ABOVE RUBIES NEWSLETTER #1, Feb 2018
MINI ABOVE RUBIES, No 1 for 2018
Dear Above Rubies readers,
I send love and blessings to you and your home. May your home be filled with love, joy, delight, and the presence of God.
If you live in USA, Canada, or the United Kingdom I am sure you have received your new Above Rubies, #94 by now. If you live in another country, your magazine will get to your soon. Just a little more patience.
Featured Articles
UPDATES TO LATEST ABOVE RUBIES
CELEBRATION FOR SERENE AND SOLACE
BABY SHOWERS WITH A DIFFERENCE
UPDATES ON ABOVE RUBIES #94
When Above Rubies arrives, I know many of you read my editorial first to find out what's happening in our family life. You will have read about more weddings and babies coming. Some have already arrived! Let me catch you up with what's happened since the magazine was printed.
CELEBRATION FOR SERENE AND SOLACE
Serene gave birth to a beautiful little girl, Solace Ling, on the 27 January. She is enjoying every minute of mothering her precious baby. "I am smitten," she says. And Sam (her husband) is "besotted." Solace is No. 14 in their family, but having a baby never becomes stale. Every new baby is a precious new life that has never lived before in the history of the world, and there will never be another person again like them in this life.
And so, they are more in love than ever! And as Serene reminded me again last night as we were driving together, that she not only falls in love with her baby, but with all her children again. The glorious hormones of oxytocin and prolactin that kick in with a nursing mother spill out on all the family. They make the mother love all her children even more. God's plans are so wondrous. Another baby coming into the family keeps the love and nurturing going out to all the family.
I think the older you get the more you appreciate the awe and wonder of life. Every baby is not only a new life, but an eternal soul that will live forever. How can we ever take this for granted? In fact, when we think about this, we realize that when we say No to having another baby, we not only miss such wonderful blessings ourselves, but we deprive a life from the opportunity to experience the glory of eternal life with Christ forever and ever! Why would we ever want to deprive someone of this?
Therefore, on Monday evening we planned a Baby Celebration at our home for Serene and her new baby, Solace. We often have the celebration AFTER the baby is born rather than before, so we can celebrate the baby.
We were all excited to do this as much as if it was their first baby. When Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist, what did her neighbors, cousins, and friends do? Luke 1:58 says they all "REJOICED WITH HER." The word also means "to congratulate." I am sure they must have held a great party!
We had a great time. We ate beautiful Trim Healthy Mama food, fellowshipped, celebrated motherhood and the new baby, and played some meaningful games.
For one of the games I typed questions, quotes, or something special to do and printed them out on pink paper and rolled them up with a ribbon. We passed them around the room in a basket. When the music stopped the person holding the basket had to take one and do whatever it said. One had to sing a lullaby to Solace, others had to ask a question to the group, or read a quote, etc.
One question asked the author of the following quote:
"The earth quakes when a mother understands her destiny on earth and begins to pray over her domain."
Do you know the answer? People were quoting famous people, but they couldn't guess! Who was it? Evangeline Johnson-right in our midst!
Then there was another quote read out for someone to give the author:
"As I hold this baby in my arms
I'm like a picture of You,
To nurture with Your love is what
You made me to do."
I have always loved these words and Serene loved them too. Tears fell from her eyes as she listened to the words, but she didn't know who wrote them. In the end Shelby (pictured on page 4 of the latest Above Rubies) knew the answer. It was Serene herself! She had forgotten she had written them! But Shelby had grown up singing Serene and Pearl's songs all her life as her mother has all their CDs.
A DAY WITH A NEW MOTHER
Meadow (Pearl's daughter) gave birth to their darling baby boy, Warren Charles, at 8.30 am on Sunday morning 4th February. He was due before Serene, but she went first! What a beautiful little boy he is, and Meadow is pouring herself into mothering.
A few days after Warren was born, Pearl and Autumn (her youngest daughter), Evangeline and I drove down to Meadow's (over two hours away) to spend a day with her. It was such a precious time and great to encourage her with different nursing positions and teach her how to nurse her baby lying down which is so much more relaxing than sitting up with a straight back. A new mother will soon get tired of that.
Why do hospitals send mothers home breastfeeding their babies with the football position? It's so uncomfortable for mother and baby and doesn't even give skin to skin contact.
We were thinking as we drove home that this would be such a wonderful thing for all mothers to enjoy when they come home with their first baby-to have older mothers surround them who can give them tips and help with nursing and mothering.
