Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

It makes all the meal preparation of the meal worthwhile. It crowns the day with God's blessing. I am always aware of the power and impact it has, not only on our lives, but on the people and nations for whom we pray!

Try not to let the interruptions of this day keep you from this crowning moment in your home.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Young man of might, will you guard your heart?
Don’t give your feelings to any up-start,
Keep your heart disciplined and wait for the time
When God gives you His choice; it will be sublime!
A daughter of virtue who has kept herself pure,
Who follows after truth and trusts God for sure,
One who loves children and keeping the home,
And who delights to serve without a moan.

Young man of valor, will you keep your body pure
For your wedding day when it’s bliss for sure?
Will you start your marriage on a holy foundation?
For this is the way to strengthen the nation
And establish a family that will endure any test!
For God will be with you and you will be blessed,
Even in the storms, the wind, and the battles of life
If you keep the covenant with your lovely wife.

~ Nancy Campbell

Here’s an example from 2 Chronicles 20:13: "And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children."

Include your children in your walk with God. Don't send them off to be influenced by the peers of their age group. Grow in God together as a family. Read God’s Word together. Pray together. Work together and play together.

Proverbs 22:15 says, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child." When you put a lot of children of the same age together, you have multiplied foolishness!

God intends us to follow Him as “families,” not in separated age groups. This makes strong families for God; and when we have multiplied strong families, the nation will be strong.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Check out this post: http://bit.ly/ShouldChildrenBeInChurch

Each morning you choose what you will wear—the drab “fleshly” clothes of your old life or the new clothes of the Spirit which Jesus Christ has given to you at the great cost of His life and His precious blood.

Ephesians 4: 24 says: “PUT ON the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

The NLT says: “THROW OFF your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. PUT ON your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

Oh . . . do you need to go and change your clothes? Won’t you look lovely in your “patience” outfit, or perhaps your new “joyful dress”? It will change the whole vibe of your home.

Enjoy your new wardrobe.

Love from Nancy Campbell

And to top it all off, God is with you all the way through. He does not give up on you half way through your commission. He is with you to the end. David reminded his son, Solomon that “God will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD” (1 Chronicles 28:20).

God is also with you as you build your “house of the LORD” and daily serve Him as you mother and train your children. And did you get the message? He will be with you UNTIL YOU FINISH THE WORK! Yes, in all the serving in your home. Not half way through, but all the way through. You may feel exhausted along the way, but because God is with you. You will make it to the finishing line!

God’s promise to you in Hebrews 13:5, 6 says: “Be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament reveal the full meaning of this Scripture: “I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT let thee down, leave thee in the lurch, leave thee destitute, leave thee in straits and helpless, abandon thee.”

Lift up your head today. You are not doing this on your own. GOD IS WITH YOU UNTIL THE FINISHING LINE!

Be encouraged.

Nancy Campbell

The sad thing is that thousands of people are missing from the earth. Men and women who God wanted on this earth to bring His deliverance and salvation. But they are not here because for the last eight decades or so God’s people have thrown away God’s plan and decided they had a better plan.

Instead of receiving the children God planned from them, they limited their families to the average two-child family in the nation today. Millions are missing. We have not populated the nation with the godly seed. We don’t even have a majority to vote for righteousness, let alone the army of God’s people who should be bringing salvation and deliverance the lost and hurting.

I pray for the eyes of God’s people to be opened to God’s ultimate plan. The more children God chooses for us to bring into this world, the more impact we have for the kingdom of God. God wants His salvation and glory to fill the earth. He wants His people to be “more and mightier” than the heathen (Exodus 1:7-12).

Psalm 105:24 tells us that God “increased his people greatly: and made them stronger than their enemies.” We become weaker when we diminish. We become stronger when we multiply. These are plain facts. Plus they are Bible language.

I love the quote from Frank Boreham: "We fancy that God can only manage His world by big battalions abroad, when all the while He is doing it by beautiful babies at home. When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent wants opening, GOD SENDS A BABY INTO THE WORLD TO DO IT. That is why long, long ago, a Babe was born in Bethlehem."

Spread the good news,

Nancy Campbell

You are doing a priestly work. Because Christ lives in you everything you do is sacred. You can experience God’s blessing and anointing upon you in everything practical thing you do in our home. God sees you doing it unto Him and it’s written in His book. Nothing goes unnoticed.

Have a blessed day,

Nancy Campbell

Our purpose should not just be to make them happy (although of course we want them to be happy) but to train them to be responsible, hard-working, honorable, trustworthy, reliable, unselfish, evil-hating, and God-loving people.

