When you have an opportunity to go out to enjoy yourself, who would you rather go with? Some girlfriends? Or your husband? We will always want to go with our best friend, won't we?
In Titus 2:4 the older women are exhorted to teach the young women to "love their husbands." The Greek word used here is not agape (God's divine love which goes beyond the love of man). It is not "eros" which is sexual love. We need to experience both these in our marriage, but the one God uses in this passage is "philandros." This is a friendly, affectionate love.
We are not only to love our husbands, but to be friendly and affectionate to them. Throughout the day we should take every opportunity to cuddle, kiss, hug, and touch. The more we do this, the more we release love to each other. We have to work at being friendly. We can so easily forget about it in the challenges of the day and the tiredness of the evening.
We should speak to them as though we were speaking to our best friend. Do we yell at our best friend? Do we give the silent treatment to our best friend? Exodus 33;11 tells us that God spoke to Moses "face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." He told things to Moses that He didn't tell anyone else. There is a special way we speak to friends. Usually polite, sweet, kind, and with respect. This is the same way we should speak to our husband.
If our husband is our best friend, we'll love him even when he's not so nice; even when he's being difficult. Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loveth AT ALL TIMES."
Another wonderful thing about friendship is learning from one another, encouraging one another, and sparring one another on to greater intellectual and spiritual heights. My husband and I love to discuss subjects together (especially from God's Word), and we don't always agree. How boring that would be. My husband says, "We don't have to agree with one another, but we do have to love one another." Proverbs 27:17 says, "Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."
Forget Girls' Night Out! I'd rather go out with my husband (or stay home with him) than anyone else in the world. And that's after over 51 years of living together!
Love from Nancy Campbell
Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
Further to my today's post: Have you read the story of C. T. Studd, a famous cricketer in England, who gave up everything to serve the Lord in China? He wrote . . .
Lord, send us lion-hearted men
With good courageous habits
Who ne’er will run from the devil’s gun
Like hares and bunny rabbits!
He also wrote a poem about Chocolate soldiers versus real soldiers and how chocolate soldiers melt when things get too hot! One of the stanzas says . . .
For genuine soldiers are heroes
"Chocolate soldiers" are shams
The soldiers of Jesus are lions
Not hares or timid lambs.
I am sure your boys will love memorizing these lines.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
What is your goal, dear mother as you train your little army each day? It's easy to lose sight of the great mission we have in the midst of the day to day challenges and everything we have to accomplish. Can I encourage you to keep your vision in front of you? It's a powerful vision. You have the responsibility of training God's end-time task force. Wow, you are not insignificant!
God is preparing an army and you are one of His chosen trainers. Are you training them to fit in with the groove of this world? Or are you training them to be true soldiers of Jesus Christ?
It's not an easy task to train a soldier. A true soldier must learn how to obey his commander immediately. As we train our children to obey us, we are training them to be ready to obey their Great Commander. A true soldier must be disciplined. They learn how to get up at a certain time and do their chores quickly and happily. A true soldier keeps fit and toned.
Are your children becoming soldiers for God's army? Or are they flabby in spirit and more attuned to the amusements of this world than God's coming purpose for their life? 2 Timothy 2:4 says, "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
Train you children with purpose.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
I read recently read that "Babies are built to expect the equivalent of an 'external womb' after birth." I'm sure this is how God intends it to be. A baby that comes forth from the continual security and sustenance of the womb needs to know the continuing security and sustenance of its mother.
It is normal and natural for the babe to be nursed at the breast as the baby requires, not only for food, but for comfort and consolation. It is normal for a young babe to sleep with his mother and nurse at her breasts during the night, rather than lie in the coldness of a bassinet. It is normal for a babe to be constantly close to the mother's skin and heart as she carries him in a baby carrier.
I know that many mothers are influenced by old wives' tales that they must separate their baby and leave him to cry. This goes against everything in a mother's heart. I remember reading these words as a young mother, "There is more in a mother's intuition than in all the books you'll ever read." How true. You don't have to listen to this person or that person. LISTEN TO YOUR HEART, dear mother. Follow the God-given instincts that God has put in you to mother. Go with your heart.
Love from Nancy Campbell
As wives and mothers, oh how we have to constantly watch the words we say. Every word has the power to either bring life or death.
Are you crushed and hurting? God will come close to you if you let Him.
