Don’t you love the words of this hymn?There is power on the name of Jesus.
There is peace in the name of Jesus.
There is purity in the name of Jesus.
Speak His name often in your home.
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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.
Don’t you love the words of this hymn?
This is where God planned for children to be nurtured and taught, not in daycares away from their mothers. Children need their mothers.
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A young lady asked Colin and me the question, “What’s the answer to a good marriage?”My husband answered, “The Lord.” A good answer but I don’t think there is more.
There was a time when young girls could usually trust that if they married a “Christian” they would have a happy marriage. That is not the case today. It is not enough for a young man to be a Christian. The question is, What kind of a Christian is he?
There are so many Christian young men today who are not prepared for marriage. They may be in their mid-twenties, but they are still not ready to take on responsibility. They are not ready to embrace children into their marriage. They are not ready to provide for a wife to stay home and care for these children. They are not even ready to settle down!
My answer to that young lady was, “It is more than that!” How could I say that? Isn’t God enough? Yes, of course He is, but sadly there are many who love the Lord, but do not understand His truth and His ways regarding marriage and family. They may acknowledge they love God but their lives follow the world instead of the Bible.
Of course, it takes both the man and his wife to make the marriage. Apart from the foundation of understanding the purpose for marriage and being ready to take responsibility, my question to a young couple is, “What kind of marriage do you want?”
“Do you want an average marriage?” Well, just be a normal couple and maybe you’ll scrape through.
“Do you want an above-average marriage?” That will take more work. You won’t be living to yourself. You will not only delight to love your husband but to honor him and show your love tangibly to him in myriads of ways. You will purposefully build into your marriage each new day.
Or “Do you want an amazing marriage?” That means you’ve got to be amazing! Don’t wait for your husband to be amazing. You be the one. Think of how you can make his life amazing. Think of how you can honor him. Think of how you can serve him. Think of how you can intoxicate him.
The more you pour out on him, the more he will respond.
Things don’t just happen. You must make them happen.
Blessings to you today,
Nancy Campbell
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1 John 3:8 says: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.” The “works” of the devil? Yes, the devil works. It’s the same word that’s used in Titus 2:5 where we are exhorted to be “keepers at home.” Many versions of the Bible translate this Scripture as “workers at home.” It comes from two Greek words: “ergon” which means “to work” and “oikos” which means “home.” This literally means “WORKERS at HOME.”Do you notice the phrase doesn’t say “workers in the career world” but “workers at home’? There are some who do not like that statement but if they don’t, they are saying they don’t like the Bible.
The challenge to us is that if we do not work to guard our home and family, the devil will outdo us with his works. If mothers would rather work outside their home than in their home, they give room for the devil to work in their home behind their backs! This is one of the reasons the devil woos women out of the home. He can then get his hands upon the minds and hearts of our precious children. If mothers are not protecting, guiding, teaching, and nurturing their children in the home, who is? Who are those peoiple? Are they godly? Are they righteous? Are they anointed from God for the task? Are they teaching our children the truth?
We must work to keep our homes a place of love, joy, delight, and holiness—and truth! It takes work to keep deception out of your home. The enemy always looks for a foothold where he can get in.
Keep working in your home, dear mother. Don’t let up. Don’t let the devil work havoc in your marriage and children while you are busy with other things.
One of the greatest ways we destroy the “works of the devil” is through fervent prayer. How much are you praying for your children? Your home? Future generations?
Keep the devil at bay from your marriage and home.
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
Painting: Seymour Joseph Guy
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Do you embrace your womb as a gift from God? Part of who you are as a woman? A sacred place? Or do you see it as something that does not fit in with your lifestyle? An organ that you would rather make obsolete?It’s normal that if we have anything wrong with any organ in our body, we are desperate for healing. Some people go to God for healing. Others run to the doctor. Whatever way, we want our body to function correctly. In fact, when one part of our body is sick or hurt, it affects the rest of our body.
And yet when it comes to the womb, the part of us that distinctively distinguishes us as a woman, we don’t want it to work! What is wrong with that?
It is the deception of the devil who hates the womb and hates life! Genesis 3:15 tells us that there is enmity between the devil and the woman. One translation says: “There will be war.” Satan is at war against the womb because it is the place of life. It is the place where life is conceived, grows, and comes forth into this world. An eternal soul from conception. A life that will live forever. A life that is destined from the foundation of the world. A life that can be filled with God and bring the revelation of God into this world.
