Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

 

Lois Jordan was the design artist for Above Rubies back in the beginning days, over 46 years ago! I would often call her down from the roof to do some art work when we were working on a new magazine.

 

I know there are very few women who would have the capacity to do what Lois did. She is not the ordinary person! But God says that women are builders! We don’t have to build a house with hammer and nails. We are building a family. We are building godly generations.

 

Proverbs 14:1 says: “Every wise woman builds her house: but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.” What are you putting your time into? Into building up someone else’s organization or business? Or are you building up your home? That takes being at home. It takes time to build up your home and family. It doesn’t happen by gadding about here and there,

 

What about your marriage? Are you building into your marriage? That takes time too. What are you speaking into your marriage? Loving words? Encouraging words? Sweet words? More than anything else we build our marriage and our family with words. Words either build up or destroy.

 

You can have the marriage you dream of if you build into it. Things don’t just happen; you have to make them happen. You have to build into it every day. Nail in encouraging and loving words. Embrace a serving spirit. Make your home a haven for him.

 

Let’s be builders, not destroyers.

 

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

Above Rubies really opened my eyes up to the beauty and purpose of being in my home. Before this ministry, no one had ever broken it down and I confess I held onto the usual frustrations of not being “out there” firstly working, and then “doing” ministry because I was at home with children. How mislead I was!

Anyway, I have just finished the book of Acts, and was struck by 28:30 - 31.

 

"Then Paul dwelt two whole years in HIS OWN RENTED HOUSE, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him." (NKJV)

 

In this passage we see the Lord’s fullfillment of 23:11 when the Lord says to Paul he will also testify in Rome. Yet under what circumstances does Paul find himself delivering this promise of God to the biggest nation in the world? Under house arrest (28:16)! Paul, this shipwrecked, snake-bitten, synogouge preaching, publically beaten and widely travelled man brought the gospel to Rome FROM HIS HOME.

 

Arguably, now that the Gospel reached Rome (the centre of trade and government) it would spread across the world. Yet Paul never took the gospel to the streets of Rome. He didn't enter temples or trading ports. He stayed completely in his home for two years (28:30).

 

The word here is “meno” meaning “to stay, abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, stand, tarry.”'

And the scriptures go on further to state that he was “akolutos,” meaning unhindered. Other translations say “boldly without hindrance.”

 

What struck me is Paul could have gone out all over Rome but it was in the walls of a humble, rented dwelling that the Gospel reached Rome through Paul as he preached and taught. He certainly did not grumble at being home all day In fact, he saw it as a place of work and freedom.

 

And if the Lord sees the home a suitable place in which to place Paul to spread the gospel (in arguably the most impactful two years of his ministry) how much more should we be blessed to share the Gospel unhindered to those who come to us in our homes today!

 

May our homes have the impact for the Kingdom of God as Paul's “own rented house.”

 

KATIE CROTHERS

 

Family Picture: Rob and Katie with their lovely children: Poppy, Heidi and baby Jonathan Henry.

 

(I was blessed to take a meeting in Rob and Katie’s home when we were ministering in England last year. Nancy).

TIPS FOR HEALTHY PREGNANCY (especially preventing miscarriage and preterm labor)

From Misty Marr

 

I’d like to share a few of the things I learned through facing miscarriage and preterm labor. These tips will be profitable for any woman who is endeavoring to have a healthy pregnancy!

 

1. EPSOM SALT

We've all heard of people going to the hospital and getting magnesium sulfate via IV to stop preterm labor. Do you know what Epsom Salt is? Magnesium sulfate!

 

Add 2+ cups Epsom Salt to a warm bath. A couple of drops of lavender oil is a great addition. Relax and soak. A half hour would be the minimum you would want to soak to start getting the benefits, but one to one and a half hours would be better.

 

2. WATER

Drink, drink, drink!!! Often, even slight dehydration can bring on contractions. Aim for a gallon of water a day. You can also make a weak pregnancy tea and then drink lots of it.

