COMPACTED TOGETHER

compactedDid you enjoy meeting with the saints over the weekend? There is such joy in Christian fellowship, isn’t there? As we met together on Sunday and continued with Fellowship Lunch and sharing together, I realized again the power of our meeting together. Not only to pray for the leaders of our nation, which is our Number One Priority when we meet (1 Timothy 2:1-3). Not only to worship which is so glorious. Not only to hear the powerful, living Word of God which we so desperately need. But to fellowship with one another (Acts 2:42-47).

This is what church is all about. We know it’s not the building. It’s the people. It’s meeting together to share with one another, pray for one another, comfort one another, look out for one another, and bear one another’s burdens.

There were so many different ones in our fellowship who were facing obstacles, overwhelming challenges, needing guidance and so on. How can these needs be met in a zoom meeting? They can only be met as we gather around to lay hands on one another, pray for one another, bear their burdens with them, and minister our love to them. How can we discuss things and seek guidance and counsel in an on-line meeting? How can we even laugh together and have great discussions if we are not together?

No, God wants us to come together. We all know the Scriptures in Hebrews 10:24, 25: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” And how do we do this? “Not forsaking the assembly of ourselves TOGETHER, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.”

Psalm 122:3 states: “Jerusalem is builded as a city that is COMPACT TOGETHER.” Jerusalem speaks of God’s house and relates to us as we meet together. The Knox transition says: “Jerusalem, built as a city should be built that is one in fellowship. There the tribes meet, the Lord’s own tribes, to give praise.”

The HCSB says: “Jerusalem, built as a city should be, solidly joined together . . .”

It reminds me of Ephesians 4:15, 16 which speaks about the body of Christ. “Speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; From whom the whole body fitly JOINED TOGETHER and COMPACTED by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of EVERY PART, making increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Wow, that Scripture is a mouth full, isn’t it? We read the word COMPACTED in the Old Testament and in the New. It’s the opposite to social distancing, isn’t it?
But the truth of this Scripture only works as we come together, every joint ministering God’s love and truth and comfort to one another.

May we as families seek to make this happen in our church life.

Be blessed and encouraged.

Nancy Campbell

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BABY, YOU’RE WORTH IT!

BabyWorthItBABY, YOU’RE WORTH IT!
By Jenny Silliman

Morning sickness, nighttime too,
Sleepy and tired the whole day through,
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Money’s tight and clothes don’t fit,
More to sew and mend and knit,
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Baby stuff is everywhere,
And I just sit here in my chair.
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Daddy declares, “We’re going out to eat!”
“Then ties my shoes, I can’t reach my feet.”
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Waiting and waiting, and pains at last,
Only false labor and due date past,
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Out in public, huge and humble,
“Is this your first?” “My sixth,” I mumble.
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Strangers’ advice, looks and sneers,
Taking comments, jokes, and jeers,
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Five children in tow, one on the way,
Out shopping my nerves begin to fray,
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Aches and pains and heavy with child,
Can’t wait to put Baby down awhile.
Oh thank You God! A baby!

The pains begin, they’re good and strong,
Pray and labor all night long.
Oh thank You God! A baby!

Labor and sweat and bear the pain,
Husband works to share the strain,
Oh thank You God! A baby!

The babe is born, oh sweet reward.
What a blessed gift from the Lord.
Oh thank You God! A Baby!

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ARE WE COMING BACK?

RWeBackI 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. The first mention is the foundation. It must never be discounted. When we get away from the first mention, we must be revived to come back! Back to God’s plan. Back to the 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 husbands 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.”

We must also turn back to the first statutes God gave is in His Word. 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 of children as the world does. It is time for a revival of fathers and mothers embracing their hearts towards children, to have the same heart that God has toward children.

Are we coming back to 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.

Are we coming back?

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell


Painting: Alfredo Rodriguez * American

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CAN YOUR CHILDREN RECOGNIZE THE COUNTERFEIT?

