five years before having a child. We thought it was good wisdom as it would allow us to have time to financially prepare for children.

A few months into our marriage, we met the mother of a friend from Congo, Africa. She was an older woman who had birthed and raised 10 children. They were all grown and she had grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her children lived in different continents and countries. They would fight over her visiting them. So, she would spend one month a year at each of her children’s homes and then two months in her home in Congo. She was a widow, but her life was so full of goodness.

As she shared her adventures and joys of having all these children, we were amazed. She then rebuked us for not having children. In our defense we told her our reasons which were mainly financial. She explained to us that God always provided with each child. After a long talk, we walked home in silence as the Holy Spirit convicted us. Our flesh screamed for fear. Nevertheless, we surrendered to God.

Shortly after, we conceived our first born. My husband ended up switching jobs while I was pregnant to allow a schedule that was best for a family. With that, he took a cut in pay. We were so short on finances that I didn't even have money to buy maternity clothes as my belly got bigger.

One day I cried to the Lord about it as it was now embarrassing. Shortly after, I met a lady who ran a pregnancy center in our area. She invited me to stop by and see their work. The morning I went to see her, they got a shipment from Motherhood (a maternity store) with brand new clothes and they decided to donate clothes which they hadn't done before. The lady took me in one of the rooms and invited me to help myself to any clothes that I wanted.

"Take all you need," she instructed. Wow! I unwrapped the brand new clothes from their packages and got enough outfits to last me the whole pregnancy and nursing season! God wiped away my tears that day.

Friends planned two baby showers and all clothing and needs were gifted us! After our son was born, gifts from friends, family, and neighbors kept coming. We had diapers and clothes to last us months! My husband also got a 75% RAISE AT HIS WORK! Praise God!

One of our concerns in having a baby was that we didn't have family around. They were in Africa or other cities far away. How would we do this without help? I had an emergency c-section which added to the challenge. But from the day our son was born, friends stopped by. They brought meals, cleaned our home for us, or just held baby while I took a much-needed nap! God truly met ALL our needs and even granted our desires.

From that birth, God blessed us with tremendous and beautiful relationships enabling us to raise our child in a community the way we had grown up back in Africa. God is so good!

NADIA MUTANA
Collinwood, Tennessee, USA
Formally from Rwanda, now Canadian citizens, but currently living in USA.
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www.mutanafamily.com
Pitana and Nadia are now blessed with seven children: Jeremiah (13), Samuel (10), Wonder (8), Elizah (6), Jairus (4), Cyrus (2), and Grace (5 months).

Putana and Nadia also wrote in the previous Above Rubies, # 94, about naming their children, page 27.

YOU CAN HEAR PITANA MUTANA ON RADIO AND TV IF YOU LIVE IN THE NORTH ALABAMA/NORTH MISSISSIPPI AREAS
Nadia writes: Please check our website in upcoming weeks for our new Radio and TV programs. We are already airing on 1410 AM every Sunday at 3:15 pm for those living in North Alabama and North East MIssissipi (Tishomingo area).

Production for our TV program on CTN ( Christian Television Network ) will begin in August and our first program should air the end of August, early September. It will air every Wednesday at 7:30 pm with replay every Friday at 5 pm. It will reach North Mississipi and North Western Alabama. So check back on our site to watch online and on YouTube!

I became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby girl in 2017 at the age of 40! I wish I could tell every mother to have a baby at 40 if she is able. It has energized me like nothing else. It has renewed my joy in mothering. It has expanded my heart. Watching our older children with a brand new sibling has brought a joy to our family that we could (and do!) just burst with overflowing gratitude. It has made me appreciate every stage of mothering that I am in right now.

I thought I loved my older children as much as I ever could, but this new addition has made me love them even more as I watch them love her! Every day is more exciting than the last as we all adore this baby together.

I often tell people that I wish we would have started having children sooner and had many more, but my plans and selfishness stood in the way early in our marriage. I know the Lord’s plan is the very best and I could not be more thankful that His ways are not our ways and that He is gracious and merciful. Even though I am heading toward my 42nd birthday, I am praying that the Lord might bless us with at least one more precious baby.

HEIDI BROWN
Windermere Florida
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Steve and Heidi with Maggie (12),Steven (9) and baby Samantha (13 months).