 

3. PROTEIN

Sometimes contractions are your body's cry for food. You should be proactive to get good protein in your system.

 

4. CALORIES

Do not restrict calories. Calories are energy and you will need all the energy you can get! Excessive calories are not the problem. The problem lies in the quality of the calories. Make sure every calorie you eat is benefiting your body.

 

5. HERBAL TINCTURES

There are many herbal tinctures that are good muscle relaxants. I like to have a variety and to mix-match what I have to multiply the benefits. These are the ones I use.

Singles: Cramp Bark, Back Haw, False Unicorn

Blends: Welcome Womb, Carry On Relief, Carry on, Cramp Relief

 

6. CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM (and other minerals)

These work together as a muscle relaxant and can help relax your uterus.

 

7. PROGESTERONE CREAM

If you already know that you are at high risk for preterm labor, or if you have a hard time carrying your baby in early pregnancy, you can start using a natural progesterone cream as soon as you suspect pregnancy.

 

If you are at risk for preterm labor, you should continue the progesterone until it is safe for your baby to be born. This could prevent the need for synthetic progesterone shots. The higher level of progesterone triggers your body into knowing that it is not time for the baby to be born.

 

8. FAT

High quality, healthy fats are essential. Some of these come in the form of supplements, and some are simply food. Unrefined coconut oil and butter should be staples in your diet. Cod liver oil and Omegas should be some of your most essential supplements.

 

9. RED RASPBERRY LEAF TEA

I like to make a blend of raspberry leaf tea, alfalfa, nettles, and peppermint leaf. This gives your body an infusion of bone-building minerals to help your little one develop. The raspberry leaf works as a uterine tonic preparing your uterus for labor, making it work more efficiently, and reducing contraction pain.

 

10. DON’T HOLD IT

When you need to use the bathroom . . . go! Don’t hold it. When your bladder is full, it puts pressure on the uterus and triggers contractions. It can also increase the risk of bladder infections.

 

11. INFECTIONS

Infections can cause preterm labor. If you are having early contractions, evaluate yourself for possible infections.

 

If you would like more information about my story and preventing preterm labor, you can check out my book:

 

“Lessons Learned: My Journey through Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Preterm Labor.”

 

MISTY MARR

Missionaries in Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico

 

We arrived at the birth clinic, and my husband held me as I fearfully awaited the verdict.

 

“It’s too late to stop labor. Your baby will be born today,” the doctor pronounced. We began preparations to transfer to a larger hospital, and I wept. My second daughter, Grace, was born just a few hours later, weighing in at 3 lbs. 9 oz.

 

While my second daughter was my first actual preemie, she wasn’t the beginning of the story! I got married at age 22, starry-eyed and imagining how many children I could possibly have. I especially dreamed of holding a baby in my arms on my first anniversary. After announcing our first pregnancy, I was walking on clouds! But our joy was short-lived. Six weeks later we were saying good-bye. I was heart-broken.

 

As the months went by, I was pregnant again. And again I had to say good-bye. Then came the third loss. By the time I reached my first anniversary, I was expecting for the fourth time.

 

However, I wasn’t celebrating. Rather than celebrating my anniversary with a baby in my arms, I was in bed, bleeding, expecting a fourth loss. The first three times, my faith was strong, but this time, I hit a breaking point.

 

I began to question. I began to cry out to God. “Why God? Why are You doing this to me again?” I poured out my anger and frustration. I felt God had treated me unjustly. After a life of service and sacrifice, why would God do this to me?

 

Eventually I sobbed myself to sleep. When I awoke, I felt like there was an ultimatum. Which way would I go? Would I choose to follow God? Or would I walk away? Who was I without God? Did I want to find out?

