Someone asked me recently, “How do I respond to folk who think large families are a drain on the environment?”
My first thought is: Who are they listening to? Humanistic garbage or the God who created the earth?
We hear plenty from our deceived society around us. Let’s hear from God for a change: "For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, HE FORMED IT TO BE INHABITED: I am the LORD; and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:18).
Did you read those words? God formed this earth to be inhabited and it is still nowhere near fully inhabited. Maybe, like me, you have driven from the west to the east of USA. You drive for miles and miles and miles with no inhabitants, pass through a city, and then drive for miles and miles again without seeing a house or a soul.
I have driven through Asian countries, driving for miles through jungle or acres and acres of palm trees, only seeing a few mipa huts here and there. Of course, the cities are filled but there is still so much room.
Why don’t we listen to God? He has everything in His control and every person in the palm of His hand.
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
Photo: Allison and Daniel Hartman. Allison is just about to give birth to their 11th baby! Allison and Daniel organize the great annual Above Rubies Family Retreat Florida each year. I think it’s nearly booked out for April but check it out This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Who or what gets the most attention in your home?
What are you breathing today? Of course you breathe to keep alive, but what else are you breathing? Threatenings to your children? Or love and kindness and truth?
Do you, like me, long for the “restoration of all things,” the time when God will subdue all wickedness and bring everything, everyone, and all nations into subjection to Christ? Or perhaps you are longing for restoration of situations that are nearer to hand. You have relationships in your family and extended family that need restoring. You need marriage restoration.
We constantly hear about de-cluttering our homes, but have you thought about de-cluttering your shopping cart? It's amazing how much we can eliminate and save money at the same time.
Dear mother, God has commissioned you to be part of a great building program, the building and strengthening of your family. There is no greater building program in the nation. Building each individual family builds the nation and continuing generations.
Isn’t it nice when everything is peaceful and lovely? We would rather not be in a battle, would we? But did you know that God leads us into battles? If you are facing a battle right now, maybe it is God who has you the battle.
Mother, you are a life-giver to the world.
Are you an encourager or a nagger? 
Nehemiah faced persecution on every hand. His adversaries tried every way to stop him from building up the gates and wall of Jerusalem that were broken down. You are also in a building program and the adversary, the devil, does not want you to succeed in building either. He wants your marriage and family weakened.
For how long will God love you? Until the very end (Jeremiah 31:3 and John 31:1).
How does your husband think of you? Sour like lemon juice or sweet like honey? What about your children?
An Above rubies reader, Cathrine Rose from Canada, found this drawing of her seven-year-old describing how many children she would like to have! Children love to have another sibling, don’t they? We buy them materials gifts and they break or are lost shortly after. But when they get a new sister or brother, they have a friend for life. 
Do you sometimes feel disheartened, weary, and unappreciated? Be encouraged. The word for good in this scripture is “kalos” and It means “beautiful, lovely, valuable, virtuous.” It is the same word that is used in Titus 2:3-5 about the good works we as wives and mothers do in the home. The world may look upon them as insignificant but God says they are BEAUTIFUL. Yes, they are beautiful in His sight. Even when you are discouraged, hang in there. Keep on plodding on. DON’T GIVE UP. Your reward is coming. 
Have you ever felt offended when trying to help someone and they don’t want your help? Perhaps you feel discouraged because you ask people to your home and they don’t want to come. Or you feel worthless and unappreciated as you mother in your home. It is easy to get these negative feelings. But God always has a word for us.
Motherhood is beautiful, wonderful, and vital to the health of families, children, and the future of a stable and flourishing nation. No amount of cold, hard, plastic toys will replace the warm, human touch of a mother. No amount of staring into a screen will replace the loving gaze of a mother’s eyes. No amount of material things will replace the art of “being there.” Our children, communities, and nations are starving for the presence of the maternal, nurturing heart.
Do you want to be strong in character? Do you want your children to have strong character? How do we get it? Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) says: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
When Jesus came into a village between Galilee and Samaria, he met ten men with leprosy. They stood at a distance, as all lepers had to do, and cried out to Jesus to have mercy on them. Of course, Jesus responded with compassion and said to them: “Go and show yourselves to the priests And as they went they were healed!” How amazing this must have been—to suddenly look down and see all their leprosy disappearing.
As I write this, I am expecting our fifth child. I have learned something from each one of my natural births and I wanted to share in case it can be helpful to other preparing for their natural birth.
So true. Our children will imbibe a lot more of what they see in our lives than what we say with our mouths.