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.

WHAT IS YOUR BOAST?

BoastAre you preparing for the Coming Day? The day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns from Heaven? What will we present to Him on that day? Paul writes about what He is preparing for the Lord Jesus. He doesn’t mention any material things or aspirations of building a great organization. Instead he talks about his babes in Christ.

When writing to the new Thessalonian believers, he says: “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy” (1` Thessalonians 2:19, 20 ESV).

What a challenge to us as mothers. We have such a powerful ministry right in our own home. God has given us precious lives to lead to salvation and to nurture, train, and teach to be ardent disciples of the Lord. We have the responsibility to pray and pour into their lives so we can present our children to the Lord at His coming—sanctified and blameless in body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

We have no greater ministry. The Lord Jesus will not be interested in our presenting our career to Him. Or our material possessions. Or the great name we made for ourselves. He will only look for cleansed, purified, and holy sons and daughters. This will not happen without our intercession, dedication, sacrifice, and pouring out our lives (1 Thessalonians 2:7-12).

Are your children your boast in the Lord? This is my greatest burden of prayer and longing? I am sure it yours too. May our children be our “glory” and “joy” at His coming. Oh, may we not live in vain. I pay along with Paul in Philippians 2:16: “Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have NOT RUN IN VAIN, NEITHER LABORED IN VAIN.”

You are a full-time pastor in your home.

Be blessed and encouraged,

Nancy Campbell

Painting by Jessie Willcox Smith

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MATERNAL LOVE

MaternalLove“When God lays a new-born babe in the arms of a mother, he says to her heart, "Take this child and nurse it for me and I will give you your wages." The answer of maternal love should be, ‘Oh God, you have put your noblest workmanship into my hands. I accept the precious trust. I will shelter this young life under your mercy-seat. I will be truthful that it may never learn falsehood. I will nurse this soul in its infancy with the sincere milk of love, that in after years it may bear strong meat for strong service of God and righteousness. Oh, Heavenly Father, make my life in harmony with yourself, that this young life may reflect your blessed image in following my example!’ To such pious fidelity—God offers the highest wages; he pays the heart's claim, in the heart's own coin.”

~ Theodore Cuyler, 1896

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INDWELT

ByMYSpiritNot merely in the words you say,

Not only in your deeds confessed,
But in the most unconscious way
Is Christ expressed.

Is it a beatific smile,
A holy light upon your brow;
Oh no, I felt His Presence while
You laughed just now.

For me ‘twas not the truth you taught,
To you so clear, to me still dim,
But when you came to me you brought
A sense of Him.

And from your eyes He beckons me,
And from your heart His love is shed,
Til I lose sight of you and see
The Christ instead.

~ Beatrice Clelland

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HOW GRATEFUL ARE WE?

HowGratefulI recently read an article by the Puritan, Thomas Doolittle (1632-1707). His words were challenging. I don’t think many Christians could receive them today. They would be outraged. But would you mind if I shared two little excerpts from his writings? He wrote:

“When God is a Benefactor to a people and they do not serve Him, what monstrous wickedness it is! God hath kept you all safe in the night, and yet in the morning you do not say, ‘Where is the Lord that did preserve us? Come, come, let us give joint praises to Him?’”

Talking about all the blessings God pours out upon us—salvation, healing from sickness, and deliverance from affliction, etc. he writes: “And yet you do not pray to nor praise this your wonderful Benefactor together. Let the very walls within which these ungrateful wretches live be astonished at this! Let the very beams and pillars of their houses tremble! And let the very girders of the floors on which they tread and walk be horribly afraid! That such as dwell in such an house together go to bed before they go to prayer together! Let the earth be amazed, that the families which the Lord doth nourish and maintain are rebellious and unthankful, being worse that the very ox that knoweth his wonder and of less understanding than the very ass (Isaiah 1:2,3).”

Wow, were you able to take that? Not for the faint-hearted! But it is true, isn’t it? Are we truly thankful if we don’t gather as families to praise and worship God each day? We give more importance to all the plans we have for the day than taking time to praise and worship the God who gives us our very breath.

We praise God that there is no longer any need for the daily sacrifices for sin. Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb slain before the foundation of the world was slain ONCE AND FOR ALL (Hebrews 9:11-14; 25-28; 10:10-14; and 1 Peter 3:18). But just as every morning and evening sacrifice pointed to Calvary, I feel strongly in my heart to look back to Jesus’ great salvation. I don’t like to let a day go past without thanking Him for His eternal salvation which is beyond all comprehension. I love that we meet as a family to take the time to do this.

And not only for our great salvation, but for all His goodness to us. We pray daily for God’s protection over all our family. I know you do too. But we also need to thank Him for His covering and protection. Oh, how many times He delivers us, many times when we don’t even know it. In recent weeks, we have been miraculously saved from two fires, one that could have burned our house down, and the other on July 4th when our shed nearly blew up owing to a little boy who lit some fire crackers in the shed! There was gasoline, paint, and chemicals in that shed. But God miraculously delivered us both times. We sure remembered to thank Him.

Let’s be grateful people, not every now and then, but DAILY.

In His love,

Nancy Campbell

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WILL WE DO IT?

HousePrayerBWHow do people around you describe you as a family? How do the people in your community describe the church you go to?

In the early church Christians were known as the people who “call upon the name of Jesus Christ.” Saul, “breathing out threatenings and slaughter” sought to arrest and imprison all those who called upon the name of the Lord.

This should be the lifestyle of every believer and the testimony of every God-fearing family.

