Mother, you are a NATION BUILDER!
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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.
May God strengthen you mightily as you mother and train your children today. You are privileged to be working in the most influential career in the nation--building a strong marriage and family, and consequently building a nation! And even more amazing, you don't have an earthly employer; your employer is God Himself!
When Zerubbabel and his crew came back from Babylon to rebuild the temple, God encouraged them with the words: "Yet now be strong, alert and courageous, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; be strong, alert and courageous O Joshua... and be STRONG, ALERT and COURAGEOUS all you people of the land, and WORK. For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:4 Amplified).
We are also involved in rebuilding--rebuilding a nation where marriages and families are falling apart. I believe the answer to the cry of the psalmist: "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" is to build them again. We do this firstly by putting every effort into building our own marriage and family, and secondly, to be part of strengthening and building up again the families of the nation by proclaiming and standing true to God's principles.
How do we this? We have to be STRONG! We have to be DISCERNING AND ALERT to the enemy's subtle inroads into our home! We have to be COURAGEOUS! And, we have to WORK! Yes, it is not a picnic! It takes WORK!
But, we do not faint, because who is with us? THE LORD OF HOSTS! The strong and mighty Warrior! The Lord of the armies of heaven who fights for His people.
Be encouraged today in your great work of building. You are doing a great work. I know you'll be strong and courageous for the task.
~ Nancy Campbell
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Isn't it awesome to know that we weren't created haphazardly, but purposely? God created every aspect of our female body for His divine purposes. He didn't create our female organs to lie dormant or to atrophy, but to fulfill God's wondrous designs. Our whole being, transcendentally and physically, is tied together. Our womb is not only a physical organ. It is the very seat of our emotions. It is the essence of our motherly compassion and love.
It always amazes me that the word "womb" in the Bible is used to describe the physical womb and also compassion and pity, especially God's compassion. When we embrace the function of our womb, we experience more and more of the anointing of God's compassion in our lives.
Isaiah 49:15 reads: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have COMPASSION on the son of her WOMB? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Do you notice that compassion and the womb are linked together?
Do not despise the glorious function of your womb. It is not only where you conceive and nurture an eternal soul, but where the anointing of God's compassion and love encompasses you. And, even more amazingly, you reveal God's compassionate heart toward your children and those around you.
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by Sergey Andreevitch Tutunov
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I talked with a husband at an Above Rubies Family Retreat. He told me how his job is very stressful. “But,” he continued, “it is so wonderful to come home each night to a peaceful and relaxed home.” What a wonderful testimony about his wife, the mother of eight children.
What kind of an atmosphere does your husband come home to each evening? It’s easy to let the chaos of the day overwhelm us, isn’t it? But mother, you are the queen of your domain. You determine what it will be like. If you let everything all around you run over you, you sink. But things don’t just happen, you have to make them happen (my favorite affirmation). You’ve got to plan and prepare a peaceful atmosphere for your husband to come home to.
Stop everything you are doing a certain time before he gets home. If the home is in a mess, have a ONE, TWO, THREE! That’s what I used to do. “Okay children, let’s put everything away. Let’s see how quickly we can do it. LET’S GO!” Everyone gets involved to put all the mess away (hopefully in the right place). If you can’t manage that, at least put it out of sight. Give come clear space for your husband to walk into.
Turn on lovely worship music. Begin singing and praising the Lord. Encourage your children to be happy and excited about Daddy coming home. Organize one or two of the children to set the table and make it look as beautiful as they can. Perhaps flowers, candles, or whatever creativity they can think of.
Make it all fun. Make it happen. Make it so amazing your husband can’t wait to get home each evening.
Loads of love,
Nancy
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Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers: "I will very gladly spend and be spent for you" (2 Corinthians 12:15). The adding of "and be spent" means "vehemently, heartily, and exceedingly" to his affirmation. This was Paul's attitude to the new believers in Christ.
What about us mothers and homemakers? We have precious lives in our care that God has given us to disciple. What is our attitude towards them? Are we willing to "spend and be spent," or do we resent the fact that motherhood takes all our energy and time? Read 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 9 for a little more understanding.
Paul did not do this because it was his duty, but he did it "VERY GLADLY." I often see mothers with the attitudes of "very complaining," "very resentful," or "very unhappy." Do you think we could change it to “very gladly”?
