Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

We are all reeling from the impact of Storm Sandy. Jeremiah 5:22 is an interesting Scripture to read at this time, "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?"

God gives boundaries in nature for our safety and blessing. Until we came to USA I lived by the ocean and have always been amazed to watch the pounding waves break upon the shore and yet only come so far. God has divinely set their boundary. What stops the waves, except God? We are aware again of this miracle when we have a storm such as Sandy that rebels against the boundaries and wrecks such devastation and loss. And yet, even in a monster storm the waves can only go so far.

Just as we need boundaries in nature to keep us safe and secure, so we need boundaries in our personal lives, our families, and in the nation. Our boundaries are God's principles and laws which He has given for the safety of our lives. When we keep within His boundaries we live in freedom and blessing. The psalmist confessed in Psalm 119:71, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." Many times we reap the consequences of moving beyond God's boundaries where we no longer have His covering and blessing. We need to return to the fold again.

Some parents don't like to put boundaries upon their children. They want their children to think they are nice! However, they will not enjoy true freedom in a home that has no boundaries. They will instead experience frustration and can be led down a path of destruction.

Embrace your boundaries in your own life. Teach your children the blessing of boundaries. Boundaries give peace. Boundaries give safety, And boundaries release us to freedom. We are free to enjoy life to the full in the midst of safe boundaries.

Love from Nancy

I believe that one of the most important attitudes we can have in our life is a "returning spirit." Jeremiah 5:3 tells us about the children of Israel who "refused to return."

I should always have a "returning spirit" in my heart--returning back to God when I grieve the Holy Spirit, returning back to God's plumbline of truth when I get into deception, returning back to a soft and tender spirit when my heart becomes hard.

Not only should I have a "returning spirit" toward the Lord, but also toward my husband--returning to a soft a sweet spirit when I become haughty and independent, returning to a submissive spirit when I would rather do my own thing. I think that one of the secrets of a harmonious marriage is to keep a soft and tender spirit. This takes constant "returning."

What about the church of God today? I believe that "the spirit of returning" is the greatest need of the hour--returning to our first love, returning back to God's absolute truth and principles, returning back to the radical lifestyle of the earth church, and turning away from our mediocre, middle of the road, complacent, flesh-pampering and world-loving spirit.

God leaves us with the plea to return in the last verses of the Old Testament, "He shall TURN THE HEART OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:5-6). The Hebrew word is "shuv" and is translated "turn" 80 times and "return" 491 times. God's greatest longing is for a returning back to His heart for family, to see children as He sees them, and to embrace into our families the children He wants us to have.

Will we have a "returning spirit"? Or would we rather stay in our rut of "my way." In everything in life it is either "my way" which usually leads to destruction and deception, or "God's way" which leads to life and holiness.

Love from Nancy Campbell

May God strengthen you mightily as you mother and train your children today. You are privileged to be working in the most influential career in the nation--building a strong marriage and family, and consequently building a nation! And even more amazing, you don't have an earthly employer; your employer is God Himself!

When Zerubbabel and his crew came back from Babylon to rebuild the temple, God encouraged them with the words, "Yet now be strong, alert and courageous, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; be strong, alert and courageous O Joshua... and be strong, alert and courageous all you people of the land, and work. For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:4 Amplified).

We are also involved in rebuilding--rebuilding a nation where marriages and families have been falling apart. I believe the answer to the cry of the psalmist, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" is to build them again. We do this firstly by putting every effort into building our own marriage and family, and secondly, to be part of strengthening and building up again the families of the nation by proclaiming and standing true to God's principles.

How do we this? We have to be STRONG! We have to be DISCERNING AND ALERT to the enemy's subtle inroads into our home! We have to be COURAGEOUS! And, we have to WORK! Yes, it is not a picnic! It takes WORK!

But, we do not need to faint, because who is with us? The strong and mighty Warrior, the Lord of hosts, the Lord of the armies of heaven who fights for His people.

Be encouraged today in your great work of building. You are doing a great work. I know you'll be strong and courageous for the task.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Isn't it awesome to know that we weren't created haphazardly, but purposely. God created every aspect of our female body for His divine purposes. He didn't create our female organs to lie dormant or to atrophy, but to fulfill God's wondrous designs. Our whole being, transcendentally and physically, are tied together. Even the physical organ of our womb is not only a physical organ. It is the very seat of our emotions. It is the essence of our motherly compassion and love.

