Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Through the weekly and daily devotionals you can be constantly encouraged in your great role of parenting, the highest career in the nation. You can also stay updated on what's happening with the Above Rubies ministry.

Strengthening Families Across the World through the encouragement of women in their high calling from God as wives, mothers and homemakers.

THE PRIVILEGE

ThePrivilege“Every mother has the breathtaking privilege of sharing with God in the creation of new life. She helps bring into existence a soul that

will endure for all eternity.

Every mother also has the unique honor of nurturing and developing the bit of divine greatness in her child . . . Yes, a good mother can reach beyond the sanctuary of her home and help
renew the face of earth.”

~ James Keller.

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A SONG OF JOY IN THE MIDST OF SORROW

SongJoy(To all those who have suffered the loss of babies through miscarriage * by Jual Hopkins).

“Beginning 2020 with a family portrait in a cemetery may not be the ideal setting for some, but for me I wouldn’t have it any other way. You see, I have two sons buried in this cemetery. Nehemiah James (April 24, 2015) and Philip Kaden (January 10, 2020).

Miscarriage is a word so quietly spoken. Death and suffering are never cups that any of us voluntarily choose. Yet here I am. In a valley of death I thought I left back in 2015. Two baby boys that I got to deliver and hold, ten fingers and ten toes. Both died around 14 weeks gestation, beautifully formed. (Nehemiah, I learned at a 15-week appointment and Philip at my 18-week appointment).

What do I do when I find myself in the valley of the shadow of death? I choose Jesus. I choose His words. For He is a good God, and He has good plans for me “… and though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4)

I choose JOY… because His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).
I choose JOY… because I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living (Psalm 27:13).
I choose JOY… because I know that my Redeemer lives (Job 19:25).
I choose JOY… because He loves the sound of my voice (Songs 2:14).
I choose JOY… because the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places (Psalm 16:6).
I choose JOY… because He blessed me with two sons to whom I will forever be their Mom (Ps 127:3).
I choose JOY… because this is not the end of the story for my sons. They are eternal souls who will live forever (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
I choose JOY… because one day Jesus will come and split the sky (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
I choose JOY… because death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).

So, on an unusually warm Wednesday morning in January 2020, our family made the drive once again with balloons, shovels, and a blue tarp to bury Philip with his brother Nehemiah. On this day we chose JOY, for He is a faithful God. He is a good Father to the Hopkins family, and I will stake my claim in the city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11: 10).

In the midst of sorrow, please rejoice with us for a life is still a life, regardless of the length. Though their season was cut short, I am thankful that I am privileged to be called their Mom. I am blessed that Jesus saw it fit to take my weak “yes” to children. Partnering with Him in creating human beings that get to live forever with Him, for His glory, and because He alone is worthy.

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

My son’s stories are not finished, and neither is mine. Joy is on the horizon and I will see my sons again.”

JUAL HOPKINS

Jonathan and Jual are blessed with Naomi (9), Isaiah (8), Olivia (6), Sarah (4), and Hudson (1 1/2) and our heavenly babies: Nehemiah James, Haven Mae, Kinsley Harper, and Philip Kaden.

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WHAT IS TRUTH?

TruthWhatsIsn’t it amazing how we go to Google to check out all the information we need to know? It is true, we can find out some amazing information through Google, but we have to be careful. Through experience, I have now found that to find the real truth, I cannot rely on the first URL links that come up. In fact, I must go way, way down the list to eventually find what is the real truth.

This is a good thing to remember. It’s the secret. Don’t rely on the first URL that comes up. Keep going down and down. Keep searching. Don’t take as gospel truth the first thing you read. All of social media is controlled by the liberals and therefore all liberal, brainwashing, propaganda is at the top. If you keep that in mind, you can keep searching for the truth.

For example, if you want to find out about Vaccines, you’ll find all the top links say that there are no risks with vaccines. ou’ll need to keep searching for the naked truth and the horrendous things that so many parents have experienced through vaccinating their precious children.

You want to find out about vasectomies? All the top articles will tell you that they are completely safe. You’ll have to really search to find the truth that they increase a man’s risk for prostate cancer and many other problems.

What about Fat Check and other liberal fat checkers? I think it is important to check the Fat Checkers because they are protecting the liberal agenda. They will say something is not true, and we are meant to believe them. We must search for the facts to find out what we believe.

