Dear Above Rubies reader,
Many blessings to you from our home to yours. The new magazine, # 87 has now been sent out across USA. But, please don't despair if it doesn't arrive straight away. Some people get theirs immediately and others have to wait up to three weeks. We can never tell. I know you will love it when it gets into your hands.
In Todays Newsletter:
100 DAYS OF BLESSING
CONTINUING SPECIAL
CANADA ABOVE RUBIES
WHAT NAME DO YOU CALL IT?
IDEAS FOR ABOVE RUBIES # 88
PHOTOGRAPHY
THE MOST OVERWHELMING TIME OF MOTHERHOOD
BIG FAMILIES ARE FUN -- 101 IDEAS
WRITING BOOKS
EUROPE
GOD HEARS YOUR CRY
PICTURE QUOTES
MAGAZINE FOR CHRISTIAN DAUGHTERS
YOUR HUSBAND NEEDS RESPECT AND HONOR
STICK TO THE RIGHT A-TTITUDE
SIGN PETITION FOR GERMAN HOMESCHOOLING FAMILY
MY ABORTION STORY
WHO IS THE "POOR" ONE?
THE STRENGTH OF MARRIAGE
KEEP ON BUILDING A STRONG MARRIAGE AND HOME
100 DAYS OF BLESSING, VOLUME 2
You will be glad to know that this book is at last available for you. Well, it's nearly here. Should arrive from the printers in a few days, so you can go ahead and order and we'll send it to you the moment it arrives. You will be filled with daily encouragement and strength as you fulfill your great career of building this nation. Here is the link:
http://tinyurl.com/100DaysVol2
CONTINUING SPECIAL
I am continuing the great discount special for BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY in this issue of Above Rubies. It is less than half price, so if you haven't purchased it yet, make sure you get this important book while you can. As I mention in the magazine, I believe this book carries the most important message of any book we carry. The future blessing of our nation hinges on this book. I believe that every married couple should read it, and every couple contemplating marriage. At this price, it is a good idea to purchase extra copies in order to share them with others. Here is the link to order:
http://bit.ly/BeFruitfulAndMultiply
By the way, if your husband does not have time to read, and many husbands don't get time to read books, you will be pleased to know that you can download this book as an audio version, and he can listen when he is driving to and from work. It is narrated by Jake Shanks, a third generation radio broadcaster. Download from this link:
http://tinyurl.com/BeFruitfulAudioUS
CANADA ABOVE RUBIES
I have also sent Above Rubies # 87 to all our Canadian readers, this time from here in USA. I am so sorry that our dear Canadian readers are still waiting for # 86, which will be sent from Canada. The reason for the delay is that the Canadian team are still waiting for finance to send it out. That's sad, isn't it? Hopefully you won't have to wait to much longer.
WHAT NAME DO YOU CALL IT?
People have different names for gathering together as a family to read God's Word, pray, and worship. We call it Family Devotions in our home. I have heard many other different names: Family Worship, Family Bible Time, Family Prayer Time, Jesus Time, Little Church, Church on the Couch, Spiritual Food, First Fruits, and The Family Altar (which is what families called it years ago).
However, I recently learned of a name I hadn't ever heard about before. When my husband and I were speaking in Belgium in the month of March this year, I talked with a Dutch lady about what they call Family Devotions in Dutch. She said that growing up in her home in The Netherlands they called it "FINISHING UP THE MEAL." I had never heard that expression before. However, as I thought about, it I realized that it was actually a very good name. We have not finished our meal if we only feed the body. We have to feed the inner man, too. If we leave the table before feeding the spirits of our children with God's living Word, we leave the table only half finished!
I hope you finish up your meals and don't leave half fed! Anyway, if you have a different name for meeting as a family to read God's Word and pray, I'd love to hear from you. Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
IDEAS FOR ABOVE RUBIES, # 88
Once one magazine is completed, I start preparing the new one.
MARRIAGE RESTORATION
I am always wanting to receive testimonies of a marriage restoration. These testimonies are so encouraging to couples who are floundering. If you have a testimony to share, please send it to me.
HUSBAND BLESSING HIS WIFE
I received an email from a husband with the following suggestion: "I have an idea for your magazine. Proverbs 31:28 says, "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praised her.
" What if you allowed husbands to write an article about their wives and the blessing they are."
