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.

Women's Daily Encouragement Blog

Strengthening Families Across the World through the encouragement of women in their high calling from God as wives, mothers and homemakers.

Nancy Campbell

GOLD FEVER

GoldFeverDo any of you read THE DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH for your Family Devotions? We read it each morning and evening around our table. Although, for a change, we are currently reading a chapter of the book of Revelation each evening.
 
If you read THE DAILY LIGHT this morning, you will have noticed that this morning’s theme was about the treasures of God’s word. We read Psalm 19:10 which says: “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
 
We read about the gold fever of the gold-digging days. These men gave up everything to get a bit of gold. And yet we have pure gold right at our fingertips. And yet, many times, we don’t even care about it.
 
Are God’s words like gold to you? Do you pass on this fever to our children? Do they know you LOVE God’s words? That’s why we gather our children around each day to read His precious life-giving words to them.
 
We are gold dispensers! Isn’t that amazing? We may not own very much materially and yet we can pass out gold to our children every day! It will do far more for them than any “gold” of this world.
 
The psalmist confesses in Psalm 119:72: “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”
 
Psalm 119:127: says: “Therefore I LOVE thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.”
 
Pass on your love for God’s words to your children. They will love it according to how much you love it. If you’ve got gold fever for His Word, they’ll catch it too.
 
Be blessed today,
 
Nancy Campbell
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DID YOU KNOW?

DidYouKnowDid you know that God has appointed you to be a watchwoman over your home? Proverbs 321:27 says: “She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness.”
 
The Hebrew word for “looks well” is “tsaphah.” It means “1) to observe and keep watch, 2) to lean forward, to peer into the distance, and 3) to be a watchman.”
 
This woman constantly observes what needs to be done in her home. She does not let things go unnoticed. She also prepares for the future. She has enough food and other necessities stored up against a day of hard times, shortages of food, or calamity. She does not live only for today but is well prepared for any emergency.
 
But primarily, she is a watchwoman. The Hebrew word used here for the woman is the same word that is used for the watchmen of the city in the Bible. I’ll give you the references at the end of this post.
 
A watchman cannot be a watchman unless he is at his post. We cannot effectively watch over our home and our children if we are not in our home. The enemy of our children has power to get at them when we are not watching over them or when we put them in daycares and public schools. Therefore, we watch with our beady eyes, and we watch in prayer.
 
We not only watch over out little ones but our big ones too. When raising our children, I found I had to be a keen-eyed watchwoman when they were teens more than at any other time! I had to be on the job. I couldn’t leave my post. Isaiah 56:10, 11 gives a scary picture of watchmen who are not doing their job. “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark: sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber . . . they all look to their own way, every one for his gain.”
 
If you have a watch dog, you’ll want it to be a barking watch dog. You want a dog that lets you know a stranger is around. We must also learn to be barking watch dogs. No, I don’t mean a screaming mother who is always yelling at her children. As my husband would say, “No, a thousand times No!” We bark at the devil, not at our children.
 
There are two aspects to motherhood. Firstly, the gentle, nurturing anointing that God has put within us. Secondly, the powerful, protective anointing that revolts against evil and all subtle works of the enemy that seek to pull our children away from God. We will not stay silent. We will not sit around while the enemy lurks. We will go after the enemy. We will do everything in our power to save our children from the claws of the enemy, just like young David put his hand in the mouth of the lion and pulled out the little lamb to save it (1 Samuel 17:34, 35 and Jude 23).
 
Read prayerfully the following passages which speak to watchmen. They also speak to us as mother watchwomen (Ezekiel 3:7-9; 17-21; and 33:1-9). God holds us responsible to warn our children. If we don’t, their blood is on our hands.
 
Blessings and love from Nancy Campbell
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WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?

BestFreindWhen you have an opportunity to go out to enjoy yourself, who do you want to go with? Do you want to go with girlfriends? Or your husband? We always want to go with our best friend, don't we?
 
In Titus 2:4 the older women are exhorted to teach the young women to "love their husbands." The Greek word used here is not agape (God's divine love which goes beyond the love of man). It is not "eros" which is sexual love. We need to experience both of these in our marriage, but the one God uses in this passage is "philandros." This is a friendly, affectionate love.
 
We are not only to love our husbands, but to be friendly and affectionate to them. Throughout the day we should take every opportunity to cuddle, kiss, hug, and touch. The more we do this, the more we release love to each other. We must work at being friendly. It’s easy forget about it in the challenges of the day and the tiredness of the evening, isn’t it?
 