I am sure this is what it was like in the old days. Today, so many precious young mothers are isolated. They go home from the hospital with no one to help and encourage them. No wonder they get depressed instead of being filled with joy.
We have all our mod cons to help us, but many mothers still love in isolation. And a mother needs people around her. Just as teenagers need peers, mothers need other mothers around them. We think of how in some countries all the mothers would go down to the river to do their laundry. We would think that would be such a chore. But think of the great times they had together. Their children played together while they talked and gossiped and shared their problems with one another. They got everything out of their system and went home light of heart!
BABY SHOWERS WITH A DIFFERENCE
I must tell you about the Baby Showers we had for Meadow before she had the baby. We first did these same things when Rashida (Evangeline's daughter) was expecting her first baby.
The first shower was not just for ladies, but for couples. Although Meadow is Pearl's daughter, Evangeline and her team did the preparation. For three days she prepared and set up everything in our big celebration room for a sit-down meal for over 80 people. It looked like a wedding celebration. That's right, I told you about it in my editorial on page 2 so you can read about there.
But that wasn't the end. Not long before her birth, a few of us ladies gathered at Pearl's home for a different kind of shower--a birth encouragement gathering. We enjoyed quiche and THM muffins for morning tea and then sat around together to give positive insights and understanding to prepare Meadow for her birth. No one was invited who didn't have positive things to say! No negative stories! Only knowledgeable and positive words. It was such a blessing and preparation for her, although she had already been conscientiously preparing and reading herself. I could say that she did a college course on preparing herself for birth.
I think that every first-time mother should have the privilege of receiving this kind of blessing. A lot more powerful than a few silly games! In fact, I think we should start new kinds of baby showers. I know we will continue doing this for the first-time mothers coming up in our family.
And now Meadow has given birth. Many first-time mothers would have caved in after 27 hours of intense labor, but Meadow was so prepared spiritually and mentally, and continued with great endurance as she labored forward to the ultimate joy of her baby appearing. She reaped the reward of the glorious, oxytocin high of a natural birth. She was on such a high that she was ready to do it all over again!
MORE BABY NEWS
I mention on page 2 of the new magazine that Bowen and Kahoru were so looking forward to a baby coming in July. Sadly, they miscarried. They are now longing for another baby.
However, we now have the news that Shelby and Josiah (pictured on page 4) are expecting in July.
Arden and Esther, after two years of marriage (their second anniversary is 20 February), are still waiting and longing for a little baby. Please keep praying for them. Although Arden looks great and we praise God for the healing He has performed in his life, he still does not have a clearance from the cancer. We continue to pray for his final recovery. Please pray with us.
PLEASE PRAY FOR A MIRACLE
While we are talking about babies, can I ask you to earnestly pray and believe for a great miracle for another precious baby. Go to page 27 in the magazine and you will read the article NAMES HELP US BELONG by Pitana and Nadia Mutana. Their darling baby girl, Grace was born in January, but she was born with Cloves disease. It is a very rare disease and only about 50 people in the whole world have been diagnosed with it. If you look it up you will read of the seriousness of it. They need a MIRACLE. This is the biggest challenge they have ever faced in their lives.
Pitana and Nadia are a couple of great faith and are believing for a miracle. Please join with them for this beautiful baby. Praise the Lord, Grace is very contented. I was talking to Nadia this morning and she has asked us to pray not only for a miracle for deliverance from this disease, but Grace also has two dislocated hips. She is also constipated and only has a motion about once every ten days. Thanks for joining in prayer for this precious life.
ANOTHER MOTHER SMITTEN!
Go to page 25 in the latest magazine and you will read the testimony, SCRIPTURE NAMES by Marie MacPherson. They have chosen the names for their children with words from Scripture.
"Oh Nancy! We are "smitten" with our Teddy, like you wrote about Serene in your FB post!
STEADFAST THEODORE was born nearly two weeks "late" on God's chosen birthday for him, 30 January. As the sixth child, he was my smallest yet-8 lbs. 5 oz. His big siblings adore him!
We are so thankful for his beautiful home waterbirth after his dramatic pregnancy. After many questions about whether his kidneys would work after his birth, I am so grateful to change so many wet diapers! The doctors cannot find any problems! We are to check back again in six months!