If your husband would like to write an article praising you and the blessing you are as a wife and mother, I'd love to hear from him.
THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE HOME
I have been planning for the last few issues to do a feature article on how to create a beautiful ambience in the home that will give wonderful memories for our children. I'd love to hear practical ideas from you on this subject.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SENDING ARTICLES
1. Keep it to real life experiences.
2. Don't make it too long--1500 words is adequate, unless it is a particularly powerful testimony. Shorter is even better.
3. Put only one space between sentences, please. VERY IMPORTANT. It takes extra time for me to go through and eliminate the extra space after each sentence.
4. Send as a WORD DOCUMENT by email attachment.
5. Please also add at the end of the article:
Your full name
Your husband's name
The names and ages of your children.
Your email address
Repeating, don't forget your email address in the document of your article.
PHOTOGRAPHY
I know we have so many budding photographers, and as mothers you have so many amazing subjects to photograph. I am always looking for very special pictures for the front cover of Above Rubies. But, they must be something DIFFERENT OR SPECIAL, and they must be VERTICAL to fit the shape of the magazine. Send by attachment. I will really look forward to receiving them, but please don't inundate my Inbox with pictures that are not suitable.
However, I can receive other sized photographs to use in other ways, so if they are a special picture, you can still send it to me -- families, children, or a husband and wife together. And fun shots rather than poses are great.
FAMILES AROUND THE TABLE OR HAVING DEVOTIONS TOGETHER
I would like to get some pictures of families around their family meal table. I know it's not easy to take such a picture, but if you can do one, I'd love to receive it. Thanks so very much.
THE MOST OVERWHELMING TIME OF MOTHERHOOD
It's not mothers with large families who feel overwhelmed and wonder how they can get through the day. It's mothers with their first one, two, or three children. This is the most challenging time of motherhood. If you are in this stage, dear mother, please do not despair. It will never be so taxing as at this time.
But, can I tell you a little secret? Your precious little children grow. They become older. They become helpers as you train them. And when you have another baby, you have some little helpers. And then, when you have another baby, you have bigger helpers. And when you have another baby, you may have teenagers by this time who have learned how to run the home and the cook the meals. And, you have so many arms wanting to hold the baby that motherhood becomes easy.
It is the older mothers with many children who are the "queens" of their home, sitting rocking their baby in the rocking chair while their children are able to tend to many jobs.
Recently, I was walking with Serene to her home. Some of her children had gone off with their other cousins, and I said to her, "You'll have a quiet supper tonight."
"Oh no," she replied. "It will be much more hectic. It won't be quiet at all. I won't have so much help and therefore the children will be more boisterous and rowdy. I won't have Engedi to hold baby Haven while I cook the meal or Cherish to help with the other little ones."
It's so true! More children don't make life more burdensome for a mother. The opposite is true. The more children, the more help. The more older children, the more there are to play and entertain the little ones. Everyone works together and the home runs smoothly.
BIG FAMILIES ARE FUN -- 101 IDEAS
I was recently speaking at an Above Rubies retreat. We have all kinds of mothers attend our Above Rubies retreats. Young people, single mothers, mothers with one or two children and sometimes mothers with many children. At this retreat there were no mothers with really large families. All the mothers present couldn't even imagine the idea of having a large family. It was beyond their comprehension. They were in the "overwhelming" stage and had no clue that there was another "reward" stage.
Because we live in a society of smaller families (the average is 1.8 in USA--rather small, isn't it?), I think it is time we educated mothers that large families ARE FUN!
I'd love to hear from you about why you think large families are fun. You don't have to write a big article, even a sentence would be fine! I'd love to get all the reasons I can why BIG FAMILIES ARE FUN. Maybe I could get 101 reasons!
Email them into me with BIG FAMILIES ARE FUN in the Subject line. Thanks so much. This will be fun.
WRITING BOOKS
I have quite a few new books I am planning to write as the months go by.
100 DAYS OF BLESSING, VOLUME 3
100 DAYS OF BLESSING, VOLUME 4
(Have you got Volumes 1 and 2 yet?)
LOOK UP! (Motivating Messages for Each Day of the Year)
NEVER GIVE UP! (Motivating Messages for Each Day of the Year)
(Have you got CHEERUP! yet?)
SPICY MEALTIMES
Recipes I love to cook (and I love to spice things up) with spicy ideas to do at the Family Meal Table. I am a great believer that it is as important to prepare what you are going to talk about at the table as it is to think about what you are going to eat at the table.
