rubies us #81aboverub/images/stories/... · 2 above rubies march 2011, no.81. ting ready, but all...

Our HomeFromto

It is time to start preparing the soil for ourgardens here in Tennessee. How we lookforward to the time when we begin eatingfrom our garden again. I can’t wait to har-vest fresh lettuces and other vegetablesdaily. I may have told you before, beingrather eccentric, that after eating the lasttomato from my 70 plus tomato plantsthat I don’t purchase another tomato untilI enjoy my own harvest again! You certain-ly get spoiled from your own garden pro-duce.

You may be thinking that it’s nice tohear about gardens but you don’t have anyroom to make a garden where you live. Iwould encourage you to prepare a smallgarden, or even grow produce in pots onyour deck. A little garden is better than nogarden at all. Many have forgotten in thismodern society in which we live that gar-dening is part of home-making. The firsthome was called the GARDEN of Edenand God established this first home as theprototype for all future homes.

God intends us to grow produce tohelp feed our families. In years gone bythis was necessary for survival. If youdidn’t have a garden, you didn’t eat! But Idon’t think it is much different today. Ifwe want to eat healthy produce, we needto grow it ourselves! Most commercial pro-duce is heavily sprayed with chemicals anda high percentage are genetically modified.

Of course, you canpurchase organicallygrown produce fromco-ops or a localCSA (CommunitySupportedAgriculture) but veryfew can afford to dothis.

Even whenthe Jews were takencaptive to Babylon, God told them to con-tinue His original plan to build houses,plant gardens and have children! And thiswas in captivity! You can read about it inJeremiah 29:4-9. You may even like to readthese Scriptures too: Genesis 1:29; 2:15;Proverbs 6:6-11; 12:11; 24:27; 27:18; 28:19;31:16 and 2 Corinthians 9:6. God is verypractical, isn’t He? He does not leave us indoubt as to how He wants us to live.

But it doesn’t just happen. We haveto work at it. I’ve had people say that it’sall very well for us to have gardens here inthe country as we have plenty of room.Actually, where we live on our hill, there isno suitable soil. We had to purchase oursoil to fill our 13 long raised beds.

Evangeline, our daughter, has themost magnificent vegetable garden to feedtheir large family of 10 children. I have toconcede that her garden is now better andmuch bigger than mine! Her garden

didn’t suddenly appear either. I amamazed every time I look at this huge gar-den space knowing that it was hewed outof trees and bramble—a jungle that lookedimpossible. But Evangeline had a dreamwhich she made happen. It reminds me ofmy favorite saying, “Things don’t just hap-pen: you have to MAKE THEM HAP-PEN.” They got “stuck in,” cut down thetrees, dug out the roots and with back-breaking effort broke it up into soil.Evangeline is crazy about her soil. Sheputs everything that is needful into hersoil and it grows the most wonderful har-vest.

This year, not only Evangeline is get-

???

Celebrating a Valentine’s Dinner together which our daughter, Mercy prepared for us.

Tiberia Johnson in the igloow the child-ren made during one of our Tennessee snowfalls.

Yours

Howard and Evangeline, celebrating 18 years of marriage and 10 wonderful children.

Photos below by: Davita Hungate

2 ABOVE RUBIES March 2011, No.81

ting ready, but all the older children too.They will all have their own gardens andZadok is preparing new ground to plantan organic market garden. He has alsoplanted a field of winter wheat on a parcelof land which he rented.

Currently they are tapping theirmaple trees and boiling the syrup. I tastedsome last night. It is the most beautifulmaple syrup I have ever tasted—just likecaramel! The boys received great answersto prayer yesterday. Three times it startedto rain while they were boiling the syrup(which would have been ruined if the rainhad come). The boys prayed and each timeGod stopped the rain! They were encour-

aged in their faith!

The grandchildren are now gettinginto horses. My father, who passed toglory just over three years ago, was a greathorse man and would have loved to see hisgreat-grandchildren embracing his passion.Chanel, our oldest granddaughter owneda couple of horses when she was younger,Now Arden, Serene and Sam’s oldest son,has three horses—Freedom, Jewel andSpice.

Not to be outdone, Evangelineand Howard purchased a lovelyhorse for their children forChristmas. I’ve never seen anythingas amazing as when Howard rode upwith this horse and the childrenrealized it was for them! The youngboys were literally shaking withexcitement. They all love to rideShakor. But God gave them a dou-ble blessing. A friend arrived a fewdays later with a little miniaturehorse. What fun they have onJessup, jumping on and falling off,but as he is so little, none of themget hurt.