Is it your habit to gather your family each day to call upon the name of the Lord? Jeremiah 10:25 is a big challenge to families: “Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name.” This Scripture says that if we are not families who call upon the name of the Lord, we may as well be heathen families.

There is so much for which we need to call upon the Lord. For our own family. For this nation. The nations of the world. For Israel. For the persecuted church. How can we forget about our fellow brothers and sisters who are being persecuted around the world? We dare not forget them in prayer. Hebrews 13:3 9 (NLT) says: “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.” Is this how you pray for them each day?

What is another priority in prayer? 1 Timothy 2:1-3 says: “I exhort therefore, that, FIRST, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men: for kings and for ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY: that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” Therefore, we have a responsibility to pray for our president and those in authority. Do your hold them up in prayer each day as a family?

Recently my husband was speaking to a group of men—good, upstanding, faithful Christian men. And yet when he asked who prayed for President Trump in their home each day, only one man put up his hand.

It’s time to take up our responsibility. We are obligated to hold up Trump’s hands. Remember the story of Joshua fighting the Amalekites? When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but when his hand got tired and he let it down, the Amalekites prevailed. Therefore, his brothers, Aaron and Hur stood either side of him and held up his hands and they wasted the Amalekites!

We now have Trump’s slogan to make America great again. But this can’t happen without prayer. The prayers of God’s of families. Because if families are not praying together, churches will not be praying. Everything starts in the home.

Can you imagine what could happen in our nation if every God-fearing family prayed daily for our president and those in authority? We miss so much of God’s blessings because we do not pray.

I am challenged by the words of Norman V. Williams: “God didn’t make the course and destiny of nations and of individuals dependent on the decisions of Congresses and Parliaments, nor did He lay this power in the hands of rulers and kings; but rather God placed it in the praying family! Therefore, the devil cannot ruin nations of men until he has destroyed the homes of prayer! That’s why Satan hates the family altar.”

Praying families have the power to turn the tide in this nation. But will we, do it?

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Calling on the name of the Lord, OT: Genesis 4:26; 1 Kings 18:24; Psalm 116:17; Joel 2:32; and Zephaniah 3:9.

Calling on the name of the Lord, NT: Acts 9:14, 21; 22:16; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Romans 10:13; and 2 Timothy 2:22.

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IS MARRIAGE EXCLUSIVE OR OPEN?

MarriageExclusiveA Facebook question popped up on my Facebook over the weekend: “What's your take on guys and girls being friends? Even best friends? Can a girl be friends with a guy who isn't friends with her spouse and just be friends? Vice versa too? Can it be a purely platonic relationship?”

I was grieved in my spirit by the answers to this question. Most answered saying they thought it was healthy and beneficial to have friends of the opposite sex who were not their husband.

I beg your pardon! What has happened to God’s ideal of marriage? What has happened to the sacredness of marriage? What has happened to keeping our solemn marriage vows?

The marriage officiant asks the groom: “Do you take [bride’s name] to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and FORSAKING ALL OTHERS, BE FAITHFUL ONLY UNTO HER, as long as you both shall live?” The bride is asked the same question.

We know that “forsaking all others,” means to keep sexually pure in marriage. But I believe it means more than that. It means forsaking personal friendships (without including your husband) with the opposite sex. I don’t care what all these young marrieds say, it is not in God’s plan for marriage. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t have friendship with men. My husband and I have many friendships with couples and families. Our lives have been given to hospitality through the years and we have enjoyed the rich blessing of many couples at our table as we fellowship together.

But I wouldn’t dream of going out to eat or going somewhere on my own with the husband of that couple. Why do I need to do that? Why do I need another guy apart from my husband? Isn’t he enough? My husband is my best friend. I have vowed to forsake all others and be faithful only unto him—sexually, emotionally, mentally, and because of my scared marriage vows. And this is not dependent upon feelings, but upon commitment.

And how does this affect our children, the next generation? As I write my thoughts, I stopped and talked to my Above Rubies helpers in the office, young girls in their twenties. I asked them how they would feel if their father or mother went out on their own with someone of the opposite sex. They were aghast. They felt it was wrong. They said it would make them feel very insecure. One girl mentioned that before she came to Above Rubies, she was coming home from work and saw her mother with another man in the car. Her heart fell. She arrived home to find that her mother was taking the builder home who was working on the house! But just seeing another man in the car upset her.

The Bible tells us that love is jealous. What kind of love does a husband have for his wife if he is happy with her being with other guys? Or vice versa.

One comment from the Facebook stated: “Psychology has proven that relationships thrive when both parties maintain friendships outside of the relationship (meaning with the opposite sex).” I’m tired of listening to man-made wisdom. I’d rather adhere to God’s Word!

Song of Solomon 8:6: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death: jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.” It’s not wrong for a husband or wife to be jealous of their spouse giving attention to another man.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3).

God states emphatically in Exodus 20:3-5: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me . . . Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am jealous God.”

Marriage is a mystery. It is a picture of God and His people Israel. It is a picture of Christ and the church. God’s first commandment is to love Him with all our hearts and souls and minds and strength. And to cleave to Him. God is jealous when we love other things more than Him. He wants us to have the same commitment to Him that has to us. Hosea 2:19, 20 says: “I will betroth thee unto me forever: yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness.”

The marriage relationship is an exclusive relationship. We do not share it with another, apart from couples together.

Be blessed, Nancy Campbell

Nancy Campbell

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THE HATED WORD

HatedWordWe have a word in our vocabulary that is not popular today. It’s either hated, avoided, or scoffed at. I think you’ve guessed. It’s the word submission. But it’s a Bible word so why do women hate it so much?