If you want to read about masks, the first thing you’ll read is that they are necessary to stop the virus. But if you keep searching, you will find much more scientific information to show they do not stop the spread of the virus and are harmful in many other ways. We need discernment regarding what we will believe.

For example, I read how many noticed a wire showing on Joe Biden’s shirt during the debate and then pictures to prove it. Fortunately, I saved one of those pictures. However, if you look up Fact Checker and any other similar sites you will read that they say No, it wasn’t true. They don’t give evidence but just say No and we are meant to believe it.

If you search the Internet, you can no longer find any picture that shows he wore a wire and the strange thing peeking out from his sleeve. They have all been taken down like every Youtube, video, or message about what is really going on behind the scenes. They are taking down immediately.

Above is the picture. I don’t know the truth, but Fact Check says that what looks like a wire on his shirt is actually a crease in the shirt. Look closely and see what you think. They say that the thing poking out of his shirt sleeve is part of the rosary beads that he wears on his wrist. But I thought that the rosary beads would go around the wrist, not poke out in this way. Interesting!

Anyway, the moral of the story is that we should not believe every link we first see on the Internet. We must look at who wrote it. What is their agenda? And we must keep searching for truth.

And we must teach our children to not believe the first thing they read. We must teach them how to search for truth. We must teach them how to discern! True discernment only comes from God and His living, infallible Word. We must return to God and to His Word. We must fill ourselves and our children with His Word. When we have His truth filling our minds and hearts we will have true discernment.

Malachi 3:18 says: “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”

Let’s be truth-searchers,

Nancy Campbell

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OF COURSE IT MATTERS

CourseItMattersSome ministers of the Gospel think it doesn’t matter who gets into government in this next election because God is in control.

Yes, God is in control, but I believe it does matter. God wants His people to be involved in the matters of life and government. Why would the Bible exhort us to pray for all those who are in authority that we “may lead a quiet and peaceable life” if it doesn’t matter? We wouldn’t need to bother.

Of course it matters because God wants us to live peaceful lives. Let’s read the Scripture, shall we? “I exhort therefore, that, FIRST OF ALL, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Is this the FIRST thing yo do when you come to church>

If the left comes to power in this next election we will not live “peaceable lives.” This nation will immediately move into extreme socialism and then communism. Christian persecution will arise instantly. Even now they want to stop churches, stop people singing in church, and arrest people singing hymns in public when our constitution (the highest authority in the land) gives us this freedom. Imagine what it will be like when they have full power to execute their leftist agenda. The preaching of the gospel will be curbed. But God wants us to pray for a government that will bring peace and freedom for “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Of course it matters! What about the precious babies being murdered in the womb? This nation already stands guilty for the murder of 63 million babies. What will it be like when there is no curb on their agenda to eliminate life and kill babies right up to birth, and even after birth if they have been designated for abortion? It is horrific to think about. As God’s set-apart people we have a responsibility to work, to pray, and to vote against this horrendous evil. And all the other anti-God, anti-family, anti-marriage agendas of the left.

We see a counterpart in the Old Testament. God told the Israelites to pray for the cities where they lived, even while in captivity! Why? For the same reason — that they may have peace. Jeremiah 29:7 says: “Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace.” The word peace is “shalom” and the root word of shalom is “shalam” which means “to be safe.” Isn’t that what we want? This is what God wants for us too.

The NLT and NET translations say: “Work for the peace and prosperity of the city.” We don’t wait to see what happens. We must work for the peace. We must get involved. We must “pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Did you get that? Your welfare and the welfare of your children and children’s children is bound up in the welfare of what happens in the nation! Therefore, as parents, we must work and pray for the right government (that one whose agenda the closest to God’s ways) to come into power.

This is why I am so concerned. This is why we cry out to God daily. I am not only thinking of now. I am not only thinking of the kind of country I want to live in. I am burdened for my children’s children and their children.

Do you think about the future generations? We have a responsibility to do all we can for them to live peaceable lives. I don’t want my future generations living in a situation that Venezuelans now live in. Or China where there is another wave of intense persecution of Christians.

Of course it matters. Why would God tell us He would “heal our land” if we “humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways” (2 Chronicles 7:14)? He wants our land to be healed but we must do our part.