Dear mothers, let’s not be deceived by the devil, the hater of life (John 10:10). Let’s embrace the way God created us. All His works are perfect. They are wonderful, marvelous, and amazing (Psalm 139:14).
When we embrace the function of who God created us to be we live in His blessing 1 Timothy 2:15 tells us that we are saved through childbearing and the embracing of our maternal anointing. The full meaning of the word “saved” means you will be “protected, healed, preserved, delivered and made whole.”
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
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Dear fathers and mothers, although of course I am particularly writing to mothers. I want to remind you today (as you already know) but sometimes we need to be reminded that your children belong to YOU.Well, first of all, they belong to God for He is their Creator and Designer, the One who uniquely and specifically created each one of our children. And there is not one child who is the same. Everyone is an intricate and unique creation of God. He is the One who has also planned their destiny from before the foundation of the world. God calls them “thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me . . . my children” (Ezekiel 16:20, 21
But God entrusts them to YOU as parents. He gives you the responsibility to care for them and train them. He gives you the responsibility to teach them in His ways. Over and over again He not only reminds us, but COMMANDS us to teach His laws and His ways to our children and our children’s children "all the days of our lives.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-8 in the Amplified version reminds us how seriously we are take God’s command about teaching our children God’s truths: “You shall teach them diligently to your children [impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths] and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.”
Therefore, dear mother, you must not be intimated. Your children do not belong to the government. They do not belong to the public school system. They do not belong to another other organization. They belong to YOU. You are responsible for what they are taught. You have the last say!
Why would a God-fearing parent put their children in a public school where they aim to program your children in socialism and anti-patriotism. Most schools embrace common core teaching, the re-writing of history, the lie of white supremacy. They are tutored in the new words, phrases, and pronouns that are geared to change the thinking and ideas of this new gene3ration.
Did you know that Black Lives Matter has a school curriculum? Did you know that during the plandemic that even in Rutherford County, Tennessee, which is part of the Bible Belt of America, school officials asked parents to sign a form stating they would not watch their children’s on-line classes . I beg your pardon. They don’t want parents to know what they’re teaching!
You must know exactly what your children are being taught. And you will never know unless you are there. Why would you risk your children being brainwashed and taught lies? Nearly every student coming out of our schools and colleges today is ingrained in sextreme socialism, globalism, and climate change indoctrination.
It’s time to take charge of your children’s education. The rise or fall of America depends upon it. The rise or fall of Christianity in this nation depends upon it.
God has given the authority to YOU, dear parent, not the state.
Blessings,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by Simon Glücklich (1863 – 1943).
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Are you raising your sons into maturity? Too many young men, even in their twenties, are still “little boys” today. Thy are not ready for responsibility. They are not ready for marriage. They are not ready to provide for and raise a family.Do you notice that this Scripture says that our sons are “becoming great” even in their youth.
Prepare your sons for their destiny which means raising them to be men rather than keeping them “little boys.”
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Dear ladies, this Scripture also applies to our daily lives as mothers and wives.How generously do you give to your husband? Freely and joyfully or grudgingly? When you are serving him? In the bedroom?
How freely do you give yourself to your home and family?
Love ever gives,
Forgives,
Outlives,
And while it lives it gives!
For this is love’s prerogative,
To give, and give, and give.
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I read this quote when raising my children and it has always been a challenge to me. It is so true that just as camellias bruise so easily so we can hurt the hearts of our children—a harsh and unkind word can be like a sword in their spirit. Brushing them off because we are too busy doing other things can cause rejection in their hearts. Ask God for His grace each day as you nurture and train these living and eternal souls that God has so graciously given to you.
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Titus 2:10 exhorts us to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” It’s not enough to read the doctrine. It’s not enough to think about the doctrine. We must put it on like a garment and wear it. One commentary says it means to take precious jewels and arrange them in a way to show their beauty.The New Living Translation says that when we adorn the doctrine that it “will make the teaching about God our Savior ATTRACTIVE in every way.”
God’s Word translation says that “then they will show the BEAUTY of the teachings about God our Savior in everything they do.”
When you make it your lifestyle to love and serve your husband you show the beauty of God’s teaching. When you embrace childbearing and your divine career to nurture and train your children in the home you once again show to the world God’s beautiful doctrine.