CounterfeitI recently posted a picture of the BENNINGTON family back at church. Holly writes:

“I remember hearing someone once say that to learn how to recognize counterfeit money, you don’t study counterfeit money but you study real money. You get to know it so well (color, texture, weight, smell, etc.), that when a counterfeit comes into your possession it is recognized instantly; not for what it is, but for what it ISN’T! You have to know the real thing so intimately that anything else is immediately discerned as false.

“If I could encourage you in your homeschooling/parenting journey in one way, it would be this: read Scripture to your children every single day. At least a verse. Maybe a passage. Eventually a whole chapter or even an entire book. Get a “morning and evening” style devotional of Scripture verses if that helps. We use the DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH (available at www.aboverubies.org). Or you may like to read a daily Proverb or Psalm together.

“Saturate your children’s minds with Scripture. Memorize verses together. Quote Scripture to them when they need a reminder to be truthful, to forgive, to share. Fill their minds and hearts with truth every single day so that as they grow, they will easily be able to recognize the many false teachings and lies they encounter on their way. Impart the truth to them so well that any deviation will be quickly evident as counterfeit.

“There is no education greater than the Word and wisdom of God. Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 (ESV): “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

“We also love singing psalms set to music (especially by David Erb in their authentic Hebraic rhythms and tunes). We gather as a family and sing together the rich, Scripture-infused verses of the great hymns of the faith.

HOLLY BENNINGTON * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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WHO IS AFRAID OF WHO?

WhosAfraidIt is God’s intention that His people should take dominion and fill the earth with His people, revealing His salvation and love and truth. We read about the children of Israel back in Egypt. Exodus 1:7 tells us that they “were fruitful and increased abundantly, and multiplied and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them” and the Egyptians became afraid of them. So set taskmasters over them to afflict them. “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.”

Sadly, this is not the picture of God’s people today. The leftist and anti-God socialists are ruling over God’s people. They control us with what we do and how we live our lives, EVEN IN OUR OWN HOMES! They mandate masks to silence us and keep us distanced and suspicious of one another.

Massachusetts rules today that if your home or backyard has more than 10 people in it, including a guest, everyone over the age of two years old MUST wear a mask! This is intrusion into private property!

They give out edicts (against the Constitution of our country) that people can only go back to church in limited numbers. They are not allowed to sing. They are curbed and put down while the pubs and liquor stores are open to as many who want to come. Rioters and protestors can freely destroy and burn down buildings while good people succumb to servitude.

This is the devil’s plan, not God’s plan. Listen to God’s promise to His people when they obey His commandments and walk in holiness: “The LORD shall establish thee a HOLY people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. And all the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and THEY SHALL BE AFRAID OF THEE” (Deuteronomy 28:9, 10).

Isn’t it sad, that instead of the heathen, anti-God socialists being afraid of God’s people, it is the other way around? Many pastors are still afraid to open their churches. Many people are still afraid to go back to church. They are afraid to live in their God-given freedoms but willingly bow down to ungodly mandates. Those who are against God should be afraid of the people of God, not the other way around.

I think it comes back to holiness. It’s time for us to be a holy people. A set apart people. Repenting of sin. Turning back to God. Crying out to God to save our nation. No more half-heartedness. No more worldliness.

And then “the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be ABOVE ONLY and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God . . . to observe and to do them.”

Be blessed,

Nancy Campbell

WHAT ELSE DOES GOD SAY ABOUT YOU?
Exodus 19:5, 6; Deuteronomy 4:20; 7:5, 6; 14:2; 26: 18, 19; 28:9-14; Psalm 135:4; Malachi 3:17; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; and 5;10.

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FACE TO FACE AND SIDE BY SIDE

Face2FaceIt grieves my heart that there are still people willingly listening to the mandates of extreme leftist and socialist mayors and governors who want the demise of this nation. Of course, the devil always comes as an angel of light. He doesn’t make his ways look evil. He makes them look good and wise neighborly, just as he did when he first tempted Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:6)..

