Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

 

What good things can we do for our children today? Yes, we do good things for them every day. The Bible calls mothering itself a GOOD thing (Titus 2:3-5). But can you think of something special and different? Something that will make wonderful memories?

 

It’s a good question for your children, too. "Children, let's stop for a moment and think of something good you can do for one of your siblings (or mommy and daddy) today. We’re all going to close our eyes and think about it. No one is to get up from their chair (or the sofa) until they have thought of their special surprise.”

 

At the end of the day, as you sit together at the family meal table, each one can share what happened to them. The children can also share what fun it was to go out of their way to do something for someone else. What an exciting home to live in.

 

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we were created in Christ Jesus for good works. Acts 2:38 tells us: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." Jesus went about doing good works. Sometimes we just go about! But if Jesus lives in us, He will be wanting to do good works in us.

 

Instead of just going about in your home, go about doing good works!

 

Have fun today,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

Painting by Richard Emil Miller (1875-1943).

 

But we also automatically rock when we hold a baby, don’t we? In fact, do you rock even when you are not holding a baby? Once you have experienced motherhood it becomes part of who you are, doesn't it? It think it’s built within us mothers to rock.

I have always believed that every mother should have a rocking chair. It is part of mothering and should be part of every baby's life. Even though my children have grown, I still rock. I rock when I hold a baby and I rock when I am not holding a baby! And I have to admit I sway whenever I am standing. I'm marked for life with rocking!

 

Keep on rocking, mother. You are a rocker.

 

I love these words from this poem . . .

 

She rocked me as a little tyke

I happily recall,

In winter, summer, autumn, spring,

And never let me fall.

I've gotten where I am (and here's

A psychiatric shocker!)

Because I had a mother who

Was seldom off her rocker!

 

Love to you today from your fellow rocker,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

Do they see you reveling in the heart of your home and gathering your family to sit together around the table for your meals? This is the picture God paints of a blessed family (Psalm 128:3).

 

Do they see your sweet spirit of submission toward your husband who is your head and covering? Do they see you delighting to serve? Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church, and we certainly wouldn't expect to see the church ordering Christ around, would we?

 

Titus 2:3-5 describes the lifestyle God wants us to live and goes on to say that when we spurn this lifestyle that we blaspheme God’s Word. Why would it use such harsh language? Because when we don’t live the way God describes in His word, we teach a false doctrine.

 

Are you teaching correct doctrine to your children today?

 

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

 

In the Kingdom of Love by Arthur J. Elsley - Art Print

In the Kingdom of Love, Art Print by Arthur J. Elsley at ArtPrintsAndDecor.com

 

F Flavor your home with joy, sweetness, and happiness (what a nice flavor)!

L Love every moment of your mothering (rather than dreaming of when these days will be over).

O Offer your life as a living sacrifice (knowing that you save your life by losing it (Mark 11:35 and Romans 12:1-2).

U Unify your home by speaking peace into every situation.

R Revel in the joy of mothering and nurturing the precious gifts God has given to you (knowing that your Employer is God Himself).

I Intentionally make positive things happen in your home (don't let the day lead you around in circles, but instead purposefully direct your day by the leading of the Holy Spirit). Make wonderful things happen.

S Sanctify your home daily with prayer, praise, and the washing of God's Word (Ephesians 5:26).

H Heap hugs and kisses on your husband and children daily.

 

May you abundantly flourish in your home today.

 

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

 

Art by Jessica Zemsky

IN YOUR HOME!

 

Psalm 128:3-4 (TLB): “Your wife will be like fruitful vine, FLOURISHING within your home. And look at all those children! There they sit around your table as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees. That is the Lord’s reward for those who fear Him.”

 

Perhaps today you feel like a wilting plant. You feel "half dead"! Or, maybe, like some plants, you are barely surviving. You get through each day, but only just! This is not God's plan for you. He wants you to flourish and bloom.

 

I believe we can only come into the flourishing mode when we embrace our mothering role with all our hearts. We know that we are in God's perfect will. No matter what the hardships and challenges, we face them with joy. We are not dreaming of some day when we will be finished with these mothering days. Instead, we live every moment to the full. Every moment is an abounding moment because Christ lives in us and His life is not wilting, but full of life and power.

 

Embrace your powerful calling of motherhood. Enjoy your homemaking. Make every moment a God moment. Think of yourself as a flourishing plant—blossoming, flowering, blooming, growing luxuriantly, thriving, increasing, enlarging, expanding, abounding, and shooting out (Isaiah 54:2-3)! This is God's plan for you.