It always amazes me that the word "womb" in the Bible is often used for the physical womb, and at other times to describe compassion and pity, especially God's compassion. When we embrace the function of our womb, we experience more and more of the anointing of God's compassion in our lives.

I noticed this again this morning as my husband read Isaiah 49:15 in our Family Devotions, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have COMPASSION on the son of her WOMB? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Once again, in this passage, compassion and the womb are linked together.

Do not despise the glorious function of your womb. It is not only where you conceive and nurture an eternal soul, but where the anointing of God's compassion and love will encompass you. And, even more amazingly, you will reveal God's compassionate heart toward your children and to those around you.

Love from Nancy Campbell

The following is an article sent in by an Above Rubies reader, written by Bernard Doherty about the function of the pill. It is important that every women understand how it works.

When birth control came out in the 70's, the estrogen levels were so high ovulation never happened. The women never released an egg. They found out about 10 to 15 years later, after women started dying that the estrogen level was too high. They stopped adding so much estrogen, but that also left a higher risk of releasing an egg or a higher risk of pregnancy. To counter the risk of ovulation or pregnancy they started adding progestin. Progestin does not prevent ovulation, so what does it do?

Birth Control with Estrogen and Progestin work together like this.

1. By blocking ovulation (release of an egg from the ovaries), thus preventing pregnancy. (Estrogen)

2. By altering mucus in the cervix, which makes it hard for sperm to travel further. (Progestin)

3. By altering the fallopian tubes (the tubes through which eggs move from the ovaries to the uterus) so that they cannot effectively move eggs toward the uterus. (Progestin)

4. By changing the endometrium (lining of the uterus) so that it cannot support a fertilized egg. (Progestin)

The first two steps try to prevent conception.

If the first two steps fail, conception could take place and you have new life inside of you (You are pregnant). The new life is complete with 46 chromosomes. At the instant of fertilization, your baby's genes and sex are set. If the sperm has a Y chromosome, your baby will be a boy. If it has an X chromosome, the baby will be a girl.

This New Life takes a trip down your fallopian tubes to your uterus. It's grows on its way there. It takes around four to seven days to get there, an average of five days (One Week). When it arrives, it implants in your uterine wall for sustenance (Food).

But wait! Step four of Progestin. Changing the endometrium (lining of the uterus) so that it cannot support a fertilized egg.

So, the New Life (Boy or Girl) grows for a whole week and it finally makes it to the uterus. But when it tries to implant, it is unsuccessful. The uterine wall has been changed so that it will no longer support this New Life. It has been changed so that it will no longer allow implantation. Without implanting, the New Life (Boy or Girl) can no longer sustain itself and it dies. It effectively starves to death.

Thus, the fourth Step in Progestin, has successfully aborted this New Life and your pregnancy. The pill has effectively performed an abortion on your pregnancy. You were pregnant for a whole week and you didn't even know it.

The Pill, The Shot, and IUD's all work the same way. They do not prevent pregnancy from happening. They prevent the New Life (Boy or Girl) from living, thus aborting (Abortion) your pregnancy! While the risk of this is relatively low, it can be said that a sexually active woman on birth control will have at least one abortion a year.

Also, the risk of fallopian tube pregnancies are higher on birth control. If you take a look at step three, you can see why. If the New Life cannot make it to your uterus for implantation it has two options. It can either die or implant in the fallopian tube.

I was sick to my stomach when I first found out. I prayed to God for forgiveness for what I have done. You may ask, how was this allowed to go unnoticed? Or, why do the doctors and the companies tell us it doesn't cause abortion?
The pill companies know this. They will tell you that it does not cause abortion. They tell you this because they have changed the definition of pregnancy. They have effectively convinced most of society that pregnancy does not occur until after implantation so the New Life you have been carrying for a whole week is not really a New Life and you were never really pregnant. Disregard the fact that it has all the chromosomes and its sex, boy or girl, has already been picked out. On top of that, it has been growing inside of you for a whole week.