They command us to wear masks “for our protection and to look after our neighbor.” But that’s a big laugh. The pore size of cloth face coverings range from 20 – 100 microns. However, the virus is 200 – 1000 times smaller than that, only 0.1 microns. Masks do not protect you, plus they are most unhealthy as you constantly breathe in your own carbon dioxide.

But far more seriously, what is happening in our nation, and the nations of the world, is totally antipathy to how God intends us to live. Of course, Satan loves to promote everything that is opposite to God’s ways.

God created us for communication with one another, not isolation. It is a healthy society that communicates with one another. Social distancing and masking promotes loneliness and loneliness begets depression. No wonder the Director or the CDC has now announced that there are far more deaths from suicides than the COVID-19.

It is also prepares the way for people to become suspicious of one another and therefore to more freely pimp and report on one another which governors in some of our liberals states are already encouraging their constituents to do. What a sad society.

Let’s wake up people. This is not how God wants us to live. We must break free. We still live in the “land of the free and the home of the brave” although not many are now acting free or brave. But why not?

We should be able to go to the supermarket and communicate and smile at people. To have a little chat. To pray for someone who is in need.

The First Amendment still gives us the rights to “the freedom of speech . . . and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Are you writing to your governors, senators, and congressmen?

The Bible reminds us how God wants us to live. In Romans 1:12, 13 Paul told the Romans Christians of his longing to come and see them “that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the MUTUAL FAITH both of YOU AND ME.

The Christian faith is not only a “me” faith. It’s not all about me. It ‘s a “you and me” faith. Everywhere else in the New Testament, the words “mutual faith” are translated either “one another, one to another, one toward another, one with another, one of another, or one for another, etc.” It’s a “one another” faith.

I love the Passion translation: “I yearn to come and be FACE TO FACE with you and get to know you (you can’t do that unless you are face to face). For I long to impart some spiritual gift that will empower you to stand strong in your faith. Now this means that when we COME TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE something wonderful will be released. We can expect to be encouraged and comforted by each other’s faith.”

Our faith is a FACE TO FACE and SIDE BY SIDE faith. We grow in our faith as we come together and build one another up. It’s like the coals glowing brightly in the fire. Take one of the coals out and leave it on its own and it soon goes cold. Put it back into the fire and it’s not long before it glows again along with the other coals.

The Holy Spirit is the Comfortor, the parakletos, the one who “comes along side of us to comfort and encourage us.” The Holy Spirit in us wants us to do this to one another.

Let’s live the way God wants us to live.

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

Picture by Inge Look * https://www.ingelook.com/ * Check out her art and products.

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LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

LoveNeighborPlease don’t be deceived dear friends. And please listen to the right sources. It seems that even Christians are wholeheartedly listening to extreme socialist and government leaders who want the demise of this nation. What is happening is not God’s way. It is the opposite of how He wants us to live.

Nancy Campbell

 

The devil is a snake. He’s sneaky. He creeps in. He appears as an angel of light. He mixes truth with deception. Be careful to not be deceived. They already got most of the world with the mask wearing. And they got everyone to think they are doing good to their neighbors by wearing it. BUT they also want you to rat your neighbors out if they aren’t wearing one.

The devil is the accuser. He has gotten his troops deceived enough to guilt and shame anyone who isn’t a social justice warrior who’s hero cape is a mask. Who is the accuser? Who loves guilt and shaming people? The devil! Don’t be mistaken!

The devil crept in, he came with a voice that sounds similar to Gods voice, to fool the people, good people, he needed to tell them they needed to wear it because they love their neighbor. It sounds good. It feels righteous! It even looks good, like being a hero even.

