SCRIPTURES FOR YOU TO USE FOR HANUKKAH, THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

I have prepared Scriptures for us to read at our Family Devotions each day during this week of the Festival of Lights. I will post them here for you too in case you would also like to use them. Because this celebration remembers the rededication of the temple and the relighting of the menorah, the Scriptures are about God who is the light and how He also wants us to be His light in this world.

Feel free to use the Scriptures in the way that best fits your family. You may like to take half of them at Family Devotions in the morning and the other half in the evening. If you have older children, it's a lovely idea for each one to have their own Bible and give a Scripture for each one to read aloud--and to share what they feel God is saying through the Scripture. If you have little ones, you may only want to take one Scripture from the list.

And don't forget to ask your children questions as you read the Scriptures. This is how you learn and receive enlightenment from the Scriptures together.

Day 1
God is the Source of Light and gives Light
Genesis 1:3-5
Exodus 27:20-21; 40:24-25; cf. Leviticus 24:1-4; Numbers 8:1-3
Exodus 13:21; Nehemiah 9:12,19
Psalm 36:9
Psalm 104:1-2
1 Timothy 6:16
James 1:17

Day 2
Jesus is the Light of the World
Isaiah 9:2, cf. Matthew 4:12-17
Luke 1:76-79; 2:27-32
John 1:4-9,cf. Job 18:5-6; Proverbs 27:20
John 3:19-21
John 8:12
John 12:44-46
Acts 26:22-23

Day 3
Shine the Light of Jesus to the world
Proverbs 4:18
Isaiah 58:6-8, 10
Isaiah 60:1-2
Matthew 5:14-16
Luke 12:35
Philippians 2:14-15

Day 4
God's Word is our Light
Ezra 9:8
Psalm 19:7-11
Psalm 119:18, 105, 130
Proverbs 6:20-24
Ephesians 1:17-18

Day 5
Walk in the Light
Psalm 89:15
Isaiah 2:5
Romans 13:12-14
2 Corinthians 4:4-7
1 John 1:6-9
1 John 2:8-11
Ephesians 5:8-20

Day 6
Out of Darkness into Light
2 Samuel 22:29 (Psalm 18:28)
Isaiah 42:16
Isaiah 50:10
Acts 26:17-18
1 Corinthians 4:5
1 Thessalonians 5:5
1 Peter 2:9

Day 7
Living in God is living in Light
Psalm 4:6
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 37:3-6
Psalm 43:3-4
Psalm 112:4
Micah 7:8

Day 8
God is the Light of Heaven
Isaiah 24:23; 30:26
Isaiah 60:19-20
Revelation 21:22-25
Revelation 22:3-5

For this coming week I will continue to tell stories and insights regarding the Feast of Dedication. Stay tuned and don't miss each day.

Love from Nancy
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A LITTLE REVIVING

The Psalmist said, "I LOVE THE LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, THEREFORE WILL I CALL UPON HIM AS LONG AS I LIVE" (Psalm 116:1-2).

If we love the Lord, what will be our response? We will call upon His name. We will be continually crying out to Him. Did you know that the early Christians were known as those "who call upon the name of the Lord"? (Check out Acts 9:14, 2; 1 Corinthians 1:2 and 2 Timothy 2:22).

If we are families that love the Lord, we will take time to gather together and pray and call on the name at least once each day, don't you think? Let's not get too busy that we don't make time for what is most important.

And if you don't have a desire to call upon His name, ask Him to revive you. Asaph, the psalmist cried out, "Revive us, and we will call upon your name" (Psalm 80:18). We know we are need of revival when we don't have a desire to pray.

Love from Nancy


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THESE SCRIPTURES CHANGED MY MOTHERING

I read Isaiah 66:10-13 again in my Bible reading this morning. These Scriptures talk about how God is going to bless Jerusalem, but in doing so, they liken Jerusalem to a nursing mother. As we read the words we get an understanding of how God sees a breastfeeding mother.

When I started off my mothering journey many years ago I was brainwashed by the four hourly schedule. It nearly sent me crazy. My precious baby would cry and be hungry well before four hours was up and I would feel a guilty mother for picking him up to feed. Instead of enjoying the freedom of motherhood, I was constantly frustrated.

I remember crying out to God for His answer. Praise God, every answer I have ever needed I have found in the pages of God's Words. He led me to these Scriptures and the revelation changed my mothering. I picked up my baby whenever he cried and laughed with the joy of my new freedom. Not only was I happier, but my baby was happier.

