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.

LET’S GET IT STRAIGHT

LetsGetStraightIn understanding Scripture, the “law of the first mention” is critical. When God states something the first time, He lays down a foundation for that truth. He develops it throughout the rest of His Word, but never changes or deviates from the “first mention.” In God there is “no variation or the slightest hint of change” (James 1:17 (NET). His Word is true from the beginning and from the beginning His Word is true! (Psalm 119:160).
 
The first mention of marriage in the Bible is in Genesis 2:21-25. In this passage God speaks of the man and his wife and the father and mother. God puts male and female together, His plan from the eternity. There is no mention of same sexes.
 
If we want something to work properly, we must read the manual from the One who designed it. God created our bodies, and He designed marriage. We better make sure we take notice of His manual.
 
One of the synonyms of marriage is matrimony, usually called “holy matrimony” -- the union of a man and woman for life. It comes from the Latin word, “matrimonium,” from “mater,” from which we get the words: mother, maternal, maternity, matrimony, marriage, wedlock, nuptial, connubial, and hymneal (which comes from hymen, the virginal membrane pertaining to marriage),
 
Therefore, the full understanding of marriage is that the wife becomes a mother. This cannot happen naturally in a homosexual relationship. It is totally unnatural and against God’s divine order of creation and eternal plan for us.
 
We cannot bow to mortal man’s deception, distortion, and desecration of divine truth.
 
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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THE LAZY WAY OR THE DILIGENT WAY

LazyWayWhat’s happening in your home today? Is everything piling on top of you--laundry, dishes, and teaching the children all waiting to be accomplished? Don’t despair, dear mother. Don’t look at everything waiting to be done. Just tackle one job at a time. Keep plodding on. Priorities first.
 
But do each task with ALL YOUR MIGHT. Not half-heartedly, grumblingly, or lazily. And teach your children to do their chores with all their might, too. Inspire this attitude in them as they see the way you work in the home.
 
The Bible always shows us the way:
 
Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy MIGHT.”
 
Colossians 3:23, 24: “And whatsoever ye do, do it HEARTILY, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
 
Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS to God and the Father by him.”
 
1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the GLORY OF GOD.”
 
Philippians 2:14: “Do all things WITHOUT MURMURING.”
 
Matthew 25:21, 23 and Luke 16:10: “He that is FAITHFUL IN THAT WHICH IS LEAST, is faithful also in much.”
 
Enjoy a great day in your home today as each one does everything with all their might.
 
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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A NEW LEVEL OF LIVING

NewLevelLivingI posted yesterday about living in the true reality, the reality of the heavenly world. How can we practically do we do this?
 
When Christ dwells in our hearts everything is sacred. No matter how mundane the task at hand, it cannot be anything less than holy when Christ dwells in us. What is the real truth? “Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). We need to acknowledge this truth and believe it!
 
When you clean up dirty messes, sing for joy because Christ sings with you and over you (Zephaniah 3:17).
 
When you wash dishes and laundry, acknowledge the presence of Christ with you.
 
When you prepare yet another meal for your family, do it with joy and excitement because Christ is with you.
 
He doesn’t leave you when you do the commonplace duties. He is not apart from you in the humdrum of life. He is in you and with you.
 
He promises: “I will NEVER leave you, or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). No matter what you are doing (unless you are sinning and grieving His Holy Spirit), He is with you.
 
I love Zechariah 14:20, 21 (NET): “On that day the bells of the horses will bear the inscription “HOLY TO THE LORD.” The cooking pots in the LORD’S temple will be as holy as the bowls in front of the altar. Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will become holy in the sight of the LORD who rules over all.”
 
Every saucepan you pick up is holy because you, and everything in your home, is sanctified by the power of the living Christ who abides in you. To prepare a meal for your family is as sacred as a minister who prepares a spiritual meal for the church!
 
Therefore, enjoy every moment and every task in your home today.
 
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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THE NITTY GRITTY OF LIFE

NittyGrittyThe reality of life is our day-to-day responsibility to manage our homes, feed, nurture, and train our children, and everything else that clamors for our attention. But there is another reality, a reality that has the power to affect our daily life in our home. It is the reality of the heavenly.
 