But be careful lest you forget who you are. The masks already make us all look the same in a lot of ways. The virus is is real, but it’s also tiny, it’s way smaller than you think and it creeps out of most masks anyhow. Put on Jesus! God is bigger than a mask. Don’t forget that he is our protector, not a mask.

Only God has the keys to everlasting life. Only He knows the number of our days. Only he can deliver us. Be careful, in the last days, even the elect shall be deceived. Remember, the devil always packages up his agendas in pretty loving looking packages.

Doesn’t it seem strange to anyone else that all the secular media, stars and people who are not even believers, who deny him by their evil works are the very ones teaching us how to love our neighbors right now? It is strange to me. But it doesn’t surprise me either. We live in crazy times and the global take over is just that much easier when we blindly obey.

Erin Harrison

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LIFTING OUR HANDS TO GOD, Part 3

LiftHands3We have been sharing how in the Scriptures “fervent” love means “to extend the hand, to reach out, to be intense.” We have been discussing about reaching out our hands in love to others, but God also wants us to reach out our hands to love Him in worship and prayer.

Somehow, it is inherent that we want to reach out our hands to God when worshipping Him. It is the response of our grateful and worshipping hearts. Look at the trees. Even their branches stretch upwards in worship to God.

We inherently lift our hands when crying out to God in prayer. It’s a reaching out to the heart of God. In fact, we are commanded in 1 Timothy 2:8 to “Lift up holy hands” in prayer.”

David cried to God in Psalm 28:2 (NLT): “Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I LIFT UP MY HANDS toward your holy sanctuary.” Again he cried out in Psalm 143:6: “I STRETCH FORTH my hands unto thee” and in many other Scriptures.

I find I do this automatically, but I feel committed to specifically do it when praying for President Trump. The Holy Spirit put this on my heart when he became president. I remembered the story in Exodus 17:8-16 where the Israelites were battling against the Amalekites. Whenever Moses held up his hands to the Lord, Israel prevailed!

But it’s hard to keep your hands up for very long and when Moses let them down the Amalekites prevailed against the Israelites. So his brothers, Aaron and Hur, came and held up his hands and the children of Israel defeated their enemies.

President Trump has enemies all around him and fights a huge battle every day. There’s something about doing something tangible and as I raise by hands in prayer for him, symbolically, I feel as though I am holding him up. I think he needs all of us believers holding him up in prayer, don’t you?

There’s another great concern in our nation for which we should lift up our hands in prayer. It’s for the young children of our nation. If we are truly burdened, we’ll lift up our hands in desperation to God as we cry out against the evils of abortion and child trafficking. These two evils are destroying thousands of precious lives. How can we mumble a little prayer about these issues? We must lift up our hands to God. We need to cry out.

Lamentations 2:19 (NKJV) says: “Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children.”

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

More Scriptures:
Lifting up our hands to God inn worship and prayer:
1 Kings 8:22, 23; 38, 39, 54, 55 (2 Chronicles 6:12, 13, 29, 30); Ezra 9:5, 6; Job 11:13-15; Psalm 28:2; 63:4; 88:9; 134:2; 141:2; 143:6; Lamentations 2:19; and 3:40, 41.

Lifting up our hands to honor God’s Word:
Nehemiah 8:5, 6 and Psalm 119:48.

Lifting up our hands to commit to an action:
Genesis 14:22-24.

P.S. I have discovered 50 prayers in the Bible where David prayed against his enemies. Because they are biblical prayers, I like to use them, and speak them out as I pray for President Trump. If you would like to receive a copy of these prayers, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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THE EXTENDING HAND ATTITUDE, Part 2

ExtHandAttitudeWe continue to share about extending our hands which we can do in many ways (1 Peter 4:8).

We reach forth our hands to give—to give money, offerings, and love gifts. We love to give (Luke 6:38).

“Love ever gives, forgives, outlives, and while it lives, it gives! For this is love’s prerogative, to give and give, and give.” We don’t belong to the “give me/entitlement society. We belong to the king of God givers.