We should speak to our husbands as though we were speaking to our best friend. Do we yell at our best friend? Do we give the silent treatment to our best friend? Exodus 33:11 tells us that God spoke to Moses "face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." He told things to Moses that He didn't tell anyone else. There is a special way we speak to friends. We are usually polite, sweet, kind, and respectful. This is the same way we should speak to our husband. And remember, "A friend loveth AT ALL TIMES" (Proverbs 17:17).
 
Another wonderful thing about friendship is learning from one another, encouraging one another, and sometimes debating with one another to greater intellectual and spiritual heights. My husband and I love to discuss subjects together—and we don't always agree! How boring that would be. My husband always says, "We don't have to agree with one another, but we do have to love one another."
 
Proverbs 27:17: "Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."
 
I know loads of wives like to go on a “Girls' Night Out”! But I have to tell you the truth, I’d rather go out with my husband (or stay home with him) than anyone else in the world. And that's after 58 years of marriage!
 
Blessings to you today,
 
Nancy Campbell
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I LOVE WHERE YOUR GLORY DWELLS

TheHabitationAre you looking forward to meeting with God’s people this weekend? The assembling of ourselves TOGETHER is a priority for believers.

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Nancy Campbell

ADDING ANOTHER DIMENSION

SetTableIt adds another dimension to the meal when we sit at an attractively set table.

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Nancy Campbell

GOD LOVES AN ORDERED TABLE

AnOrderedTableSometimes we don’t make our meal table very orderly, do we?
 
A mother prepares some food, yells to everyone to come and get it. The family scoff it down the food and leave the table! That’s all there is to it. Nothing much happened. All the work of preparing the food for nothing.
 
I believe we can change this scenario. I believe that the importance we put upon our table will be the attitude our children have toward it. It first begins with changing our attitude. We as mothers must see the importance of the table It’s very important in God’s eyes. When God described a blessed family, he pictured them all around the table (Psalm 128:3).
 
We must understand that the table is not only a place to feed our children physically but to bring the family together to interact and to also feed their souls and spirits. Therefore, we prepare a nutritious meal for their physical bodies, but we also take time to think about what we will talk about to feed their souls.
 
And of course, we will never let them leave the table before we have ministered to the most important part of their beings, their inner souls—and we read God’s Word to them. If we allow them to leave the table before we feed their inner man, they leave half fed.
 
But it is not enough to prepare the meal. We must also prepare the table. The more orderly, attractive, and inviting we make the table, the more it draws our family to gather around.
 
Let’s see what the Bible says about setting a table.
 
The first mention of the table in the Bible is the Table of Shewbread. We read in Exodus 40:2-4, 23: “Thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it. . . . And he set the bread in order before the LORD.”
 
God’s Word translation says: “He arranged the bread on the table in the LORD’S presence, following the LORD’S instructions.”
 
Do you notice those beautiful words, “in the LORD’S presence”? Dear precious mothers, we are not only preparing a table for our family, but for God. We do it in His presence. God is with you in your home as you prepare your meal and come to your table. He loves to come to your table and manifest His presence in Your midst. Acknowledge His presence as you prepare your meals and prepare your table. It will make all the difference to the way you do it.
 
Do you notice that Moses set everything in order according to God’s plan? The Hebrew word is “arak” and means “to set in a row, put in order, to set in array.”
 
It is the same word that is used in these Scriptures:
 
Psalm 23:5: “Thou preparest (arak) a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”
 
Psalm 78:19: “Can God furnish (arak) a table in the wilderness?”
 
Proverbs 9:2: “Wisdom hath builded her house . . . she hath also furnished (arak) her table.” If we have wisdom, we will prepare and order our table knowing that it will bring many blessings to our home.
 
Elevate your table to a new level. I don’t mean to make it higher physically but make it higher in priority and importance in your home. You will be amazed at how attitudes change in the hearts of your children.
 
Be blessed,
 
Nancy Campbell
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GOD HOVERS OVER YOU, MOTHER

GodHoversGod hovers over mother. He is with you from the beginning to the end. Are you waiting to give birth to a baby soon? God will be with you in your birth. David confesses in Psalm 22:9: “Thou art He that took me out of the womb.” Many translations say, “You brought me safely from my mother’s womb.” Whether you are having your baby at home or in a hospital, put your trust in God. He is the one who brings the baby safely from the womb. He is hovering over you for the life of your baby. Trust Him.
 