Most people agree that pregnancy starts at the time of conception. The time of New Life. Sperm meeting Egg. The birth control companies would have you believe that pregnancy no longer starts at conception. The reason for this lie is money! If they agreed that pregnancy started at conception then they would have to agree that birth control causes abortion! They won't do that because they will lose customers and money! Their companies revolve around, MONEY! They don't care that it allows abortions, or the fact that they lied to you. They just want your money! That's what makes them happy!
By Bernard Doherty

I think one of the greatest Scriptures in the Bible (how can there be a "greatest" when they are all great?) is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). But, do we believe it?

When you acknowledge that Christ is living His life in you, it changes every moment and every circumstance. You know that because He is in you He is right with you in your kitchen. Yes, right now! He is with you when everything that is happening at once and even overwhelming you. Remember, nothing gets Christ upset! He can handle every situation--and He lives in you!

I love the quote of Brother Lawrence, "The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer and in the noise and clutter of my kitchen while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon by knees at the blessed sacrament."

Love from Nancy

One of the Scriptures my husband read at Family Devotions Saturday morning was Psalm 119:97, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." Colin loves to ask questions at Family Devotions and asked, "How can we meditate in the Word all the day long?" At first, no one had a good answer as to how we could do this in the midst of a busy day with so many things to do. God wants us to work hard six days a week. He wants us to build houses, plant gardens and tend to them, have children and care for them, and "subdue and take dominion" (Jeremiah 29:4-6; Genesis 1:28). That's a lot of work! How can you meditate while you are doing all this?

Serene and the children were with us and she answered, "By sowing it into the framework of our lives." I thought that was a wonderful answer. God's ways should be sown into every part of our lives. God does not want the spiritual separated from the practical. It is all one together. As we imbibe God's principles, we'll know how He wants us to act in every practical detail of our lives. It will be part of our lives all day long.

Sow God's Word into your own heart. Sow it into the minds and hearts of your children. This is your top priority. Unless they have God's Word as the foundation and framework of their lives, they will build on a shaky and deceptive foundation.

Love from Nancy Campbell

I am sure you are like me. I long to hear from God and understand what He is saying. I long for wisdom. I long for knowledge. And I want to be instructed (Proverbs 1:2-3).

However, I notice that the word "instruction" is usually the Hebrew word, "muwcar" which means "chastisement, reproof, warning, restraint, rebuke." Oh my. We don't like that, do we? And yet I find that we only grow in wisdom and understanding as we are open to reproof. We only mature in the knowledge of God as we have a soft and tender heart to the Holy Spirit as He speaks to us through HIs Word, and yes, sometimes through our husband, and other people, too!

It goes against our flesh to receive rebuke and counsel, but this is the only way we mature (Hebrews 12:9-11).

As we imbibe this attitude toward God and to others, our children also learn that this is the lifestyle you live to become mature. This is the attitude you need if you want discernment in this society of deception.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Yesterday I posted 22 attitudes that God wants us to have toward our great role of mothering. Don't forget to read them if you didn't get to do it yesterday. A number of mothers printed out these attitudes to pin up on their fridge. I think this is a good idea, because we really need to take one attitude each day and work on it. It's just about too much to take them in all at once, don't you think?

God is so great. He shows the way He wants us to mother, and when we do it His way, we reap the blessings of peace and joy in our life and in our home. When we do it our own way, and especially giving in to our own moods and feelings, we reap discontent and misery.

However, not only do we reap the blessings in our home now, but we have an eternal reward. Be encouraged by these Scriptures today:

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize. So run, that ye may obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24 and Philippians 2:12-14). Work in your home with your eye on the finishing line! The words "may obtain" mean "to seize, to lay hold of."

"Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" 1 Corinthians 15:58). Mothering is never in vain. It is an eternal career and lasts forever.

"And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9).

"Whatsoever good thing (and mothering is a good thing) any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:8)

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward" (Colossians 3:23-24). You may not receive any reward from man, but you will receive it from the Lord!

Don't give up in the race of mothering. Keep your eye on the goal.

Love from Nancy

I wrote about serving the Lord in motherhood. How does God want us to do this? The Bible tells us exactly.

Joyfully! (Deuteronomy 28:47). Wipe off the frown. Put a smile on your face. Don't worry about whether you feel like it or not. Smile and your attitude will change.

Without being sidetracked! (Nehemiah 6:3).

Humbly! (Matthew 20:26-28).

Faithfully! (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Without expecting anything in return! (Luke 7:7-10).

Relying on God! (John 14:4-5; Philippians 4:13).