We reach out our hands in fervent love when we pray for the sick. The word is used in Matthew 8:3 when Jesus touched the leper: “And Jesus put forth (ekteino) his hand and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Yes, Jesus was willing to touch the leper.

We should always be ready to touch or lay our hands on those who are sick and pray for them, beginning in the home with our families of course. God loves to “stretches forth His hand to heal (Acts 4:30).

God is always stretching out His hand to us, even when we are indifferent. Proverbs 1:24 says: “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded.” Read also Isaiah 9:12, 17, 21; and 10:4.

We reach forth our hands to bless our children. We don’t want to forget to do this. Jesus loved to do it. Mark 10:16 says: “And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” There is something about putting our hands on our children or even other people when we want to bless them. That’s a little difficult if you are six feet apart though, isn’t it? Read also Genesis 48:13-16; Leviticus 9:22 and Luke 24:50.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Scriptures about Jesus touching when He healed:
Matthew 8:2, 3 (Mark 1:40-42 and Luke 5:12, 13); Matthew 9:27-29; Mark 8:22-25; Luke 7:12-14; 15:14-17; and 22:50, 51.

Scriptures about God stretching forth His hand to redeem and deliver us:
Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 4:34, 37; 5:15; 7:19; 9:29; 11:2, 3; 26:8; 1 Kings 8:42 (2 Chronicles 6:32); 2 Kings 17:36; Psalm 136:11, 12; Isaiah 14:24-27; Jeremiah 32:21; and Ezekiel 20:33, 34.

 

Normal Rockwell painting.

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Intentional Hospitality

IntentionalHospitalityI was just checking my messages when I found a message from Nadia with the following link. I wrote a message about hospitality on Facebook this morning and was surprised to find this YouTube on the same subject so here it is: https://youtu.be/l945tOYrImQ

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STRETCHING OUT OUR HANDS

StretchingI love the way God’s Word is so practical and tangible. God writes words to us that get right down into the nitty gritty of how we live.

1 Peter 4:8 says: “And above all things have fervent love among yourselves.” The word fervent in this passage is “ektenes” and means “to stretch out, to extend the hand, intense.”

Love is more than a feeling. Love is action. If we have fervent love, we’ll be stretching out our hands. Of course, we do this all day long as mothers, don’t we? We are always reaching out for babies. We nurse them, hold them to us, or wear them in a baby carrier more than we leave them lying on their own. We continually reach out our arms to touch, caress, and hug our children. We cook for them and sere them food. We clean the house. Yes, even this is love in action. Who wants to live in a grimy and unorganized home? That’s not love.

We extend hands in hospitality. Immediately after reading “fervent love,” we read the admonition to “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” Hospitality doesn’t just happen. You have to cook. You have to prepare a table. Yes, you have to extend your hand. But this is fervent love. It is biblical Christianity. It is the lifestyle of the kind of God. It is part of our “one anothering faith (Romans 1:12).

After reading my last post about contentment, an older mother asked how she could be content in her home with all her children grown. Dear older mothers, you have even more time to reach out in love to people through hospitality. It is the most beautiful way to show you care for people when you invite them to your home and to your table. Thee are so many lonely and needy people around all waiting to feel God’s love and comfort. The loveliest way you can do this is through hospitality. You’ll never be bored for a moment. Not only will you bless others, you’ll be blessed beyond measure yourself (Isaiah 58:5-12).

Our God is an hospitable God. He loves to reach forth His hands to bless people, but He must do it through His people.

The virtuous woman “STRETCHES out her hand to the poor; yea she REACHES forth her hands to the needy” (v. 20).

When God reveals the picture of the lifestyle of the godly woman, we read that she reaches out her hands to embrace children, practice hospitality, wash the saints’ feet, relieve the afflicted and help those in distress, and continually stretches out her hands to all kinds of good works (1 Timothy 5;10). Nothing happens without reaching out our hands

We’ll talk about more ways tomorrow.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Painting by Mary Cassatt 1896. “Maternal Caress”

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ARE YOU CONTENT?