 

I wrestled. I walked through the valley of the shadow of death. And you know what? God was indeed with me! He carried me through it all. In the end, I chose Christ. I decided that I would say, as Job said: “The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 

I still expected to experience yet another miscarriage over the next few days. But God had mercy. He spared the life of this little one! My pregnancy continued. I loved watching my belly grow and feeling the flutters, which soon turned into kicks and flips. I was delighted!

 

At twenty-eight weeks, however, I realized that something was very wrong. I was soon diagnosed with preterm labor. We fought hard to keep her in, taking and doing everything the doctor recommended. Finally at 37 weeks, we had our firstborn daughter, Rosy!

 

My second daughter came just 11 months later. Grace was born after another battle against preterm labor, but this time it wasn’t enough. She was born at 31 weeks.

 

With my third daughter I spent months on bed rest again, which culminated in a six week hospital stay. I was pumped full of drugs, which were doubled in dose and then tripled. During this pregnancy, I began to question the wisdom of having more children. I wondered if it was even possible to be a good mother to the children God had already given me. I saw giving up any future children as a sacrifice of love for them.

 

With great sadness we scheduled a vasectomy. However, between the initial appointment and the actual surgery, God changed our hearts. With great trepidation, we canceled it and waited to see what God had in store for us!

 

The fourth time, I endured six months of complete bedrest and had an in-home nurse come and give me bi-weekly progesterone injections in hopes of preventing the birth that seemed imminent. The sheer quantity of drugs, plus a total of six miscarriages by this point, took a toll on me and I decided that there had to be a better way to do things. The conventional route wasn’t working.

 

I began researching ways to treat preterm labor naturally. I started implementing what I learned, and I was able to cut my normal bedrest in half with my fifth baby, completely naturally! I felt successful. I continued to research and learn more and with my sixth baby I only had one month of bed rest. That was a major improvement. Both of those were completely drug-free and under the care of a midwife.

 

I was excited with how far I had come, but I wasn’t done learning. With my seventh baby, I eliminated the preterm labor altogether and I continued on to have baby eight and nine without any preterm labor. I also never lost another baby, either. I had successfully broken the cycle!

 

My husband and I are now missionaries living in Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico. Nathan is a church planter and we work primarily with the Tarahumara people group. I stay busy homeschooling my nine children, plus being involved in the many ministry opportunities God brings us. Life is good and I am grateful that God can use my past experiences and struggles to bless others. He truly does work all things together for good.

 

I wrote a full length book sharing my story! I believe it would encourage you if you have walked this road of loss, or even experienced any trial. I would recommend it to any woman. I share my faith journey through the process. There were times I questioned the Lord’s sovereignty but He showed Himself faithful, and walked through this journey with me! My book, “Lessons Learned: My Journey through Pregnancy, Miscarriage and Preterm Labor” also includes my guide to treating and preventing miscarriage and preterm labor naturally.

 

You can order it from:

 

MISTY MARR

Missionaries in Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico

 

Family picture: Nathan and Misty Marr with their nine beautiful children: Rosy (19), Grace (18), Lizzie (15), Andy (14), Bekah (12), Ruth (10), Philip, Susy (7), and James (6).Tomorrow I am going to send out to you 11 good ideas from Misty Marr to help you have a healthy pregnancy. Be looking for it.

 

Have you thought much about salutations? They have power to affect people’s lives. What do you say when you greet your husband each morning? I am sure you start with the wonderful words, “I love you.” But you can certainly add more delicious words to delight his heart.

 

And what about your children? When you go out to the breakfast table, do you greet them with positive and loving words?

“Good morning, my most amazing and incredible children.”

“Good morning children. I love being your mother!”

“Good morning to my mighty world changers.”

 

And what about the people you meet? Paul wrote to the Colossian believers: “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ. . . Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Colossians 1:2. Do you notice that he called them “saints” and “faithful”? The word “saints” is “hagios” and means “holy, set apart, sanctified, consecrated, and pure.” He greeted them with the positive words: “holy and faithful.”