Colossians 3:1-3 (NLT) states: “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”
 
These words seem so far from our experience, don’t they? And yet this is normal Christianity. The realities of the heavenly realm are the TRUE REALITIES. The eternal realm is the real world. This world is passing away. It is like a vapor that appears for a moment and is gone.
 
When we focus our ordinary, daily life on the eternal, it takes us from the doldrums to delight, from misery to the miraculous, from pre-occupation with self to praising God. Instead of being overwhelmed about all our challenges and problems, we lift our eyes to Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father. We give our difficulties to Him. Nothing is too big for Him to handle.
 
Did you know that God never gets in a state of confusion or tension? And He dwells in your heart by His Spirit? Therefore, you don’t have to get all tied up in knots. Allow Christ to take control. He’ll do a much better job than you!
 
I am challenged by the AMPC version of Colossians 3:1-3: “If then you have been raised with Christ (to a new life, thus sharing his resurrection from the dead), aim at and seek the (rich eternal treasures) that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. And SET YOUR MINDS AND KEEP THEM SET ON WHAT IS ABOVE (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.”
 
Many blessings to you today,
 
Nancy Campbell
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ARE YOU BUILDING OR DESTROYING?...

delightexpressedThe words we speak to one another either build up or destroy our marriage.

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FAMILY IS FIRST...

FamilyFirstDo something purposeful to strengthen your family life today.

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MOTHERS BELONG IN THE HOME

MothersInHmThey have a powerful work to do as they raise their children for God.

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DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE TWO SEXES

TwoSexesWe are all familiar with the above picture. Wherever we go in the world we know which restroom to enter by the picture. It is amazing that even in this deceived culture every restroom represents the man’s room with the picture of the pants and the women’s restroom with the picture of a skirt.

And it as it should be. God created male and female, and it is His intention that we reveal the distinction between the sexes. The sad part is that we as women haven’t kept our part of the deal. When the first woman began wearing pants it was met with outrage. But it didn’t take long before more began to follow and then gradually more and more until we now live in a culture where many of our young people wouldn’t hardly know that dresses belong to women.

We know there are crossdressers but imagine if all our young godly men began wearing skirts! Mothers would be horrified. And yet they are so conditioned by our worldly and deceived society that don’t turn a hair to see their daughters in man’s clothing!

We have become so entrenched in a culture of lies that even this post will make many people crazy!

However, if you are really interested in searching for truth, I’d recommend that you read the following article which is a full and doctrinal exegesis on Deuteronomy 22:5.

Deuteronomy 22:5, Gender Distinct Clothing, Pants, Dresses (faithsaves.net)

By the way, don’t scream at me until you have read the article through.

Love and blessings from Nancy Campbell

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EXALTED FEMININITY

ExaltedFemininityI was talking to my husband in the car tonight as we are traveling and he said these words: “Women are exalted in their femininity but degraded when they take on masculinity.” Yes, it is true.

God created male and female and women live in their glory when they embrace their womanhood and men live in their glory when they live in their masculinity.

This is how God intends is to live.

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LIVING IN A WORLD OF LIES AND DECEPTION

DestroyOurselvesThis is happening right now. We are living in a world of lies and deception. Our young people are being educated against all truth. But truth is more powerful than lies. We must begin educating our young people with the truth, boldly proclaim the truth, and live the truth more passionately than we ever have before. Who is with me?

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KITCHEN TESTING

KitchenTestingThe kitchen is where we do a lot of taste testing, isn’t it? We have to taste the meals we create to make sure they are palatable and have a great flavor.
 
However, the kitchen is also a place where we test who we really are! It's easy to live a patient and sweet life when we fellowship with friends or when everything is quiet and peaceful. But what about when everything is in a turmoil? What about when the baby needs you, the toddler is crying, you are trying to get breakfast for everyone, the phone is ringing, and your husband needs last minute help as he leaves the house. You hardly know where to turn first? What about when the children are cranky, whining, or bouncing off the walls? How do you react then?
 