Don’t you love the front cover of thisissue? Ashley and Mamie Braddy are cele-brating 53 years of marriage! What a testi-mony in this day and age when many giveup on their marriage so easily. It is notalways easy to live together in harmonyand to keep a soft and humble attitude toone another, but it is worth every effort.We reap what we sow! When we sow goodthings into our marriage, we reap a harvestof blessing. If we sow selfishness, prideand “I’ll do it my way” we reap a harvest of

destruction. Couples should think morecarefully about divorce. Not only do theywreck havoc in their children’s lives (nochild of divorce is exempt from heartache)but they destroy the continuity of the fami-ly for generations to come! To gather toolsto help you build up your marriage, makesure you download the e-Book advertisedon the back cover.

Please forgive me. I said in my lasteditorial that Serene and Pearl’s new nutri-tion and cook book would be ready in theNew Year. Sorry, it’s still not ready! But it’scoming! And it’s going to be worth thewait! They now have their final name forthe book--Trim, Healthy Mama!

Keep building up your marriage andfamily.

NANCY CAMPBELL,Founder and EditressPrimm Springs, Tennessee, USA

ABOVE RUBIES PO BOX 681687

FRANKLIN, TN 37068-1687 USAPh: (877) 729-9861 (9am - 4pm Mon-Fri)

Web site: www.aboverubies.org

Above Rubies is a magazine to encouragewomen in their high calling as wives,

mothers and homemakers. Its purpose is to uphold and strengthen family life

and to raise the standard of God’s truth inthe nation. The name has been chosen fromProverbs 31.10 AMP, “A capable, intelligent

and virtuous woman, who is he who can findher? She is far more precious than jewels andher value is far ABOVE RUBIES or pearls.”

EDITRESS: Nancy CampbellGRAPHICS: Duane Dominy, Dominy & Associates, [email protected]: Lithographics, Nashville, TN USA FRONT COVER: Ashley and Mamie Braddy of Oak City, North Carolina,USA—celebrating 53 years of marriage! Don't they look great?

ABOVE RUBIES March 2011, No.81 3

The Johnson family on Thanksgiving Day where each family came dressed up. Not to be outdone, Evangeline came as a Viking! Can you see her antlers? Their children are Zadok (18), Sharar (17), Rashdia (15), Crusoe (13),Jireh (11), Arrow (9), Tiveria (7), Saraha (6), Iqara (3) and Saber (1).

Arrow, Crusoe and Sharar Johnson and cousin Cedar Allisonstirring the maple syrup.

Cherish Allison having fun on Jessup.Crusoe Johnson riding Shakor through the woods.

It was a Tuesday on a hot July afternoonin 2007. I hurried home, excited to showmy husband the photos I’d received viaemail of my best friend’s wedding dress.Ann had been battling cancer for the lasttwo months but was doing so well that sheand her fiancé decided to have their wed-ding on schedule. We were in full-fledgedWedding Day countdown.

All the way home that afternoon Ithought about my own wedding day, mysweet husband Steve, our six years of mar-riage, and our tiny girl, Rachael, who wasjust 16 months old. Happy tears filled myeyes: I was so excited for Ann and all thewonderful things in store for her.

I arrived home to find my husbandwas at the computer, as usual. He was tak-ing Accounting courses online whilesimultaneously working at a small T-shirtprinting shop. As we talked I logged intomy email to show Steve the photos ofAnn’s beautiful wedding dress. We talkedabout our friends, their upcoming wed-ding, and how glad we were that they weregoing ahead with their plans despite Ann’sunsure prognosis.

I’m not exactly sure what made meglance down at the bottom of the photobrowser, probably the Holy Spirit, but Inoticed that at the end of my photos I stillhad the option to go forward. Again, itmust have been the Holy Spirit. I clickedon the arrow to advance through thephoto browser . . . and my life was foreverchanged.

To my husband’s credit, he nevertried to deny that the pornographic pho-tos on our computer were his. He knewhe’d been caught. The photo browser hadstored images that had been recentlyviewed on our computer. These pictureswere on our computer; in our home . . .that filth had been in my home!

I ran from the room, suffocatingfrom the shock of what I’d just seen. I hadto get out . . . I didn’t know what to do.Everything within me urged me to jump

in the car and drive away, but I couldn’tleave my daughter! I got on my knees andpulled weeds in the garden as I cried outto God.

I prayed and waited, hoping Stevewould tell me that someone else had beenthere; that it wasn’t him and that he’dbeen faithful; that they weren’t his pic-tures; that it WAS NOT HIM! I askedGod for the right words to say to my hus-band, because the enemy was shoutingaccusations in my ear: “It was my fault; Idrove him to it. I wasn’t attractive enoughanymore, he was cheating on me, sleepingwith someone else, he was going to meether tonight.”