The LORD is close to the Brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Pslam 34:18
Colin and I were blessed to have seven beautiful young ladies grace our dinner table last evening. We love to discuss subjects at our table and last night I asked each girl to share something beautiful that has happened in their life. What beautiful things they shared.
The first girl told us with great delight the amazing excitement and joy that happens in their family when their parents tell the news they are having another baby. She was radiant and full of smiles as she shared how every child is so excited. Some jump up and down with excitement and others cry with joy. And very soon these parents are going to have their 10th baby.
How delightful. Love from Nancy
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth" (Psalm 139:13-15).
There are so many hurting people, not only poor people who are struggling, but those who are affluent, and yet their lives are broken and crushed. Their marriages are tearing apart. And again, some of these are in the church, and sometimes even in leadership.
And yet God is waiting to heal. He is the healer of broken lives. When Jesus went into the synagogue at Nazareth, He picked up the scroll and read from Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he that anointed me . . . to heal the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1-3 and Luke 4:16-19). The word “brokenhearted” is talking about those whose lives are shattered and broken to shivers.
You may be feeling utterly crushed. Your life is broken in little bits and you can’t imagine how to get it back together again. Dear hurting one, God is waiting to heal and restore you. Lay your life before Him and let Him come in with His light, His love, His healing balm, and His restoring anointing. He will do it, little by little, if you let Him. Allow His living Word to heal you. Your circumstances may not change right away, but God will heal your soul.
You cannot cope unless your soul is whole. Let Him come in and flood your life. His love will enable you to forgive, to let go of hurt and bitterness, and to be healed and restored. He only is the “restorer of your soul.”
Blessings to you from Nancy
God says to us in Jeremiah 15:20: "I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord."
Why is God with us? To deliver us--to deliver us from evil, from temptation, and whenever we cry out to Him. Thank Him that He is with you today. Thank Him that He is your Deliverer.
Love, Nancy
This morning at our Family Devotions we sang the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" written by Martin Luther. It was so great to be reminded of the powerful words in this hymn. Check out all the words in your hymn book or on the Internet, but here's the third verse:
And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
1 John 5:19 ESV reminds us that "The whole world lies in the power of the evil one." We cannot relax in the sun on our raft while the current takes us down stream. We are in a fight against evil. We fight every inch of the way. We fight against the enemy who seeks to come into the very sanctuary of our home! Oh the audacity! We mothers have to be fighters.
But we are not fighting in our own strength. We don't have fleshly weapons but powerful spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). We have the Word of God. We have the powerful name of Jesus and His precious blood.
Praise God, one little word, the name of Jesus, shall fell him! Triumph in the name of Jesus today.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
Did you smile at your husband this morning? Are you smiling at your children today?
It's difficult to accomplish anything very powerful when you are apathetic about it, isn't it? Many things can only be accomplished by the "zeal of the Lord." Isaiah 9:7 tells us that "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." How is this going to be accomplished? The rest of the Scripture says, "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." It is the passion and zeal of God that will perform this wonderful promise.
When Jesus beheld what was happening in the temple which was called "The House of Prayer" he didn't stand by indifferently. He rose up in righteous indignation and drove the sheep, oxen, and money changers from the temple, kicking over all their tables. When the disciples saw it they remembered the Scripture, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up" (John 2:17 and Psalm 69:9).
I believe we also need the zeal of the Lord as we tackle the greatest career in the nation, that of mothering and training the next generation who will detriment the course of the nation. WE CAN'T DO IT HAPHAZARDLY. WE CAN'T DO IT APATHETICALLY. WE CAN'T DO IT HALF-HEARTEDLY. WE CAN'T DO IT PART TIME!
We must rise up in the zeal of the Lord, knowing the power and destiny of our calling and the urgency of this hour. Titus 2:14 exhorts us to be "zealous of good works" and the greatest work you are doing is raising your family. Do it with zeal.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes" (Psalm 118:0-10).
Why do we put our trust in mere man when we can trust God?
I read this morning in Ecclesiastes 3:13 "That everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil--this is God's gift to man." I know you've got lots of work to do today. I have to.
Maybe you have a big pile of laundry that must get done. Instead of sighing about it, take pleasure in it! Sing while you organize it. Gather some of the children and teach them how you do it.