I think it is because it cuts across our fleshly nature. It’s the opposite to our self-nature. It’s also one of the most powerful attitudes Jesus revealed in His life. The devil has the opposite nature to Jesus. He was cast out of heaven because of his pride and independence and he continues to tempt us with his same attitude.

Let’s looks at the attitude of Jesus. When He sweat drops of blood as he faced death and taking the sin of the world upon Him, He still submitted to His Father’s will crying out: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). And please read Philippians 2:5-8 where the Bible exhorts us to have the same attitude as Jesus. And read also John 5:30 and 6:38 where we read of Jesus’ attitude of submission.

What does this word submission mean? The Greek word is “hupotasso” and is a combination of two words:
“hupo” – under
“tasso” – to arrange in an orderly manner, to assign to a certain position.

Why does God want the wife to come under the husband? For her blessing. For her protection. For her covering. For her provision. Isn’t this a blessing?

Can I show you some other Scriptures where the Greek word hupo is used?
When Jesus looked out of Jerusalem, He cried: “How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathered her chickens under (hupo) her wings, and ye would not” (Matthew 23:37). Is it a bad thing for a hen to gather her chickens under her wings? No, it is a beautiful thing. Isn’t a beautiful thing to be protected under our husbands?

Do you notice that the citizens of Jerusalem did not want to be gathered? They didn’t want to come under God’s protection, just like many wives do not want to come under their husband’s covering.

Jesus talked about the little mustard seed that grows up to be a big tree “so that the fowls of the air may lodge under (hupo) the shadow of it” (Mark 4:32). Another lovely picture of protection.

1 Corinthians 10:1, 2 tells us how God protected the Israelites in the wilderness “under (hupo) the cloud.” God gave them a cloud by day to protect them from the heat and a cloud (a pillar of fire) by night to keep them warm. The testimony of God’s protection and covering. The Bible speaks of the mystery of marriage which is to reveal the relationship between Christ and the church. Christ as the Head--covering, protecting, and leading His people as they submit to Him.

It’s not always easy to submit. It’s not for the immature, but the mature. It’s three-year-old behavior to demand our own way. It takes maturity to submit.

Be blessed,

Nancy Campbell

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A VISIT FROM GOD

VisitFromGodWho would like to have a visitation from God? We couldn’t think of anything more wonderful, could we? We rejoice to hear of many Islamic people encountering Jesus through dreams and visions. Jesus has appeared to many saying: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This is happening in North Africa, the Middle East and even here in USA.

We have a dear friend from Sudan who is now a born again Christian. He saw a vision of Jesus while in the mosque here in Nashville. Jesus told him that someone would come to him the next day to tell him more. And the next day our grandson, Zadok arrived to purchase a car from him. According to his daily habit, he began witnessing to him about Jesus! This man was already prepared and came to the Lord very soon after that meeting.

However, I am talking about a different kind of visitation. The Bible calls the conception of a baby a visit from God. How amazing! God visited you to give you every baby you conceived. Even those you have lost to miscarriage are eternal souls whom you will meet one day.

Let’s read the Scriptures. Genesis 21:1, 2: “And the Lord VISITED Sarah as he had said and the LORD did unto Sarah AS HE HAD SPOKEN (in Genesis 18:10, 14). For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”

We read also of God visiting Hannah and giving her children. After Hannah had taken Samuel to live at the temple because she had dedicated him to the Lord, 1 Samuel 2:21 says: “And the LORD VISITED Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters.” She was blessed with five more visitations of God.

What a privilege to be visited by God. And yet think of those who refuse a visitation of God. Do we realize the enormity of what we are doing? We thwart the sovereign plans of Almighty God. We say No to life instead of Yes. And when we stop one conception, it is not only one baby, but a dynasty to come!

I love the words of Martin Luther: “In the propagation of humans, God’s special benediction is conspicuous; and, therefore, the birth of every child is rightly deemed the effect of divine visitation.”

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

For those interested, here are some links about Islamic people finding Jesus through dreams and visions:
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/…/after-dreams-of-jesus-imam-…/

http://www.wnd.com/…/rising-number-of-muslims-reporting-d…/…

http://www1.cbn.com/onl…/visions-of-jesus-stir-muslim-hearts

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LOOK UP

LookingHow can I do it? I have too much to do,

I’m overwhelmed and feeling real blue,
I’m stuck in this house like super glue.
Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

The dishes and laundry are piled up high,
When I look ‘round the house I simply sigh,
And for supper my husband’s expecting a pie!
Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

We can’t pay the mortgage; bills are overdue,
I’m tired and have headaches, not a few,
These children are driving me crazy too!
Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

My husband comes home late; he doesn’t care,
He doesn’t help with the children; it’s not fair!
I don’t want to smile; I just want to glare!
Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

Take your eyes off your problems, look up to Him,
God’s presence is with you, even in the din!
Confess your bad mood and He’ll cleanse your sin.
He is your God – LOOK UP!

He will show you how to order your place,
He will give you direction as you seek His face,
He wants to pour upon you His anointing of grace.
He is your God – LOOK UP!

Keep your eyes fixed on Him; He is your Stay,
He is your Wisdom for problems each day,
He’ll bring His presence right into your fray.
He is your God – LOOK UP!

Each morning He comes as the refreshing Dew
To revive your body, and your spirit too,
He is your Deliverer and He’ll make you new,
He is your God – LOOK UP!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubies.org

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THEY STILL NEED ME!