If any readers are interested, I blogged about Teddy's pregnancy and at: http://www.intoyourhandsllc.com/blog/160-teddy-s-birth-an-unremarkable-miracle.html
Love in Christ, Marie * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
RED GUMBOOTS
The little girl on the front cover of this issue is Ezra Violet Simpson, Rashida's oldest daughter. Rashida is Evangeline's daughter. Rashida and Jack have now moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where Jack is continuing to study medicine. We miss them although Rashida tries to get back for special family parties.
SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS
By the way, if you would like to share Above Rubies with friends and people you meet when you are out and about, don't hesitate to ask for extra magazines. Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your mailing address and how many magazines you require, and we'll be happy to send them to you. For ideas on getting this message out to families, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DistributingIdeas
UNITED KINGDOM
My husband, Colin, and I leave for Scotland and the United Kingdom on Thursday, 22nd February, and will be ministering there for two weeks. We would be so grateful for your prayers for our safety as we travel from one place to the other and mostly for God's anointing as we speak to the families.
If you live in the United Kingdom or know people there and want to check on the itinerary, email Tania Potter at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LADIES RETREATS FOR THIS YEAR
The first retreat coming up after we come home from the UK will be:
6 - 8 APRIL, WASHINGTON
This is going to be a very special retreat--an old-time memories retreat. I loved the days when Serene and Pearl used to accompany me and sing and share at the Ladies retreats. However, since starting TRIM HEALTHY MAMA, they have had no time to attend Above Rubies retreats. They don't even accept speaking seminars for themselves as they already have tooooo much going on.
However, one day, Pearl (being soooo loving and nice and generous) said that they would like to do one more with us all together. Who will accompany me?
Pearl
Meadow (Pearl's daughter) and Meadow singing with her Mother when she was a little girl?
Autumn, also Pearl's daughter.
Serene and her baby, Solace Ling
Evangeline
Rashida and baby Emory Delight.
The only sad thing is that this retreat is ALREADY BOOKED OUT! Oh, I am so sorry. We wanted to have EVERYONE, but they can only fit 300 in the auditorium. But there is a waiting list. Sometimes thins happen and mothers cannot come at the last minute, so you can be on the waiting list to fill every space.
For all your questions, go to: www.aboverubiesretreats.com
Further details:
Lisa Strickland: Ph: 360-265-1737 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
12 - 13 OCTOBER, OREGON
LADIES RETREAT at Valley Baptist Church, McMinnville
2631 NE McDonald Ln, McMinnville, OR 97128
Contact: Charity Jenkins
Ph: 503 871 9535
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or Sonia Ramsay
Ph: 503 743 3002
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
FAMILY RETREATS FOR THIS YEAR-INCLUDING THE YOUNG PEOPLE!
So far this year we have more Family Retreats than Ladies Retreats. This is so exciting. It's so great when the whole family can come and be blessed together. It's a wonderful time for everyone in the family to have a great family weekend. My husband speaks to the fathers and sons and I speak to the mothers and daughters.
Do try to come as a family. Start saving to get to the nearest Family Camp to you. You will all be so blessed.
26 - 30 APRIL 2018, PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA
Above Rubies Gulf Coast 2018 Retreat
Conference begins Friday evening, April 27th and continues until Sunday, April 30th. However, families have the option to come for the full week (Wednesday, April 26--May 2). Last year, 2017, most families stayed for THE WHOLE WEEK, and had the most amazing and life-changing time together. Choose which fits in with your plans.
Speakers include Colin & Nancy Campbell and their grandson, Zadok Johnson (Howard and Evangeline's son). We are still hoping that Howard and Evangeline will also come.
ZADOK IS COMING
Yes, we are so thrilled that Zadok is coming again and will speak to the young people. Bring all the young people you can muster. Your young people will never be the same again after being with Zadok. He has just returned from 40 days of seeking God and comes with the anointing of God upon him.
Location: Laguna Beach Christian Camp:
20026 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach, Florida 32413
http://christiancamp.com/
Questions: Brittany Howell @ 321-356-8621 - Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or Allison Hartman @ 850-221-1222 - Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ANOTHER BLESSING FOR THE HARTMAN FAMILY
Allison and Daniel Hartman who run this Panama Retreat have been blessed again. On the 22nd January, Allison gave birth to their 10th child, beautiful Ezra Truth.
Allison writes: "I am a little different when I labor than most, I do well with distractions and with having those that love me near me. So, my labor room was quite the party at times. I had the best labor coaches, foot massagers, prayer warriors, and coffee runners ever! Also, the nurses I had at Baptist were top notch!