When you live a self-controlled and holy life, even in the midst of challenges and trials, you show forth biblical sound doctrine. Doctrine is something that must been seen and evident in our lives.
The big challenge this chapter reveals is that we either reveal the beauty of the gospel through our lives or we blaspheme the word of God (verse 5). We either attract people to Jesus or repel them through our actions.
We see the same theme in 1 Peter 3 where it tells us that a wife can win her unbelieving husband to the Lord by the manner of her life and without even a word being spoken.
Is your husband wooed to the Lord through your life? Are your children, and especially your older children, persuaded of God’s truth as they see your daily lifestyle?
How often do we do this? This Scripture says, “IN ALL THINGS.” In the little things of life. In the mundane things of life. In the difficult and trying times of life. When in your flesh you would rather “fly off the handle” but because “Christ is in you” you yield to His life instead of your flesh.
Let’s be those who reveal His beauty in our homes—to our husband and to our children.
“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All his wonderful passion and purity,
O thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine,
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”
Enjoy a blessed day in your home,
NANCY CAMPBELL
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My Friday post was about BEAUTIFUL DOCTRINE. The Bible also tells us what we are to do about this beautiful doctrine.1. WE MUST ABIDE IN THE DOCTRINE (2 John 1:9).
That means to live in it.
2. WE MUST CONTINUE STEADFASTLY IN THE DOCTRINE (Acts 2:42 and 1 Timothy 4:16).
We don’t just read about it but make it part of our lives. We don’t do it for a day and give up but persistently keep on each new day.
3. WE MUST TAKE HEED TO THE DOCTRINE (1 Timothy 4:16 and Titus 1:9).
We pay close attention to what we are to do.
4. WE MUST HOLD FAST TO THE DOCTRINE (Titus 1:9).
5. WE MUST DEVOTE OURSELVES TO THE DOCCTRINE (1 Timothy 4:13 and 5:17).
For how long do we devote ourselves? This Scripture says until the Lord comes!
6. GOOD WORKS ARE PART OF DOCTRINE (Titus 2:7).
7. MIRACLES AND HEALING ARE PART OF DOCTRINE (Matthew 9:35; Luke 4:31, 32; and 5:17).
8. WE MUST ADORN THE DOCTRINE (Titus 2:10).
That means we are to wear it. We put it on each new day. We will talk more about adorning the doctrine tomorrow.
Remember, all the above exhortations ae not some airy fairy things in the sky. No, they are down to earth. God calls sound doctrine embracing the nitty gritty of life—caring for our little ones, managing the home, doing the dishes and laundry, even doing the same thing day after day. You may not feel you are accomplishing great things but remember that little things add up to great things. Faithfulness in little things ends up with responsibility for greater things.
We reveal what beautiful doctrine is like when we plod on daily loving our husband, loving our children, and loving our home.
Be blessed today,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by Abigale Palmer
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Don’t despise the time it takes to prepare meals. Every meal is another opportunity for dialogue, discussion, and interaction with your children. Think of how you can make every meal a special occasion. Think of how you can make every meal a love affair. Make your family meal times the most wonderful moments of every day.
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Does doctrine relate to us in our everyday lives? This last week I memorized 2 John 1:9: “Whosoever transgreseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” What a profound Scripture. It’s all in a nutshell. If we live in the doctrine, we are in Christ. If we don’t, we don’t belong to Him.Often, we think of doctrine as a theological subject, but the doctrine the Bible talks about is practical, down to earth, and relates to our everyday lives. God uses four adjectives to describe doctrine.
1. SOUND DOCTRINE
Titus 2:1 says: “Speak thou the things which become sound doctrine” and then Paul exhorts Titus to tell the older men how to live, the older and younger women how to live, and the young men and servants how to live. It’s all to do with how we live. Also read 1 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:3; and Titus 1:9.
2. GOOD DOCTRINE (1 Timothy 4:6)
3. GODLY DOCTRINE (1 Timothy 6:3)
And best of all . . .
4. BEAUTIFUL DOCTRINE
And ladies, this one relates to us women—and specifically in the home! It’s the doctrine God wants the older women to teach the younger women—to love their husbands, love their children, to be submissive to their husbands, and to be keepers at home! And yes, this is what God calls it—beautiful doctrine.
The older women are to be “teachers of good things.” The word is “kalos” and means “beautiful, valuable, goodness.” God says the doctrine of loving our husbands and children and embracing our home duties is a beautiful thing!