2 Corinthians 13:5 challenges us with these words: "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU, except ye be reprobates." We need to examine our faith in the midst of trials and difficulties. This is the true testing.
 
However, we need not despair that we cannot live up to God's holy standard. We can't! Do you notice the words "JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU"? It's not you trying to be perfect in your little world of mothering your children. It is allowing the life of Jesus Christ who lives within you to live His life through you.
 
Get into this habit. Say No to the flesh. Say No to anger and frustration. Say No to self-pity and gloom. Instead, thank Jesus Christ for His patience and love that IS IN YOU BECAUSE HE LIVES IN YOU!
 
Your greatest test in your kitchen is not trying to be more perfect but yielding to the life of Christ in you!
 
Be encouraged today,
 
Nancy Campbell
 
Painting by Helge Artelius
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O HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE...

TenTinyEach new baby is created in the image of God. Each new baby is unique and there will never be another baby like them in the whole world. Each new baby is exquisitely beautiful. The most beautiful gift you could ever receive.
 
In this society where so many women voted for the right to abortion, even up to birth, we must become more pro-life than ever. Satan wants to eliminate babies and close down the wombs of women. He wants to deceive women as to who they really are. But God loves babies. He looks for the “godly offspring” to come forth. Let’s be on God’s side.
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NEAR TO YOUR SIDE

NearToYourSideI read this beautiful promise the other day in Psalm 47:13: “For he strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.”
 
God’s blessing is on our young children when they are protected within our walls. He wants our children protected. I was amazed to realize what the word “within” truly means. It is “qereb” meaning “the nearest part, in the center, the inward part, the inward thought.” David used the same word when he said: “I will walk WITHIN my house with a perfect heart” (Psalm 101:7). He used it again when he exclaimed: “O Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is WITHIN me.”
 
It is a picture of having our children near us, in the center of the home. They are not pushed away into daycare or even the public school system to be taught by teachers we don’t even know! What is their character? What are they teaching? We are now aware that they are adamantly encouraging the mutilation of children’s bodies to the opposite sex. In this time of history, we must be more protective than we have ever been.
 
Keep your precious children NEAR to your heart and NEAR to your side.
 
Love from Nancy Campbell
 
 
Painting by Joe Bowler
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WHAT HAPPENS AT YOUR TABLE?

WhatHappensTableYour table in your home is not only a place to eat some food and run.
It's a place to also feed the soul and spirit.
It’s a place for interaction.
It's a place for stimulating conversation and learning new things.
It's a place to challenge our thinking.
 
In the Gospels we read that when Jesus came to a meal, He always taught something new.
He exposed deceptions.
He challenged thought patterns.
He uncovered hypocrisy.
He healed people.
 
You can read some examples in Matthew 8:14-17; Luke 7:36-50; 11:37-54; 14:1-14; 14:15-24; 24:30-32 and John 21:9-19.
 
Invite Jesus to your table. It will no longer be boring.
Talk about life and what is happening in each other's life.
Ask questions.
Bring subjects to the table to discuss--theological, spiritual, geographical, or political.
 
At our table we laugh a lot. We discuss (and sometimes debate). We don't always agree, but this makes for stimulating conversation. My husband says, "We don't have to agree with one another as long as we love one another."
 
Ask God for a new vision for your table.
Don't only think about what you will eat, but what you will talk about.
Come prepared with a subject to discuss.
Challenge each other's thinking.
Invite Jesus to steer your conversation, teach you new things, and lead you in His truth.
 
But make sure you don’t all talk at once. One person at a time. And don’t allow people to whisper together and have their own side conversation (which is very rude).. Include everyone in the same conversation.
 
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
 
(I am always looking for pictures with families sitting around the table together. It is so hard to find them. Anyone have one they can send me?)
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EXPECT INSULTS

ExpectInsultsYesterday we talked about mothering with zeal. However, I must mention that this kind of mothering attitude will get you into trouble. Are you ready for this? The description of Jesus in John 2:17 is taken directly from the prophetic words in Psalm 69:9 (ESV): "Zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.”
 