Some of my favorite moments in my life are watching my children, especially my youngest, meet their new brother or sister. Ezra's birth was no exception. I loved watching the three big girls just love on him and be in awe at the miracle of his birth. I loved watching my three big boys smile from ear to ear hearing they just got a new brother, and the team was evened out. And I loved seeing the three littles see baby for the first time and have that look of wonder, saying how did he come out?
I just loved every second of Monday night, but the highlight was meeting baby for the first time and finding out I had a son . . . the hard work, the two days of labor . . . all worth it! God is so good, I am so blessed!"
You'll get to see Ezra at the retreat.
4 - 6 MAY, TENNESSEE
If you can't get to Panama, come to Tennessee. And great news, Zadok will also be coming to the Tennessee Family Camp to speak to all the young people. Once again, don't leave any of your young people at home. Gather up other young people too. They will be blessed out of their socks and never be the same again.
Natchez Trace Wilderness Preserve,
1331 Napier Rd, Hohenwald, TN.
Contact: David and Sherri Leiter
Ph: 931 964 9944
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or Amy Brewer
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
8 - 10 JUNE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Zephyr Point Conference Center
Contact: Shannon Carpenter
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CELL: 530-718-0989 * HOME: 530-745-6328
24 - 26 AUGUST, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Pine Valley Bible Conference Center, near San Diego
Contact: Gary and Trish Evans
Ph: 951 681 4858
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
31 AUGUST - 2 SEPTEMBER, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
Yes, this year we have a Family Retreat for our Canadian readers too. We have been enjoying Ladies Retreats in Saskatchewan for many years, but now the whole family can come.
Wolf Creek Circle Square Ranch, Wolseley.
Contact: Anita Johnson
Ph: 306 522 7601
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or Theresa Vanderstoel
Ph: 306 345 2039
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
HOST AN ORPHAN THIS SUMMER
What an opportunity to change the life of a child.
Brendan McMahon * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. writes about
BE LOVE! ORPHAN OUTREACH MISSIONS (BLOOM).
"We are now in the process of matching families with host children from POLAND. I am happy to announce that this summer we are adding a new country to our host program: BURUNDI! You may know that Burundi is one of the world's poorest countries, so I know the children from there will be especially blessed to be able to come to America this summer if we can find host families for them. And so I once again come to you to ask if you might be able to announce our program in your next "Mini Above Rubies" newsletter.
Families who are interested in hosting a child should visit our website, http://www.bloomworldwide.org/ where they can fill out a pre-application in order to access our photolisting. Then, a member of our BLOOM team will contact the family to see if they have any questions about hosting in general, or inquiries about hosting a particular child.
The deadline for matching families with children from Poland will be May 1. At this point we do not have a deadline for matching children from Burundi, but it will likely be later than that."
Will you "Be Love!" towards the very least of these precious children?
DO YOU USE PRAYER BOXES?
I have written a couple of articles about Prayer Boxes in the Above Rubies magazines. I wonder if you have started to have them in your family. We find them the greatest blessing to our family prayer life.
On the weekend I spent some time updating my prayer boxes. We now have nine different boxes on different subjects. I had to write new cards for some as the children screw them up in their hands when they are praying. Some were out of date because they had now become answered prayers. And I had many new cards to write. And, I made a new box. OUR ABOVE RUBIES PRAYER BOX. Wow, I simply can't believe that I didn't have a Prayer Box for Above Rubies! We have sooooo many needy prayers for Above Rubies. It was great to fill up this box with cards.
If you haven't gotten into Prayer Boxes yet, here are some links to read to get your inspired.
Check out these links:
http://tinyurl.com/OurPrayerBox
http://aboverubies.org/~aboverub/index.php/2013-11-12-17-55-51/english-language/prayer-in-the-home/2663-prayer-in-the-home-revolutionize-prayer
http://www.worldwatchlist.us/world-watch-list-countries/
http://win1040.com/
If you would like to make an ABOVE RUBIES Prayer Box and would like some ideas for cards for your box, please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I'll be happy to send them to you.
AN ARMY AT HOME
Should women go to war? I don't believe that mothers with children should leave their precious children and their homes to go to war. This is the opposite to God's plan.
God shows us something of His heart about this in Psalm 68:11, 12 (HCSB): "The Lord gave the command; a great company of women brought the good news: The kings of the armies flee-they flee!" She who stays at home divides the spoil.
What is happening here? The enemy has come to attack and therefore the soldiers (the men) prepare and go out to war. They are the army in the field.