You've got to clean a certain room. Enjoy doing it. Praise the Lord for the joy of accomplishing another task. This is the joy of work. God gives work to us as a gift. When we work hard physically, we enjoy a good night's rest. As we work, we get creative ideas on how to do things better or create something new altogether. New inventions and creations always come out of work. We revel in the joy of completing a task.
Your mothering is your greatest work. What a blessed work. It is a good work. It is the work the Lord has given you. Rejoice and take pleasure in it today.
Love from Nancy Campbell
No, I'm not talking about Ebenezer Scrooge! I'm talking about a monument stone that the prophet Samuel erected after God gave Israel victory over the Philistines. He called it "Ebenezer, saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us" (1 Samuel 7:12).
What a wonderful affirmation. It's a phrase we need to remember, too. Often we face a new challenge or difficulty and wonder how we'll get through. But, then we remember, God has got me through before and He will do it again! Praise His holy name. As we acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord, we are encouraged to know that God will be with us in new trials and tribulations.
Don't forget your Ebenezers. Raise them up like the old hymn writer, Robert Robinson when he wrote, "Here I raise my Ebenezer." You can raise your Ebenezer by raising your hands and thanking God for His goodness and faithfulness. You can raise up something tangible to remind you, such as your Bible (filled with God's promises to you), a picture that reminds you of God's intervention, or some commemoration you have kept.
God has not failed you in the past and He will never fail you in the future. As Joshua proclaimed, "Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof" (Joshua 23:14).
Raise your Ebenezer!
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
What a beautiful thing to be a "blessing soul." Proverbs 11:25 says, "The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." The margin in my Bible says the "liberal soul" is a "soul of blessing." Don't you love that?. It's talking about someone who can't stop blessing people. It's talking about a GENEROUS blesser. And it comes from out of their soul, not only their mouth.
And of course, they are revealing what God is like. He is a Blesser. The first thing God did when He created the man and woman was to BLESS them.
How do we pour out blessing to our husband, children, and those around us?
Bless them with smiles--not just when we feel like it, but smiling to bless them.
Bless them with kind and encouraging words.
Bless them with a listening ear.
Bless them by serving them.
Bless them by doing surprises for them.
Bless them with love and hugs.
Bless them with positivity which uplifts them. A downcast sour face is a wet blanket in the home.
May God help us to be generous blessing souls.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
Genesis 49:25 talks about the "blessings of the breasts, and of the womb." Blessings? Yes, God says they are His blessings to us as women. But they are ultimately His blessings to the whole world for without them mankind would come to a screeching halt!
One of the meanings of womb is "a place where something originates and develops." The womb is the commencement of life, the beginning and continuing of generations, the origin of dynasties to come, and also the filling of eternity. Every precious life that is conceived in the womb is an eternal soul who will live forever. The power of the womb is eternal.
Woman is a compound of two words, womb and man. Every woman is a "womb man." Her womb differentiates her from man. Why, then do many women deny their womb? Close off their womb? Makes sure it cannot function? It is the deception of Satan who hates life.
But, not only is the womb a nesting place of life, it is also the source of our emotions and our compassion. It is amazing that the word womb in the Bible is interchangeable between the physical womb of a woman and God's compassion, tender love, and mercy. When we embrace our womb, we not only have the privilege of embracing children, but we have the honor of revealing God's compassion and love to the world.
Embrace the blessing of your womb. It is very much who you are as a woman. Ask your husband to pray God's protection over your womb.
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
Some time ago I asked if readers would like to share different words they use for a baby growing in the "womb" or meanings of the word "womb." Here are the ones that were sent to me:
“chalice”
“home of compassion” (The Arabic, Turkish, and Hebrew word for “womb” is the same word as mercy or compassion)
“knitting place”
"house of gold"
“garden of life”
“a safe little bubble”
“spaceship”
“heart of life”
"safe haven of love"
“house of life”
“nesting place”
“palace of a child” (This is the Chinese meaning of womb)
“baby’s sanctuary”
“the secret place” (This is what God calls the womb in Psalm 139:15)
“cradle of the unborn”
“God’s creative workshop”
“baby’s first home”
“God’s place to bless”
"hidden glory"
"birthplace of destiny"
"miracle haven"
"home of shelter"
"home of protection"
"sacred place"
“created trinity” Missy explains, We know the “Divine Trinity” as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The “created trinity” represents “created” meaning life is created by our Father in Heaven; and “trinity” meaning it takes a [father] and [mother] to help make [baby].