When your baby is born you become aware of a special atmosphere--it's the presence of God in your home. It always comes with a new baby who is sent fresh from heaven. I reveled in this beautiful atmosphere when my babies came.
 
David continues: “Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.” As the little babe nurses at the continually available breasts of the mother, the baby learns that he can totally trust God. As the breast is always accessible, so he learns that God, Jehovah Shammah, will always be there for him.
 
Another Psalmist confesses the same thing as David: “Upon Thee I have leaned from birth; it was Thou who took me from the maternal womb. My praise is continually of thee” (Psalm 71:6 MLB). Put your trust in God who is watching over every aspect of your motherhood.
 
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
 
Picture of Stephanie Johnson, waiting for the birth of her second baby. She is now blessed with Hosanna and Licia.
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Nancy Campbell

HONOR & DIGNITY

HonorDignity“Strength and dignity are her clothing” (Proverbs 31:25). Inwardly and outwardly. Dignity is being lost today. Let’s hold it fast.

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REJOICING HOMES

RejoicingHomesIn my Bible reading the other morning I read the blessing God gave through Moses to the tribe Issachar. He told them they were to rejoice in their homes (Deuteronomy 33:18). The word for homes is “ohel” and it means “a covering, a dwelling place.” It can be used of a hut or a palace! It speaks of a home for animals or for a king (namely, David’s palace)!
 
Maybe you are living in cramped quarters. It feels like a hut! You long for more room. Can I encourage you to keep rejoicing? When Moses spoke those words to Issachar, they were living in temporary tents! They had no mod cons. No store down the road to run to if they ran out of something. And God wanted them to rejoice.
 
Rejoicing is a powerful attribute. It allows God to work in our lives and in our circumstances. When we complain and whine, we keep ourselves in our self-pity dungeon! And we stay miserable!
 
When we rejoice, our circumstances may not change, but our heart changes and we can face insurmountable odds with the joy of the Lord.
 
Do you remember the time when David came back from battle to his home city of Ziklag? They found it burned to the ground with fire. That would be enough to make you depressed. But the Amalekites had also taken all their wives, sons, and daughters captive! They were left with nothing. They all lifted up their voices and wept until they could weep no more! The men were so upset they wanted to stone David!
 
David was so distraught! But then the Bible tells us that “David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” (1 Samuel 30:6).
 
It was then God showed him what to do. He gave him the strategy and David and his men were able to recover all their wives and children. Verse 19 says “David recovered all.”
 
David had no answer to their terrible catastrophe while he was in a state of despair. We can’t hear from God when we are filled with bitterness, unforgiveness, and moaning. But when by faith we look to the Lord and rejoice in Him, things begin to change. It’s a biblical principle (Job 13;15 and Habakkuk 3:17, 18).
 
Be a rejoicing mother and fill your home with rejoicing. God loves rejoicing homes.
 
Blessings to you today from Nancy Campbell
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Nancy Campbell

ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG MOTHERS

EspeciallyForYoungMothersThe magazine, Above Rubies, is for all women (and men love to read it too). However, I believe it is especially essential for the precious young mothers of this generation as they in the overwhelming time of raising their little ones.
 
Although I have been publishing Above Rubies for 44 years, sending it out to three succeeding generations, I realize that there are thousands of mothers who still haven’t even heard of Above Rubies.
 
And yet these mothers need the encouragement of this magazine desperately. They need to be uplifted and strengthened in their great calling. They need to hear the truth from God’s word rather than the indoctrination of this deluded humanistic and feministic age.
 
If you know any young mothers, in your church, in your neighborhood, close at hand or far away, you are welcome to send me their names and addresses and I’ll be happy to send an Above Rubies to them. What about your daughters and your daughters-in-law? Are they getting the magazine?
Send the information to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
I specially need these names as soon as possible. I am currently sending out a bulk mail order which I constantly do. However, the names coming in are now slowing down as we are near to publishing a new magazine (completing the design at this moment). I must have a required number to send them bulk mail which is cheaper so it would be good to get these names to include in this mailing.
 
Many blessings to you today,
 
Nancy Campbell
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LITTLE FACES

LittleFacesLittle faces at my place;
Some wear denim, some wear lace.
Muddy fingers, messy hair,
I'm just glad that they are there.
 