StillNeedMeThe following is a testimony from a friend of mine, Erin Harrison. I know you will be encouraged and blessed:

THEY STILL NEED ME!
Time is fleeting. When you have a string of teenagers, you see time like an hourglass. It seems to slip through your fingers faster and faster. I remember my five precious children always gathered around whatever I was doing, whether it was cleaning, cooking, canning, out to the barnyard, on a walk, or sitting in my room, there they were. If I ran to the restroom, there was a crew of little ones looking for and calling out, “Mama!”

There are days you want to fly away like a bird because you never get that moment to just be you, to be still, and not to be forever needed. But the days turn into years, and soon the toothless smiles and mismatched clothes turn into perfectly groomed teenagers who’ve learned to care for themselves. You start to feel less needed, but it is a deception. Don’t believe it for a minute! These budding adults need us MORE THAN EVER.

If we are not available to meet the teenager’s needs, they meet their needs with independent force. They make their own meals, do their own laundry, learn independently with schooling, find their own answers to all their many questions, and life seems for them an open book to write. No longer are we writing our stories together; they are writing their own.

I remember when things started to change and my little children were now growing up. It was very hard for me. They no longer fought to help mix the batter or to use my mop to be first to help clean. I remember when the children learned how to crack an egg and all the many eggshells we pulled out of the bowl, the mess, the chairs pulled up to the counter tops that had to be pushed back into place. Now they are taller than me and when I bake, I often bake alone.

It is not necessarily a bad thing, but about eight months ago when Molly was rushed off in an ambulance, I was off chasing MY DREAMS. I was in Hawaii on a trip we earned from a great company with products that changed my health in a miraculous way. But as with all things in life, we can become overzealous, we can set aside the things that are right in front of us to pursue the American Dream. I did.

After a year of pursuing the dream to be free, I must be honest, I became lost in a rat race. I felt like that rat in a maze, searching for the prize but never finding it. The very rat race I strived so hard to escape years ago when we bought our first homestead--the mindset of never caring as much about fancy things and fancy cars, or hordes of material wealth. I never cared much for money, but the dream of having freedom was over me like a trance.

I got so passionate about helping others that I often felt stressed and set my precious family aside. They never seemed to mind. They kept themselves busy with other things. Good things, but they were essentially not needing me like they used to.

But, when The Lord convicts me, I listen. I hear His still small voice and when it comes as a phone call in the middle of the night when all you hear is silence and a faint breath of your precious daughter with her life in the balance, you HEAR. You LISTEN. You KNOW. I knew that I needed to get off track from my dreams and fight to build the relationships back again.

The great news is that it was not too late. I set aside my long working hours from home on the phone or computer and exchanged it for long periods of being a mother. Just sitting around the living room chatting about anything and everything. Instead of spending hours listening to other’s health issues and knowing how to help others, I started listening to my children tell me their issues. I told each one of them that they matter the most, that they are my purpose, and that I want to set aside everything for them. I told them we won’t have fancy cars, fancy trips, or money for all the things we want, but we have what we need from the hand of God.

It worked! Praise the Lord! I have my normal homestead, humble, do-it-yourself, children gathered around—life BACK! And I could not be more filled with joy! Teens need you MORE THAN BEFORE and now I help them follow their dreams and give them all the time they need, pouring into their hearts. Now, when I use the restroom for a moment, I hear the faint words, “Where is mom?” They need me! They need me! Thank you, God, they need me again!

I have learned to live with less and how less is MORE! More is empty. LESS gives your mind inventive ideas and much more creativity. You learn to live with less, you learn to make do, and be content. I don’t want to lay aside these virtues for all the money in the world.

I wanted to change the world, make it better, help the sick, and those in need. In the process, I looked for the approval of man, the respect, and vanity of success. Even with the best of intentions, the heart that wants to help and heal, it can distract us from our purpose, our divine calling.

At the end of the day, I have what most people in this earth want right in front of me. I have peace, joy, love, and fellowship with my family which is sweeter than anything. My oldest son is on the precipice of adulthood. How did it happen this fast? Time slipped by fast and it seems like yesterday he was a tiny, blond, curly-headed toddler telling me about the turkeys in the barnyard on our very first homestead.

I am excited for the adventure that is yet before me with finishing my calling of raising these five children for the Lord!

~ ERIN HARRISON * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.keeperofthehomestead.com

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Picture: Erin with one of her teen daughters.

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GOD IS CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED

Brokenhearted2Dear sweet mother, why do you cry?

Don’t you know that your God is nigh?
He is closer to you than your very breath,
He will never forsake you, not even in death.

He created you for His joy and pleasure
And has chosen you as a special treasure,
He has graven your name on His very own palm,
He’ll come to your aid with His mighty right arm.

He is your Source, He will fill your cup,
When you are down, He will lift you up.
You don’t have to stay sad, for He is your Joy,
He’ll help you conquer those things that annoy.

God has given you children, which are your glory
To enrich your life and help write your story.
You’re in God’s perfect will, this is your calling,
He’ll help you each day and keep you from falling.

You can’t do it alone, your strength is weak,
Trust in the Lord and things won’t seem so bleak.
Look to the Lord, not the problems you face,
And you’ll be amazed how He’ll give you His grace.

A joyful mother is what He wants you to be,
Filling your home with gladness and glee.
Counting your blessings and praising the Lord
For His daily mercies and love out-poured.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18).

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

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A PARTNERSHIP

APartnership

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HALLELUJAH!

