...with her children all kneeling around her is far greater than any public ministry."
~ Charles Spurgeon
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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.
Never be ashamed of your high calling of motherhood. It is the most influential career in the nation. You are part of determining the next generation and the nation.
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Did you know that your faith in Christ is not only a personal faith, but a TOGETHER faith? Many people like to keep it personal, but that is NOT biblical.When Paul wrote to the new believers in Rome he said: “That I may be comforted TOGETHER with you by the MUTUAL FAITH both of YOU AND ME” (Romans 1:12). Paul revealed three things in this Scripture:
1. Our Christianity is a “together” lifestyle.
2. Our faith is not only a personal faith, but a “mutual faith.”
3. Our faith is a “you and me” faith.
This is why God designed for us to live together as families. God doesn’t want people to live on their own. He sets the solitary in families (Psalm 68:6). He wants our faith to be a family faith. This is why God commands that we meet together as believers and “do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25).
I love the TPT of Romans 1:11, 12: “I yearn to come and be FACE-TO FACE with you and get to know you. For I long to impart to you some spiritual gift that will empower you to stand strong in your faith. Now, this means that when we come together and are SIDE BY SIDE, something wonderful will be released. We can expect to be co-encouraged and co-comforted by each other’s faith!”
Our Christianity is a “face to face and side by side” experience, in our family life and our life with fellow believers. We cannot grow into full maturity in our walk with God without one another (Ephesians 2:19-22 and 4:15, 16).
The Bible also speaks of our “common faith” (Titus 1:4) and our “common salvation” (Jude 1:3). The word “common” is “koinos” and means “sharing by all.”
Share your faith together as a family. Never neglect meeting with other believers to encourage one another, inspire one another, teach one another, pray for one another, bless one another, bear one another’s burdens, fellowship with one another, help one another, serve one another, and show hospitality to one another. These are just a few of the 38 “one anothers” God give us to do to one another and they are all the same Greek word as “mutual faith.” And you can’t do these things hiding away on your own. It is togethering.
I think of a coal fire burning brightly. Take one of the coals from off the fire and put it on its own. It is not long before it becomes black and cold with no life in it. Put the coal back in the fire with the other coals and it soon burns brightly again.
Many blessings,
Nancy Campbell
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Your womb belongs to you as a woman. It is where you conceive and grow life. Without the womb bringing forth life this world would come to a screeching halt. It is also the seat of your emotions, your compassion and mercy. Embrace your wombhood and motherhood. They are the glory of your womanhood.
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When I was young, preachers constantly exhorted young people to never marry a non-Christian. They drummed 2 Corinthians 6:14 into us: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” It was a good message, and I could not have ever thought of marrying someone who didn’t love God with all his heart.However, I don’t think that message is explicit enough for today. There are many young Christian men in the church who confess they are born again but who live worldly lives. How much do they even know of God’s Word? There are many who have never been taught God’s plan for family life. They are not ready to take the responsibility of providing for a wife (without the wife working) and would run away at the thought of having a baby as soon as they are married!
I talk to so many wives who are desperate to have another baby, but their husband does not want any more. This is a difficult burden to bear as God has put within women an innate desire to bring forth life. The Bible is true when it says that there are four things that never say “it is enough” and that are “never satisfied.” One is “the barren womb” (Proverbs 39:14, 15).
Therefore, it is vital that a young person checks out these important issues of life before embarking on a relationship.
Amos 3:3 states: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” To have unity and oneness in marriage, we need to be agreed, especially on the most important and vital things of life. We won’t always agree on little things. There are things my husband and I don’t agree on but they are not the important issues. And we don’t mind not agreeing. It’s quite fun to discuss our differences. We always say, “We don’t have to agree with one another; we just have to love one another.”
But back to our subject, conversely this also happens with young men. I know many young men who long for a godly wife, a young woman who is ready to be a mother and homemaker and have the children God planned for them. But they can’t find these women. They find a lovely Christian girl in the church only to find that she wants to finish her college before getting married and then pursue her career rather than having children.
These things need to be sorted out before marriage.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
You will want to read: WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD A GIRL LOOK FOR IN A HUSBAND?
Painting by Henri Jean Guillaume Martin [1860-1943], French painter.
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A daycare worker was sharing with me recently that they take in babies from six weeks old. And yet most dog breeders do not sell their puppies until they are eight weeks of age and up to 12 weeks for toy breeds. How is that human mothers can give up their babies so soon? What has happened to the value of mothering? This worker also mentioned that many mothers never even check to find out when their baby or toddler slept or what food they were given for the day or when. Where is their concern and yearning over their child? What has happened to mothering in this generation?Oh yes, I know they love their babies and little ones. But we can also love chocolate, love our house, and love a new car. Mothering is much bigger than love. It’s commitment. It’s like marriage. Marriage is more than loving. It takes commitment and daily building and pouring into our marriages.