Yes, they keep me on my toes,
Picking up their toys and clothes.
Wiping faces, washing feet,
But I don't mind, cuz they're so sweet.
 
Days and moments will not last,
Up and away, they'll grow too fast.
My time with them today I'll savor,
And thereby do myself a favor.
 
To see them all as gifts from God,
To shape them is a noble job,
There is no greater joy on earth
Than teaching children of their worth.
 
To God in Heaven, who in love,
Designed them for His courts above.
He destined each one for a plan,
To serve His purposes for man.
 
So let me pause for just a while
To ponder each one's face and smile.
While life speeds on and keeps its pace,
These memories won't be erased.
 
2017 Val Halloran
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Nancy Campbell

MOTHERS ARE SET APART

MotherSetAprtMother, you are in the greatest career in the nation!

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HOME IS A WONDERFUL PLACE

HMWONDERPLACEHome is a place of . . .
 
Affection and Affirmation
Babies
Caring
Direction
Encouragement
Fun
Giving (each treating the other better than themselves)
Hospitality
Inspiration
Joy
Keeping children safe
Love
Making Memories
Nurturing
Opportunity
Prayer
Quietude (sometimes)!
Responsibility (each one pulling their weight)
Serving one another
Teaching
Understanding
Valuing each child
Wisdom
eXample
Yeanling (a yeanling is a little lamb or newborn infant and home is where we love and embrace babies)
Zoe (the Greek word for LIFE--home should be filled with life and happiness, not legality!
 
It would be enough to take one of these and work on them for a few weeks, wouldn’t it? And yet we have 26 of them!
 
Love from Nancy Campbell
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MOTHER, ARE YOU STANDING UP?

This article from Moms for America (link below) is worth reading as it exposes what is going on in our education system. I, for one, would never send my children into such an environment where our precious children are being taught everything that is against God and family. In fact, I would encourage you to take your children out of these anti=God schools.
 
Or, if you are not going to do that, take a stand like these moms. I admire that they are not taking this sitting down. The article ends with:
“Moms are fed up with mandates, pronoun penalties, sexually explicit content, and racist, sexist content being thrust our kids. We want real science, true history, and a classical education that teaches kids to read, write, calculate, and be good citizens. If that makes us radical, then so be it. From Cottage Meetings to Parents Strike to rallies and lawsuits, Moms for America will continue to unite with other organizations and support moms in their efforts to bring truth, freedom, and commonsense back to our schools. We will continue to show up at school board meetings and in the coming elections, we’ll be sitting in a lot of those seats.
 
Will Moms Now Be Listed on FBI’s Most Wanted List? (townhall.com)
 
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TINY HOUSE LIFE

tinyhomeAfter posting the picture of Dawson and Cassidy below, I thought you may like to see their little children outside their tiny house where they live.
 
TINY HOUSE LIFE
 
It’s altogether wonderful and yet we are bursting at the seams. It has taught me so much. It has taught me there are many things I can live without. It has also shown me the things I value.
 
The lesson of this season; where you treasure is, there your heart will be also. My heart has been with my little ones. For lack of a full, bustling house to bother after, I have spent more time with them—exploring nature and looking into their eyes.
 
The goal of course is not quite tiny house living. Of course, it couldn’t be. We desire many more little Stolls coming along. But one thing is certain. No matter the place in which I dwell, the truth of it is:
 
It’s the people and not the house.
 
It’s the hearts and not the things.
 
It’s the moments I look into their eyes and see they are living their best life, climbing on daddy’s woodpiles, eating sun-warmed apple slices, and laughing at the sun.
 
CASSIDY STOLL
@itscassidy.jade
 
(Deborah (3), Tabitha (2) and aby Peter (5 months).
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Nancy Campbell

A LOVELY PERFUME

LovelyPerfumeThere is nothing like the aroma of a delicate and delightful-smelling perfume. It’s pleasurable to our sense of smell, although I must admit that I don’t like chemical perfumes and prefer essential oils.
 
Most husbands love their wives to wear a lovely perfume. God Himself loves sweet aromas (Exodus 30:23-25, 34, 35). It’s not hard to put on some perfume, but often it is a lot harder to wear the sweet perfume of Christ. This means saying No to the flesh and allowing the beautiful life of Jesus Christ who dwells within us to shine through us. This brings delight to our husbands even more than a perfume from a bottle. This fills our homes with love, peace, and happiness.
 