Why would God promise us that He will not send His judgment if we turn from our wicked ways? Jeremiah 18;8 (NLT) says: “If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation RENOUNCES ITS EVIL WAYS, I will not destroy it as I had planned.”

We have it our hands to turn God’s hand back from judgment if we do what He requires of us. Judgment, heartache, and persecution will come to the people of God if this extreme socialist government is voted in. But God has promised He will turn from His judgment if we repent, pray, and turn from wickedness.

When we turn back to God, He puts the power within our hands to turn His hand of judgment. What a powerful thing. We can determine the kind of country we want. And it does matter who we vote for.

Blessings to you today,

Nancy Campbell

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WE MUST BE CONNECTED...

SocialDistantImagine a human body with each part disconnected and distanced from the other parts. It could not function. Ephesians 4:25: “We are parts of each other in the same body.” We can only function when we are connected to one another. The dry bones in Ezekiel 37 only became a body when “the bones came together bone to bone” and then “an exceeding great army.” #oneanother #knittogether #knittogetherinlove #wearethebodyofchrist #compactedtogether #ezekiel37 #ezekiel37v7 #facetoface #sidebyside #aboverubies

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DON'T JUST FEED YOUR FACE...

BodySoulSpiritYour table is far more than a place to eat food for your physical body. It’s a place where you feed the whole man! Enjoy conversation at your table. Laugh and have fun. Tell stories. Ask questions. Bring a topic to the family to discuss together. And don’t leave the table until you have nourished the spirit as well. Open up the Bible and read God’s living Word and pray together. Don’t ever allow your children to be malnourished in their inner man. Make every meal a love affair. Make your table a sacred altar. It will become the most wonderful time of your day. #familymealtimes #eatsuppertogether #eattogether #eattogetherstaytogether #fellowshiptogether #readgodswordtogether #praytogether #familydevotions #familyworship #familybibletime #aboverubies #nancycampbell

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COME UP HIGHER!

ComeUpGood morning! This morning at our Family Devotions we sang the hymn, “I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day.” In case you don’t know it, I’ll post the words at the end of this post. It’s one of my favorites.

My husband, Colin, always ends our devotions with a word of encouragement for the day, e.g. “May this be the greatest day you have ever lived!” “Have the greatest day of your life, filled with joy and love!’ and so on.

Today he said, “”Let’s come up higher today—a higher place of joy, a higher place of hope and faith, a higher place of victory.”

How true. We don’t have to live in the basement of doubt and gloom and despair. Unless you want to. You have the option! But who wants to live in the pits? You can come up higher. You don’t have to live by what’s happening in your life or by your feelings. Jesus Christ not only died for you to save you from your sins, but He comes to indwell you by the power of the Holy Spirit to deliver you from sin and despair and from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4).

You can live in joy, above your circumstances, because Christ who is Joy lives in you.

You can live in rest, above the turmoil of life, because Christ who is Rest dwells within you.

You can live in victory, above your doubts and feelings of failure and worthlessness, because Christ, the Overcomer dwells in you.

Come up higher in your home today, dear mother. In the midst of your little children and all you have to do, you can live on the higher plane. Live in the realm that Jesus died to give to you. Take hold of His life that is in you and part of you.

Live the higher life.

Love from Nancy Campbell

P.S. Here are the words to the hymn if you don’t know it.
I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

CHORUS:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven's tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray till heav'n I've found,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

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WHAT A LOAD!

WhatALoadAre you carrying a burden today? Sometimes you feel totally bowed down by burdens. Did you know that God does not want you to carry these burdens. He asks you to give them to Him (Psalm 55:22.

God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah: “Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves (guard your souls), and bear no burden on the Sabbath day nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 17:21). This Scriptures speaks about the literal Sabbath, but we are blessed, through our Lord Jesus Christ who is the fulfillment of the Sabbath, to live in a continual Sabbath.

How can we live in continual rest? God commanded the people that they must not bring any burdens through the gates of the city on the day of rest. The word for burdens is “masa” and depicts the packs upon the backs of the donkeys or camels. It can even mean an utterance, especially of doom.

If you want to live in the rest of Christ, you must leave your burdens at the gate of your heart. Yes, many trials, heartaches, and burdens come your way. But you must not lift them up and carry them through the gate of your heart and mind. Leave them outside! God is able to bear the burden that you cannot bear. Don’t bring self-pity, depressions, constant worrying, and tensions inside your heart.