But mothering is even more than commitment. It’s not only something we do. IT’S WHO WE ARE! We were created physically and innately for this divine career. We were born for it. It’s not enough to love our babies and children. We must also love motherhood. Yes, the career of motherhood. When we embrace and love motherhood, we enter into the joy, the fullness, and the glory of motherhood.
Motherhood is not just having a baby. It is nursing from the breast, nurturing, cherishing, and pouring out your life. And as you do the blessing is poured back to you. Mothers and babies are not meant to be separated. They are part of one another. Where the mother goes, the baby goes.
Live in the glory of motherhood today.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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Philippians 2:7 tells us how Jesus “made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant.” I was arrested by the fact that no one made Jesus a servant. He took upon Himself the position of a servant!Why did He do this? “For the joy that was set before Him he endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2).
Although Jesus endued such agony as took upon Himself the sin and sickness of the world, He saw ahead to His glorious purpose of getting a bride who would dwell with Him in Heaven eternally. He saw the joy ahead.
Sometimes we despise the role of a servant, don’t we? I can remember back to my early days of motherhood with all my children around me and everything I had to accomplish and sometimes saying in frustration, “I’m just a jolly servant around this place.!” Oh, what disgusting words! I didn’t understand the glory and blessing of being a servant.
When we willingly take up the servant role, because we know this will bring great blessing to our husbands and family, we can do it with joy. When we don’t want to serve, or do the lowly monotonous tasks each day, and have a bad attitude about them, we usually bring gloom and chaos to our household.
But when we willingly serve to bless everyone in our homes and make things run smoothly, we bring joy to everyone in the home and joy to ourselves.
Servanthood equals joy! Isn’t that cool?
Love from Nancy Campbell
Picture: Roger Wilkerson, The Suburban Legend!
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Dear mother, you will receive your reward (1 Corinthians 15:58).
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The Bible doesn’t lie. Put a smile on your face even when you are feeling lousy. You’ll be amazed at how a smile and choosing a happy attitude can change your whole outlook. There’s nothing like a miserable attitude to make you sick. There’s nothing like a cheerful attitude to keep you healthy.
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When we fall away from the original mandate of godly marriage and motherhood, the nation weakens. When strong and stable marriages and homemaking mothers arise again the nation becomes stronger!
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Embrace your God-given privilege of being a woman. This is who God created you to be. Be all that you were destined to be. Live in the glory of your womanhood.
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You’ll never have this moment with them again.
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Isn’t that so true? If you want a cheerful marriage become a proactively cheerful wife. And if you want a cheerful household, which is so necessary for a happy home, put on a cheerful face. Smile at everyone in your family. Speak uplifting and encouraging words. You may not feel like doing so but take no notice of your feelings for they are deceiving and not the true reality. It is amazing that when you put on a cheerful face your heart will soon begin to feel cheerful too. And then everyone will be cheerful. Isn’t that what you want?
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Have you lost your first love? Jesus rebuked the church at Ephesus because they had lost their first love for Him. To keep love going, we have to rekindle it, don’t we? God’s heart of love never changes toward us but we need to keep our hearts close to Him and loving Him back. We do this by keeping in His Word, in prayer, and fellowshipping with the saints.It seems that we are prone to losing the first fire of love. It happens in marriages too. What is the current love temperature in your marriage? Is it hot and passionate or getting a little cold and boring? Love doesn’t automatically keep hot. Without doing anything, it easily slips away.
Jesus told the Ephesus church to “repent, and DO the FIRST works” (Revelation 2:5).
Jesus never rebukes us without giving an answer. What is the answer? Do what you did in the beginning. It’s the same in our marriages. If our love toward our husband is waning, we DO something. First of all, we repent! Then we start doing what we did when we first fell in love.
When you fell in love with your husband, you spoke lovingly, endearingly, and kindly to him. Do it again.
You were sweet to him. How sweet are you now?
You smiled at him and looked at him adoringly. Are you doing that when he talks to you now?
You wanted to be with him all the time and communicate with him? Are you communicating now?
When love has grown really cold, it can seem impossible to get back the first love. But do it one step at a time. You do one little thing you used to do. And then you take the next step and the next step and as you keep doing the things that made your husband fall in love with you at the beginning, it will restore that glorious love between you again.
In fact, it will be more glorious. Older love is even more amazing than first love. Never be satisfied with lukewarm love. Go for the ultimate. It will happen if you do what God says.
Blessings to you today,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by Annet Loginova, Russia
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"Homemaking is surely in reality the most important work in the world. What do ships, railways, mines, cars, government, etc. exist for except that people may be fed, warmed, and safe in their own homes? The homemaker’s job is one for which all other’s exist."~ C. S. Lewis
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The following is a message from one of our Above Rubies readers, Samantha Ferguson:Hey Above Rubies families! I am in need of some young people's help this summer! We are going to be building a kennel for our Great Dane 
business and also starting a Flower Farm. Along with those business ventures, general help with our eight children and home management such as cooking, cleaning, etc. will also be needed.
business and also starting a Flower Farm. Along with those business ventures, general help with our eight children and home management such as cooking, cleaning, etc. will also be needed.I was thinking a duo, brother/sister, sister/sister, friend/friend, whatever combination, could stay with us from the April Above Rubies Retreat to the August Retreat! They will be a part of our family while they stay with us!