 

Why don’t we try to encourage people when we meet them? How lovely to greet friends in a way that will uplift their souls:

“So great to see you today, dear faithful friend. How are you?”

“What a joy to see your smiling face. You light up my day.”

“What a joy to see you. May you be blessed today.”

“I’m blessed every time I meet you.”

 

Change someone’s life every time you open your mouth.

 

Be encouraged and blessed,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

He is also El Shaddai, the God of tender love and compassion. It is a beautiful word. “El” speaks of God’s might and power. The word “Shaddai” translates “the breast of God.” The root of “Shaddai” is “shad” and literally means “breast.”

 

It is a picture of God, who like a nursing mother, loves to gather us in His arms and tenderly comfort and nurture us. We see a little glimpse of this in Isaiah 40:31: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom and shall gently led those that are with young.”

 

The blessing God gives over Joseph says: “The God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty (Shaddai), who shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb” (Genesis 49:25).

 

The Hebrew word for “womb” is “racham.” This word means “compassion, mercy, tender love.” The amazing thing is that this word is used interchangeably in God’s Word to describe the mercies and compassion of God and also the womb of a woman! Same word!

 

God’s comfort comes from His breast (from His heart) and also from the very bowels of His womb of compassion and tender mercies. As a mother, you have much need of His comfort, counsel, and comfort. As you find your nourishment in Him, you then minister it to your precious children. As you seek Him to find Him as your solace and source of strength, stability, and comfort, He ministers into your life, so you can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-6).

 

As mothers, our “others” are first our children God has given us. God has wondrously created us in His image to reveal His nurturing heart and His compassion and tender love. This anointing comes from God Himself and He has put it divinely within us. And even more! He created us physically to reveal these powerful attributes. He created us with the blessings of breasts and the womb. As we embrace the function of the breasts and the womb in childbearing we reveal the image of God. We become pourers forth of God’s nurture, compassion, and tender love.

 

How privileged we are. Embrace who God created you to be. Find God as your El Shaddai and then as a little “shad” pour out His love and nurture to your babies, children, and to the hurting around you.

 

In His love,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

A home is a true home when families sit around the table together eating and fellowshipping, laughing and debating, exchanging ideas and sharing new visions. It’s pulsating. It releases family members into great things. And most of all, it strengthens and cements the family unit.

 

But it rarely happens without food. Food paves the way for these life-changing and sometimes nation-changing moments to happen. And who does it come back to? The mother in the home. She is the one who prepares the atmosphere by lovingly preparing the food and graciously setting it on the table. It doesn’t have to be exotic food. It only needs to be simple food. But food is needed!

 

How Jesus loved to sit at the table and share divine truths. What was Jesus own testimony of himself? “The Son of man is come eating and drinking” (Luke 7:34). Robert Karris, the author of “Eating Your Way Through Luke’s Gospel” says: “In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.”

 

Proverbs 31:15 (NASB) says: “She (the mother in the home) rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household.” SHE is the one who prepares the food. SHE is the one who prepares the way for family togetherness. SHE is the one who sees beyond the work of cooking food to the great things that will happen as the family and others come to her table and food SHE has prepared.

 

Of course, it’s not always perfect. Especially when your children are little. It can be exhausting and hair-raising! But dear mothers, keep establishing the habit of family meals around the table. You are training your children. You are establishing godly and biblical habits. Eventually your work and training will be rewarded. Your children grow, and you will eventually have amazing times of conversation and discussion together.

 

In the meantime, if you are desperate for more intelligent fellowship, open your home in hospitality. Invite people to your home to sit around your table with you. This is normal Christianity. It is the extension of our mothering and homemaking ministry. It is the lifestyle of the kingdom of God. Acts 2:46, 47 (NET) says: “Every day they continued to gather together . . . breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.”

 

Have fun preparing meals in your home today.

 

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

Picture: 1942 poster by Mike Savad

 

Wow! That is a challenge to us parents, isn’t it? We as mothers are the primary and best teachers God has given to our children. Teaching and training our children are a huge part of motherhood.