“mother’s room” Naomi shares, When my son was little, he misunderstood Psalm 139:13 NIV, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb” and thought it was “Mother’s Room.”
“greenhouse”
“my holy place” Tausha (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) writes about her “holy place.”
“I am a mother of six precious arrows in our quiver and I always felt when I had my sonograms that I was looking into one of the most holy places. Just to get a glimpse of what the Creator of the world was creating inside of me always put me in total adoration.
"Every time I would go into have my ultrasounds, I would have to catch my breath at the beauty of my baby, and the rapidly changing development. It always put me in awe. I felt it was like, there was a secret window into to God's holiest of places... my womb where God was creating my baby.
"I believe motherhood and pregnancy is a total GIFT for women. We are so blessed to have our own half dozen and are leaving it up to God on how many arrows he will add to our quiver. I have a dear friend who has nine arrows in her quiver and has total baby fever! They are trying to conceive their 10th!”
“a swimming pool” A mother shares that her little three-year-old thinks his new baby is in a swimming pool!
Marla says, “My daughter would say, "Mama's got a nest in her tummy with an eggie in it and when it hatches, we get a baby!" (Wish it were that simple and easy!)”
“prayer shawl” Nicole Yingling says, “I don't call my womb this, but I do a teaching on the womb as the first tallit, or prayer shawl. If you fold a tallit in half, with the tzit-tzit or tassels hanging down it creates a basic diagram of the womb. The blue stripes around the bottom remind us of the muscles around the cervix which open and close the womb and the tzit-tzit are like the four round ligaments which attach to the sacrum and pelvis to keep the uterus in place. Is it just a coincidence that Abba wants to meet with us under our prayer shawls? Or did He meet with us for ten months in our mother's tallit and being under the cloth tallit takes us back to our secret place with Him?”
Which name do you love?
Compiled by Nancy Campbell
P.S. If you have any other names that you use or have heard of, please email them to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I know you don't always have time to read all the threads on a post. However, I loved the responses from some of our lovely ladies to this post and want to repost some of them for your blessing.
Wendy Young reminds us of Psalm 39:1 NET, "I will watch what I say and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. I WILL PUT A MUZZLE OVER MY MOUTH." That's what we have to do many times, isn't it? MUZZLE OUR MOUTH! Wendy also reminds us of James 3:2 where it tell us that when we are able to BRIDLE OUR TONGUE, we are able to bridle the whole body and have come to maturity. Controlling our tongues is such a mature thing to do.
Shannon Gunther reminds us that we all have "Two ears and one mouth." Thanks, Shannon. I like that reminder. James 1:19 says, "Let every man be swift to hear, SLOW TO SPEAK."
Kendra Cardwell shared that she had one of her children "copy Ephesians 4:29 10x's yesterday for not using nice words to their sibling." Good idea.
Anna jean McDaniel reminds us of the saying, "Dear Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth!" I love this. Pray it today.
Cynthia Hollis shares, "It's not only what we say but how we say it. Certain things need to be said, but they need to be said in a way that does not degrade or intentionally shame the person we are speaking to. We should shift our words (responses) through God's Word before speaking."
Yes, it is true, that there are times when we have to speak correction and guidance. We can't avoid these times because of wanting to be nice. We have to be faithful to the training of our children, but God can enable us to do it in grace and love.
Cassy Brackett comments, "This seems nice, but hard to even respond with something nice if hubby isn't when in front of the children." Dear ladies, this is the very time we put this principle into practice. It's easy to be nice when people are nice to us. It's easy to be loving to your husband when he is nice to you. But, the crunch comes when he is being nasty.
This is where we MUZZLE OUR MOUTH. This is when we SHUT OUR MOUTH and don't say anything if we can't say anything nice back. And the greatest testimony to your children is to say something nice back to your husband and give him a hug, even in the midst of his ugliness. What a wonderful way to demonstrate the love of God to your children. God's ways are always opposite to how we feel in the flesh. We can either give into the flesh and mouth off, or yield to the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us and respond with love and blessing--or say nothing at all if you can't yet say nice things.
Be blessed.
Love from Nancy Campbell