Willingly! (Proverbs 31:13). No more excuses!

With all our might! (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

With zeal! (John 2:17). Forget moping around the house. Forget apathy. You are involved in the greatest career in the nation. You are influencing this nation and generations to come. Do it with zeal.

Not giving up! (Acts 20:24; 2 Timothy 4:7).

Fervently! (Romans 12:11).

Aboundingly! (1 Corinthians 15:58). To "abound" in the work of the Lord is the Greek word, "perisseuo" and actually means "to be excessive, over the top, more than is necessary, enough and to spare." Are you just doing what you have to do to get through the day? Or, are you mothering "over the top"? What a fun way to live! What a great way to serve the Lord as you mother each day. When you change a diaper, laugh and smile at your baby. When you are doing mundane tasks, do them with exuberance. When you are preparing a meal, make it a beautiful meal to bless your family.

For the glory of God! (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Lovingly! (Galatians 5:13).

Without Seeking Recognition! (Ephesians 6:6).

Without Grumbling! (Philippians 2:14-15).

Heartily! (Colossians 3:23). The word "heartily" actually means "soul" (psuche). That means we are to not only do our mothering tasks physically, just because we have to do them, but to put our whole heart and soul into them.

In the name of the Lord Jesus! (Colossians 3:17). As we do each task in the name of Jesus, it becomes a sacred task.

With thankfulness! (Colossians 3:17). No more groaning and complaining. We thank and praise the Lord instead.

As to the Lord, and not unto men! (Colossians 3:23). Every big or little task, we do it unto the Lord. Doesn't this attitude change everything?

In the fear of the Lord! (Hebrews 12:28b; Psalm 2:11).

What attitude spoke to you today?

Love from Nancy

After reading the post below, you may want to check out a few more titles that we can claim as mothers. This is a comprehensive list, but not a complete list. If you can think of some other titles, I love you to share them. Or share with us the one that you relate to the most.

Apart from the greatest title of all, MOTHER, which we are all proud to wear, be encouraged by the following titles:

Accountant, Arbitrator, Art Appreciator, Arrow Polisher, Ambassador for the King of kings, Bodyguard, Bookkeeper, Bulk Buyer, Counselor, Career Consultant, Chauffeur, CEO of my Family Clan, Children's Pastor, Children's Best Friend, Childhood Psychologist, Creative Designer, Customer Service Representative, Coach, Child Development Specialist, Domestic Engineer, Cheer Leader, Cultivator of "olive plants," Dietitian, Discipler, Director of Home Affairs, Driving Instructor, Encourager, Entrepreneur, Entertainer, Educator, First Lady of the home, Fashion Consultant, Finance Manager, Food Tester, Gardener, Generation Builder, Guidance Counselor, Happy Homemaker, Home Executive, Home Manager, Hostess, Hygienist, Historian, Hairdresser, Interior Decorator, Investigator, Intercessor, Janitor, Judge, Lapidary (polisher of precious stones), Librarian, Launderer, Mentor, Master Story Teller, Missionary, Movie Critic, Nurse, Nutritionist, Nurturer, Nation Changer, Professional Chef, Professional Baker, Professional Cleaner, Pediatrician, Project Manager, Purchasing Agent, Photographer, Personnel Manager, Protector, Queen of the home, Referee, Recreation Director, Repairer of breaches, Switchboard Operator, Speech Therapist, Sculptor, Security Guard, Seamstress, Social Coordinator, Safety Instructor, Schedule Coordinator, Shepherd of my flock, Teacher, Time Management Expert, Taxi Driver, Vacation Coordinator, Visionary, Walking Encyclopedia, and of course, Wonder Woman!

Lift your head high, dear mother, and embrace your greatest calling.

Love from Nancy

Isn't it such a privilege to be in full time service for the Lord? Every mother is in full time ministry. We are engaged in the most powerful career in the nation--mothering, nurturing, educating, and training the next generation. We as mothers determine the destiny of our nation.

What do you answer when someone asks you your occupation? You could respond, "I'm in full time ministry."

"What is the area of your ministry? they may ask.

"I'm a Children's Pastor," you reply.

Or, you could answer with any amount of titles that God has given you as a mother--Teacher, Nurse, Nutritionist, Childhood Psychologist, or Director of Home Affairs.