NURSERY RHYMES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
I have been writing these for some time and am looking forward to eventually printing them, with illustrations. I love reading rhymes to children, and have always read the nursery rhymes to my children, but I think it would be so great to have some that are far more positive and meaningful, don't you?
THE POWER HOUSE OF THE NATION
And, my biggest burden is to write a fuller book on the subject of FAMILY DEVOTIONS, although that will not be the final title. Sadly, this is such a lack amongst families, even in the body of Christ.
I will also devote one chapter to ideas from families and to hear of different ways families do their Family Devotions, or whatever they like to call it.
If you would like to share what you do in your family, please send it to me. Put FAMILY DEVOTIONS in the Subject Heading. Thanks so much, Nancy
EUROPE
According to the US Pew Center, Islam is already "the fastest growing religion in Europe."
In England 10,000 churches have been closed since 1960. By 2020 another 4,000 will be closed and 1700 new mosques will arise in former churches.
GOD HEARS YOUR CRY
Recently I posted the following words on the Above Rubies Facebook. After reading them Mary Jo Blanc designed a lovely frame for them. I think it is so pretty, don't you?
But, then Linda Dias wrote a heartfelt responsive prayer, which I am sure could be the prayer of many of you, so I will share it with you.
"Father God, today put a smile in my weary voice, a sparkle in my tired eyes, a song on my critical lips, a spring in my feeble steps, a warmth in my fading touch, a depth to my careworn beauty, a purpose to my forgotten life, a joy in my dull faith, a hope in my hopeless breast, and a love in my burdened heart. Amen."
Dear mother, God sees the cry of your heart, and He will answer your prayer.
PICTURE QUOTES
Here are some more Mary Jo has designed to bless you:
A MAGAZINE FOR CHRISTIAN DAUGHTERS
Sara Lee writes from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.:
"I am 21 years and have published a magazine for Christian daughters for nine years, The King's Blooming Rose Magazine. It is my desire in publishing this quarterly magazine to encourage daughters and sisters to serve their families, learn to be keepers at home "in training," and to love the Lord with all of their heart. Most of our readers are ages 12-25 and we have subscribers across the globe. Our ministry also offers many other resources for Christian girls, including two books I have written, a cookbook for girls, annual calendars, stationery, and encouraging articles."
To obtain further information, go to her website, www.kingsbloomingrose.com
YOUR HUSBAND NEEDS RESPECT AND HONOR
Some time back, I wrote this post on our Above Rubies Facebook. "Respect and honor your husband. Let him be the leader. Look at him and give him attention when he speaks to you. He will thrive when you respect him."
I loved hearing the comments from our readers. Here are some of them:
"Your marriage and children will also thrive."
"Today, the Holy Spirit gave me the thought to call my husband my earthly hero. I began watching him and speaking to him with the attitude of full respect. I later read this post which gives me confirmation and the encouragement to keep going in this way."
"The wife who understands this will be happier and more secure."
"There is always something to find respect worthy in our husband. Even when they do not walk with the Lord and live a worldly lifestyle, that does not give us a pass to disrespect them. When we choose to obey God and find one attribute that we can praise them for, God can grow that in their hearts and move mountains in their lives. A wife will always be blessed when honoring God by honoring her husband. I speak from experience in seeing the hand of God work in my husband's life."
"Dennis Prager did a series about this on his Male-Female hour. What men most want and need from their woman: respect. What a woman most needs and wants: to be with a man she respects. Think about it, it's hard to care about a man who loves you if you have no respect for him. Sometimes it just takes saying it out loud to him, "I respect you," to help you both move forward."
"The conversation of the wives will save their husbands, meaning your loving and respectful attitude will be a picture of Christ to him. You need not preach to your husband in words. Your kisses and kindness will do all the talking for you. Showing him respect is what God intends so that you can boost him up to be the leader you want him to be. I like to point out, "Would you love someone who is constantly criticizing you?" Would you want to be the leader of people who disrespect you, and always point out your many faults? I'd rather make out with my husband and have a good time romancin' him, than fighting over his faults."
"I've seen my husband flourish in just a month of respecting and encouraging him!"
"I am sure that most husbands deserve disrespect, but we honor and forgive them because the church is supposed to honor Christ and because God forgives us. It is not about their worthiness but about our obedience."