Come on now, dear mothers. You are in full time ministry for the Lord. You are disciplining precious souls.
What's your attitude today?
Be blessed,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by Sandra Kuck.
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If you are a child of God, you belong to royalty. We have been embraced into the kingdom of God and our ruler is the King of all the kings of the earth and Lord of all lords. I think we tend to forget who we really are. The Bible reminds us in 1 Peter 29: “But ye are a chosen generation, a ROYAL priesthood, a holy nation . . .” The dictionary says that royalty means “people of royal blood or status, members of a royal family, that which pertains to a king or queen.”
Truly, we have been redeemed by the royal blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We now belong to a royal kingdom and a royal priesthood.
Therefore, don’t you think we should act in a more royal way? We are princesses of the King of kings. We should teach our daughters to live, talk, walk, speak, and act like princesses. We should teach our sons to act in a kingly manner. With nobility. Regality. The authority of the kingdom of God. We need to remind them that they belong to a royal kingdom. We are raising princes and princesses. I see so many young people, even from Christian homes, who give a totally opposite picture.
OF course we will show them by our own example.
Begin to see yourself as a royal family. Train your children to behave in a royal manner. Become true ambassadors of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
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I am in the perfect will of God. I am employed by the King of kings. I have the most important career in the nation!
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The great preacher and author, Dwight L. Moody confessed, "If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!" He understood the power of investing in a child's life. Dear mother, you are in this very ministry! Every day and all day! What a privilege. There is nothing more powerful you can do. The investment you pour into your children not only blessed them, but the world. Even more--future generations, and eternity!
Don't let the enemy fill you with his lies that motherhood is insignificant. You are part of the greatest work in God's kingdom. When the people brought children to Jesus, the disciples shooed them off, thinking Jesus would not have time for the children. This made Jesus angry and He let them know. "Do not push these children away. Do not ever get between them and Me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom" (Mark 10:13, 15 MSG).
Mother, you are at the very epicenter of life in God's kingdom!
Enjoy it today,
Nancy Campbell
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An important question. Are our homes stagnant or flowing with joy and life? Psalm 46:4 (Jubilee) gives a description of the homes of Jerusalem: "There is a river, the streams of which make glad the city of God, the sanctuary of the tents of the most high." The city is filled with gladness because streams are flowing from the homes of the city.
What are these streams? They flow from the river of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39 and Romans 5:5). As mothers, we have a responsibility to "make glad" our home. The words in the Hebrew mean "to brighten up, to cheer up, to rejoice, to make merry and very glad." The only way we can do this is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and allow the streams that flow from Him into our lives to flow out from us to our husband and children.
What are these streams? They are streams of love, forgiveness, sweetness, healing of the soul and body, holiness, encouragement and building up, compassion and kindness, tenderheartedness, humility and meekness, longsuffering and patience, and streams of forbearance and peacemaking. These streams can only come from the river of the Holy Spirit.
Do you make your marriage glad? Do you make your motherhood glad? Do you make your home glad? Are these streams flowing from your life or are they stagnant? Don't allow the debris of self-pity, discouragement, despondency, unforgiveness, and discontentment to block up the river.
Let the river of life flow in your home today,
Nancy Campbell
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“She always made home happy.” This was an epitaph a husband inscribed on his wife’s grave after 60 years of marriage. What a powerful life. Imagine 60 years of making a home happy.
Could this be written over my grave, or yours? Do we consciously seek to make our husband happy? Do we intentionally bless and encourage our children each day? Do we seeking to make our home a delight? Or are we too busy taken up with our own problems, self-interest, or self-pity?
Can I tell you a secret? The best way to get out of the doldrums and depression is to forget about yourself and bless someone else. “How can I make someone happy when I feel so lousy?” you ask. Forget your feelings. Just do it. You will be amazed at what happens.
When you make others happy, you become happy. As you become happy f, you make others even happier. Your husband will be happier. Your children will be happier.
This is the way to go, mother! Start making someone happy right now. If your husband is around, sneak up on him and give a big kiss and cuddle. Or call him at work and tell him you love him. Do something special for one of your children.
What a great goal for today. Make your husband happy, your children happy, everyone you meet happy--and guess what, you'll be happy!
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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Dear mother, can I ask you what voices you listen to? There are many voices in this world, all vying for preeminence in your mind. Humanistic voices lure you away from the heart of your home, the place God divinely provided for you to raise your children. Deceptive voices tempt you to get involved in more and more things that take your time away from your home and family.
