Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Here is the full poem from the lines I quoted below. The poem is written by C. T. Studd (1860-1931), the great English missionary who gave up wealth and fame to serve the Lord in China, India, and Africa. The motto of his life was: "If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him."

Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
Living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say, "Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “'twas worth it all”;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

* * *
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

~C. T. Studd (1860-1931)

As we begin this year, I want to encourage you with the words God gave to Joshua as they began their journey into the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 31:7-8 says, "Be strong and of a good courage... the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

Joshua and the people of Israel faced the unknown, as we also face an unknown year. The Israelites faced giants and the dread of conquering nations "greater and mightier" than they were, and "cities great and fenced up to heaven" (Deuteronomy 9:1-3). We also may face situations bigger than we can handle in our own strength. But, God's words to us are "BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS."

I believe we should daily pray together as a family that God will put new strength bravery in our hearts for whatever lies ahead. This is not a time for hiding the truth because of fear or shrinking back. It's a time to be bold and stand up. We must also embed these words, "Be strong and courageous" in the hearts of our children. This is not a time to raise wishy-washy wimps. As responsible parents, we must prepare our children for battle.

"Be strong and courageous" are not idle words. God speaks them to us over and over again in His Word. We can receive them because they are backed by God Himself. Whatever you may face, GOD WILL NOT FAIL YOU, OR FORSAKE YOU! He has promised.

Blessed New Year to you and your family.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Did you know that you are a letter? You are a personal letter from God to your husband. A personal letter to your children. A letter to everyone you speak to and come in contact with. Who writes this letter? It is the Spirit of the living God. But, He can only write on certain people.

2 Corinthians 3:3 HCSB says, "You are Christ's letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God--not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh." God has now done away with the stone tablets and He looks for hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Soft hearts. Pliable hearts. Willing hearts. When the Holy Spirit finds a soft heart, He writes in it the ways of God.

Then He wants it declared for all to read and see. The KJV says we are to be "manifestly declared." These words actually mean "to remove the lid." Are you lifting the lid on your life so that everyone around you can see what the Holy Spirit is writing on your heart? Are you blessing your family through the anointing of the Holy Spirit working in your life?

Love from Nancy Campbell

Yes, we've all experienced the following, but it's still AWESOME!

Proverbs 26:8 tells us that to bind a stone in a sling is as bad as giving honor to a fool! A stone in a sling is not meant to be bound up but to go forth to hit the target. It goes forth to slay the enemy. In the same way, we are foolish to bind up God's truth and hide it. God intends His words to go out from our mouths to accomplish God's plans and purposes (Isaiah 55:11). The spoken word has great power. God created the world with His Word. Many times, we hold back divine miracles from happening in our lives because we are too shy, too afraid, or too lazy to speak out the word of the Lord.

Let's not hide the precious stones of God's truths in our slings of ignorance, intimidation, fear, and shyness. Read God's Words to your family daily. Speak the words God puts on your heart to your children, and to those you come in contact with. Open your mouth and pray for your children and others when they are hurting, either emotionally or physically. Speak the powerful name of Jesus to resist the devil. Never hold back. Never keep these stones in your sling. Shoot them forth.

Psalm 107:20 says, "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." He didn't hide His word but SENT IT FORTH! Miracles happened when He sent forth His word. Miracles will happen to your family and to others when you open your mouth, too!

God works in verbs, not nouns. Here are some of the things Psalm 147:2-20 tells us that God does:

• He builds up Jerusalem,
• He gathers together the outcasts of Israel,
• He heals the broken-hearted,
• He binds up their wounds,
• He lifts up the meek,
• He strengthens the bars of your gates,
• He blesses your children in your home,
• He makes peace in your home,
• He sends forth His commandments upon the earth,
• He sends out His word,
• and He declares His word to Israel.

He wants to do these same things through us. He wants you to get out these God-given stones and send them out to bind up, strengthen, bless, make peace, and declare the words of the Lord.

Don't hold back divine miracles.

Love from Nancy Campbell

I love the words from Joy Williams' song:
It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small,
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky!