"It blesses my heart to have a husband who with all his might is clinging to the Lord! I obey and honor my husband not because of worthiness but out of obedience to the Word of God! To submit myself to my husband, there were no "unless he's a meanie head" or anything else! He may not be perfect, but neither am I! But, God IS perfect and thus created a perfect union that is called marriage! If he created marriage, then we as wives should obey what he says in order to have a perfect marriage... and what is perfect? Everything in line with the Word of God, no matter if tribulation comes and trials, brokenness, hurt, or anger, etc. We stand strong on the foundation which is Jesus Christ and the vows we took on our wedding day... then THAT is perfection!"
"Another thing is, keep your phone at home or on silence when you are out and about with him, or even at home. When your husband is home (I learned this just recently), he deserves your full attention and devotion! Put the phone in your room or in a drawer."
STICK TO THE RIGHT A-TTITUDE
Shannon Wales of[This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. writes,
My seven year old has written a short "song" about sticking to the right attitude. He desperately wants to find someplace to publish it."
Song by Kaden Wales, age 7
You are slimy
You are slimy
You are so slimy
That you are sliding off the right a-ttitude.
You need to be sticky so you will stick to the right a-ttitude.
But you are so slimy that you are sliding off the right a-ttitude.
It would be better to be sticky so you will stick to the right a-ttitude.
Oh.....it would be so better for you.
May Kaden always stick to the right attitude!
SIGN PETITION FOR GERMAN HOMESCHOOLING FAMILY
Kathleen Engelhardt at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., who is our European Director for Above Rubies in Europe writes:
"Unfortunately there is some sad news concerning the Romeike Family. In May, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Obama Administration's denial of asylum granted to the Romeike family. But on Friday, May 24, U.S. Congressman Marlin Stutzman and 26 other members of Congress joined the ranks of Americans who are voicing their support for the Romeike family and urging Attorney General Holder to grant them asylum in America to freely homeschool their children.
Home School Legal Defense Association Chairman, Michael Farris, who has been representing the family, says the decision of the three-judge panel is legally erroneous, and he is filing an appeal before the entire 15-member Sixth Circuit.
For up to date information visit the HSLDA website: http://www.hslda.org/legal/cases/romeike/Romeike_CaseUpdates.asp
The battle is not over yet and it would be a great support and a sign for the White House if MANY PEOPLE SIGN THE PETITION!"
Let's get involved!
MY ABORTION TESTIMONY
Marci Ferrell of This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. shares:
"I recently shared my personal testimony on my blog and wanted to share it with you. As a non- believer I had an abortion and I am so thankful for the Lord's intervention in my family's life and my life. So thankful to serve such a wonderful God and thankful that as His former enemy I am now seated at His table.
http://thankful-homemaker.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-abortion-story-why-i-sidewalk.html"
My Abortion Story and Why I Sidewalk Counsel at Abortuaries
These past several weeks I have been thankful for the opportunity to minister on the sidewalk at our local abortion mills. It has been a blessing and has brought back memories that used to be difficult, but not anymore because of the work of Jesus Christ in my life.
You see, when I was 18 I had an abortion. I was unmarried, living with relatives and thought this was the only choice I had at this time in my life. I don't even remember thinking much about it, but assumed this was what I needed to do at this time in my life. I had already been leading a rebellious life and was not living at home so I couldn't even imagine sharing this with the family I was living with and took matters into my own hands.
"You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13)
That day was the ugliest of my life. It hurt so much. Coming home and not being able to share what I had been through with anyone was difficult. I spent much time alone in my room crying and I had no one to turn to for help. There hasn't been a day in my life that I don't think about that little baby who's life I took.
I murdered that baby by my own choice and that memory doesn't go away!
Several years later I find myself in the same situation, pregnant and unmarried. This time I am determined to keep this baby because I have not healed from my first pregnancy that I aborted and couldn't imagine going through that kind of pain and guilt again. I share with the father that he doesn't have to marry me or help with the baby but I'll take care of this little one on my own. Doug wants to get married and raise this baby together. I had shared with him the story of my first abortion and this man still wants to marry me! After 27 years of marriage I find myself still growing more in my love with my Doug every day. We were both young and not sure how things would work out. We had a quick and simple wedding ceremony and little Amber made her arrival in September of 1986.