God has innately put in you what He wants you to do. Listen to your heart, dear mother. Listen to God's voice. Your children need YOU, not daycare, not a caregiver. No one else can ever love and care for your children like you do. No one else can be sensitive to their physical needs, and especially their innermost needs as you.
Someone else can replace you in your career, your organization, or even extra church activities, but no one can adequately replace you as the mother of the children God has given you. You were born for this mission. It is your destiny.
Embrace your high calling today,
Nancy Campbell
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"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9).
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Take time to pray for your children each day.
Do you walk in the fear of God or are you ruled by other fears that inhibit you from doing and being all that God wants you to be?
1 Peter 1:17 says: "Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear."
Matthew Henry writes: "Those who will not submit to Christ shall be as a bird that wanders from her nest, which shall be snatched up by the next bird of prey. Those who will not yield to the fear of God shall be made to yield to the fear of everything else."
To walk in the fear of God frees us from the bondage of all other fears.
~ Nancy
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A mother shared with me recently how she understands biblical truths far better when she does something tangible. It helps the truth to become part of her life.
We talked about how God talked and fellowshipped with Adam and Eve at the end of each day, “the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8). A little breeze is beginning to blow. It’s the time of the day when we relax after the day’s work--God had already established the principle of work with them (Genesis 2:15). It’s the time of the day when we eat and fellowship together.
God still wants to come to our families at this time of the day, the time when daddy comes home from work and everyone gathers together to eat and communicate with one another. The time when God wants to specifically visit with us and be present at our table. Sadly, God waits in vain in many homes. He comes at the “cool of the day,” but no one is home. There is not even the smell of food cooking? Where is everyone? May be still battling the traffic as they come home from another extracurricular activity.
And yet God is waiting at home to be present with us at our table!
My friend decided to purchase a special plate to put at the table as they set the table for the evening meal each day. She said that this will remind her that Christ is with them as they sit together.
Christ is the head of our home,
The unseen guest at every meal,
The silent listener to every conversation.
Do you remember these lines? They graced our wall when I was child growing up and impacted my life.
Welcome Jesus to your table.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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Are you feeling glad today? Or perhaps, you can’t find anything to feel glad about at all. Everything is going wrong.
Just a minute. If you can’t find something to be glad about, there is SOMEONE you can be glad about. We can always be glad in the Lord. Look above your problems and begin to praise the Lord. Confess who He is to you. He is your Deliverer, your closest Friend, your Joy, your High Tower, your Hiding Place, your Life, your Light, your Peace, your Strength, your Redeemer, your Rock, your Victory, and so much more. What more could you want? You have all you need in Him. Yes, you can be glad and rejoice. Forget all your dreariness and be glad in the LORD!
Let’s look at some of David’s confessions:
Psalm 68:3: “Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.”
Psalm 64:10: “The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.”
Psalm 40:16: “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.”
Psalm 32:11 says: “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.”
Psalm 9:2: “I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.” Read also Psalm 5:11; 9:2; 31:7; 70:4; and 104:34.
In all the above psalms, David expressed the tough times he faced and the innumerable evils that compassed him about. He didn’t have a lot to be glad about in the natural, but he rejoiced and was glad in the Lord. May God help us to follow his example.
The word glad is “samach” and means “to brighten up, cheer up, make merry, rejoice.” I know your circumstances may not be very bright, but you can brighten up in the Lord.
May you be lifted up in your spirits today,
Nancy Campbell
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The Holy Spirit who dwells within us, if we are born again, is called the Comforter. What a beautiful name. The Greek word “parakletos” means “to speak cheerfully, to encourage, to come alongside to help, a legal helper, an intercessor.” Read John 14:26, 15:26; and 16:7-11.
Because the Comforter dwells within us to help and cheer us up, He also wants to comfort others through us. One of the evidences of the Holy Spirit in us is that we comfort others—our husband, children, and people who are part of our lives.
What do you think of when you think of a comforter? We think of someone who is kind, compassionate, consoling, encouraging, and who lifts us up. It also means they pray and intercede for us as the Holy Spirit does. I have to ask myself: “Am I a comforter to my husband, my family, and all I meet? Each new day? “Please help me to be a loving comforter to them, dear Father.”