God continued His message: “If ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day . . . Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David . . . “ (verses 24, 25).

There can only be one king on the throne of your heart. It is either King Jesus or your burden which you make king. When you choose to bring burdens into your soul, they become king! They rule your thought life and everything else. When Jesus reigns as King in your heart, you will live in rest. When you make your burdens preeminent, you live in tension nod stress.

Who is king in your life today? Jesus Christ who is your Rest, or your problems and worries?

Live in rest today,

Nancy Campbell

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MY HEART’S CRY

HeartsCryI am feeling very sad and burdened. When I posted the message about listening to THE RETURN, the National and Global Day of Prayer and Repentance, I thought it would be such a blessing for all those who were not able to attend.

Instead, there was an onslaught of negativity. It so saddened my heart. This was not a day for holding up theological doctrines. It was a day to repent and confess the sins of this nation. The message given by Jonathan Cahn was a message from God’s Word about repentance, salvation, and lifting up Jesus the Messiah as the only answer. It was a cry to repent of the national sins of abortion, same-sex marriage, transgenderism, and so on. It was a kingdom message.

Dear fellow believers, we may not all agree theologically. And not every spokesman for God is perfect in everything he says. Help. Who is perfect? We are only human. I can’t think of how many things I wished I had never said. I was wrong in many of my beliefs and over the years God has changed me and enlightened me. We are all in a process of growth by the power of the Holy Spirit.

But one thing we can all agree on is that this nation deserves God’s judgment. We have sinned more than Sodom and Gomorrah. We have murdered 63 million babies in the womb. We have changed God’s infallible law He established at creation of marriage between one man and one woman. Our Supreme Court has defied God! We could go on and on. This is not a time for theology debate or saying who is a false prophet or who is not.

This is a time for all of us to repent for the sins of this nation. It’s a time to cry out together for the mercy of God as thousands and thousands did on Saturday. For those of us who could not attend, we have the privilege of joining them in our homes. We must continue joining in the spirit of this sacred occasion as we gather our families together and GET DOWN ON OUR KNEES and intercede before God every morning and evening for God to save our nation. Please forget all these other petty things. They will only hold back the move of God that we long for.

As Jonathan Cahn said himself: “This is not a rally, it’s not a seminar, it’s a SACRED ASSEMBLY.” And it was. All day long, godly men and women, from rose to the microphone to repent of national sins and cry out to God for revival. Thank you, Lord, for this great happening. Thank you Lord, for the thousands and thousands who came to pray and march for life and for God’s mercy on this nation.

Can I plead with you, dearest friends, please put aside all your own ideas of what you think is theologically right. Let’s get with the bigger picture. This nation is at the crossroads. If we don’t repent. If we don’t turn back to God—to life, to righteousness, to family, and to prayer, we can only expect judgment.

But if we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, AND TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS, then God will hear from Heaven, and will forgive our sin and HEAL OUR LAND! 2 Chronicles 7:14 was the theme of this sacred assembly. Please don’t get in the way of this.

And do you notice that God doesn’t say that if we get all our theological doctrines correct that He will heal our land? No, He says if we will seek His face and PRAY.

Let’s walk with soft and repentant hearts and commit ourselves and our families to praying and crying out to God every day. Not just quick prayers. But down on our knees interceding before God.

This is all I long for. I long for revival. I long for God’s people to turn back to Him. I long for this nation to be saved. I long for abortion to be stopped. These things don’t come theologically, they came through prayer.

Let’s keep praying,

Nancy Campbell

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WHAT VOICES DO WE HEAR?

DevilStopsThere are so many voices in the world, but Jesus says that His sheep hear His voice. Do we hear His voice speaking to us? If our ears and mind are filled with all the voices of the world around us, it is difficult to hear His voice. But Jesus’ voice is the only voice of truth (John 14:6). Other voices may seem like the truth. They may even sound wise, but they can be deception.

When the devil came to tempt Eve, he didn’t tempt her with blatant wickedness, but with that which seemed wise, good, and pleasant to the eyes. This is how he deceives us.

I read again the words of Jesus this morning in John 10:3-5: “The sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”

What powerful words. We must certainly get to know the voice of Jesus and discern the voice of strangers, for WE WILL NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF STRANGERS! That means all that is foreign to God, His truth, and His word.