We have now been married 27 years and have two children. Josh made his arrival in June of 1992. Doug and I had been blessed with two beautiful children, a boy and a girl, and life was good so we took matters of determining the size of our family into our own hands and Doug had a vasectomy.
Doug's parents were Christians and we had heard the gospel a lot from his side of the family. As I look back I can see the Lord drawing our family. I assumed I was going to heaven because I was a good person and attended church.
I did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
As it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10).
I love this part of the story because it involves meeting a woman who will always be dear to my heart, my friend Trena. I met Trena at a Curves exercise facility. We were taking an introductory class together and she invited me back to her home for coffee afterwards. Trena loves to talk about Jesus and when she shared with me about the work of the Lord in her life it made me know I was missing something. I was religious but I didn't have a relationship with Jesus like Trena did.
The children and I went to church with Trena that Sunday (Doug stayed home) and that afternoon, at home, I came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. For the first time I realized I was a sinner against a holy and righteous God. I understood that God is perfect and is angry with sinners and will punish sin. But, God is also rich in mercy and sent His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, God's eternal Son, born of the virgin Mary came to die as a substitute and ransom for rebellious sinners. Jesus willingly died on the cross and took the punishment for my sin that through my repentance and faith in what He did and acknowledging Jesus as my Savior and Lord I was saved from the wrath to come. What a glorious moment when my eyes were opened to the free gift of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ! The Lord saved Doug later that week and I cannot even express to you in a short amount of time the changes in our home. It was a celebration with Doug's family and with our new family of believers.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We had begun over time to be convicted of the choice we made to limit the size of our family and the Lord led us to a Christian doctor who did vasectomy reversals. We hoped to have another child or two added to our family. To the world we looked crazy. We were in our mid forties and we were soon to be grandparents! As of this time, we have not been able to conceive a child and I recently had surgery on my one remaining ovary and only have part of it left, but we continue to pray and remain content for God's plan for our lives.
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward"
(Psalm 127:3)
Life is a gift and it is precious. Since I have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ I have come to know that I am truly forgiven for the choice I made to abort my first baby. There is so much freedom and forgiveness found at the cross when we confess our sins in humble repentance to the Lord and know that He offers us forgiveness and grace. Please let me be clear that a day does not go by that I don't think of that little life.
There is forgiveness but there are consequences for the choices we make.
I have just recently shared this story of my abortion with each of my children and it has been such a sweet testimony of the Lord's goodness to us and a guide to them to not make the same mistakes we made. People look at our lives and say, "Look how great it all worked out for you." But, they don't see the hurt and difficulties that we went through of living our lives in rebellion to God. Our marriage and children are only who they are now by the grace of God and His work in our lives.
I love how the Lord works and he sent my friend Kelly and her family down south for her husband's job. While they were down there, she met up with some dear friends through a local church, who minister at local abortion mills in South Carolina. Kelly has a heart to reach out to these women who are about to make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. This has been an area of my life I have wanted to reach out and help but didn't know where to start and the Lord has answered my prayers through Kelly and a local ministry to our area called Missionaries to the Preborn.
My hope is to share with these women that they do have a choice and abortion (or murdering your baby) is not one of them. I was never verbally told by anyone that I had an option. There was no one ministering outside the abortion mill I went to and the workers inside didn't tell me that keeping my baby or adoption was a possible choice. What I love most about Christian sidewalk counselors is that we aren't just there to tell them there is an option, but we are able to share with them the life saving truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the One who can change lives and hearts. Knowing they aren't alone and that we will help them through every step in keeping their baby is reaching out to them with the love of Christ.
If you have a heart to reach out to these women I am just going to encourage you to GO! There are many resources to help equip you in reaching out to these women with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But you can't do it unless you go! Babies are being sacrificed everyday and I was surprised by how few Christians are taking the time to reach out at these killing places. It is spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18), and many of these women will not have any remorse for what they are doing. However, God's Word can reach the heart of any sinner to come to repentance and brokenness. It may be after they come out and have already had the abortion that their heart will be open to receive the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They need to know there is forgiveness and grace offered only through the blood of Christ.
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them"
(Psalm 139:13-16).
WHO IS THE "POOR" ONE?
Anita Morgan posted this on our Above Rubies Facebook and I'd love you to read it too.