When you become passionate for mothering, when you embrace it with all your heart, when you are homeschooling and not living according to the status quo of our society you will receive insults. Most people don't like zealous mothers. They don't like mothers who keep having the children God has planned for them from eternity as they are subconsciously convicted of their own attitude.
 
But that's nothing compared to how Satan hates zealous mothers. They are his biggest threat! They are dangerous to his kingdom. Mothers who embrace the mandate God has given them to receive His children and raise them to be mighty men and women of God who know how to destroy the works of the Satan get in the road of his plans. He is scared of these kinds of mothers.
 
Instead, he wants to eliminate children, and the ones who are born, he wants to get hold of and indoctrinate them in his deceptive ways. But he has to get these zealous mothers out of the way of his plans.
 
Therefore, dear mothers, don’t worry about the insults and the reproaches. You can expect them when you are zealous for building a family for God. And how did Jesus combat the insults that were thrown at Him? "He answered him never a word" (Matthew 27:13, 14). You are doing a GREAT WORK. You haven't got time to come down to your adversaries or insulters. Just get on with your great job.
 
Nehemiah 6:3: "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?"
 
Be encouraged today,
 
Nancy Campbell
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I WILL NOT WAIVER!

WillNotWaiverDear mother, you are in the greatest career that God has given to women. There is no greater way to influence the righteous destiny of the nation than raising godly sons and daughters. Don’t weaken your power and influence by leaving your home. You will not only influence this nation for good but determine the outcome of future generations.

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I’M OFF TO VOTE

VoteTodayI usually do early voting but this year I decided to vote ON THE DAY. And I wish that I could vote with a paper ballot. We know that the dems will be doing everything they can to steal this election as they did last time, and machines cannot be trusted.
 
Even here in the mostly conservative state of Tennessee they have already had a problem with the machines in Davidson county with votes going into different counties. They have now sorted out the problem but could not fix the original problem so those illegal votes will still be counted!
 
Anyway, it is still most important to vote and trust that God will protect our votes. To not vote is to vote for evil.
 
It is amazing that 13 million evangelicals did not vote in the last election. That’s not 13,000 but 13 million! All these voices for righteousness stayed silent in their homes! No wonder we have lived under tyranny and continuing destruction of our economy and the godly values of our constitution for the last two years.
 
I believe God’s people have a responsibility to vote. We must be the light in the midst of the darkness (Matthew 14-16).
 
We must wave the banner of truth in the midst of deception (Psalm 60:4).
 
Don’t miss your opportunity today to stand up for truth and righteousness.
 
Every vote for the democratic party is a vote for abortion (even up to birth), continuing to advocate same-sex marriage, promoting transgenderism and the mutilating of young children’s bodies (even to making them eunuchs if that is their wish), the depopulating of the world down to 500 million, dictatorship instead of freedom, the shutting down of churches (as they tried to do during the plandemic), to silence the voice of truth and of the Christian population and so much more.
 
If you are happy for your children to grow up in this kind of world you will stay home, but if you want your children to live in a society of freedom of speech and religion on which this country was founded, you will make sure you vote for righteousness today.
 
Let’s rise and be the voice God wants us to be in the nation.
 
Many blessings,
 
Nancy Campbell
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MOTHERS WITH ZEAL

MothersWZealDear wives and mothers, you are doing a wonderful work as you build your home and family for the Lord. In fact, we should daily keep in our minds what we are doing--building a house to God. We should have no other motive. I am sure you think of your home as "the house of the Lord" for God longs to dwell in your home and fill it with His presence.
 
What kind of an attitude should we have as we build our home to the Lord? I am sure it should be the same attitude Jesus had for His house. John 2:17 (ESV): "Zeal for Your house will consume me." Some other translations say "devour me" (NET) and "burns in me like a fire" (GNB).
 
How are we going about raising our family and mothering from day to day? Are we doing it out of duty? Or just because there is no one else to do it? Are we doing it with groaning, complaining, and sighing? Or are we filled with zeal that burns in us like a fire? If this is not your attitude, ask God to give it to you. Ask Him to give you His vision for building your home which is ultimately helping to build a nation and godly generations.
 