What a powerful mandate we have from God to teach our precious children to hear the voice of God and to discern the voices of strangers. We are most careful to teach our children to never listen to a stranger on the street or go with a stranger. But are we teaching them to NEVER LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF STRANGERS IN THEIR EARS?

The voices of humanism, feminism, equalism, agnosticism, same-sexism, transgenderism, and atheism, etc. are all around in our society. Thye are strangers to God’s truth. And let’s get the message again. Jesus said that His sheep will NEVER LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF STRANGERS. They will run from them.

When we put our children in public school, we sit them down to listen to the voice of strangers, not because the teacher maybe a stranger, but the ideologies of our current school system are anti-God ideologies. They advocate alternative lifestyles rather than biblical, evolution rather than creation, abortion rather than life, and anarchy rather than patriotism, etc. Many of the young people who have been rioting and destroying with Antifa and Black Lives Matter are victims of our high school and college brainwashing.

Psalm 1:1, 2 states: “Blessed is the man that walks NOT in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD.”

Do your children hear the words of Jesus each day? Are you filling them with the truth of God’s word? Or are they being filled with strange voices from public school or from their iPhones and social media in their own homes?

We must teach our children to RUN FROM the voice of strangers. This is a huge part of your parenting.

Be filled with courage today,

Nancy Campbell

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OUR GREATEST CALLING...

FromGodOur greatest calling is to lead our children to God and to impart to them His ways and His truth. #powerofmotherhood #ilovemotherhood #joyfulmotherhood #godlymothering #bibleteachingmother #prayingmother #aboverubies #dietrichbonhoeffer

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ARE YOU A JUMPER?

JumperJesus Christ was our supreme sacrifice. He became the sacrificial Lamb, slain upon the altar for our sins. His ultimate sacrifice gives us forgiveness of sins, victory over sin in our daily life, sweet fellowship with Him, and eternal life. Romans 12:1 beseeches us that our logical and reasonable response should be to yield our lives back to Him as a living sacrifice. What does this mean?

Because Jesus laid down His life to be our sacrifice, we should also lay down our lives to be a living sacrifice.

We face this principle every day as wives and mothers. Constantly we choose whether we will demand our own way, do what pleases us, or lay down our life for our husband, our children, and sacrifice our own selfish desires.

Sometimes this is a battle. We need to be constantly reminded of Psalm 118:27: “Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” We willingly lay our life upon the altar as we feel the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But then we get back to the challenges of daily life and mothering and off the altar we jump!

We need His cords to bind us. What are the cords? God says in Hosea 11:4: “I drew them with cords of compassion, with bands of love.” He says again in Jeremiah 31:3 “Yes, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Because Christ now dwells in our hearts (if we have been born again), we no longer live to ourselves, “but unto him which died and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14). This lifestyle of dying daily to our own selfish desires does not ruin our lives. Instead, it releases us into the joyful life of serving and sacrifice. This is the life of Christ that resides in us and the example He gave us to follow (Mark 8:35).

I read about a mission board that had an ox for its seal. On one side of the ox was an altar, on the other side a plough. Their motto was “Ready for either.” There are millions of Christians being martyred for their faith today (more than at any other time). They are literally dying upon the altar. Others (like you and me) become a living sacrifice as we take up the plough of the daily grind of life. Not doing it grudgingly, but with joy and exhilaration.

May God save us from being jumping jacks--jumping off the altar as soon as anything becomes too difficult, looms bigger than we can imagine, or does not work out the way we planned. Instead may it become our lifestyle to be bound with joy to the altar. This is the least we can do in response to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us.

Love from Nancy Campbell

 

Painting by Edna Hibel

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ARE WE CHARACTER TRAINING?

CharacTrainingThere is so much more to parenting than feeding and clothing our children, isn’t there? We are daily training their characters and their mindsets. A quote by George Barna says: “Whatever a child believes by age 13 is in most cases what he will die believing.” I believe it is the same regarding character.

To keep our word has always been a foundation of good character. However, this basic underpinning of life seems to have flown out the window. People today think nothing of not keeping to their word—in the little things of life, and consequently in the big things.

People say they will do something but don’t keep to their word. People inform a host they are coming to a function but never turn up (not even a call to inform them of the reason).