Some parents think that easy parenting is loving parenting. I don’t think this is rue love. True love longs for our children to become all that God wants them to be. True love deals with the negative and selfish ways of our children. True love does not want our children to grow up taking these habits into their adult life. When we allow our children to get into the habits of disobedience, rebellion, and moods, it shows we don’t care about them at all. We are not thinking of what it will be like when they get married one day.

The Bible tells us that God corrects those He loves. Actually, it’s stronger than that. Hebrews 12:6 says: “For whom the Lord LOVETH he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” That’s because He loves us and longs and yearns over us to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

Of course there is balance. We ultimately want our children to live in a home of happiness, joy, fun, and laughter! But in reality, this doesn’t work if we constantly face rebellion and moods and disobedience. That’s miserable parenting. No wonder some parents don’t want any more children.

When we train our children, we can then relax, and enjoy the atmosphere of a home of peace. Proverbs 29:17 states: “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

How much do you love your children?

Love from Nancy Campbell

Other English words are used in other passages and each word helps us to understand more of the oneness God desires in the marriage relationship.

I love the passage where it is used to describe the leviathan in Job 41:15-17 (HCSB). Let’s read the description:

“His pride is in his rows of scales, CLOSELY SEALED TOGETHER (dabaq). One scale is SO CLOSE TO ANOTHER THAT NO AIR CAN PASS BETWEEN THEM.” They are joined so closely that they cannot be separated.

What do you think of that ladies? God wants us to be joined so closely that no air can pass between us! Impossible to separate. What a great description of cleaving!

When Jesus was on earth, He confirmed Genesis 2:24. When answering the Pharisees about marriage, He said in Matthew 19:4, 5 (HCSB): “’Haven’t you read,’ He replied, ‘that He who created them in the beginning made them male and female . . . For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh.’”

Jesus not only confirmed God’s original words but elevated them to a greater level: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not sperate.’”

This means we are to be glued together, never to come apart. We are so stuck together that’s it’s well-nigh impossible for anything or anyone to pull us apart.

My grandson said to me recently, “Nana, they call a husband and wife a couple. But doesn’t God say they are one?

“Yes, you are absolutely correct,” I replied.

Maybe, rather than saying, “Look at that lovely couple walking along,” we should say, “What a lovely “oneness” walking together.”

How close are you making your marriage?

Love from Nancy Campbell

This is the goal of parenting. Little by little we train our children toward maturity. We deal with their foolish and childish habits. We will not allow them to stamp their feet or get into moods. Why? We don’t want them to grow up acting like children.

And yet this is how many couples live in their marriages. They continue to act like children, demanding their own way, and look out if they don’t get it! It’s my way or the highway! If they don’t throw a fit, they’ll withdraw into the silent treatment. Or stay in a mood that permeates the atmosphere of the whole house. Help.

What does the Bible say about this? First Corinthians 13:11, the chapter that teaches us about agape love says: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I PUT AWAY childish things.”

Did you notice these words? “I PUT AWAY childish things.”

The AMPC says: “I AM DONE which childish ways and have put them aside.”

The CJB says: “I HAVE FINISHED with childish ways.”

Knox: “I have OUTGROWN childish ways.”

The other day I was offended at the attitude of my husband towards me. I conjured up in my head how his attitude was selfish—and poor me! Then of course, God convicted me. What a lot of junk! I was acting like a child! Ridiculous. It was all a big self-pity trip! And lies from the enemy!

And so I finished with it. I was DONE WITH IT! And now I can hardly remember what it was all about. And I don’t intend to recall it.

You see, dear ladies we either choose to behave like an immature child or behave like an adult. None of us are perfect. Why do we get upset over some little thing (that we may think is a big thing) but usually because we are making it bigger in our minds!

Maturity overlooks idiosyncrancies. It puts aside words and actions and hurts from others and forgives and loves! This challenge comes in the love chapter! Agape love does not love according to circumstances and feelings. God’s love continues to love in spite of anything and everything.

Let’s choose to be adults instead of children.

Love from Nancy Campbell

We learn this from the time of Passover. God told His people that during that time (Passover is a picture of our being redeemed by the blood of Jesus) that there was to be no leaven (which speaks of sin) in their homes, and in their whole territory. In fact, God told them that there was to be no “yeast at all found within the borders of your land.”

Jesus didn’t suffer and die upon the cross to leave us in our sin, but to come and dwell within our hearts to give us victory over it. The Christian walk is a holy walk.