As you get up each morning ask God for His zeal for the mothering mandate He has given to you. Is there a big pile of dishes waiting for you to do? Go at it with zeal. And there's all that laundry stacked up-- approach it with joy.
 
Are you homeschooling? Do it with excitement. Tackle each task you have to do with all your heart—aboundingly, diligently, fervently, faithfully, heartily, joyfully, mightily, thankfully, and willingly. Did I make these up? No, every one of these attitudes toward work and our mothering are written in God's Word.
 
Can you imagine what would happen when mothers across the land embrace their great career with the zeal of the Lord? Look out world!
 
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
 
Looking for the artist of this painting.
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PRAY FOR THEM DAILY

HighPriestThe beautiful High Priest’s robes. They were made for glory and for beauty. Do you notice the shoulder pieces on each side of the ephod? Inside each pouch was an Onyx stone and on each stone were written the names of the children of Israel, the names of six tribes on one side and the other six on the other side, all in birth order.
 
Do you also notice the beautiful glimmering stones on the breast plate? They were 12 precious stones and on each one was written, once again, the name of the 12 tribes of Israel. Exodus 28:12 says: “Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial.” The shoulders speak of bearing the weight of responsibility.
In Exodus 28:29 regarding the breastplate it says: “And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment UPON HIS HEART when he goes in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. “
 
God wanted to see the names of His people on Aaron’s heart as He wanted Aaron to carry them upon his heart when he went into the presence of the Lord.
 
Jesus Christ is now our high priest and he sits at the right hand of the father to make intercession for us continually. Our names are upon His shoulders and upon His heart as He intercedes before the Father on our behalf.
 
We also as parents must take this responsibility for our children as we go into the presence of the Lord to pray for them. He wants us to take the names of our children upon our shoulders, to take that responsibility and bear the weight of our concerns for them into the presence of the Lord. He wants their names to be on our hearts as we go into His presence. Dear mother, are you and your husband taking your children upon your heart into the presence of the Lord each day? This is one of our paramount responsibilities as parents as we raise our children. More than anything else, Never forget to pray for them daily.
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FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS

FosterRelationshipsAlexander Maclaren writes: "Unless religion is communion, it is nothing." True Christianity is a relationship with a person, Jesus Christ, but it is also relationship with one another.
 
Paul wrote in Romans 1:12: “That I may be comforted TOGETHER with you by the MUTUAL faith both of YOU AND ME.” Ou faith weakens on our own but as we share and communicate together, our faith grows stronger.
 
Family life is togetherness. It is relationships. They take time to build. If we don't make an effort to keep the family relating together, it is easy for everyone to start going their own ways. The family becomes fragmented instead of being built together.
 
Of all the animals God created, He chose to call us His sheep. Sheep have a flock mentality. They cannot survive on their own. They are only content when in the flock. Psalm 107:41 tells us that God makes "families like a flock." He wants us to be together.
A wonderful way to fellowship together is at the family meal table where we encourage discussion and heart and soul dialogue together.
 
I hope you have the same rule that we do at our family table that no one is allowed to bring iPhones or iPads to the table. I cannot think of anything ruder than people texting or checking their messages while sitting with the family. It's bad enough seeing families do this at a restaurant, let alone in the family home.
 
We sit around a table for the purpose of being able to look at one another in the eyes as we share together. The table is not only a place to eat but “face to face table fellowship.” Direct the conversation at the table. Ask the children questions. Think of a subject to talk about.
 
Think of something special to do at your family meal table tonight.
 
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
 
P.S. If you need some ideas for topics to talk about at your dinner table go to the Above Rubies website for DINNER TIME CONVERSATIONS.
 
Family Meal Table | Dinner Time Conversations
 
This is under the FAMILY MEAL TABLE heading where there are so many articles about the family meal table. You’ll love to gradually read through them all. You’ll be very inspired.
 
PICTURE: Yes, they are one family, The Cameron family.
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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