It's still a mystery to me
How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time
How His ears have heard an angel's symphony,
But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep!

~ Joy Williams

What are you filled with this Christmas? Many folks have cars filled with gifts, homes filled with decorations, tables filled with food, and stockings filled with things we will never use. We are filled to over the top. However, when we read about the birth of Jesus we find that instead of being filled with the things of the world, they were filled with the Holy Ghost!

* The angel came to Zacharias and told him that he would have a son who would be "FILLED with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb" (Luke 1:15-17).
* When Mary came to visit her cousin Elisabeth during her sixth month of pregnancy, the moment she greeted her “the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was FILLED with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice” (Luke 1:41-42).
* At the circumcision celebration for John the Baptist, his father, Zacharias was "FILLED with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied” (Luke 1:67).
* Jesus was conceived by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT COMING UPON Mary (Matthew 1:20 and Luke 1:35).
* When Joseph and Mary took baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated, Simeon, a man FILLED with the Holy Spirit and waiting for the coming of the Messiah, took him up in his arms and blessed God (Luke 2:25-28).
* During Jesus' childhood he was FILLED with wisdom (Luke 2:40).

The challenge is:

What are we filled with as we remember the birth of Christ? Are we filled with anxiety and busyness, or are we filled with the Holy Spirit?

Imagine if we spent as much time seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit as rushing around buying gifts and preparing for Christmas. What would happen?

Imagine if we took time to listen to the Holy Spirit. What would He say to us? What difference would it make in our lives and in our homes?

Imagine if we asked the Holy Spirit to lead us instead of doing our own agenda. How would He direct us?

Can we enjoy a FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Christmas?

Love from Nancy Campbell

* Jesus didn't come with pomp and ceremony. He came as a babe. Luke 2:12 tells us, "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a BABE wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Yes, a baby! God chose the One who will rule over all kings and nations to come as a baby. No wonder the devil hates babies, for this is the way Jesus came.
* He didn't come with riches, but in poverty. Instead of bringing a lamb to the temple when they dedicated Jesus, Joseph and Mary could only afford pigeons (Luke 2:22-24 and Matthew 8:20).
* Although He was divine, He took on our humanity to feel our infirmities (John 1:14; Romans 1:3 8:3; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14, 17 and 4:15).
* He didn't hold on to His glory but made himself of no reputation. He became a servant. He humbled himself and submitted himself to the death of the cross (Philippians 2:7.
* In coming in this way, He showed us the way to live. The birth of Jesus shows how to live in humility and lay down our lives for one another.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Two thousand years ago in a stable all forlorn,
Wise men brought to Jesus precious gifts when He was born.
“What precious gifts do I have that are worthy of a King?
For I’m a lowly mother, Lord, what treasure can I bring?

I know that You seek hearts, Lord, that will trust You and obey,
So I give You mine, Lord Jesus, take it, Lord, I pray.
But, I cannot seem to find the time to give You of myself,
These little ones do drain me and deplete my store of wealth.

My days are full of diapers and feeding hungry mouths,
Of washing, cleaning, ironing--this work it takes me hours.
And when at last there’s quiet and all are asleep in bed,
I think that I might serve You, but nod off to sleep instead!"

But, as I dream in slumber, Your voice to me does speak…
“If you were like the wise men, you’d know the gift I seek,
For these men in their wisdom knew gifts cannot be used
If they are always hidden with tinsel and subterfuge.

They unwrapped their treasures; you too must do the same,
Removing all self-consciousness, even sin and needless blame,
For the wondrous gift of motherhood is given by God above
And when you “mother” children, you show My greater love.

So let not your heart be troubled, weary mother, for you see,
When you are building children, then you are serving Me.
This gift from every mother whether she be great or small
Is a very special gift, one I treasure from you all.

For I too had a mother who suffered shame for me,
She nurtured me and clothed me, wept, and mourned like thee.
I know to have a mother who will give her very best
Is a very worthy treasure, so come to Me, dear mother, and
I will give you rest!

