Can you imagine the next generation if every mother would light her children’s hearts with zeal and holy fire for the Lord?
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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.
In the relief of the dark, by myself, in the peace and quiet, I delivered my own baby, our fifth son. The only noise was snoring, the soporific sound of my husband asleep.Everything was OK with the world. I was opening. I was safe. I was relaxed. No glaring lights. No beeping machinery, no loud strangers pushing and shoving, grabbing my baby away from me.
The powerful intimacy of birth. This is something I won’t willingly give away. It’s deeply private and vulnerable.
“Why are you blowing on my face?” Hubby got there just in time. Just as Baby was born into my hands. No crying (he didn’t cry for four days). We turned the light on to check his breathing. Baby turned his eyes to look at us. Small and perfect. So we turned the light off again.
The warm bath was inviting. We hopped straight in. Baby was on my chest. A wet towel kept him warm. Comfy and cosy. Just us. The morning arrived, and the midwife too. She was happy to see everything had gone so well.
Window onto a summer night, I knew I was in labour in the night. I grabbed a drink and my worship music on the way to the bathroom. I found a couple of towels. I locked myself in with the comforting dark.
The window opened onto a summer night. My pillow was on the windowsill to lean on. I looked out into the tree in the quiet. At first, I stood holding onto towel racks. I was breathing quietly during the waves. I take it all inside and find strength there. Then a pause. I got down onto my hands and knees, opening my hips. I stood and lifted one knee to my chest, then the other. Then held the towel rack for another wave. Relaxing into it.
Further on, I was crouching. Just leaning against my pillow on the windowsill. Looking out into the leaves of the tree. Kneeling on the padded towels. It got more intense. I could feel I needed to push. Then came a few heavy-duty pushes. And Baby was crowning.
With my two hands and a towel I spoke to my husband, Jo, “The baby’s coming.” He heard me through the open window. He let himself in the door with the latch. He locked it behind him again. Hubby sat with me as Baby slipped into my hands. Warm and wet. I brought him out in front of me while crouching. Then I turned and sat on the towels.
Jo helped me hold him. We both looked at him. And he quietly looked at us. In the water we made sure Baby was snug and cosy with me. I had it ready and steaming in case I needed it. But I had felt more flexibility outside of the bath. Then as soon as Baby was born, it was so good to slip in. Warm and relaxed. I could feel his strong heartbeat against my chest. He was snuggling in, content.
Then Jo held Baby. The midwife sat quite happily nearby on the loo. She saw the placenta had come in the bath and stopped texting the back-up. I hopped out. I wrapped up in my dressing gown. Baby was against my chest as I sat on a towel on the loo. Now it was time to chat. The need for quiet and privacy was gone.
Now there was just the celebration. I think it was about two hours. But I don’t know. I wasn’t timing it. The midwife was so pleased for us. She knew that I probably wasn’t going to call her. That I needed to be by myself. But having her care and support was important to me. And especially afterwards. We knew everything was OK. She congratulated us. Placenta in a blue salad bowl I walked to our bed and Baby’s four brothers met him.
The midwife got a parking ticket. We sent a note to the council begging forgiveness. With Baby’s handprint!
KRISTIE BAYNE
New Zealand
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Picture: Johann and Kristi with their five boys, Enoch, Zion, Stefan, Noah, and Daniel.
P.S. As I read this beautiful account of Kristie’s birth, I thought of the question that so many liberal women today will not answer: “What is a Woman?” Yes, we know what a woman is. She can give birth. In triumph. In power. There is something so powerful about giving birth naturally. It does something to a woman. She knows she can accomplish anything. She understands the power and strength God has given to her. She does not need to vie for the man’s world. God has given her the privilege and strength to do what a man could never do. Conception, pregnancy, and birth are the glory of womanhood and the nation (Hosea 9:11).
~ Nancy
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Sweetness is not something that is highlighted in women today. I wonder why, because it builds a beautiful marriage and makes a wonderful atmosphere in the home.The husband in Song of Solomon 4:11 (NET) says to his wife: "Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride. Honey and milk are under your tongue." Most people have a sweet tooth and like sweet things. And did you know that husbands like sweet wives?
The testimony of this wife in the Song of Songs is that sweet words constantly drip from her mouth. And that shouldn't only be in the bedroom, but in every room, and every situation throughout the day. Rather a challenge, isn't it?
Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary adds to the meaning of sweetness: "gratefulness to the taste, or to the smell, fragrance, and agreeableness to the ear, melody, and sweetness of the voice, softness, mildness, and sweetness of temper."