RUContentAre you content in your home? Are you content in your soul? I think it starts in our soul, don’t you? If we don’t have rest and contentment in our soul, how will we have it in our home?

But we must ask another question. How can we experience contentment? Is it dependent upon our feelings? No. “A thousand times No,” as my husband says. (It’s one of his favorite sayings regarding things that are wrong! And when it comes to something that is right, he says, “Yes, a million times Yes!”)

I believe everything begins with our will. I notice in Exodus 2:21 that “Moses was CONTENT TO DWELL with the man.” This man was Reuel, the priest of Midian who lived out in the desert. Wow, this was the opposite of the life he had known--one of luxury, servants waiting upon him, and the best this world could offer.

The word “content” in this Scripture is “ya’al” and means “to be willing, to make up one’s mind, to be determined, to resolve.” Now, that’s interesting, isn’t it? His contentment was not because it was a beautiful situation, one of ease and comfort, and just what he had been looking for years!

Instead, Moses had to determine in his heart that he would be content in this situation. He had to make up his mind to do it.

I believe we must apply the same resolve in our lives. It is God’s plan to give us a home to dwell in and to raise the children He gives us in a home. It is God’s plan to make a dwelling place, firstly for God, and then for our husband and children.

Many times, mothers are not content because they think of other things they could be doing outside the home. They spent years educating themselves for a certain degree and life vocation and wonder why they are stuck at home with children.

We must come to that place in our mind where we know we are in the will of God. We know that this is God’s plan for our lives, and therefore, because it is His plan, we forget feelings. We forget imagining another life outside the home. We cast aside all self-pity, grumbling, and groaning.

We make up our mind and determine to be content. We resolve to be content. And as we do, we find contentment. Everything in life is how you think in your mind and your attitude to your situation.

May you be blessed with a contented spirit today. There’s nothing like contentment to bring peace and calm to your soul. It’s great for your health. It’s great for the atmosphere of your home. It’s great for the blessing of everyone around you.

Be blessed,

Nancy Campbell

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DON'T GIVE IN TO FEAR

GiveIntoFear“In the LORD I put my trust. How can you say to my soul, Flee as a bird to the mountain?” (Psalm11:1)
We do not need to fear,
We do not need to hide
When we have the everlasting Father
Always at our side!
Amen! #donotgiveintofear #donotfear #fearnot #fearbringsasnare #trustgod #godisbiggerthanyourproblem #aboverubies #nancycampbell

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I LOVE TO SET THE TABLE

LoveSetTableA message from Nathalie Norris in New Zealand:

“When I received my issues of Above Rubies, I was so delighted to see the package in my letterbox. I could not put the magazine down once I opened it. I have been getting them for well over 50 years!

“I identified with the article that you wrote in this latest one about setting the table. From when we were first married, and through the years of bringing up our family, we always sat down to a nicely and properly set table. To me, to meet around a table set nicely makes it a lovely meeting place to come together.

“Not long ago I invited my lovely 30-year-old granddaughter and her fiance in for an evening meal. When they came in the door and saw the table all set, I heard her say quietly, “Wow,” and she looked at me with a big smile. It set the evening off to be a lovely time.

“I had friends in not long ago for lunch and I had the table nicely set for them and the time together went really well. A nicely-set table shows we care about those who will be at the table with us.

“When the children were home, we never sat at the TV at mealtimes. He liked the table being set well for the meal. He insisted the butter knife was with the butter dish and a spoon was in the jam dish as he was bought up having meals around a set table too.

“I am a widow now but still set my meal place at the table. For us older women, it is a place and time we can use our nice things and also welcome people to our tables.

NathalieNorris * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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DO YOU WANT TO PAY THEM BACK?