PossibilitiesWhat a vision for mothers. It is not a small task, but the most powerful in the nation!

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THE TWO COMMISSIONS

TwoCommissionsI am continually astonished that most of Christendom today spurns the very first words that God spoke to man, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion . . . " God's plans and purposes for mankind cannot be fully implemented without fulfilling the first commission.

There are many who say that God is not interested so much in natural children any more, but only spiritual children. But, how can God have spiritual children if there are no natural children? God has a BIG heart. He loves fruitfulness. He loves increase. He wants to fill this earth so He can fill eternity.

Reading the genealogies in the Old Testament I often notice the phrase "many sons." For example, 1 Chronicles 8:40 says, "And the sons of Ulam had MANY SONS, and sons' sons, 150." Again, in 1 Chronicles 28:5 David says, "The Lord has given me MANY SONS." We find reference to 19 sons of David in the Bible, although some Bible scholars say there could be 20 or more. Because every theme of the Old Testament is reiterated in the New, we come to Hebrews 2:10 and read, "For it became him, for him are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing MANY SONS UNTO GLORY, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

This is the vision of God’s heart of God from Genesis to Revelation. God begins in Genesis 1:28 with His vision to fill the earth to overflowing with many sons and daughters and then we go to the end of the Bible and read John's vision: "I beheld, and, lo, a GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, say, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9-10). They could not even be around the throne of God if some mother had not opened her heart and her womb to bring them forth into the world.

Why does God want us to bring forth many sons and daughters? Just for the sake of doing it? No. It is all for God. It is to fill God's eternal kingdom with sons and daughters who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Every child we bring forth into this world and lead to salvation will be part of the innumerable company and live forever and ever. This is the purpose of the first commission and the great commission.

For too long we have listened to the humanist and feminist lies to limit the number of children we have. This is not Bible doctrine. It is not Bible language. It belongs to the humanists. Why do God's people listen to humanist indoctrination rather than the living Word of God? Have we put aside the Bible for the vain ideas of man? It's time we took notice of Isaiah 2:22, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?"

As parents, we have the great privilege and responsibility of fulfilling the two commissions. We have a two-fold anointing. We can bring forth natural children AND spiritual children. Plus, our natural children will grow up to bring forth spiritual children. We will be blessed more and more.

All our children are serving the Lord and have taken the gospel to countries to which I have not even been. I have influenced thousands for the kingdom in this nation and countries I have never been to through my children, which would not have happened if they had not come into the world.

The more children we have, the more possibility of impacting the world for God. The less of the godly seed in the land, the less revelation of God. The more godly seed in the land, the more revelation of God--more righteousness, more influence against evil, and more preaching of the gospel.

The big question is: are we going to get in sync with God's plan? Or, continue the way of the world? Eternity waits our response.

Love and blessings to you today,

Nancy Campbell

Painting by Edna Hibel

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PLEASE, GOD!

PleaseGodTodayThis is my prayer. I am sure you will want to pray it for your children too.

“Dear Father, please pour out your Holy Spirit upon me today. I cannot fulfill this great task of raising the children You have given me in my own strength. I look to You for Your strength, Your wisdom, Your refreshing, Your patience and longsuffering, and Your anointing. Please come alongside me and help me to raise . . .

godly children in this ungodly world
holy children in this unholy world
pure children in this impure and unclean world
truth-loving and truth-keeping children in this deceived world
overcoming children in this evil world
God-seeking children in this entertainment seeking world
Bible-believing children in this humanistic world, and
prayer-loving children increasingly evil world.

This is my life. This is my vision. Please enable me, Oh God, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

~ Nancy Campbell

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OUR WAY OR GOD'S WAY

PartSea

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SHAPING ETERNAL SOULS

ShapingSoulsjpgA mother has a ministry

That all too soon will pass;
Too often held in low esteem,
But its influence will last.
She daily shapes eternal souls,
Patterns life skills, sets the goals;
Guides and counsels, eases pain,
This season will not come again.

The world would lure her out the door,
Thinking that there must be more
Than dirty faces, grimy hands,
And constant things that home demands.
But nothing on the earth compares
With the awesome role she shares
Of being to her girls and boys
Their greatest source of earthly joy.

Other interests sure will keep
Until she rocks her babes to sleep.
Things can wait, the time will come
When she won't have these little ones.
As she seeks God's kingdom first,
He'll fill her plate and quench her thirst
For what it is she's looking for
Lives there with her, not out the door.

So, if you have a precious child
Cherish them this little while.
Shun the pressure that could make
Their longing for you to forsake.
That time to serve them fast will fly.
And then you'll wish for days gone by.

2017, Val Halloran * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Painting: Jessie Willcox Smith

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UPDATE FROM SERENE AND PEARL

An important article to read from my daughters, Pearl and Serene at Trim Healthy Mama. They talk about the negatives of Canola oil compared to Coconut oil. However, I must remind you not to purchase any of the vegetable oils at the supermarket in the clear plastic bottles. Unless oil is in a dark bottle, it will be rancid so you are only using rancid oil.

In our family we only use coconut oil, red palm oil, or butter to cook with. We use olive oil from a tin or dark green bottle, but only raw in dressings. We don't use it for cooking. ~ Nancy

We all just got told to steer clear of coconut oil! This was the advice in a recent report by the American Heart Association. Did you notice the media had an absolute hay day with headlines? “Coconut oil is bad and has always been bad,” was the sensational click bait of the day. We had to respond to this smear campaign.