We have a big house, so they will have the basement basically to themselves. Currently being renovated, they will have access to a workout room, bathroom, and a kitchen right outside their bedroom. We have an additional bedroom if needed as well.
Further information:
Our businesses are outgrowing us...
Not Content Coaching
Ferguson Family Danes
Hayden's Homestead
(Feel free to check out our pages to see what our businesses are like and the services we provide)
We have an amazing opportunity for two rising entrepreneurs!
Qualifications:
Love the Lord with an eagerness to grow their relationship with Him
One of you must have their driver’s license
Love of children and animals, especially dogs!
Creative ideas for social media content and editing skills
Skills you'll be learning:
Business Management and Marketing
Direct Sales
Social Media Management
Content Creation
General construction
Building a kennel this spring/summer
All things Homesteading
Vegetable Gardening
Flower/ Bouquet making
Canning/ Food preservation
Dog Breeding & Training
We will have 2 litters due around end of July
We will cover:
Room and Board (if needed)
Performance based Bonuses
For further information please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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The following is a lovely story from Jess Luchies. Jess had her first baby at 32 years and last October was blessed to receive her 7th baby at age 42! God is good. You’ll love both poems!Years ago, I came across an old mother’s poem that I loved. When I first read it, I had such a sense of mothering across the ages. The mom that wrote the poem in the 1950s was about 37 years with five children when she had the poem published in the 2020s. I was 38 years when I wrote my own version with five children. (Now 42 and recently welcomed baby 7!)
When you read the poem from the 50s, you may relate to me in that I haven't poisoned any moths lately. But there are new temptations that threaten to take away my mothering and baby moments. I will print her original and REWRITE mine below. Mothering is the same through all the generations!
Song for a Fifth Child
by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton (b.1921-2018)
(published 1958 in "Ladies Home Journal" magazine, her five children at the time about ages 11, 9, 7, 5 and baby)
Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew,
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo,
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
MY REWRITE:
Rocking my Baby 'Cause Babies Don't Keep!
by Jess L. (b.1982-) (written when her five children were 7,4,3,1, and baby)
Momma, oh Momma, come put down your phone,
Close Facebook and Pinterest, be really at home.
Start the next load of washing, slice gluten-free bread,
Put away the laundry and fresh sheets on the bed.
Where is the mom with no online presence?
She’s rocking her baby, so blissfully present.
Oh, I've lost track of current style, what's next and what's new,
(I'm too busy loving and cuddling you).
Emails are waiting and responses past due,
(Those snuggly hugs and squishy baby cheeks too!).
Not sure what's for supper, leftover stew?
And there's things that need doing, more than a few-
But I'm holding my lovey, all I'm wanting to do.
And oh! Did you hear that giggle and coo?
(I'm soaking in loving and snuggling you).
Instagram and TikTok will wait till tomorrow,
For this time doesn't last as I've learned to my sorrow.
So my phone is on silent. Computers on sleep.
I'm rocking my baby 'cause babies don't keep!
Blessings from JESS LUCHIES
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Mother’s determine the course of the next generation. Godly home-mothering, home-teaching mothers influence the nation for good.
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God loves to rejoice over His children. Zephaniah 3:17 tell us that God rejoices over us with joy. He even sings over us. Isn’t that wonderful?Deuteronomy 28:63 and 30:9 tell us that God rejoices over us for GOOD. He loves to do good things to us and for us. The interesting thing is that the first good thing He wants to do for us is to multiply us. To give us children. Lots of children. Who thinks that’s good?
Well, if we don’t, we are opposite to God, aren’t we?
Do we have the same heart as God? We should also rejoice over our children. Not complain about them but rejoice over them. And when our children grow up and get married, we’ll rejoice when God gives them children.
It is sad that many parents warn their children to wait a few years before they have children. Maybe you have been reticent to tell your parents that you are pregnant again, knowing you will receive negative remarks from your parents.
Isn’t that strange? Parents should REJOICE that God is blessing their children with a new precious life. That they are building the family dynasty. This is for their GOOD. There is no greater blessing than a precious new life, filled with potential, given to the parents to prepare for God’s destiny for them in this life, and for the eternal world.
Psalm 107:41-43 tells us that God loves to make “families like a flock.” A flock is more than one or two. And then it tells us about the response of those who see these growing families. It says that those who are wise will rejoice and understand the lovingkindness of the Lord and “all iniquity shall stop her mouth.” They won’t be making snide and negative remarks!
God gives a mandate to grandparents, not to discourage, but to encourage their children to have children. Jeremiah 29:6: “Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.”
Love from Nancy Campbell
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