"June is my grandmother; mother of seven, grandmother of 32, great-grandmother of 34 (and counting)! She turns 90 years tomorrow and celebrated her birthday last Saturday with a hall full of family. In her birthday speech she told of how a neighbour, when she found out that my grandmother was pregnant with number seven, said "Oh, POOR June!"
At that point, she looked around the room at all her sons, daughters, sons and daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who were all rejoicing over and with her and said
"Well, You can see tonight how poor I am!"
THE STRENGTH OF MARRIAGE
The following is a poem that I wrote about marriage recently.
WHAT IS MARRIAGE?
One man and one woman,
Fused into one.
God's plan! Is there a better?
There is none.
One body, one flesh—
Indescribable!
One purpose, one vision—
Unconquerable!
One soul and spirit—
Invincible!
What is the foundation?
Praying together—
Highest priority!
Reading God's Word together—
Paramount for success.
What does it take?
Sacrificial love.
Yielding and submission.
No longer "me" but "you."
Laying down my life.
Delighting to serve.
What is the fruit?
A union that cannot be broken.
A union that survives the storms of life.
A union that forges a path for God in this world.
A union that builds a godly generation
for now and generations to come.
What is the power?
A God-fearing family that is
formidable to the adversary!
No wonder Satan wants to destroy marriage!
CHECK OUT THESE LINKS:
http://tinyurl.com/TenSecretsToStrengthen
http://tinyurl.com/MotherhoodGreatestAdventure
KEEP ON BUILDING A STRONG MARRIAGE AND HOME
BUILDING IS HARD WORK
As wives and mothers, we are in the biggest building program in the nation. We have the responsibility to build a strong marriage, a godly family, and children who will also grow up to build strong marriages and families. God calls us builders. Proverbs 14:1 says, "Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks it down with her hands."
Any builder who is successful in his business works hard. He works long hours. He sweats it out. It's the same for us. We don't build a great marriage and home by just dreaming about it. We have to work at it. We have to pray. We have to work at our attitude. We have to work at the way we speak to our spouse and our children. But, we also have to be practical and work hard physically. We haven't got time to be lazy. We have to keep the home running smoothly. We have to make sure we prepare nutritious meals for our family. We seek to have a meal ready for our husband when he walks in the door--and we'll make sure that the house is tidied up and ready for his home-coming.
I remember a mother saying to me, "All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother," and yet her marriage fell apart. She dreamed about it, but she didn't do what was needed to make it happen. Her life was wrapped up around herself. Building takes forgetting about yourself and living to serve your husband and family. Your mind is on your job, not on gratifying your own fleshly desires. You constantly think of things to say and do to make your marriage stronger. You think of new and creative ideas to make your family life stronger. And as you build into your home, you also build for eternity.
However, there is more to building than meets the eye. The word in the Hebrew is banah. Yes, of course it means to build. However, it also means to repair. We have to keep repairing things in our home or it will soon fall down around us. We also have to keep repairing our relationship with our husband and children. This is all part of the building program.
But, did you know that there is another aspect to building? This word also means "to bring forth children." To build a home you must embrace children. I love the blessing the people of Judah gave to Naomi about her daughter-in-law, Ruth, "The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build (banah) the house of Israel" (Ruth 4:11). How did Rachel and Leah build a nation? With hammers and wood? No, they built it by embracing children.
It's also good to be a P & P builder? "What's that?" you say. It comes from Proverbs 3:17, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."
Build a home of Pleasantness and Peace. Speak pleasant words to your husband and children (Proverbs 16:24). What does that mean? The word "pleasant" in the Hebrew means, "agreeable, beautiful, delightful, gracious, suitable, and sweet." "Create a pleasant and peaceful atmosphere.
Be a great builder as you build your home and consequently the nation.
Until next time, love from NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubies.org
PROVERBS 31:10 PAINTING
100 DAYS OF BLESSING
A FAITHFUL FATHER
Our twins turned 48 on the 1 August. I shared this story on Facebook. I am printing it here in case you are not on Facebook.
Lift up your head today, dear mother. This day, with its challenges, and frustrations, goes beyond today. Your influence is powerful. Live this day with the hope of influencing future generations in the ways of God. Don't be part of pulling down or eliminating future generations.
At last, we have TRIM HEALTHY MAMA as an Ebook. You will be excited to receive it in PDF, ePub, and Mobi files.
CHUCKING COLLEGE
ME? OBEY HIM?