 

It is not a stagnant boring life but FRUITFUL and FLOURISHING.

 

Blessings to you today,

 

Nancy Campbell

We talked yesterday about Proverbs 3:5, 6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

 

Do you notice that it says that we are to acknowledge the Lord in “ALL our ways”? That means in ALL the practical ways of our lives. That means in all our mothering ways. We can often feel very close to God when we are away on our own with our Bible and no distractions. In fact, we can feel very spiritual. But what about when we get back in the fray? In the midst of babies, toddlers, tantrums, teens, frustrations, and overwhelmingness! How can we know God then?

 

Dear mother, God wants you to KNOW HIM in all your daily mothering. And not only know about him but know Him intimately. That word in the Hebrew is “yada” which means “to know intimately.”

 

Let’s get to the reality of life. God is the One who created our bodies. He wondrously, intricately, and amazingly created them to carry and nurture life in our wombs, to give birth, to pour out life and sustenance from our breasts, and to mother and teach our children.

 

We are created, called, chosen, ordained, designated, and destined—physically, emotionally, and spiritually for this purpose. Therefore, as we realize this divine truth (and can I please interrupt my sentence here--it is a divine truth even if our humanistic society does not embrace it) we will come to understand His ways.

 

Because it is God’s plan, the enemy wants to rob us from it. When he robs us of this truth, he robs us of our full understanding of God. As we embrace this divine truth, we come to find out more and more who God is like. And the more we embrace His ways in our roles as wives and mothers, the more He reveals to us and leads us in His paths.

 

Seek with all your heart to KNOW GOD in the way He created you. Don’ be dumbed down by the foolishness of our feminist society. Discover all the amazing hormones He gives to you when you are pregnant. Experience the beautiful blissful and calming hormones He gives to you while you nurse your baby. God is wrapped up in all your mothering. You miss knowing much of who God really is when you discard your mothering ways for the ways of the world.

 

We understand how He wants us to mother even as we read these negative Scriptures about animals and birds:

 

Job 39:13-16: “The ostrich . . . which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, and forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labor is vain without fear; because God hath DEPRIVED HER OF WISDOM, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.”

 

Lamentations 4:3: “Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give (nursing) to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.”

 

 

 

Be blessed,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

Painting: Spanish artist, Vicente Romero Redondo

 

P.S. Here are some links you may like to check out:

 

 

Although I have known these Scriptures from a child, it was only in recent years that I discovered that the- word “acknowledge” is “yada” in the Hebrew. This is far more than a casual acknowledgement of God. It means to know God in an intimate way. This same word is used of sexual intimacy. We read how God knew Abraham in a personal relationship (Genesis 18:19), He spoke with Moses face to face (Exodus 33:17 and Deuteronomy 34:10), and He knew Jeremiah in the womb (Jeremiah 9:23, 24).

 

We can only experience God’s true direction in our lives as we KNOW Him. If we put God into our little box and made Him a god of our own understanding, we will be led our own way. And our own way always leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13, 14).

 

Dear mother, we must seek above all things to teach our children to KNOW God, not only know about Him. When God spoke to the little boy, Samuel in the temple 1 Samuel 3:7 states: “Now Samuel did not yet know (yada) the LORD.” Samuel lived daily in the temple with the priests but didn’t know God personally yet.

 

Your children can grow up in your godly home and know about God, and yet miss KNOWING Him personally. Pray that they will come to know God intimately. Fill them with the Scriptures daily because it is the Word that makes them “wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:17). Make sure you are revealing to them the God of the Bible, not a god of your own imagination. They will only know God’s ultimate direction upon their lives as they know God truly and intimately.

 

This is the greatest thing you can teach your children.

 

Be blessed,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

Maybe you’ve been longing for this day. Maybe it’s a surprise! Maybe it wasn’t the news you wanted to hear!

Whatever the reason, I want to remind you that it is a MIRACLE FROM GOD. God is the author of this life. He destined this child. He has plans and purposes for this precious one. Let’s contemplate on the MIRACLE.

 

M God chose you to be the MOTHER of His child. It is His divine MIRACLE.

 

I God is INTERESTED in every minute detail of your baby, from creating every part of his/her body in the womb to the plans for his/her life and destiny.

 

R God will REVEAL more of His character and His ways to you as nurture and train this little one.

 

A God will give you His ANOINTING and ABILITY to train this child. He knows you cannot do it in your own strength.

 

C God has CREATED you for this purpose. He has CALLED and COMMISSIONED you for this great career.

 

L God’s LOVE will permeate your whole being as you nurse your baby at the breast and as you nurture and nourish and train this precious life for God’s purposes.