In Psalm 128:3 God reveals the picture of the wife as a grapevine. And of course every vinedresser does everything in his power to cultivate sweet grapes. Who wants to eat sour grapes? What husband wants a sour grapes wife? And what children want a sour grapes mother?
God also commanded sweet incense to be lit every morning and every evening in His tabernacle. He designated specifically that they must make the incense with SWEET spices (Exodus 30:34). He wanted the holy place to be filled with a sweet aroma, just as He wants our homes to also be filled with the sweet aroma of His presence.
God commanded the anointing oil that speaks of the Holy Spirit to also be made with SWEET spices (Exodus 30:23). Some people confess that they are filled with the Holy Spirit, but if they do not reveal a sweet anointing, it may be another spirit. When we give into our fleshly nature, we give off some pretty bad smells for our family to endure; but when we yield to the Holy Spirit, we will release a sweet anointing.
May God help each one of us to fill our home with sweetness today--in our words, looks, smiles, and attitudes. This is my prayer.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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Oh, what a difference it makes when we take things to the Lord instead of into our own hands.
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Be encouraged today, dear mother. You are doing a great work and you will receive your eternal reward. The impact of your mothering goes on into eternity.
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I hear so much struggle, sadness, and unhappiness among us mammas, especially online. I’d like to share my intro to young motherhood that has set the tone for lifelong mothering for me.When I was 22 years, I went to Italy with nothing but a backpack, a guitar, and my one-year-old baby girl. I was escaping an awful, mentally, and sometimes physically abusive relationship.
After a few months of wandering, resting, and enjoying my baby in safety, beauty, and bliss, I found myself in the farthest south tip of Sicily, in a little off-grid community of sweet people who wanted a slower, simpler life.
They were living in house caves in the hills—old houses built right into the mountains, the backs of each room being raw stone wall, some rooms open to the sky like the ancients left their rooms. Minimal furniture, most of it hand-made or very, very old. There was no electricity and water came from a spring gushing through some simple piping.
And they were HAPPY. Relaxed. Light-hearted. They kept very little schedule. There was little that HAD to be done. We cooked together, harvested together, and with no tv, radio, or screens of any kind, we were each other’s company and entertainment.
One resident mamma kept a trunk of fabric scraps for sewing with her young daughter. We all gathered herbs together and the children helped string them on thread to hang about the room for drying as food and medicine. The children put on plays with fig leaves as masks and literally played ring-around-the-rosie’s and the like for fun.
We sang together often, and visitors dropped by unannounced to sit, laugh, and socialize while the children played. When we got super bored, we’d go to town and play live music in the plaza for tips and get gelato or just walk around enjoying the town.
We also (drum roll please) had no clock. We went to bed when the sun went down and with candles for our only light that was easy to do! We rose early with the sunrise, feeling rested from early sleep.
What’s my point?
I didn’t know until that experience that there are many different ways to mother. Often the exhaustion I encounter in the mothers around me and sometimes myself when I fall into it, is from our lifestyle that we are doing to ourselves.
Over scheduling.
Too many lessons and engagements.
Postponing the joy of a friend’s company until Tuesday at 10:30 instead of welcoming each other into our now, our daily experience.
We plan to host a dinner perfectly in a perfectly clean house instead of cooking, gathering, and laughing together every step of the way as a normal part of our days, weeks, and months.
I have pictures of my Italian aunties ironing together on their front porches simultaneously working on their tan as well their housekeeping. They look genuinely happy, smiling and laughing from their bellies. I crave that togetherness of women that we have lost with all our modern conveniences that while making life “easier” has managed to isolate us into misery, often feeling like nothing more than managers for other people’s lives and expectations with literally no pay and very little to enjoy about it, with pretty much nothing left over for us.
Eventually I had to leave this dream-like paradise and face the music I had left behind, which resulted in 13 years of custody battle to save my daughter from that situation (story for another day).
But I never forgot the light-hearted freedom of these families, making something out of nothing and sharing all of it with their friends and family in the sweetest, simplest ways with literally ZERO slaving to societies’ expectations.
I get that a lot of us are locked into our lifestyle and communities and slipping away into a valley of dreams and personal freedom isn’t exactly an option. But what is an option is looking good and hard at what we put ourselves through in the name of expectations. Shoulds. Supposed to. Recommended to. . . Have to…
Do we?
Says who?
What if we are freer than we realize to make life sweet, simple, and enjoyable?