But there is another army at home-the women. They are also called an army. The word "company" means those who are part of an army, a military, a war! My KJV Bible gives the word "army" in the margin. It's the same word that is used of God who is THE LORD OF HOSTS! The One who is the mighty, powerful Warrior, ready to intervene for His people.
Where is this army of women? They are not out fighting the enemy in the field. They are at home. Do you notice it says: "SHE who stays home?" It is not the men who stay home, but the women. Some fathers stay home to look after their children while their wives go to work. This is opposite to the Scriptures.
While the men fight to save their homes and families out on the field, the women fight to protect their families and "hold the fort" in the absence of their husbands.
And when they win the battle, they go forth as a conquering force to proclaim the good news! Back in Bible days they danced and sang. And when the men brought back the "spoil," the gold, silver, and beautiful garments, they didn't give a little to the women. They gave it all to them. They gave them the authority to divide it and share it among their daughters, handmaidens, the poor, and all around them.
They were all in the fight together, but each one doing the task God intended for them!
French and Skinner's Translation states:
"The Lord giveth the word!
A great company of women announce the glad tidings!
Kings with their armies flee-they flee!
And those, who dwell within the house, divide the spoil!
Although they lie among the hearth-stones,
They are become like a dove's wings overlaid with silver,
And like her pinions overlaid with yellow gold.
When the Almighty scattereth kings,
They glisten therein, as snow upon Salmon."
Dear mother, you are part of a mighty army of women. Your place to fight against the enemy is in the home! You keep the home fires burning. You strengthen your home, your marriage, your family. You keep pushing back the enemy who wants to subtly come into your home with his deceptions and destruction. If you are not there to watch, the enemy will take over!
You support your husband in his work. You release him to do his career and you embrace your role of motherhood with all your heart.
You seek after truth and teach it to your children. You proclaim the good news of the Gospel and of your love for family wherever you go. You are a proclaimer of truths,
Oh, for a great army of women to understand the power of their homes, to come back to their homes and raise godly sons and daughters. Oh, for a great army of women to proclaim God's truth in society instead of being deceived by the humanistic values of today which are opposite to God's living Word.
DO YOU WANT REVIVAL?
I am desperate for revival? Are you? I guess we should first ask, what is revival? It is turning back to the original, the beginning! We need revival when we get away from the first things.
In Scripture the "law of the first mention" is very important. When God says something the first time in the Scriptures, we must take note. He lays the foundation for that truth. He may enlarge upon it throughout the Scriptures, but the first mention is the foundation. It must never be discounted.
When we get away from the first mention, we need to be revived to come back! Back to God's plan. Back to the very first commandments He gave us. Back to His heart. Back to His first words.
We need to forever be coming back to our first love, don't we? With all the distractions in our lives it's so easy to get away from our first love for Jesus. There's nothing more important than being in love with Jesus. This is the hub from which everything else in our life flows out. When we are in love with Jesus, we will love our husband and children and everyone around us.
Jesus spoke to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:4, 5: "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
But we must also turn back to the very first statutes God gave is in His Word. Not one word of God is insignificant. Every word is eternal and life-changing.
We must come back to the very first words God spoke to the man and woman He created. Genesis 1:28: "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth." God has never rescinded these words. They stand forever. If we discard them because we think we know better, we disobey God's powerful and living Word. We certainly need a revival in the church to come back to these words, don't we?
We must come back to marriage oneness. God's eternal plan for marriage is that we are to be one. God's first description of marriage is in Genesis 2:24: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh." We are not two people living in the same house, but living our separate lives. We are joined in flesh, spirit, and vision to work together to build a strong marriage and family. It's time to come back!
It's time to come back to God's heart for children. Malachi 4:4-6: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
This is one of the greatest revivals needed in the church today. Most of the church has no understanding of God's plan for children. They limit the number of children in their family as much as the secular world. They have as little regard for the blessing as children as the world does.
This Scripture not only speaks about fathers turning their hearts to their one or two children, but turning their hearts back to the same attitude God has about children. To open their hearts to embrace children. To be fathers who are not afraid to trust God for their children.
We need to come back to believe in the God of the Bible. Many believe in a false God. They believe in a god who is only able to provide for one or two children. Any more would be too much for their god. This is not the God of the Bible.
When we will turn back to the God of the Bible?
This is what revival is about.
May you be blessed encouraged again today,
Love from Nancy Campbell
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