Of course, being in full time ministry for God, you'll be serving the Lord with all your heart, "Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11).

Love from Nancy

God is a dwelling God and He delights to dwell in your life. The essence of our Christianity is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). We are more than a creature with a spirit; we are a spirit with a body waiting to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. If Christ lives in you, this fact changes everything you say and everything you do. Your life is no longer secular and meaningless. Everything you do is sacred because you are housing the presence of God.

Dear mother, when you are preparing meals, cleaning up, washing dishes, doing laundry, and even cleaning toilets, you are doing sacred tasks. They are as meaningful to God as if you were doing some great ministry in a church. Every moment is a hallowed moment because God is with you.

This changes the mundane to be memorable, the daily grind to be delightful, the boring to be beautiful, and instead of griping you'll be giving glory to God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do (every little or big task you have to do in your home today), do all to the glory of God."

May God's presence fill you home today as you do everything as a sacred task.

Love from Nancy Campbell

We are preparing children to "speak in the gates." But, what are they going to speak? Are they going to give an "uncertain sound" or a certain sound (1 Corinthians 14:8)? Our job as mothers is to instill in their minds and hearts the certainty of God's truth. The Knox translation says to "ground thee in true doctrine." They must be grounded and rooted in God's Word so that all opposition to the truth will run off them like water off a duck's back!

Proverbs 22:20-21 says, "Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee KNOW THE CERTAINTY OF THE WORDS OF TRUTH; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?" This is my current memory verse.

I love the word "certainty," don't you? We as mothers must know the certainty of God's truth. We must ingrain our children in the certainty of God's truth. It's not enough that they hear it. They must know it enough to speak it. Check out Isaiah 59:21. God does not want His Words to depart from our lips, the lips of our children, or even our children's children forever! What a huge responsibility we have. Motherhood is certainly not a part time job.

One of the ways our children daily receive God's Word is at our morning and evening Family Devotions. Don't let anything rob you of this family blessing.

Love from Nancy

We are talking about not being silent, but contending for the truth. This should not only be our testimony, but it is God's mandate for training our children. The familiar Scripture in Psalm 127:5 says, "Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them (children): they shall not be ashamed, but they shall SPEAK with the enemies in the gate."

Do you notice that we are training arrows to "SPEAK" in the gate? We don't need much help in knowing what the word "speak" means, but this same word is also translated in different Scriptures as "answer, command, commune, declare, publish, utter, talk--and even subdue in Psalm 18:47 and 47:3." Nowhere does it say "stay silent."

What an awesome task we have as parents to prepare our children to be ready to speak the truth and contend for the faith. We don't send our children out before they are ready. We've got a lot of preparing and training to do. But when the time comes, we will have them prepared. We are not training children for hibernation, but for revelation. God wants His people to invade the world with the revelation of His truth and His character.

Make sure you have lots of practice. Have times when you get together as a family, and even invite other families to join you. Ask difficult questions to the children and get them to answer. Expect them to answer from God's point of view and a biblical worldview as you have been teaching them. Sometimes you may even want to heckle and oppose as you prepare them for the fray they will one day face. Remember, God sends us out as "lambs amongst the wolves" (Matthew 10:16).

Be encouraged in the great task God has given you.

Love from Nancy

When we talk to people and realize they are in deception and believing a lie, what do we do? When someone is doing something that is not right, what do we do? I guess that if we are to be honest we would have to confess that we prefer to say or do nothing. We don't want to interfere in their lives. We don't want to be thought of someone who is condemning or legal, so we keep quiet.

But, is that what we are meant to do? Proverbs 28:4 says, "They that forsake the law praise the wicked; but such as keep the law CONTEND WITH THEM." What does this word "contend" mean? The Hebrew word is "garah" and means "to meddle, to stir up." In other words, it means to get involved.

Is it loving to leave someone in deception? Often they are ignorantly in deception. Is it loving to not seek to rescue someone who is going in the wrong direction? (Read Jude 1:23).

How can we change society if we stay silent? As God's people, we are meant to be invading society with God's truth. We are mean to be leading the way. We are meant to be shining God's light into the darkness, not hiding our light (Matthew 5:13-16).

Of course, I don't believe we should be judging and condemning in our response. A great way to challenge people's thinking is to ask them questions. Ask them why they think this way. Get to the bottom of their worldview. The whole of society, Christian and non-Christians, are constantly bombarded with a secular and humanistic worldview. It is time we invaded society with a biblical worldview.