 

The big question is: when our children are fully-trained and come forth out of our home, are they like us and walking in the principles and ways of God we have taught them or are they like the secular world?

 

It is so sad to see so many young people from Christian homes that are more like the world. Instead of being trained by their mothers, they are trained by all the junk and deception and worldly mindset on their iPhones.

 

The word “fully trained” in the Greek is “katartizo” and means “to complete thoroughly, repair, restore, adjust, frame, mend, prepare.” Do you notice that it is far more than teaching. We must constantly adjust, repair, and restore. Because we live in this world, we cannot help some of the influence of this world system touching our children. Therefore, we must constantly be checking their world view and adjusting and restoring them back to God’s ultimate truths.

 

Did you know this terrible statistic that only six percent of Christians have a biblical worldview today? I hope that’s not you. Because you must be strong in your biblical worldview in order to impress it into the hearts and minds of your children.

 

Did you notice that another meaning of the word is to mend? This is the word when that is used when Jesus found James and John “mending” their nets. It’s not only teaching and training but “mending” wrong ideas and hurts in their lives.

 

However, I do think that above all our teaching and training, the greatest way we impact out children is through our lifestyle. Do they see by our daily actions that we truly love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength? Do they see that we are lovers of God’s truth and His ways? Do they see that we love to pray? Do they see God is first and paramount in every part of our lives? If they don’t see this, all the things we say will not have much impact.

 

Many blessings to you,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:44

 

Why do we think we know better than God? Why do we think that we have a better plan for our lives that the One who intricately, wonderfully, and marvelously created us?

 

God, in His perfect design, for “all His ways are perfect,” created a father and a mother to bring children into the world and to care for them in this world. He gave each one distinct roles to fulfil. Each brings their own strengths to the parenting career. Many want to change the roles because of convenience. The wife wants to take on the role of provider which means she must give her children to someone else to watch. And yet no guardian, no matter how loving, can ever be in tune to the innermost needs of her child like the mother.

 

Sometimes a mother can earn more money than her husband, so she goes to work while her husband stays home with the children. This is a role reversal and not planned by the God who created us.

 

But you say, “I know fathers who are great stay-at-home-dads to their children.” That may be so, but they cannot be a mother no matter how they try. God has put within women a maternal anointing that men don’t have. Yes, men love their children. They have a strong instinct to protect their children. They want to provide for their children but they cannot mother their children, especially babies and little ones.

 

Babies and toddlers need the comfort of their mother’s breasts. Breastfeeding is synymous with motherhood. Scientific studies reveal that the more frequently a mother breastfeeds her baby the motherlier and nurturing she becomes. The hormones release the mothering hormones and a man does not have the abundance of these hormones.

 

God has also put within women a love for home, unless of course it is brainwashed out of her by our education system, the media, and the deception of our progressive society. A man is not cut out for the finer touches of the home and to making a home feel like a home. He was created to go out and to provide and to work hard for his family.

 

To get back to our original statement, I do concede that men and women can transfer their roles to a certain extent, but only at the expense of God’s ultimate blessing for the family. God intends fathers and mothers to fully embrace the way He created them and to reveal these strengths to their children, so they pass them on from one generation to the next. Children who grow up in a family where the mother works outside the home and the husband stays home with the children will have a distorted understanding of God’s definitive plan. They will be confused and deceived. And what happens in the next generation? Will they think it normal to carry on this pattern until we have a society of men at home and women in the work force? God forbid.

 

Be blessed today in your God-given role of mothering,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

God wants our children to be well-taught. But how does He want them to be taught? Isaiah 54:13 says: “All thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” The highest education our children can receive is to be “taught of the LORD.”

 

How does God teach them? Through His people, but the best teacher a child can have is a godly mother who teaches her children God’s words and ways--a mother whose highest aim is to richly fill her children with the knowledge and wisdom of God.