Actually we’re not too surprised, this is merely history repeating itself. About thirty years ago a brutal and long standing attack against coconut oil was waged as the soybean oil industry wrestled for domination. This battle had its own name… “The War of Oils.” Coconut oil was labeled “the oil from hell.” Newspapers and TV headlines slammed it repeatedly and warned it would lead to heart attack and early death. It was described by health gurus as one of the most evil and dangerous foods you could consume. Now here we are watching it all happen again in living color. So take a seat and hold on for the ride.

(Sorry in advance for the length of this post but we have to be thorough and we already shortened this by a long shot so you don’t nod off. Be thankful for that and read to the end… wink (okay... save and read for later then).

NOTHING NEW

First it is important to realize that this update by the American Heart Association did not come because of any new alarming data on coconut oil, they simply reviewed the existing data, and once again reiterated their claim that saturated fats are “bad.” Coconut oil is highly saturated, even more so than butter and beef fat so it must be the “baddest of the bad.” … well that is what the media got from the report anyway. The lead author on the report said he has no idea why people think coconut oil is healthy. “It's almost 100% fat.” he stated.

We think that statement should give you a fair clue as to where this mindset is coming from. The “fat is bad” mantra is surprisingly still entrenched in the medical community and despite tens of thousands of studies on the importance and benefits of fats (1500 studies on positive benefits of coconut oil alone… “no idea”… really?) this dogma continues to be pushed down our throats as though it is fact. Essentially the American Heart Association is just buckling down and sticking to their guns… if we consume fats they should be limited and only be in the unsaturated form, their darling still being canola oil.

It has never been the Trim Healthy Mama way to attack other diets or health associations. We THM-ers keep our heads down and simply encourage our way of eating then let the positive results speak for themselves. But in light of this new media campaign to unfairly smear coconut oil, we think it is time to shed some light on what is really going on here.

OUT-OF-DATE THINKING

This whole anti-saturated fat movement started being widely promoted in the seventies and eighties. That is when we were told insane stuff such as butter equals bad and margarine equals good. Since that time saturated fat intakes have dropped substantially yet bellies have gotten bigger and health has declined… kind of makes you go… hmmm. Now thankfully, most people have come to realize that margarine is far from good, it is actually toxic to the human body so most health advisers have given up promoting it. Strangely though, the promotion of canola oil (and other vegetable oils such as soybean and corn oil) by the American Heart Association continues in full strength. Why do they keep forcing this doctrine? Why is canola oil still their golden child when it has clearly shown to have serious health implications?

Okay… part of the “why’s” are obvious if you buy into their fat theories. Coconut oil is 82 percent saturated fat compared to canola oil which is just seven per cent saturated fat. They also cite certain studies as to why canola oil is heart healthy, but if there is one thing we have learned through our years of trying to find any sort of common sense in the diet industry, people find studies to back up anything they want to say. We hate to even come to this awful conclusion… but could another darker reason possibly be due in part to the fact that the Canola oil industry has been an ongoing financial donor to the AHA and actually funded their massive “Face the Fats” campaign? No… we are not making this stuff up, the following is a quote directly from the canola oil industry itself, very happy with themselves at the rising demand for their product due to partnering with the AHA… “Alignment with heart-health was reinforced through sponsorship of the American Heart Association’s Face the Fats PSA campaign, which generated 237 million impressions.”

Let’s be very clear… the studies the American Heart Association cite for last week’s announcement don’t link eating more coconut oil to heart disease. One study cited did link it to a rise in LDL cholesterol in rats. However if you dig further into the research on coconut oil and cholesterol it actually shows that it raises HDL cholesterol (considered “good”) more than LDL, and that ratio is considered a better heart health marker. There are multiple studies that reveal this including a study published in the June 2011 issue of "Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition” on humans, not rats. The researchers concluded coconut oil consumption is associated with higher HDL or "good" cholesterol, but neither raises nor lowers LDL cholesterol. Additional research published in "Clinical Biochemistry" in September 2004 suggests that coconut oil may protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, reducing its tendency to accumulate on artery walls.

CHOLESTEROL BLAME GAME

And let’s also be very clear about this… LDL cholesterol as a “heart health baddie” really is an old fashioned view of it. For argument’s sake, let’s say their rat study does somehow cross over to humans and someone finds themselves with slightly higher LDL levels after heartily digging into coconut oil. Cutting edge heart doctors now realize it is far less about amounts of LDL as it is about particle size of cholesterol. Your body needs cholesterol for almost every bodily process. A large percentage of your brain is actually made from cholesterol. But size matters. Small dense cholesterol particles can squeeze between the cells of your arteries and get stuck. Once they’re stuck they become “plaque”, they oxidize, turn rancid and cause inflammation.

So, you don’t want small LDL molecules, you want larger, fluffier, healthier ones… well guess what? Research (including a study cited in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(5), 828-836 demonstrates that eating saturated fats increase the size of your small LDL molecules and thus reduces your overall risk of a cardiac event. It is a diet high in refined sugars and starches that contributes to smaller, more dangerous cholesterol particle size and raises triglycerides (a marker that measures circulating fat in your bloodstream).

More and more doctors (who are willing to be open minded and not entrenched in old fashioned dogma) are now realizing inflammation markers in the body are much more indicative of heart attack risk than mere cholesterol levels. A recent study published in Ind J Clin Biochem supports this concept. Blood samples were drawn from 100 people who had a heart attack. Blood samples were also drawn from 100 people who had not had a heart attack. Each sample was tested for levels of LDL cholesterol as well as a marker for inflammation known as HS-CRP. The results showed that there was no significant difference in LDL levels between the heart attack group and the non-heart attack group. They were about the same. There was however a significant difference in HS-CRP levels. Those who had a heart attack had about six times higher levels of this inflammation marker than those who did not.