 

E God is creating within you an ETERNAL soul that will live forever. You are embarking on an eternal mission.

Praise God for your miracle.

 

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

As I was raising our children, I took hold of the Scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5:23: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your WHOLE SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lod Jesus Christ.” My constant prayer was that one day when I stand before the Lod I could present my children before Him, whole, in spirit, soul, and body. This is a huge vision.

 

We may not fulfil completely our dreams, bu if we keep them before us, we will be constantly motived to keep pressing forward in our goals.

 

I also made an acrostic to affirm my purpose as a wife and mother.

 

P Passionately love my husband and bring delight to his life.

U Unflinchingly keep my eyes upon the goal of raising a godly generation.

R Resist all temptation to come down from my high calling.

P Persevere in building my marriage and home in the face of all obstacles.

O Order my home with diligence.

S Saturate my children with God’s Word and loads of encouragement.

E Embrace my life-giving role of mothering and nurturing.

 

Blessings to you today,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

In this Scripture the “afflicted” are not those who go through great misfortunes but those who see the worst in everything. They are depressed in their minds. The New Living Translation says: “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”

 

When we see the negative in everything, we live a miserable life. And what is the bottom line? We are leaving God out of the equation! For no matter what happens in our lives, in the little annoying things of our daily lives or the big situations that seem like the end of the world, God is in control. He is bigger than our problems and difficulties.

 

We can totally trust Him, and “Whoso trusts in the Lord, HAPPY IS HE” (Proverbs 16:20). When we put our trust in the Lord and rejoice in the fact that He is our Strength, our Source, Our Rock, our Help, and our

Deliverer, we can keep our hearts joyful in any situation.

 

Your life can be a continual feast! How can that be? It’s all in how we look at things. I love Paul’s confession in 2 Corinthians 43:8-10: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed.”

 

He goes on to say in verses 16-18: “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a FAR MORE EXCEEDING AND ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY; while we LOOK NOT AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN, BUT AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

 

Instead of looking on the dark side today, why not count some blessings?

 

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

God doesn’t bless us with children without giving us the strength to nurture and train the children He gives us. This promise is tailor made for parenting.

 

You may think, “How on earth could I ever cope with another child? My hands are full already.” Dear mother, God is your Strength. He promises to give you strength for each new day. He doesn’t give you strength for tomorrow, but for TODAY. And He doesn’t give you strength and energy for a baby that has not yet arrived. If God sends you another blessing from Heaven, He will give you the strength when that baby comes. What a wonderful God we have.

 

Look to Him for His strength for today.

 

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

Painting: First Smile by Magdalena Palega

 

God puts boundaries on nature. God has put limits on the seas and the oceans. Psalm 104:9 says: “Thou hast set a bound (for the waters) that they may not pass over.” Proverbs 8:29 says: “He gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment . . . “

 

God gave the angels of Heaven their boundary. Jude 1:6 (GW) tells us: “They (the angels) were held in darkness, bound by eternal chains. These are the angels who didn’t keep their position of authority but abandoned their assigned place.”

 

God masterminded the and holy estate of marriage, the most beautiful estate on earth when we live it according to God’s plans. But God has placed boundaries on marriage. When a couple are joined as one on their wedding day, they enter into the exclusivity of marriage. We don’t share our marriage with anyone else. Oh yes, we open our homes and lives to encompass people, but our marriage is sacred. We will never embark on a personal relationship with someone of the opposite sex apart from with our husband.

 

God has given to women a powerful domain over which to rule. God planned for women to be queen of their homes and be the continuers of godly generations revealing the likeness and image of God.

 

God does not intend us to enter the realm of the male domain. Of course, we can if we want, but it will not be to our detriment. God’s blessings are poured out in the domain that He gives to us.

 

And our domain, mother, is a glorious domain. Did you read my article, LET’S GET BACK THE GLORY, in the current issue of Above Rubies?

 

I love David’s confession in Psalm 6:5, 6 (GW): "Your boundary lines mark out pleasant (delightful) places for me. Indeed, my inheritance is something beautiful.”

 

I love the CJB version: “Pleasant places were measured out for me; I am CONTENT with my heritage.” It is a beautiful thing when we are content within the boundaries that God assigns to us. In these boundary lines we have the greatest freedom because God is also the author of freedom. He wants us to live free.

 

The words of Jeremiah 5:22, 23 are challenging: “Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? But this people hath a revolting and rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.”