Have you ever read Isaiah 66:10-13 and noticed that although it is talking about nursing a baby, there is no mention of food? Instead, the words used are:

SATISFY which in the Hebrew means "to fill to satisfaction, have plenty of, satiate." This sounds like abundant nursing, doesn't it? No holding back.

CONSOLE means "to give compassion and solace." Nursing a baby is more than giving physical nourishment. It is ministering to the inner needs of our baby. It is satisfying the sucking instinct of our baby. The breast is not only for food, but to console. It's certainly not compassionate to leave a baby crying because their scheduled time to feed has not arrived.

DELIGHT. Nursing becomes a delight to both mother and baby when we realize it is not only for food but to comfort every need.

ABUNDANCE. The Hebrew word is "ziyz" and means "fullness of the breast." It comes from a root word meaning conspicuous.

FLOWING STREAM which means "to gush out, to pour out abundantly." This is a familiar experience, isn't it?

CARRIED IN HER ARMS AND CUDDLED ON HER KNEES speaking of an older baby continuing to nurse at the mother's breast.

COMFORT. The Hebrew word is a strong word. It means "to breath heavily with the feelings of compassion and comfort."

Enjoy your mothering today.

Love from Nancy

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LIFT UP YOUR HEAD

Are you downcast today? There's no need to stay discouraged any longer. Your God is waiting to lift you up. David confessed, "But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head" (Psalm 3.3). Don't forget, your confession will determine your attitude.

The word "lifter" in the Hebrew is "ruwm" and means "to be high, exalted, the state of being on a higher place, or movement in an upward direction." God's intention for you is not to be downcast, discouraged, disheartened, dejected, depressed, dispirited, dismayed, disconsolate, and down in the dumps! Help! It's time to come UP!

God's intention for you is to live on a higher plane--a plane where you trust in His unfailing love, a plane where you know beyond all shadow of doubt that God is bigger than your problem, a plane where you look at your afflictions in the light of eternity, and a plane where you rejoice in the Lord even when you can't rejoice in what is happening.

God is waiting to lift you up to this plane. Look up to Him today.

My heart has no desire to stay,
Where doubts arise and fears dismay.
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith on Heaven's table land.
A higher plain than I have found:
Lord, plant me feet on higher ground.

Love from Nancy Campbell

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A FEW MORE THOUGHTS FROM ”DID YOU KNOW?"

Dear ladies, Some asked yesterday where I got the information about women only ovulating about 100 times in their lifetime years ago. I have known this information for years. It is easily researched. However, I read an interesting study recently about a study conducted by scientist, Beverley Strassman who lived amongst the Dogon tribe in Mali, Africa for two and a half years. Her purpose was to study their womanly cycle. It is interesting that in this tribe, who are not influenced by our western culture, they still only cycle about 100 times in their lifetime. This is typical of most tribes around the world who are not influenced by western society. They mother intuitively, not by conditioning of modernism, or what they have read.

Strassman found that the women had their first period at about 16 years. This was also normal many years ago. I myself didn't start until I was 16--I'm a bit older than most of you! I think that one of the reasons girls begin their periods so early today is that they are reaching their body fat much earlier. When the female body reaches about 20 percent body fat, menstruation usually begins. Today, with fast food, fattier food, sugary food, and so much MORE food to eat, and a more sedentary lifestyle girls reach their 20 percent at an earlier age. Tribal women do not live on this kind of food and live a very active lifestyle and therefore reach 20 percent body fat later.

The Dogon women give birth eight or nine times during their childbearing years and only menstruate about 100 times in their lives.

Of course, they nurse their babies--wear their babies all day and sleep with them at night, consequently they don't start menstruating again until their babies are about 20 months. I happened to be reading this out to Serene and she replied, "I'm right on plan! Breeze is 20 months and I have just started my cycle." This is normal for Serene as her babies nurse day and night.

Strassman believes that the basic pattern of late mencarche, many pregnancies, and long menstrual-free stretches caused by intensive breast-feeding was virtually universal up until the "demographic transition" of a hundred years ago from high to low fertility. In other words, what we think of as normal frequent menses is in evolutionary terms abnormal. She states, "It's a pity that gynecologists think that women have to menstruate every month. They just don't understand the real biology of menstruation." The shift from 100 - 400 menses is enormously significant. It means that women's bodies are being subjected to changes and stresses that they were not necessarily designed to handle.

Love from Nancy


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