The Bible talks about a lovely perfume. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (JBP) says: “Thanks be to God who leads us, wherever we are, on his own triumphant way and makes our knowledge of him spread throughout the world like a lovely perfume! We Christians have the unmistakable ‘scent’ of Christ, discernible alike to those who are being saved and to those who are heading for death. To the latter it seems like the very smell of doom, to the former it has the fresh fragrance of life itself.”
 
Do you carry around that “unmistakable scent” of Christ? Is the life of Jesus spreading out from you like a lovely perfume? Notice that the Scriptures says this should happen “wherever we are.” The KJV says, “in every place.” This doesn’t only mean when you are all dressed up to go out to a function with all the children left behind. This means right in your home, in the midst of everything that is happening--housework piled up, laundry waiting to be completed, homeschooling to organize, and challenges that arise each new day.
 
No matter what is happening or where you are, Christ is in you. He doesn’t change with circumstances. Draw on His life, His strength, His peace, His patience, His joy, and His love. And as you do, you will spread forth the lovely perfume of His presence in your home — to your husband and to your children.
 
Have a wonderful day in your home today,
 
Nancy Campbell
 
Picture: A darling young couple, Dawson and Cassidy Stoll, who have three precious little children: Deborah (3), Tabitha (2) and baby Peter (5 months). Cassidy exudes the perfume of Jesus as she joyfully mothers her little ones.
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WILL YOU LET THE LORD RULE...

LordBuildThe Lord will build your home if you allow Him. Let Him rule in your home. Let Him give you the children He has planned for you.

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Nancy Campbell

ARE YOU AN OPTIMIST OR A PESSIMIST?

OverflowingI want to be the OVERFLOWING one, don’t you?

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ARE YOU DEPENDABLE?

dependabilityTo be dependable is to be faithful, faithful in the little things which add up to the big things. The character qualities of being dependable, faithful, trustworthy, and truthful are being lost in our society today. Let’s make them strong in our own lives and instill them in to the lives of our children. God is not looking for frothy and fluffy servants but faithful servants.

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THE WAITING GAME

WaitingGameWhen God brought forth the first beautiful woman from the side of Adam, what realm did she come into? She immediately came forth to be a wife . . . and then a mother. After the glorious introduction of Eve to Adam, God states: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his WIFE: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).
 
Wow! She didn’t even have time to be single. She didn’t have time to find who she really was. She didn’t have time to have her fling before she settled down into marriage. She didn’t have time to have fun before she had children. She didn’t even have time to go to college! These are the comments we hear in today’s society.
 
Now don’t get me wrong. I know there are some women who will not get married. There are others who do not meet “the right one” until their thirties, or even forties. However, the majority meet when they are relatively young. This is God’s plan. This is the way He created us. This is the time of life when He puts the desire within us for marriage, and yes, for sexual union.
 
Society today believes in the waiting game. You must wait unto you are more mature. You must wait until you have finished college. You must wait until you are financially settled. You must wait until “you have all your ducks in a row.” You must wait until you have traveled and seen the world! This sounds wise advice, but is it biblical?
 
We read in Malachi 2: 15 about the “wife of his youth” and Joel 1:8 about the “husband of her youth.” We read in Psalm 127:4 about the “children of your youth.” The word “youth” in the Hebrew word “na’uwr” and means “young people, juvenile.” That doesn’t sound like old to me.
 
If Colin and I had waited until we were financially secure before we married, we wouldn’t be married yet! If we waited for the “perfect” time to have children, we still wouldn’t have any children! It all sounds so plausible, but it’s hot air and the wisdom of this world. The reality is that God intends couples to marry young and have children when they are young.
 
We don’t find who God wants us to be by doing our own thing. We find who we are as women through marriage and motherhood. This is how we mature. This is how a young man matures. There is nothing like marriage to mature a young man. You watch him grow before your eyes (unless he is unteachable and without godly training). Ultimately, God gives parents the responsibility to prepare their children for marriage, from childhood through adolescence.
 
Amazingly, many couples are quite happy with the waiting game. But what happens with all this waiting? Instead of coming to marriage as pure virgins and righteous young men they often come violated. God’s plan is for “young men to marry virgins” (Isaiah 62:5). The waiting game does not help God’s plan.
 
Why do we think we know better than God?
 
Blessings,
 
Nancy Campbell
 
 
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