How do we decrease inflammation in the body? As a Trim Healthy Mama, you know that beating the sugar monster does a fabulous job of this. Making out that coconut oil is the heart risk meanie… that it is basically a heart attack in a jar waiting to happen doesn’t make any sense at all in light of recent knowledge about inflammation. Coconut oil is an undisputed inflammation fighter for Pete’s sake!

DISTURBING BEGINNINGS

Coconut oil comes from coconuts, plain and simple. Why are we saying something so obvious and ridiculous when of course you know that? Well, in contrast, let’s look at the chief oil that the American heart association promotes. Canola oil is a made up name. Canola oil doesn’t come from a God created seed or nut. There is no such thing found in nature. Canola oil comes from the hybridization of the rape seed. The rape seed is a plant seed which is why it’s monounsaturated (the AHA very much likes monounsaturated oils) but it had to be modified as it is high in a toxin called erucic acid which is lethal to the human heart. Not fit for consumption but great for oiling machines.

In the late 1970's, when The War of Oils began and saturated fats started to be shunned, monounsaturated fats like olive oil began to be touted as healthier oils. A problem developed. There was not enough olive oil for world demand, not to mention that it was too expensive for producing cheap processed foods. Until that time most packaged foods were using palm or coconut oils but the new mantra “saturated fats are bad” was now in full force. The food industry needed a new cheap oil. Soybean oil did succeed in replacing much of the coconut and palm oils in processed foods but it didn’t seem quite “heart healthy” enough to push as an olive oil alternative for home use.

Researchers came to the rescue by engineering a new plant from the rapeseed which was lower in erucic acid. They reduced this acid to less than 2 % (there is still a lot of debate about how harmful it is in these smaller amounts but the powers that be let it slide) and canola oil was born. They didn’t want to call it Rape Oil, bad for business. So since it came from Canada and “ola” means oil… Canola oil stuck. Canola oil is highly refined and often partially hydrogenated to increase its stability and shelf life but it somehow became the new darling of the health industry. The American Heart Association encouraged all of us to use it in place of natural, God given saturated fats like butter and coconut oil. In 2006, the FDA allowed canola oil and products containing canola oil to be labeled with heart health claims. Labels could say that limited evidence suggests that eating 19 grams (about 1.5 tablespoons) of canola oil daily in place of saturated fat may reduce the risk of heart disease as long as you don't increase your total caloric intake.

CLOSER EXAMINATION… NOT SO PRETTY

Let’s examine this so called heart healthy oil more closely. Canola oil is processed at high heats. It is high in Omega 3 fatty acids, (the American Heart Association likes this) but these delicate omega 3 fatty acids oxidize and turn rancid and foul smelling very quickly from the high heats of processing. How do manufacturers get around this? They deodorize it, bleach it and degum it. The standard deodorization process removes a large portion of the omega 3 acids so bye bye to those. Sadly the American Heart Association is not sharing to the public that oxidized oils cause damage to your cells and tissues. Oxidation is not only a major contributor to most degenerative diseases, it also causes inflammation. You know now that it is excess inflammation, (not necessarily elevated cholesterol levels) that creates the biggest risk for heart event problems. Excess inflammation in the body can also give rise to anything from arthritis to more serious diseases such as Parkinson’s, bipolar moods, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorders.

What else do we know about Canola oil? Here’s a sobering fact. 90% of it is genetically modified. You can go on the internet and see that Monsanto is still one of the chief sponsors for the growers of canola oil. They don’t even try to hide it! For real, go look at their logo proudly displayed as a sponsor. In 1995 Monsanto created a genetically modified version of canola oil and this is the version that is chiefly used to this day.

There have been no long-term, viable studies done on GMO canola oil but there are reports that it has caused many kidney, liver and neurological health issues. Research at the Nutrition and Toxicology Research of Ottawa discovered that rats bred to have high blood pressure and susceptibility to stroke died earlier when fed Canola oil than rats fed a diet without canola oil. Another study published in 2000 in “Toxicology Letters” looked at the effect of Canola oil on blood clotting time in stroke prone animals. The study determined that there was a “canola oil-induced shortening of blood coagulation time and increased fragility in red blood cell membranes which may promote the concurrence of strokes… ”

In stark contrast, coconut oil has been a traditional food in tropical climates for thousands of years. Studies done on native diets high in coconut oil consumption show that these populations are in general good health and do not suffer nearly as much from the modern diseases of western nations where coconut oil use is far less. Asian and Pacific populations both use coconut oil not only in food but also in their traditional medical practices. Praised for its many healing properties, Coconut Oil is believed to be the cure of all illnesses in the Pacific Islands. It is so highly valued they refer to the coconut palm as “The Tree of Life.” The populations of two South Pacific islands were examined over a period of time starting in the 1960's. Coconuts were a staple in the diets, with up to 60% of their caloric intake coming from the saturated fat of coconut. That’s a heck of a lot! The study found very lean and healthy people who were relatively free from modern diseases. Their conclusion stated: “Vascular disease is uncommon in both populations and there is no evidence of the high saturated fat intake having a harmful effect in these populations.”