Dear mother, your life in your home is a beautiful life. Well, you may not feel that you are experiencing this, but often it is because of your own wrong thinking. However, when you EMBRACE God’s perfect plan of welcoming the children He gives you—nurturing, training, and caring for them, and doing it with joy—you will begin to walk in the beauty and fullness of this glorious life God has for you.
Enjoy your beautiful life today.
Love from Nancy Campbell
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“I’m pregnant!” No, not me, although I still dream about it! But these are usually the words a mother will say when she sees the pink line! Actually, It’s not such a beautiful-sounding word, is it? For something so wonderful I am sure we could think of a better word.What about “I’m gestating!” That sounds even worse.
I love the sound of “I’m wombing!” It reveals what is really happening. Of course, I don’t expect you have to use this word. It’s a little old-fashioned, but I love it.
What a beautiful thing to be wombing. When else does a mother have an excuse to have a nap in the afternoon? It’s time to dream of what her baby will be like.
It’s a time of wonder and apprehension for a first-time mother. But is it any less wonder for the mother of five, or six, or more? I think she understands even more the awe and miracle of the little life growing inside her—a brand new person who has never lived before and will never come to this earth again. She may have other children, but this is a new creation of God. What will he or she be like?
She may be waiting in anticipation for the surprise of whether it will be a boy or girl. Many don’t wait for this surprise today, but it is one of the surprises God loves to give us, just as all parents love to give surprises to their children What does Psalm 139:15 say? “I was made in SECRET.”
It is so exciting for a new mother to feel the first movement of life within her womb. Nor will an older mother ever get tired of the wonder of feeling life in her womb. What could be more amazing? There is nothing more exciting.
Are you blessed to be pregnant at this time? Enjoy your wombing? It is a powerful time of your life. It is more important that all the other things you could be rushing about doing. When you are asked to be involved in this and that, you can say, “I’m so sorry, but I am not available at this time. I’m wombing!”
It’s time to enjoy the wonder. It’s time to “cozy in” and prepare your “home nest” again for your coming baby. First time mothers, you will never be able to comprehend until the moment of birth the overwhelming love you will feel for your baby.
Second time mothers, you love your present child so much, you wonder if you could ever have enough love for another child. This is also the wonder. You will have even more love for this precious child. And each new baby that comes into the family causes the mother to love her husband and her other children even more. The mother who has many children overloads with more and more love for each individual in her family when a new baby is born. This is the effect of oxytocin and prolactin, the hormones that flood the mother when she is nursing her baby.
Oh, the wonder!
Love from Nancy Campbell
Painting by Grace Bailey
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I am amazed at how people who say they believe the Bible take little notice of it. They tolerate homosexuality in the name of loving everyone. That sounds so good, and of course we love each person, but we cannot condone the act because it mocks God’s eternal plan.God said: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18 ESV). Who was this helper? Was it another man? No, we all know that God created a “woman,” a “wife,” and a “mother” so together they could be fruitful and take dominion over the earth (Genesis 2:22-24 and 3:20). He planned for the woman to complement the man, not duplicate him. Any deviation from this plan is a smack in God’s face, the One who intricately designed and created us.
But THERE IS MORE yet! After God brought the woman to the man, He stated that “the man and the wife” (the two opposite sexes) were to become “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). This Scripture is quoted again in Matthew 19:4-6 and Ephesians 5:31, 32 and it goes on to say: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”
God lifts marriage to a very high place, far higher and more sacred than we understand with our human minds. He chose marriage to portray the oneness of Christ and His bride, the church. Notice that she is called His “bride” and “the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 19:6-9 and 21:2, 9). The marriage relationship reveals this picture of Christ and His bride to the world.
Christ is the fulfillment of the sacrificial lamb which always had to be a male lamb (Exodus 12:5) and the church for which He sacrificed His life is His bride.
To distort this picture is sacrilege.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
Painting by Puuung
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Mother, you are the best teacher for your children.
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“The woman makes the home and the home makes the woman.”It is true that the home and motherhood are synonymous. A home without a mother is cold and lifeless. And a mother must have a home.
Thank God for your home. Enjoy your home. Make your home a place of joy and laughter, filled with the atmosphere of Heaven. Strengthen and build into your home and family each new day.
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Motherhood is a powerful and influential career for good or for bad. We determine the destiny of nations and future generations. It is a full time career.
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Don’t you love gathering your family around the table? The best times!
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