By Val Stares,

Above Rubies Director in Australia

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at a soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug your child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss your husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the children to get out of the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

~ Unknown.

Dear Lovely Ladies,

We are now in this time of celebrating the birth of our dear Savior and Redeemer, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. We know that this time of the year is not the actual time when Jesus was born, but it is still an opportunity to meditate on this miraculous event.

I know that many of you love to celebrate Christmas, and there are many who do not believe in celebrating Christmas.

Dear ladies, can we please put aside our differences and just remember our Savior in whatever we choose in our family. I may post some encouraging posts about this time of the year, but can I ask that we don't begin to debate whether we should or should not celebrate Christmas?

Thanks dear ladies.

Love from Nancy Campbell

I am meditating on the awesomeness of Christ coming into this world. Bible commentators agree that Jesus was not born at this Christmas time when the world remembers His birth. He would most probably have been born about the month of September during the Feast of Tabernacles. However, this is most probably that time that He was divinely conceived by the Holy Ghost. Amazing. God coming to the earth as a "seed" from the Father.

Although it happened without the world knowing, it was not insignificant. It was the most powerful event in history. Christ, the Son of God, growing inside a mother's womb, becoming flesh, dying and shedding His blood for our sins, and bruising the head of Satan. Although it was all prophesied, it was not how the Jews expected their Messiah to come.

But, from the womb of a lowly woman God brought forth His Son to fulfill His plan for the ages. He came as a baby, but it was to deal a death blow to the enemy, to bruise his head (Colossians 2:14 and Hebrews 2:14-18). This is a time to remember that we are in a battle, a battle between the kingdom of darkness, and the kingdom of light.

God spoke to the serpent in Genesis 3:15 NET, "I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel." Satan still tries to bruise our heel, but Christ has bruised his head and He will have the final victory when all nations and all people will be brought into subjection to His power and authority.

One translation of Genesis 3:15, "There will be war." There is still a war against the womb of the woman. Satan tried to thwart Jesus, the Holy Son of God, being born into this world. But, because he hates life, and especially the godly seed, he continues to stop children being born into this world. Let's not be tricked by the devil's plan.

Love from Nancy Campbell

God fulfilled the plan of eternity by miraculously bringing His Son into the world from the womb of a woman. God still continues to fulfill His purposes, in a smaller way, through babes who come from the wombs of women.

Psalm 8:2 WEB says, "From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger."

It is a very important aspect of parenting to build a hedge around our family and home. Truthfully, it is actually God who builds the hedge, but we have to do our part. God built a hedge around Job's home. Satan was not able to touch Job until God removed the protective hedge He had put around him. Satan tells God in Job 1:10, "Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?"

God was able to build a hedge around Job, his family, and everything he owned because:

1) He was blameless and upright (a man of integrity).
2) He feared the Lord.
3) He turned away from all evil. Even allowing a little compromise of sin in our home gives an opening for enemy to come through the hedge.
4) He rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings for his children. In other words, he interceded before God for his children. Job 1:5 says he did this CONTINUIALLY! He was most concerned that his children could have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts, and therefore He interceded continually on their behalf.

I believe that you can build a hedge around your family as you and your husband pray daily and earnestly for your children. We can't afford not to. No matter how busy our lives, we must find time to do this together. If we don't pray for our home and children, who else will? There are so many areas where Satan can subtly creep into our home.

Sadly, in many homes today, there is such a spirit of worldliness that the devil fits right in. In fact, he feels quite comfortable. There's not much chance for God to build a protective hedge around the home because the devil has already come in!

May you and your husband be protecting parents who daily pray the hedge of protection around your family.

Love from Nancy

What is the atmosphere like in your home? Is it filled with bickering, arguments, criticisms and complaining? Or, is it filled with the sweet presence of Christ? God wants us to live in an atmosphere of His sweet presence, just as He wanted His priests to live in the aroma of sweetness in the tabernacle. The recipe for the incense in the holy place was to be made of SWEET spices that were to be tempered until they were PURE and HOLY (Exodus 30:34-38).