 

Wow, God uses the example of how even the oceans, although they roar and toss, cannot pass God’s boundary lines. And yet, unbelievably, His people do it. God mandated boundaries for His people Israel. He gave them laws and decrees, not to imprison them but to bless them, to make them healthy, and to make them His special and chosen people in all the world. But they didn’t want it. “THEY ARE REVOLTED AND GONE!”

 

This is often our testimony of many women in the church today. They don’t understand that God’s truths do not inhibit us. They set us free. But they don’t want freedom within their boundaries. They want their own kind of freedom. God mandated for women to be in the home. But where are they? Most homes in America are empty today. The mothers have REVOLTED AND GONE!

 

This passage continues in verse 25. “Your sins have withholden GOOD THINGS from you.” We miss out on the “GOOD THINGS” when we move away from the boundaries God has assigned for us.

 

Let’s embrace all that God has for us and live in the fullness of the blessings He longs for us.

 

Drawing you back to His glorious ways,

 

Nancy Campbell

 

Painting by Jessica Zemsky

 

P.S. Oh help! I can imagine the reaction to some of my above statements. I must say that I know that most women today are brainwashed by our humanistic society. They have beautiful hearts, would never want to do anything to offend God, and think their lifestyle is absolutely normal because that is all they know. Most women today are ignorant of God’s Word and His plan for women and so they are ignorantly living their lives outside the home. Others are in very difficult financial situations and are forced, often against their will, to vacate the home. Feminism has been very successful in making it more difficult for women as they have lowered men’s wages and advocated for their so-called women’s rights.

 

I understand the many reasons, dear mothers, but at the same time, as an older mother, I must be faithful to teach what God says from His Word. I know that our society is so far away from God’s original intention that it’s a long road back. To some it even looks impossible. But ultimate revival is for us to turn back. We cannot live under the fount of His full blessings unless we live in the boundary lines He has designated for us.

 

But this hits on a truth in God’s Word that we all need to understand. And that is that God works, and we work. God works for us and on our behalf, but He also wants us to work. He wants us to do our part. He wants to work together with us. He is in Heaven, and we are His voice, His hands, and His feet on the earth.

 

We see this in every aspect of Life. God is the bread-giver, but we have to work to grow the grain and bake the bread. God generously and lavishly provides food for us, but we must work to make it grow and prepare it to eat.

 

God loves marriage. He brings couples together, but they have to build into their marriage to make it beautiful.

 

God gave the land of Canaan “a land flowing with milk and honey,” to His people as an everlasting possession, but they had to go in and fight the giants and possess the land. God promised them that He would be with them and fight for them, but He didn’t do all the fighting. They had to get into the fight too.

 

Let’s look at some Scriptures. Oh, I could give you so many, but here are a few.

 

Deuteronomy 7:2, 16: “When the Lord thy God shall deliver them before you” (that's GOD fighting), thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them; thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver you.” (That’s the children of Israel fighting).

 

Deuteronomy 7:24: “He shall deliver their kings into thine hand” (that's GOD fighting) and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven.” (That's YOU fighting).

 

Deuteronomy 9:3: “The Lord thy God, which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire, He shall destroy them and He shall bring them down before thy face.” (That’s GOD fighting). Then it goes on to say: “So shalt thou drive them out and destroy them, as the Lord thy God hath said to thee.” (That's YOU fighting,)

 

In 1 Chronicles 14:15-16 we read a strategy that God gave to Israel for one of their battles: “When thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle.” (That's YOU fighting). “For God is gone forth before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.” (That's GOD fighting). “David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon, even to Gazer.”

 

Are you getting the picture? God does His part BUT He also gives us some fighting to do to.

 

I'll give you one more. In Jeremiah 51:20-24 God prophetically speaks through Jeremiah to Israel:

 

“Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee” (that's YOU fighting), “will I break in pieces the nations.” (That's GOD fighting).

 

“And with thee,” (YOU are fighting), “will I destroy kingdoms,” (GOD fighting).

 

“And with thee” (YOU are fighting) “I will break in pieces the horse and his rider.” (GOD is fighting).

 

“And with thee” (YOU are fighting), “will I break in pieces the chariots and his rider.” (That's GOD fighting).

 

This is a biblical principle we must remember as we fight our battles. God fights for us but we also have to fight.

 

“Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12).

 

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

 

P.S.

 

Awhile back I did three podcasts on LIFE TO THE FULL about the war we have to fight as mothers and in our daily lives. You can find them at these links.

 

128. WHO ARE YOU AS A MOTHER?

 

129. THE LORD MIGHTY IN BATTLE

 

130. IF GOD FIGHTS FOR US, SHOULDN’T WE FIGHT FOR OTHERS?