I would like to encourage you to make a list of what you really LOVE. What makes you feel like “aaaaaaaa” and what would it take to get that into your life?
What can you scale back in the name of simplicity, relief, and just time to BE? With your babies? With your love? With your soul sisters whoever they may be?
I saw, felt, and experienced that life and motherhood doesn’t have to look one way. We can craft it like a beautiful quilt to be what we need and want it to be. And our husbands, who were once just our sweethearts, I bet they miss that sweetness too.
God loves us SO much and believe it or not . . . it’s not Him demanding we run ourselves into the ground in a joyless grind of “should” and “have to’s.” It’s us. Doing it to ourselves. And maybe others around us expecting us to do it their way.
I now have six children and because of this amazing experience I’ve been blessed to experience, I am creating my own way and a unique Sicilian inspired home life with my children and husband, based on joy and the sweetness that Jesus is daily coaxing me to become and create for my family.
I hope that anyone struggling might take some time to think and maybe journal on what your life might look like in a perfect world. Just dream. And ask God how good it can get, how much of that and more can He bring into your days, moment by moment and deeper into the foundation of how you live your lives together?
How sweet can we make our lives with our babies, big children, husbands, and ourselves while we have the time?
GINA MARIE LO MONACO
Anchorage, Alaska, USA
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Picture: The Lo Monaco Keller Tribe in Sicily (Gina’s grandmother’s home town) a few months ago: Ian and Gina with their family—Denali (19), Lucia (10), Rosina (
, Shelah (6), Niko (4), and Monet (1).
, Shelah (6), Niko (4), and Monet (1).
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What makes does a door swing open? It's the insignificant hinges that we hardly ever notice. And yet without the hinges the door cannot open or close. And so it is with our daily life. It cannot function without the seemingly common and insignificant things of life.Making beds, sweeping, vacuuming, and cleaning up the house seem so commonplace. But they bring order which is godlike. Plus, it makes the home function. Washing dishes and doing laundry can also seem humdrum. But they reveal cleanliness which is Godlike.
Smiles, hugs, and kisses and courteous attitudes may seem inconsequential but they change the whole atmosphere of the home and because they change the home to one of love, peace and joy, they are part of changing the world.
Preparing a meal seems a common-place thing, but is not unimportant. It reveals servanthood which is also Godlike. And it prepares the way for greater things—family togetherness, fun, and fellowship, feeding the soul and the spirit. It also establishes a pattern for the next generation. The gathering around the family table for meals is declining in USA. Some apartments today don't even have stoves. If children do not grow up with family meals, how much more will they digress in the next generation. Will tables be eliminated?
Some think it is a lowly thing to stay at home and nurse a baby, change diapers, care for little ones, and guide and teach their growing children. But this so-called lowly thing in the eyes of society is huge in the eyes of God. It is the highest career He has given to women. It is God's ultimate plan for you if you are blessed to be married and have children. And without mothers embracing their role the world would come to a halt!
Let’s embrace with joy "the dust of the small duties" as someone wrote. They change our environment and eventually the world.
Be blessed in your home today,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by Helge Artelius
P.S. Do you teach your children to make their beds before they come to breakfast each morning? This habit is the foundation of many good traits and success in later life.
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As mothers, how can we can be sweet and at the same time discipline our children and keep order in the home? Sometimes, we we may start yelling at everyone, but that doesn’t do much good.Throughout Scripture, we see the tension of truth--one understanding of truth on one hand and seemingly the opposite on the other hand. This comes from God Himself. God is a God of love and yet a God of judgment and justice. God is "angry with the wicked every day" and yet He is a God of abundant mercy. Because God is perfect, He wields these divine attributes in perfect harmony. We find it harder to do.
We see a beautiful picture of Christ in Revelation 5. John wept because “no man was found worthy to open the book.” Then John saw one of the elders say: “Weep not: behold the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book.” But when John looked up, he didn’t see a roaring lion, but a "LAMB, AS IT HASD BEEN SLAIN." Jesus Christ is both the LION and the LAMB.
We also have these innate attributes in us as mothers. We have divinely within us the sweet, nurturing anointing that God has given to women--a beautiful picture of motherhood.
However, we also have within us a roaring lion-like spirit that rises up when the enemy comes to deceive our children and steal their souls. We will not stand for it. We begin to pray. We rise up in the authority God has given us to command our children in His ways. We boldly and firmly deal with sin in their lives--lying, cheating, stealing, disobedience, rebellion, and so on. We don't do it out of frustration and anger, but in righteousness because we know we cannot allow these bad habits to control our children.