PatThemBackWhat do you do when someone hurts you or says something that cuts deep into you like a knife? How do you feel when it is someone very close to you, perhaps your husband? You either retreat into a shell with self-pity and bitterness. Or you shout and yell. You want to pay them back.

That’s our first reaction. And can you believe it? God agrees with us. But He has a different way of paying back than we do. He wants us to “pay them back with a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9). Another translation says: “Retaliate with a blessing.”

How can you bless someone back when you feel hurt and mad at them? Only by God’s grace. Only by the power of Christ’s love and forgiveness that is in you because Christ lives in you. God’s ways are opposite to the way we feel, but they always work.

Can I encourage you to try it? Is your husband cold and indifferent to you? Does he say things that hurt you? Think of ways to bless him. Take time to think of blessing words to say to him. Speak kind, sweet, and loving words to him, even in the face of his indifference. You won’t feel like doing this, but let me tell you, you will be amazed at the miracles that will take place when you do it God’s way.

Proverbs 12: 25 (TLB): “A word of encouragement does wonders.” Try it. It works.

Proverbs 15:1: “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

Proverbs 15;15: “A soft tongue breaketh the bone.” Soft and submissive words can break the hardest heart.

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

Picture: Sunny-side-up eggs. Art by Soosh.

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ARE YOU TAKING TIME TO PRAY?

LifeUsualHow can we live life as usual when we see what is happening to our nation? Are you taking time to pray as families each day? Government cannot save our nation. Politicians cannot save our nation. It comes back to God’s people. “If MY PEOPLE shall humble themselves and pray . . . Then will I HEAL their land.” The healing can only come as we pray. Not just on Sunday. Not only once a day but pouring out our cries in prayer morning, noon, and night! Do we care enough for our land to sacrifice ourselves to prayer? #ifmypeople #ifmypeoplewhoarecalledbymyname #ifmypeoplewillhumblethemselvesandpray #pray #prayforrevival #prayforgodspeopletogetbacktochurch #praywithyourfamily #praydaily #aboverubies

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YOU DETERMINE THE ATMOSPHERE OF YOUR HOME

BestFamI recently wrote you a post called YOU CAN CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIVES. Scroll down to read it. It’s all about how we should greet people and how our words can change lives. I loved reading some of the testimonies on the thread and, in case you missed seeing them, I would like to share them with you so you can be blessed too.

THE BEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD
“Our children are grown, and we are all going different directions everyday, but my husband started a family text to greet each other every morning or say goodnight. He always says something like "Good Morning, you wonderful people. I have the best family in the world!" We feel "washed" every time! So now we all express those kind of things to one another in the morning or randomly through the day.”

THE POWER OF NAME MEANINGS
Another lovely testimony: “I love this! I have wonderful story I'd like to share. One time I led worship at a women's retreat and one of the things we brought into the teaching time was the meaning of each other's names. Mine, Katherine, means “pure one.“ Before my flight from TN back to AZ, I called my husband to let him know I was on the plane, but when he answered the phone, he, NOT KNOWING how we were greeting each other at the retreat with our name meanings, said to me, "Well good morning, Pure One!"

“It was such a God designed moment and so on point that I thought my retreat coordinator friend had called him and told him to greet me that way, but she had not. He had been teaching our children that morning about names and what they meant, and I happened to call during the teaching time; hence, his greeting me as he did.”

FROM BICKERING TO LOVING
Another reader wrote: “When I was in third grade my wise teacher had all the children in her classroom write down something we liked about each other, and then made a list of the compliments for each student. It still makes me smile to remember those compliments. Today, after seeing this, I asked my small children what they loved and appreciated about each other, and this conversation turned their attitudes from squabbling and bickering to gratefulness and care for each other. Amazing! Thank you for this timely reminder, Nancy!

“I love this! I greet my twins many mornings by saying, “Good morning, mommy’s love and joy”!”