However, we have to be a true Holy spirit comforter, not a counterfeit comforter. Just as we learn to discern the cries of our little baby, we discern the cries of our children. Sometimes they need consoling and comforting words. Sometimes they need our prayers. Other times they cry because they feel sorry for themselves or are mad with their brother and sister. This is not a time to side with their attitude. It’s a time to lift them up to see beyond themselves and teach them that life is not all about pandering to them, but also thinking about others. It’s time to pray with them and lead them to a higher plane.
There are many adults who still have this kind of attitude. I have often seen a woman crying and another rushing up to her and putting their arm around them as soon as they cry. Sometimes this is the right thing to do. The very thing they need.
But not always. Maybe they are crying because of self-pity. “Poor me. Everyone is against me.” Maybe they are selfishly thinking of their own agenda and want people to side with their side of the story. These women also need true Holy Spirit comforting—lifting up their spirits to see that God is bigger than their circumstances, that God is in control, that God is more interested in making them into the image of Christ than letting them stay in their state of self-pity and depression. Instead of siding with them, we need to encourage and pray with them, and lift them up from their miserable state.
I remember reading a book by Watchman Nee where he wrote of a woman who gently went to a woman who was crying. Instead of saying, “What are you crying for, my dear?” she asked, “Who are you crying for? Yourself or for someone else?”
When Jesus promised His disciples to send the beloved Comforter to them in John 16:7, He immediately states in the next verse that the Comforter “will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (verses 8--11).
May God give us great discernment as we comfort. Let’s look to the Lord for His anointing as we comfort that we will comfort the way the Holy Spirit comforts—lifting us up to a new plane, not covering a wound with a patch of nice words when the problem still festers underneath.
Love and blessings,
Nancy Campbell
Picture: LOVE ONE ANOTHER--Art by Mary Engelbreit
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In the midst of your daily routine and challenges of mothering you can often forget the awesomeness of what you are doing. Do you realize, mother, that your children are not only a gift from God to you, but a gift from God to the world? Motherhood is so far-reaching. It's not confined to your little home. Each one of your children have been destined by God and have been in His heart from the foundation of the world. God has a special purpose for each one of them to fulfill. What a privilege to raise a child who is "a gift to the world"!
God said to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5 WEB). The word "appointed" in the Hebrew means "a gift" and in other Scriptures is mostly translated "give."
Rejoice in the greatness of your calling today. You are nurturing and preparing children who have been appointed as a "gift to the world." As you nurture, teach, pray over them, and prepare them for God’s destiny for their life you will get to see the exploits God will do in their lives to bless many people.
This is the power of motherhood. It is not something you are doing for yourself. You are blessing the world!
Blessings today from Nancy Campbell
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Meadow wrote this song to her father when she was 13 years. She also recorded it on the father's CD, "Richest Man on Earth" which you can download or purchase from the Above Rubies bookstore:
http://bit.ly/RichestManOnEarth
http://tinyurl.com/RichestManOnEarthMP3
Samantha, one of our Above Rubies girls made a video of this song with pictures of Meadow dancing with her father on her wedding day, 10 September. You will love it.
~ Nancy
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We have some old Alexander hymn books which we often use when we sing a hymn at our Family Devotions. I discovered this hymn and loved the words. I have never sung a tune to it, but I do want to share the wonderful words with you.
Far beyond all human comprehension,
Measured by an infinite dimension,
Wonderfully broad in its intention,
Is the boundless love of God.
Refrain:
Love divine surpasses all that human tongue can tell,
While on earth or in eternity;
Higher than the mountains where the soaring eagles dwell,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea,
Love sufficient to redeem and set a captive free,
As shoreless and as endless as eternity.
Great enough to sacrifice with pleasure,
And to give away its richest treasure,
And to drink of pain in brimming measure,
Is the wondrous love of God.
Greater than my sin and condemnation,
Great enough to give me, full salvation,
And to fill my soul with jubilation,
Is the matchless love of God.
Deep enough for those in degradation,
Higher than the highest elevation,
Broad enough to take in ev’ry nation,
Is the boundless love of God.
How can we ever fathom God’s wondrous love? I don’t think even eternity will be enough to truly understand the greatness of our salvation. It is truly beyond our human comprehension. We should never let a day go by when we don’t thank and worship Him for His eternal salvation.
Love from Nancy
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