And so we walk in the beautiful balance of sweet nurturing and bold authority when it is necessary. We don't learn to do this all at once. These anointings are within us, given by God, and we learn to walk in them more and more as we yield to the Holy Spirit who is conforming us into the image of Jesus.
Think of Moses. He was "Very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:23) and yet he was one of the greatest leaders in history. He constantly had to execute judgment on these people he was leading through the wilderness. You too can lead your children on to the Promised Land with a sweet spirit, but also bold authority.
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
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Mothers, we are the guardians of our children’s minds. Are you diligently guarding?
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Everything hinges on our attitude on the home. Dear mother, you have the power to determine what your home will be like!
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I was inspired recently by reading again Psalm 104:24: "O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in WISDOM hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches."There are endless numbers of scientific books which tell us of the intricate wonders of God's creatures. What about the zebras? Did you know that no zebra has two stripes exactly alike? Everyone is different.
What about the Emperor Penguins? They live in the Antarctic, the coldest place on earth with winds as high as 100 mph. The female lays her egg at the beginning of winter and then the male cares for the baby-egg. He holds it on the top of his toes, keeping it off the ice so it won't freeze. Plus, God created a thick fold of skin on his belly which hangs down like a blanket to cover the egg to keep it warm in the freezing conditions. God thought of every tiny thing.
I can't resist reminding you about one more. Most caterpillars only live a few weeks before turning into moths. However, the Arctic woolly-bear caterpillar lives for 14 years as a caterpillar! Late in the summer the woolly-bear starts making antifreeze. As the temperature freezes, the caterpillar's gut freezes, then it completely freezes (not even a breath or beating heart) until it thaws out in the spring. God enables this little caterpillar to remember to make the antifreeze each year and then survive 13 winter freezes!
I love the words of Job 26:14: “Indeed, these are the outer fringes of his ways! How faint is the whisper we hear of him.” We know so little of God’s glorious creation and His way.
But God's highest creation is the male and female. He also made us with His perfect wisdom. Every part of our body is planned by the Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Eternal Architect. It makes me wonder why we mortals think we know better than God. So many, even those who say they believe in God, reject the way God created them. They have tubal ligations and vasectomies to make sure God's perfect plan cannot work. If they don't have surgery, at least they'll use some form of birth control to make sure their fertility, designed by God, is ineffective. In doing so, they deny their Creator and His wisdom and plan.
Don’t you think we should trust His wisdom?
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
P.S. Check out these Scriptures: Psalm 95:6; 100:3; 119:73; Isaiah 29:16; 45:9-10; 64:8; Romans 9:20-21; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:10.
Zebra picture: Two Zebras Black and White Zebra Photo Zebra Print - Etsy
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I am sure you did. Oh, what an historic day for our country on Friday. After nearly 50 years and the killing of over 60 million precious lives Roe v. Wade was overturned. How we thank God for His goodness to us and answering the fervent prayers of His people over the years. So many intercessors prayed. We have prayed for years. Our children and grandchildren have prayed.On Friday some of our grandchildren called us. “Nana and Granddad, can we have a celebration at your place tonight?” They had prayed since they were young children for God “to “Save the babies” and “Bring down Abortion” and now they were seeing answers to their prayers. So, we had a barbecue and then worshipped and praise the Lord for this great victory.
Now we continue to pray that each state will rule to save precious life. Did you know that in 1973 when Roe v. Wade was passed that abortion was illegal in 30 states? May we get it illegal in 50 states!
Let’s keep praying.
~ Nancy Campbell
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Meant for Heaven, God knows why,
You'll never see these tears we cry.
Meant for Heaven's glorious light,
To never know the dark of night.
In the Father's arms so strong,
Never knowing sadness long,
Never knowing pain or fear,
Ever with the Lord, so near.
Though our arms so empty, ache,
We never from such bliss would take,
Our babe, so precious in God's arms,
You'll never know life's pain or harm.
So dear sweet one, precious child,
Wait for us, we'll see your smile,
And once again gaze on your face
In that pure and radiant place.
Until that day we'll say goodbye,
And hope you know these tears we cry
Are only 'cause we miss you so,
And wish you didn’t have to go.
Please ask the Lord to make us strong,
So the wait won’t seem so long,
Where once again we'll hold you tight
In realms of never-ending light.
Goodbye sweet bundle, we rest sure
That you are joyful, strong, and pure.
It won’t be long, we'll see you then,
Forever we'll be close again.