Don't hide your light. Drop seeds of truth wherever you go; when you meet women at the supermarket, when you talk to them at church, and when you talk to people who are going in a wrong direction. And don't forget to smile at them when you talk to them.

Love from Nancy

We can't build a strong home without wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Building a home doesn't just happen.

Isn't it amazing that girls are encouraging to get degrees in all kinds of things, but there is no degree for homebuilding. And yet, this is the most important career in the nation! It is the homes that strengthen or weaken the nation. It is the mothers who determine the destiny of the nation. We can spend years studying for that which is unnecessary and never prepare for the most necessary.

Of course, we can't build a godly home with worldly wisdom and understanding. We must come to God, the one who planned the whole idea of home and family in the first place. His Word is filled with wisdom about how to go about it. And in Him "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:2).

Proverbs 24:3-4 says, "Through wisdom is an house builded, and by understanding it is established, and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Cry out to God daily for His wisdom and knowledge. He is the source of it all. And He has promised to give it to you (James 1:5-8).

Love from Nancy

Have friends or family been talking about you? Have they said things that hurt you deeply? What is your response? Are you harboring hurt, unforgiveness, or even bitterness?

Or, perhaps you are full of fear as you face a current crisis. Once again, what is your response? Are you turning your heart to God?

David experienced these very things you may be experiencing. In fact, his enemies wanted to kill him!

What was his response? "But, I trusted in thee, O Lord, I said, THOU ART MY GOD" (Psalm 31:13-14). Can I encourage you, dear mother, to take your eyes off your circumstances, stop dwelling on them, and instead look to God. He is bigger than anything you are facing. He is in control of your life. You can trust Him.

Change your confession. Confess out loud, "Oh God, I do trust you. I thank you that you are my God." All throughout this day, confess out loud, "YOU ARE MY GOD."

Your situation may not change, but you will be amazed at the change in the attitude of your heart.

Love from Nancy

We all know that Americans are eating more every year. But, it's not only Americans. Most of the world is eating more, too. An article in the coming Above Rubies states, "From 1961 to 2003, the available (for consumption) calories per capita has risen from 2254 to 2809, over 24 percent increase in about four decades." And yet, in that same time, the global population doubled! Isn't that amazing? More people on the planet, all eating more, and yet there is still plenty of room. Our earth has the capability of producing up to four times as is needed for the current seven billion people on the earth.

It is only a puny mind, that doesn't believe God, that thinks that there is a problem with over-population! Have you traveled by car across America? You drive for hundreds of miles without seeing habitation until you come to a city. You drive through the city and encounter miles of open space again. This is not only typical to America. I have traveled by bus and by train through Malaysia. Once again you drive for miles through fields and palm groves until you reach a city.

God, the creator of this world created it to be inhabited. And He created the world with the ability to feed all its inhabitants. As the population grows, so does the capacity to feed them. Our God is a big God.

Isaiah 45:18 says, "For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else."

Weren't the first words God said to man, "Fill the earth" (Genesis 1:28)? It's not filled yet!

Love from Nancy

The is the seventh and last post in a series of things the Bible says are "good" to include in our lives. This one is found in the story of Martha and Mary where "Mary sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word." But, poor Martha! She was left in the kitchen cooking and serving. She started to feel really mad inside and asked Jesus to send Mary to help her! I'm sure we'd feel the same!

What did Jesus answer? "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).

It's hard to reconcile this incident, isn't it? When we are running a home and have little children all around us, it's hard to find time to sit at the feet of Jesus, even though we long to do so. Before I was married, I had time to spend up to three hours in the presence of the Lord each day. When I married and children came along, I no longer had those precious times and had to find little moments to read the Word in the toilet room or from a Bible on my windowsill as I prepared food and washed dishes. My prayers were no longer hours long, but little cries of help to God throughout the day.

But, God understands a mother's life. He "gently leads those that are with young" (Isaiah 40:11).

My life is still full and busy. One of the things I love about each day is when we take time out for Family Devotions each morning and evening. I take time to sit and listen to God speak to me through the Word as my husband reads it to us. We take time to worship and pray together. I am doing the "good" part, and I WILL NOT LET IT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME!

Love from Nancy