A SHORT LIST OF COCONUT OIL BENEFITS

We don’t have enough room now to go into the documented benefits of coconut oil on your health. As we mentioned earlier, there are literally thousands of studies you can dig into. But to hit a few highlights… it is anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-weight gain. Yes… you heard us right… it trims you! It raises the thermogenic temperature of your body and this ignites your fat burning potential. If you’re skeptical about this try this little experiment. Next time you’re cold, go swallow a teaspoon or two of coconut oil. Notice how your body will start to warm up. It literally revs a sluggish thyroid which helps you burn fat!

We’ll let you go do your own research about all its other benefits but we want to leave you with this thought to ponder. Mother’s milk and coconut oil have eye opening similarities. If coconut oil really is the villain it is being made out to be why would God make it so similar to human breast milk? Both human milk and coconut oil have more saturated fat than the monounsaturated oils that the heart association promotes. Breast milk relies on these saturated fats to protect infants from pathogens and infections and other harmful organisms and these are the same middle chain fatty acids which make coconut oil so healing and protective. Out of the three middle chain fatty acids, lauric acid is highest both in breast milk and coconut oil alike… they match! Without these saturated lauric acids your baby would probably not survive long. Almost all formula companies add middle chain, saturated fatty acids to their mixes to ensure a baby is properly nourished. God created middle chain fatty acids, he knows their incredible healing power and he made sure that both Mother’s milk and coconut oil contain plentiful amounts in almost identical proportions.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Last week when this report came out and blasted the internet and the airwaves, it didn’t cause us to skip a beat or have an iota of doubt about the coconut oil in our cupboards. We have had too many years of saturating ourselves with this saturated fat and it continues to bless our lives, our health and our waistlines. In fact when we heard about the attack on coconut oil we called each other on the phone and Serene mentioned that instead of putting just 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in her smoothie like she usually does, she added another for good measure and put another one in her home made baby food. Take that you powers that be!

More and more people are learning of the benefits of coconut oil and you can bet it is scaring the vegetable oil industry. They tried last time around and succeeded in causing the world to shun coconut oil for a while but you can’t keep a good thing down. The truth always shines through. Coconut oil might get hammered but it won’t be defeated. We are all armed with too much information now. Perhaps thirty years ago all the scary headlines were believed. Now… we doubt they’ll have the same luck. Coconut oil is going to stay in our grocery carts and thanks but no thanks to the fake, fandangled, gmo, hydrogenated cocktail of trans-fat, bleached sludge canola oil, corn oil and soybean oil being pushed on us. We’ll stick to the good stuff. Now… off to make some Skinny Chocolate!

Love,
Serene and Pearl

(For further reading be sure to check out this awesome article from a renowned heart surgeon on how saturated fats are not to blame for heart disease but sugar is! https://dailyoccupation.com/…/world-renowned-heart-surgeon…/ )

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ROLE REVERSALS

RoleReversalWriting about parenthood, the great preacher and writer, J. R. Miller says: “Duties cannot be transferred.” I happen to agree with him, although many modern Christians would not.

Why do we think we know better than God? Why do we think that we have a better plan for our lives that the one who intricately, wonderfully, and marvelously created us?

God, in His perfect design, for “all His ways are perfect,” created a father and a mother to bring children into the world and to care for them in this world. He gave each one distinct roles to fulfil. Each brings their own strengths to the parenting career. Many want to change the roles because of convenience. The wife wants to take on the role of provider which means she must give her children to someone else to watch. And yet no guardian, no matter how loving, can ever be in tune to the innermost needs of her child like the mother.

Sometimes a mother can earn more money than her husband so she goes to work while her husband stays home with the children. This is a role reversal and not planned by the God who created us.

But you say, “I know fathers who are great stay-at-home-fathers to their children.” That may be so, but they cannot be a mother no matter how they try. God has put within women a maternal anointing that men don’t have. Yes, men love their children. They have a strong instinct to protect their children. They want to provide for their children, but they cannot mother their children, especially babies and little ones.

Babies and toddlers need the comfort of their mother’s breasts. Breastfeeding is tied up with motherhood. Scientific studies reveal that the more frequently a mother breastfeeds her baby the more motherly and nurturing she becomes. The hormones release the mothering hormones and a man does not have the abundance of these hormones that God gives to a mother to nurture.

God has also put within women a love for home, unless of course it is brainwashed out of her by our education system, the media, and the deception of our progressive society. A man is not cut out for the finer touches of the home and to making a home feel like a home. He was created to go out and to provide. To work hard for his family.

To get back to our original statement, I do concede that men and women can transfer their roles to a certain extent, but only at the expense of God’s ultimate blessing for the family. God intends fathers and mothers to fully embrace the way He created them and to reveal these strengths to their children so they pass them on from one generation to the next. Children who grow up in a family where the mother works and the husband stays home with the children will have a distorted understanding of God’s definitive plan. They will be confused and deceived. And what happens in the next generation? Will they think it normal to carry on this pattern until we have a society of men at home and women in the work force? God forbid.

Be blessed today in your God-given role of mothering,

Nancy Campbell

Painting: Elizabeth Nourse "A Mother (une Mère)" [American Painter, 1860-1938]

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MORAL OUTCRY

A friend of mine has just emailed me to tell me about a very important petition to end abortion. She is currently at a preparation meeting for the RISE UP gathering on October 9th, 2017 in the National Mall in DC where they are believing for hundreds of thousands to gather.

To sign the petition against abortion, go to: https://www.themoraloutcry.com/

This petition, which will be given to the Supreme Court, is to “wake up the nation and galvanize the national conscience to end the scourge of abortion in America. It will declare that as a people, we do not accept the compromise that leads to the unnecessary death of millions of innocent babies.”

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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