C 2006, Val Halloran
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What is it like to walk in the presence of God? Psalm 89:15 says: “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”In the Scriptures, the countenance of the Lord speaks of His presence. This is the ultimate vision for every believer--to walk continually in the light of His presence.
But how can you walk this kind of life in your home? Notice the Scriptures says WALK. It doesn’t say we are blissfully sitting in the presence of the Lord, away from all interruptions! Instead, it talks about your DAILY WALK. Whatever you are currently doing in your kitchen and with your children.
Are you facing squabbles and the constant immaturity of your children? Are you overwhelmed with all you must do in your home today? I was on the phone to a mother when she suddenly said, “I’ve got to go. Children are fighting, and even punching!”
The wonderful thing is that God’s presence is not limited to church meetings. God’s presence is available to you constantly. And please remember, dear mother, it is not the hassles, the difficulties, or even sorrow that hides God’s presence from you. The only thing that hides His face is our sin and rebellion against Him.
As we seek to walk in holiness because we want to walk in the light of His countenance, we will experience His joy and nearness--to strengthen us, give us peace, wisdom, and even rest in the midst of chaos!
The Bible commentator, Alexander Maclaren calls it living in “continual sunshine.”
Live in the sunshine of His presence today.
Love from Nancy Campbell
I would encourage you, when you have a spare moment, to go to the following link. It is the commentary of this Scripture by Alexander Maclaren. You will be so blessed:
Painting: From a 1966 children's book, "I'm Suzy.” Illustrations by Alice Schlesinger.
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Exodus 2:9: “Take this child, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.”Pharoah’s daughter spoke these words to Moses’ mother when she found him in the bulrushes. These are literal words to Jochabed. However, I believe God speaks these words to every mother. When He gives a baby to a mother, He says: “Receive this baby from My loving hand. Nurse and nourish this baby for Me and I will reward you.”
When we nurse a baby at the breast, we are obeying God’s mandate. He has chosen mothers to nurse and nourish babies. This is very much part of who we are as a woman. And we are not of the deluded and deceived who do not know the answer to “What is a woman?
We know we are created by God to bring forth a baby from our womb and nourish this baby at the breast. We lavishly nurse our babies. We delight in this beautiful privilege. We are available to them whenever they need us. We nurse them until they are ready to wean, even if it is four years of age or more. We are a suckling mother.
Our nourishing does not end when our baby weans but continues throughout their growing years. We not only nourish with wholesome food but with godly wisdom and knowledge and understanding. We fill our children with His Word. We don’t only feed their physical bodies but their souls and spirits. It is so sad that many children grow up strong physically and yet their spirits are weak and starving.
This divine mandate from God takes commitment and sacrifice. It takes pouring out our lives. But God promises we will receive our wages. We will receive an eternal reward. This word WAGES is the same word in Psalm 127:3: “The fruit of the womb is his REWARD.”
We go to the New Testament and read the wonderful promise in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “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.”
God has given to us the glorious work of mothering and training the future generation of the nation. We dare not do it lightly. God wants us to ABOUND in it. Let’s see what some other translations say:
“ALWAYS EXCELL”
“WORK VIGOROUSLY”
“ALWAYS BE OUTSTANDING”
“ALWAYS ENTHUSIASTIC”
“ALWLAYS LETTING THE CUP RUN OVER”
When we pour our lives into our God-given work, we can be sure of our eternal reward.
Your mothering is never in vain!
Be encouraged, dear mother,
Nancy Campbell
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God’s Word is often opposite to the way we feel or think. Isaiah 58 tells us that God’s ways and thoughts are far above our thoughts and our ways. Therefore we must get into the habit of getting online with God’s thoughts and His ways. To do this of course we must search His Word to know what He says. This is the only true way to live.
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I am posting the following from a dear friend of mine, Nadia. I know you will be blessed by her confession of her walk with Jesus. Her words aren ot flippant. She knows what it is to walk through hard times.Nadia is currently a single mother, caring for seven children. Her youngest child who is now four years old was born with a very rare disease involving many complications. On top of all this, 18 months ago darling Gracie was also diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and Nadia has been constantly in and out of hospital dealing with this.
~ Nancy
From Nadia: “For the last three to four days I have been in this verse: “What manner of man is this . . . ?' (Matthew 8:27).
What manner of man is Jesus?
He is Love! He loves even the deep areas of my life that no one can reach.
He is truth! He can never lie to me.
He is forgiving! He knows all my worst faults yet chose to forgive me.