We all need reminding to keep to our word, don’t we? But we must also be faithful to impart this character into our children’s lives—and not let them get away with it. It should be a habit of their lives.

The Bible speaks about it in Psalm 15. The psalm begins with the question of who can enter into God’s presence and then gives give ten character qualities. One of them is: “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and CHANGETH NOT.”

Most translations say: “who keeps his word whatever the cost.”

The New Living Translation says: “who keep their promises even when it hurts.”

The Moffat says: “He keeps his oath, though he may lose by it.”

I believe it is important to always keep to our first commitment. Sometimes we commit our selves to something and then something far more exciting or enjoyable comes up that coincides with our first appointment. It’s very tempting to choose the second, but that’s not keeping to our word

I remember one time I committed myself to speak at a Ladies Seminar in California. They said it was only going to be small, about 12 – 15 ladies, but they desperately needed me to come. So I gave my word.

But then I received an invitation to speak at a big family conference on the same weekend where there would be thousands attending. I was very tempted to change my commitment thinking that it would be far more beneficial to get the word out to so many more people. But my faithful husband was right there to remind me: “No, Nancy, you have already given your word. You cannot change.” And so I kept to my word because it was the right thing to do.

Let’s teach this important principle to our children, even when it seems like a sacrifice to do it. Doing what is right, even when it is hard, works character in our lives.

Many blessings to you and your family today,

Nancy Campbell

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WHERE ARE YOU WORKING?

WhereUWorkingThere are many twins in the Bible? Have you noticed them? I love to look out for them—grace and truth, peace and righteousness, faith and love, resting and working, etc. Although God talks about living in His rest, we must also work. We don’t work for our salvation. We only receive salvation by God’s grace. But God has also created us for “good works” (Ephesians 2:10).

In 1 John 3:8 it says: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.” The “works” of the devil? Yes, the devil works. It’s the same word that’s used in Titus 2:5 where we are exhorted to be “keepers at home.” Many versions of the Bible translate this Scripture as “workers at home.” It comes from two Greek words: “ergon” which means “to work” and “oikos” which means “home.” This literally means “WORKERS at HOME.”

The challenge to us is that if we do not work to guard our home and family, the devil will outdo us with his works. If mothers would rather work outside their home than in their home, they give room for the devil to work in their home behind their backs! This is one of the reasons the devil woos women out of the home. He can then get his hands upon the minds and hearts of our precious children.

If mothers are not protecting, guiding, teaching, and nurturing their children in the home, who is? Who is that person? Are they godly? Are they righteous? Are they anointed from God for the task? Are they teaching our children the truth?

We must work to keep our home a place of love, joy, delight, and holiness—and truth! It takes work to keep deception out of your home. The enemy always looks for a foothold where he can get in.

Keep working dear mother. Don’t let up. Don’t let the devil work havoc in your marriage or your children while you are busy with other things.

One of the greatest ways we destroy the “works of the devil” is through the work of fervent prayer. How much are you praying for your children? Your home? Future generations?

Keep the devil at bay from your marriage and home.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

 

Painting: “A Mother’s Joy” by Bessie Pease Gutmann

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WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

SignMySoulWe love to sing the hymn:
“This is my story, This is my song,
Praising my Savior, All the day long.”
Is this your testimony as you mother your children in your home?

Or maybe you have a different line?
“Grumbling and groaning
All the day long.”

It’s easy to get into a grumbling mode, isn’t it? But this not only makes your husband and children miserable. It makes you miserable too! Groaning and self-pity and the worst things we can do to ourselves. They bring us down to despair. They make us look ugly. And we are no good to anyone! Why do we bother doing it?

Or perhaps you have another line?
“Frowning and fuming
All the day long”

Once again, these negative attitudes are easy to fall into. Mother, your children look at you all day long? What do they see? A frowning and downcast mother? Or a smiling mother? Your children will become what they see in your face?

Let them see a smiling happy face. You may not feel like smiling, but that’s not the point. You don’t live by your feelings. That’s a terrible way to live. Feelings comeand feelings go, but they are not the real truth. Instead, by faith, put on a smile. Look at your children and smile at them. You’ll be amazed how your attitude catches up with your face. And you won’t believe the difference it makes to the atmosphere of your home.