 

God shows us in His Word the way He wants us to do this (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and Isaiah 28:10).

 

The word “taught” in Isaiah 54:13 is “limmud” and means “learned, trained, skilled, and accustomed. It also means to be a disciple.” Are your children “accustomed” to God’s Word? I find so many children and teens from Christian homes are not familiar with God’s Word. They know more about the spirit of the world than the Spirit of God. They are more familiar with the names of Hollywood stars and singers than God’s Word.

 

A wonderful blessing is to teach your children how to hear the voice of God speak to them personally. When you read God’s Word to your children (or when they read it themselves) encourage them to not only read the words, but to listen for the Holy Spirit speak to their hearts. When you read together, ask the children: “As we read, I want you to listen to what God is saying to your heart. When we have finished, I want you to tell us all what God said to you.”

 

You will be amazed at how God speaks to your children. We must get them into the habit of listening to the Holy Spirit. The greatest thing you can do is teach them to hear God speak to them personally from His precious Word. This way they will get to LOVE GOD’S WORD. It will become increasingly personal to them. It will become LIFE to them.

 

Be encouraged today,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

It’s much the same as going out looking for land or a new house for your family. I am sure you have done this. This is part of caring for your family, not a career outside the home!

 

Once this virtuous woman found the land for another vineyard to help feed their family, she didn’t continue to go out each day and buy and sell land for other families. This was part of her watching over the affairs of her own family. This is the whole theme of Proverbs 31. It reveals an industrious woman in her home, watching over it from morning until night.

 

Verse 27 says: “She looks well to the ways of her household.” The words “looks well” is the Hebrew word “tsaphah” and is the same word that is used of “watchmen” in the Bible. It describes the Proverbs 31 woman as a watchwoman over her home--hardworking and productive, guarding her home and her children, keeping watch on everything that happens. Nothing is hidden from her eyes.

 

It is impossible to be a watchman (a watchwoman) if you are not in the home. A watchman or guard stood at his post. He could not vacate his post while he was on duty. He had to be faithful to guard the city and watch out for enemies lurking around.

 

God told Ezekiel in Ezekiel 3:17: “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman (“tsaphah” same as “looks well” to the ways of her household) unto the house of Israel.” In the same way, God makes each mother a watchwoman over her home and the children He gives to her. We cannot take our career of Watchmother lightly. We better not vacate our post.

 

Many blessings to you today from Nancy Campbell

 

But what did Jesus say? “No house divided against itself will stand” (Matthew 12:25 ESV).

 

Here ae a few more translations:

“A family splintered by feuding will fall apart” (NLT).

“Every household divided against itself will not survive” (CJB)

“Any household that is disunited cannot last” (Goodspeed).

 

Do we want our marriage to last? Do we want our home and family to stand together to the end? Well, we have the answers. We must keep the spirit of unity. We must cultivate togetherness. We must work toward harmony. In fact, Romans 12:16 tells us to “Live in harmony with one another” (most translations).

 

Now that doesn’t mean we have to agree on everything! Help! If that was the case, we would be in disarray. I have a very independent and outspoken family and we all have differing views on many things. But that doesn’t hinder our unty.

 

In fact, we love discussions and debates together, often having different views but enjoy the sharpening of one another’s minds. As my husband says, “We don’t have to agree with each other on everything as long as we love one another.”

 

Therefore, even in our differences, we seek to keep unity. We seek to keep a good attitude. We keep forgiving. We keep loving. We forbear with one another. And most of all, we keep the unity.

 

What is our challenge?

 

Build a marriage that will last.

Build a family that will survive the ups and downs and all the traumas and difficulties that we all face in life.

Build a home that will not fall apart!

 

Be blessed today,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

P.S. A good way to do this is to put into practice all the ONE ANOTHER Scriptures that God gives us in His Word (41 of them!). You can find these in 100 DAYS OF BLESSING, Volume 4.

Available from www.aboverubies.org