He is a Provider! He meets all of our needs and then some.
He is powerful yet so gentle! His strength is never used to hurt me but to protect me.
What manner of man is Jesus?
He is the kind of man I want my sons to be.
He is the kind of man I want my daughters to get married to.
He is every woman's dream!
He listens and constantly tells me of His love.
I awake to find Him awaiting me—excited to have our daily conversations. Though, there are nearly 8 billion people on this earth, He chooses me. He wants to be with me! There is where else He had rather be!
This love, who can resist? I am a woman in love
. You might think I am dreaming. Well, let me dream on . After all, some dreams do come true. And this one has! It's the reality I am living in.
. You might think I am dreaming. Well, let me dream on . After all, some dreams do come true. And this one has! It's the reality I am living in.The reality I want to live in for the rest of my life. In fact, it's a reality that whosoever desires, can live in.
Love from Nadia Mutana
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On Friday I posted about certain things God wants to do in EVERY THING. I noticed another EVERY over the weekend. Well. . . I have memorized this Scripture from a child but the “EVERY” came back to me in full force.Matthew 4:4: Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Jesus quoted this Scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3: “He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna . . . that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”
Do you notice that word EVERY again? We don’t take from the Bible only the parts that suit us. We live by EVERY word that God has given. This Scripture is the basis of how we live. It is our worldview. This is what Deuteronomy tell us. By EVERY word of God DOTH MAN LIVE!
How do you live? What is your worldview? Is it guided by the humanistic values of this world? Or is it founded on God’s living and eternal Word?
I believe we must search God’s Word for our answer on every subject. It is the premise for our every decision. It is the basis for every course we take in life. It is the foundation for every belief we have and impart to our children.
Of course, how can we live by His Words if we don’t know them? How can your children live by God’s Words if they don’t grow up knowing them? And how can they be filled with His truths if they are sitting all day in a godless, humanistic public education system?
Dear mothers, we MUST be far more familiar with what God says than with the humanistic voices of this society. And yet sadly, many Christians determine the course of their lives by the world view of our socialist, feminist, and humanistic society today.
Often, God’s Word does not fit in with our circumstances. It’s the opposite of how we feel! It doesn’t fit in with our plans and dreams. But are we going to put all those aside and conduct our lives by His living Word, no matter what? Or do we cave in?
It’s time God’s people became who they say they are—God’s separated people, believing His Word, standing on His promises, resisting the enemy, and refusing all deception.
This is the mandate we have been given from God to raise families—godly children who are solidly, firmly, strongly, resolutely, and richly FILLED with His truth.
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
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Have you noticed that God likes to use the word EVERY and ALWAYS?God does not let us off the hook! He wants us to . . .
ABOUND IN EVERYTHING AND ALWAYS
1 Corinthians 15:58 exhorts us to “be steadfast, unmovable, ALWAYS ABOUNDING in the work of the Lord.” Read also 2 Corinthians 8:7. When God blesses you with children you enter the glorious career of motherhood, and this is now your work for the Lord. He doesn’t want you to barely survive in this great work but to ABOUND.
The word abound is “perisseuo,” an amazing word that means “to superabound, , abundant, enough and to spare, exceed, increase, over and above.” That means we are living lifestyle that is nor average or status quo. It is beyond the normal. It goes the extra mile. It is over and above.
When does God want us to have this attitude? Sometimes? When we fee3l good? Or it is always.
Just imagine if you abounded in your home in every attitude, every situation, and every task?
PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING AND ALWAYS
Philippians 4:6: “In EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Read also Psalm 16; Luke 21:36; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 1:4; and 2 Thessalonians 1:1.
It’s easy to get despondent, to complain, and grumble. But can you image what it would be like in your home if you prayed about everything? Every little thing?
GIVE THANKS ABOUT EVERYTHING AND ALWAYS
1 Thessalonians 5:8 reminds us: “In EVERY THING give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Read also Ephesians 5:20 and Colossians 2:7.
Are things getting you upset in your home? God wants you to give thanks. Do you feel your home is too small? And yes, you need a bigger car? Give thanks anyway. Give thanks in all situations. You are in His perfect will when you give thanks!
Oh, can you just imagine what will happen in your home? Your heart will change. You will make your husband so happy. Your children will be happier. The peace and presence of God will fill your home instead of tenseness and gloom.
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS
Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice I the Lord ALWAYS: and again I say, Rejoice.”
What’s happening in your home? Are you living God’s Word or giving into your own fleshly feelings?
Love from Nancy Campbell
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