Are you upset about something and fuming inside? Forget it. You are only destroying yourself and everyone around you. Give your problem to the Lord and look to Him. He is BIGGER than any problem you face.

Has someone said something unkind and untrue about you? Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world. Forget thinking about yourself all the time. Bless and pray for the person. Instead of stewing over it, bless them instead!

You’ll soon be praising your Savior all the day long again!

Have the greatest day of your life,

Nancy Campbell

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WHERE ARE ALL THE SMILES?

AllTheSmilesYesterday I had an appointment in a different town than I usually shop. I popped into a store to get some groceries. Colin and I, and two other people, were the only ones without masks. Nobody looked at one another. Everyone’s eyes were downcast.

I entered another shop. I saw only one other lady without a mask. We gave each other a big smile. Oh it was delightful. I could not get eye contact with anyone else.

Oh dear ladies, this is not the way God intended us to live. It’s the devil’s way. God intends us to interact with one another. To smile at people. Give a kind word where we can.

Those of us who are believers should be revealing the image of God wherever we go. That’s God intention for us. We are God’s letter to the world, “known and read of all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2). And how do we reveal His image? Through our faces. Of course the devil knows this and he’s making sure it doesn’t happen. And you can just feel the depression.

We cannot go on living like this. And the interesting thing is that we don’t have to. The only reason that governors and mayors and businesses can do this is because the majority are caving into their tyranny. Total submission.

I can’t believe it. For so long submission has been a dirty word. There are many Christian wives who don’t like submitting to their husbands. They are all in for egalitarian marriages. But the mask comes along, and they willingly submit! I simply can’t believe it!

Now I know I’ll get feedback from the people who say I’m not caring about others. Oh please, that’s one of their great brainwashing slogans. If I was sick, or coughing germs, I would not go out. I wouldn’t think of spreading my germs over anyone. But I am not sick. I am healthy. I don’t have a thing wrong with me. I diligently and daily boost my immune system and I have the Spirit of God living in me who raised Jesus Christ form the dead! Read Romans 8:11.

And I didn’t notice anyone who was sick in the shops I entered. Well, if they were, they should not have been there. They should stay at home because masks don’t stop the virus. The size of most cloth coverings range from 20 – 100 microns whereas the virus is 200 and up to 1,000 times smaller at 0.1 microns! The mask is a fraud.

More people die of the seasonal flu each than have died of this virus (except for those with one, two, or even three other medical issues).

Don’t you think we should be living how God wants us to live? Breathing freely. Enjoying the sunshine. Smiling at one another. Bringing happiness and hope wherever we go instead of gloom and despair. Revealing the image of God through our radiant faces.

Love to you all,

Nancy Campbell

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PRAYER STICKS

PrayerSticksRecently I posted an idea from Jennifer Corcoran called A GREAT IDEA FOR YOUR FAMILY MEAL TIMES. Scroll down to find it if you missed it Jennifer has now sent another lovely idea you may like to incorporate into your family too about Prayer Sticks.

“We have this box of sticks. As I sit down with each child for our individual school time, I have them pick a stick. I then hold their hand and pray with them, including a prayer for the subject written on the stick. I like this reminder to daily pray individually with each child daily and they really enjoy picking a stick.”
~ Jennifer Corcoran * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I think the Prayer Sticks are a wonderful idea. Jennifer also sent her list of subjects which I’ll post in the next post. If you would like to do this too, you could print out this list.

Be blessed from Nancy Campbell

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WE CAN STOP A DYNASTY!

NotJustOneLifeWe often forget that when a mother aborts a baby, or even stops the life of another baby coming into the world through contraception, it is not only one baby she stops! It is a dynasty! For that baby would most likely grow up to get married and have babies and her children would have babies and continuing down the generations.

IT’S NOT ONLY THE STOPPING OF ONE LIFE, BUT MANY, MANY LIVES!

May people’s eyes be opened to truth.
~ Nancy

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FRUITFUL AND FLOURISHING

FruitfulFlourishingThe Bible is full of allegories and beautiful pictures of how he wants us to live. God paints one of these pictures in Psalm 128:3(CSB) describing a blessed family life: “Your wife will be a like a fruitful vine within your house, your children, like young olive trees around your table.”

Dear mother, you are not literally a vine, but the Bible says you are LIKE a vine. Your children are not literally olive plants, but they are LIKE olive plants And so God teaches us from the way He describes us.