2 Corinthians 2:14 WEB says that Christ "reveals through us the SWEET AROMA of his knowledge in every place." Did you notice that it says "IN EVERY PLACE"? That means your home. That means in your kitchen. That means when the baby is crying, the toddler is having a fit, the pots are boiling over on the stove, and your husband is demanding your attention! In every place and in every situation. Because, dear mother, it doesn't matter what is happening in your life, Christ lives in you and His attitude is SWEET! You can't do it in your own strength, but as you acknowledge His sweet and holy presence in you.

I love the J. B. Phillips' translation of this verse, "Thanks be unto God who leads us, WHEREVER WE ARE, on his own triumphant way and makes our knowledge of him spread through the world like a lovely perfume! We Christians have the unmistakable 'scent' of Christ." Do I? Do you?

My husband also mentioned this Scripture in his post to men this morning. He comments, "This means it begins in the home. How? By singing the Lord's songs, speaking encouraging words, smiling from your heart, helping one another, bearing one another's burdens, speaking the truth in love, sharing testimonies of Christ working in our lives, and opening ourselves up in a bright and positive way to one another. All these, and many more, fill the home with the fragrant atmosphere of Christ."

May your home be filled with the unmistakable scent of Christ today.

Love from Nancy Campbell

I love the different words God uses to describe our children. God loves to reveal His plans to us by pictures. Psalm 128:3 tells us that our children are like "olive plants" sitting all around our table. The Hebrew word for "olive" which is "zayith" says "an olive ("as yielding illuminating oil)."

Among many other uses the olive was used as oil for the lamps to light up their homes. It was also used to light the golden candlestick in the holy place of the tabernacle.

Just think, God gives you your children to light up your home. John 1:9 says that Christ lights each one who comes into this world. As we feed this light with God's Word, our children will become more and more filled with light, to not only bring more light into our home, but to one day take the light of God to a dark and deceived world.

Every child you embrace from the loving hand of God is another illuminating light to light up this world. In fact, the only way God can bring His light into this world is by His people (Matthew 5:14-16). Don't deprive the world of God's light by saying No to His children.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Each morning and evening at Family Devotions, after reading and prayer, we sing a chorus, a worship song, or a hymn. Most often we get out the hymn books. The other morning we sang "Who can cheer the heart like Jesus," one of my favorites. There are many today who are not familiar with the old hymns and therefore I thought I'd share the words with you. I especially love the words of the second and third verses? Nancy

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus
By His presence all divine
True and tender, pure and precious
O, how blest to call Him mine

Chorus:

ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL IS JESUS
HE IS MORE THAN LIFE TO ME
AND THE FAIREST OF TEN THOUSAND
IN MY BLESSED LORD I SEE

Love of Christ so freely given
Grace of God beyond degree
Mercy higher than the heavens
Deeper than the deepest sea

What a wonderful redemption
Never can a mortal know
How my sin, though red like crimson
Can be whiter than the snow

Every need His hand supplying
Every good in Him I see
On His strength divine relying
He is all in all to me

By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing
And forever and forever
Praise the glorify my King.

All the power you need to fulfill your diving calling of motherhood is found in God and all the wisdom you need is found in His living Word. 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing of ourselves; but OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD."

Blessings from Nancy

What a privilege to be a woman!
We are created in the image of God.
We are created to reveal the nurturing and mothering heart of God.
We are created with a womb to be a life-giver.
We are created with breasts to nurture and nourish life.
We are created to be a vessel of God to bring forth life into this world--a life that is planned before the beginning of time, a life with a God-given purpose to fulfill on this earth, and a life that is an eternal soul and will live forever. We are created to be the nurturers and trainers of God's children, the children He gives to us to train on His behalf.
We are created to be feminine.
We are created to be a helper to our husband and blessed by God's plan to live under his covering and protection.
We are created for good works.
We are created to bring glory to God.
Thank you, Lord God. What a privilege. And thank you for purpose for each new day.

Love from Nancy Campbell

How amazing! You are called, commissioned, and consecrated for your great career of mothering by the King of kings and Lord of lords.