“I always call my children "my lovelies "

I love this last one, because I often call my husband Lovely. It may seem strange to you, but I never call him by his name of Colin unless I am speaking about him. When talking to him directly I call him Darling or My Lovely etc. Because he is closer to me than anyone else and is my dearest husband, it seems too common to call him the name everyone else calls him. In over 57 years I have always used an endearing name for him.

My husband is also so wonderful at blessing everyone each morning. At the end of our Family Devotions, he will always say, “May you have the greatest day of your life.” Or “May this be the best day you have ever lived so far!”

One time he went through the alphabet and used a different adjective of the alphabet each day. For example, “May you all be ANOINTED of the Holy Spirit today.” Or at the end of the alphabet, “May you all be ZEALOUS for God today.”

Remember, every time you open your mouth, speak life. Speak hope. Speak encouragement. Speak positive affirmation. Speak wisdom. Speak health. Oh yes you can keep sickness out of your home by speaking health and wholeness.

Fill your home with encouraging and healing words.

Love from Nancy Campbell

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GOING TO CHURCH

GoingChurchIn this disturbing time of many governors seeking to close churches and even home groups, and others demanding no singing in church and social distancing, I believe it is time to stand up for the truth of the Bible which commands us to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together” and the Constitution which gives God’s people freedom to “peaceably assemble.”

I was so blessed when Elissa sent me a picture of her family going to church. She said: “Here is a picture of my family going to church, minus the baby who was still in her car seat. Wouldn't it be a fun way to encourage each other to be in church to share our "going to church" photos on your Facebook page?” Elissa Holt *This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I certainly agree so here is Elissa’s picture. I’d love you to send me your pictures too, either of your family already for church, or even a picture of folk worshipping in your church. I am sure we will all be encouraged as we, the people of God, seek to live in truth and not be silenced and dumbed down by liberal socialists who hate God and want to silence the people of God.

When Obama was president, he said: “Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation.” I don’t believe this at all. I believe there is a great silent church, but it’s time the church stopped being silent and stopped becoming victims to the rise of communism in our nation. It’s time to rise up.

It all starts with families. Families are the ones who decide they’ll go to church and take their families with them and who will not compromise and surrender to communist ideals. When the disciples were COMMANDED that they were not to teach in the name of Jesus, Peter answered: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5;29).

Now I know there will be some who will say that are seeking to protect others from getting sick. Once again, are we trusting in the flesh or in God? Romans 8:11 says: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. “

Dear lovely ladies, when God’s people come together, the power of God is released. God in our midst (Matthew 18:20). When each believer has dwelling within them the Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead and that makes alive our mortal bodies, how can we be passing on sickness to one another?

If we don’t stand up now, the communists liberals will feel empowered to put more and more pressure upon us and we will soon face more persecution for our faith.

Email your pictures to me by attachment at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thanks so much. I can’t wait to see your pictures.

Love from Nancy

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MARRIAGE IS A LIVING THING...

ItTakesTwoYour marriage will grow stronger if you build Into it each day. If you do nothing, it will grow stagnant. Marriage is a living thing and it must be watered and fed. Think of something special you can say or do to your husband each day. #buildyourmarriage #encourageyourhusband #loveyourhusband #honoryourhusband #submittoyourhusband #sayiloveyou #ilovemarriage #aboverubies

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IT TAKES CHARACTER TO COPE...

CharacterCopeDon’t despise the mundane things you must do each day. Duty is the foundation of life although it will be spiced with fun and happy and beautiful things. Be faithful in the small things and they will prepare you for larger things. Praise the Lord in everything. #duty #faithfulness #faithfulnessinlittlethings #praisegodineverythingyoudo #praisegodinallthings #aboverubies

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Above Rubies Address

AboveRubies
Email Nancy

PO Box 681687
Franklin, TN 37068-1687

Phone : 931-729-9861
Office Hrs 9am - 5pm, M - F, CTZ