God wants each one of us to be like a fruitful grapevine in the heart of our homes. Where does He want you to be fruitful? In the heart of your home.

But how does a vine become fruitful? It has to be pruned and watered. Sometimes we are not fruitful in our homes because we resist the pruning. And we don’t take time to be watered in His presence and in His Word.

Vinedressers who want a fruitful harvest are RUTHLESS when pruning their vines. They cut back the branches until they look as though there is nothing left on the vine. They look quite ugly. But from this cutting back comes a glorious harvest.

Vines that are left to grow without pruning may look fine but when you get close up you see very little fruit. I think of Hosea 10:1 where it says: “Israel is an empty vine; he bringeth forth fruit unto himself.” Israel looked luxuriant and lush but instead of bringing forth fruit for God, he brought forth fruit for himself!

Fruit for yourself but empty for God. That’s sad, isn’t it?

It’s like the picture above. My garden gave us a wonderful harvest this year, but has now finished producing except for my pepper plants, They are still growing. Don’t they look luxuriant and wonderful? But guess what? They have no fruit! I have never seen anything like it. I have these beautiful, big, healthy looking plants but they are bearing no fruit. I usually have a harvest of peppers, but none this year! There must have been something wrong with my soil! What a waste of garden space.

It shows that you can look good and still not be producing fruit. But it is the fruit that God wants. When talking about the Vinedresser and the vine in John 15 Jesus says that He wants more than fruit from us. He wants “MORE FRUIT” (John 15:2). But even that is not enough. Two times Jesus says that he wants “MUCH FRUIT” (John 15:5, 8).

Sometimes we have to take the “bull by the horns” and cut back branches ourselves. Stop running here, there, and everywhere. Stop getting involved in too many things outside the home. The Shulamite woman in Song of Songs 1:6 confesses: “They made me the keeper of the vineyards: but mine own vineyard have I not kept.”

“But how can I be fruitful stuck here in my home?” you cry out. Dear mother, to embrace the children God wants to give you is an eternal work. You are bringing into the world eternal souls who will live forever. You give to a child the privilege of enjoying the glory of eternity forever. How amazing.

As you pour your life into building your home, making it a holy home for God in this sinful and deceived world, you are a light shining on a hill for all to see. As you make your marriage and family life strong, you help to make this nation strong. As you take up your charge to get God’s Word richly into the hearts and mouths of your children to prepare them for life, you will not only be salt in this world, but you will be sending out powerful, salty, God-fearing, truth-speaking, devil-defeating young people into this world to take dominion for God. That’s incredible fruit for God’s kingdom.

Keep your life trimmed and pruned so you will bring forth fruit for eternal life.

Many blessings from Nancy Campbell

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IT TAKES THE STING OUT OF LIFE

IfLordWillsWhen I was a young child growing up, it was common for people to say, e.g. We’re planning a vacation this spring, DV.” What were they saying? DV is short for the Latin words, Deo Volente meaning GOD WILLING. I rarely here people say these words today.

However, it is Scriptural. James 4:13-15 says: “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. Whereas ye know now what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For what ye ought to say, IF THE LORD WILL, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers: “I will come to you shortly, IF THE LORD WILL” (1 Corinthians 4:19). And again: I trust to tarry a while with you, IF THE LORD PERMIT: (1 Corinthians 16:7).

Proverbs 27:1: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart devises his way: but the LORD directs his steps.”

Our sovereign God knows the way He has planned for us. It is already written in His book. He wrote our life story before we were born (Psalm 139:16). Amazing, isn’t it?

We make our plans, but let’s always be ready to say DV and be open to God changing and leading us in His ultimate plan. Read Psalm 37:23; 48:14; Proverbs 19:21; and Jeremiah 10:23.

This takes all the sting out of life. When things don’t go our way, we know that God’s way is better. I’s not always easier, but it’s always better. Even the most difficult, despairing, and terrible things God works out for good. Read Genesis 45:6-8; 50:20; and Romans 8:28.

You can trust God in EVERY situation.

God be with you today,

Nancy Campbell

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Above Rubies Address

AboveRubies
Email Nancy

PO Box 681687
Franklin, TN 37068-1687

Phone : 931-729-9861
Office Hrs 9am - 5pm, M - F, CTZ