I believe that we should seek to keep “leaven” (sin) not only out of lives, but out of our homes, and out of the whole section or piece of land on which we live. God wants the whole environment around us to be holy

I love the description of God’s house which should be the prototype for our homes. Ezekiel 43:12 (NASB) says: “This is the law of the house: its entire area on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”

This is a wonderful vision to have for our homes and land. To be holy. But not only holy. It is to be “MOST HOLY.” As mothers who watch over our homes and our children’s lives, we observe not only what goes on in the home, but outside the home. We’ve got to keep it all holy.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

I know. We come to our meal table with our weaknesses and failings. Our children are certainly not perfect. Sometimes they are fussy. Sometimes they don’t want to eat. They grumble and complain. They don’t want to eat their vegetables. They squabble and argue. Or even have a fist fight! Help!

Without God’s intervention, it can be total shambles! But did you know that God wants to come to your table and bring His presence?

Can I share a beautiful and biblical truth with you? The first mention of the table in the Bible is in Exodus 25:23-24, talking about the table of shewbread. In this passage God tells Moses to make a table from acacia wood and then to overlay it with pure gold. It is interesting that this table was to be made of both wood and gold, speaking of Christ’s humanity and His divinity. However, I believe it also relates to the tables we have in our homes.

In the Bible wood always speaks of humanity. That reminds us of our earthly table that can be very earthy! But God covered this wooden table with pure gold which speaks of the divinity of Christ.

Dear frustrated mother, God wants to bring His presence to your table. He wants to cover your humanity with His divinity.

This is what He did at the beginning of creation with Adam and Eve, and He wants to continue this practice throughout all generations. (Genesis 3:8-9) Every day He came to talk with Adam and Eve. He did not come to them in the heat of the day or during their hours of work (for God established the principle of work before sin entered the Garden of Eden). He came to them in the cool of the day, in the evening time—the time of the day when we gather around the meal table to eat together, fellowship, and relax.

God wants to join you at this time of each day too. Realize that you don’t have to survive this time on your own. God wants to come. He wants to be part of your family mealtime.

INVITE HIM TO COME. This Is the secret. It makes all the difference when you invite Him to come. Let the children be part of inviting Him to come. Help them to realize that God is present with you. Acknowledge His presence. His presence will bring the atmosphere of Heaven to you and it will cover your earthy humanity.

I can’t do without Him at my table. I don’t think you can either.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Painting: Jessie Willcox Smith (September 6, 1863 – May 3, 1935).

I think back of how I dreamed of being a single missionary and changing the world for God. Instead I got married and had children! And I have impacted the world in a far greater way than if I had served the Lord on my own. My service to the world is multiplied through our children.

“For what is service but the life of Jesus,
Lived through a vessel of earth’s fragile clay,
Loving and giving and poured forth for others,
A living sacrifice from day to day.”

~ Freda Hanbury Allen

This is a picture of motherhood. Pouring out your life for your husband and children. Living a life of sacrifice each day.

But this is not only a picture of motherhood, it is the revelation of Jesus. Jesus came to serve and give His life (Matthew 20:8). And the greatest service you can do each day is to allow the life of Jesus to live through you which is loving, serving, and pouring out for others.

How blessed you are.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Another painting by Robert Coombs.

“Oh, more is easier,” she replied.

“Truly?” they gasped in surprise.

She then shared with them her testimony of that very morning: “I hadn’t slept well last night and because I’m pregnant, I slept in a little later. When I got up, I noticed my 13-year-old daughter preparing breakfast and getting all the clothes ready for the other children to wear to church. Another daughter was looking after the baby. All was well.

“So I leisurely took a shower and then spent some time reading the Word. When I came out to the kitchen the breakfast was all waiting on the table and we sat down together.”

It is true that when you have many children, they are not all little toddlers! Each child grows every year. And each child you train to take a little more responsibility and do their specific tasks.

Each time a new baby comes along there are more and more arms wanting to hold the baby and play with him. There are more helpers to help with meals and keep the home running smoothly.

I think the most overwhelming time of motherhood is when you have your first two or three children. You have no helpers. But as children come along, you have more and more helpers. And yes, it’s true, more noise! But also more love, more cuddles, more joy and laughter, more entertainment, more playmates for your children, and more blessings.

It’s God’s way for family life.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Picture: Eric and Meriwyn with their children in order of age: Jessie, Leah, Dwight, Haddie, Robert, Rosie, John, Rachel, and Stephen and new baby coming. They live in Hemet, California.
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P.S. Don't you love family pictures?