“No!” I cried aloud, “NO!”As I cried out to my Savior in the

midst of those first chaotic moments, Iheard it deep in my soul, “Be still.” Theother messages tried to overcome that still,quiet voice, but I heard it again, “Be still.”

I decided to go back into the houseand demand that Steve pack up and leave.Again, the gentle words came, “Be still.”Frustrated, I shook my head and yanked atanother dandelion. Next, I decided that Iwould after all. I would just head northalone and not look back . . . but there itwas again, “Be still.”

I knew that I had to follow the Lord’sinstruction. Tearfully, I prayed and wentback in the house.

Instead of confronting my husband, Ikept quiet. I felt like stomping around, let-ting him know I was angry. I did not speakto my husband, but I also didn’t glower athim. I took care of myself and Rachael forthe evening, put her to bed, and went tobed myself.

I got up before he did the next morn-ing to shower. I stayed soft and quiet,though I was still battling anger. I cried inthe shower, then gritted my teeth to main-tain the stillness the Lord required of me.I prayed and fought to keep my mind onthe Lord.

Finally, I saw Steve in the kitchenmaking his lunch for work and I saw himfor what he truly was: not a pervert, but ahurting man who made a mistake and inneed of forgiveness. He was a man whowas struggling to cover up pain with earth-ly pleasure, a man who was an addict and

needed help. In that moment the Lordgave me the grace to reach out to Steve. Iplaced my hand on his shoulder as Ileaned past him to place a dish in thesink. At that gentle touch his strength gaveout. He turned to me weeping, apologiz-ing and relieved that I didn’t hate him,and we wept and prayed together.

Over the next day I fought the desireto leave Steve and finally went to see ourold pastor—the one who had baptized ustwo years before. The Lord arranged thatmiraculous meeting. The pastor just hap-pened to be in his office and just hap-pened to have recently spoken with aChristian counselor who worked withmen with sexual addiction. Only the Lordcan arrange miracles like that!

I took the business card home to myhusband and though he was hesitant atfirst, he made arrangements to see thecounselor that Friday. I attended the firstmeeting with my husband and the coun-selor insisted we treat the situation as anemergency. I had seen what alcohol addic-tion had done to my father and I knewthat as time went on an addict needs moreand more of the drug to get a “high.” Ishudder to think of what could have tran-spired if we hadn’t gotten help immediate-ly!

Through the pain of those first fewweeks we learned that God’s grace IS suffi-cient, and have learned to live the truththat, “Though one may be overpowered,two can defend themselves. A cord ofthree strands is not quickly broken”Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV).

Now, after three and a half years andadding two precious little boys to our fami-ly, we’re on the mend. Our marriage isn’tperfect, but it’s been touched by God’sboundless grace. We’re more in love thanever before. My marriage, and your mar-riage, is worth fighting for and the LordWILL have the victory!

ALLIE BERNIERHastings, Minnesota, [email protected] and Allie’s little ones are Rachael (5),Robby (2) and Reece (5 months).

Be Still



Fifty years ago this fresh young bride wascarried over the threshold! Quite a featwhen you consider that the oldQueenslander farmhouse was typically upon high stumps. My beloved hero bravelystaggered up those 14 steps and tri-umphantly deposited me inside with thesame aplomb that he would have had Ibeen a heavy sack of fertilizer—whew! Buthe would never have kissed a smelly sacklike he kissed me then… which proves hedid have a romantic streak. Did!

The years passed with the transitionfrom farmer’s daughter to a pineapplefarmer’s wife, from wife to mother, passingbeyond the proverbial seven-year-itch withno more than the usual hitches—but allthe romance was well and truly in the past!No longer did his fingers reach to entwinewith mine on the few times when we wentout, and if I ever tried to hold his hand, Iwas abruptly halted with a “We’re mar-ried!” as if that put a legal end to any dis-play of affection in public! Ouch!

So, here we were three children later,(yes, he was romantic in the privacy of ourbedroom!) and I was now a full-on born-again, Spirit-filled Christian, married to anunbeliever! He was still the farmer, pickingpineapples with his brothers, six or moredays a week, and for a few years I wasneeded to steer the tractor while theypicked or planted. It can become verymonotonous moving at snail’s pace downthose endless pineapple rows, half a milean hour, stop/start, through our hot sum-mer afternoons. Quite often I nodded off,only to be rudely awakened with a shoutfrom one of the men! It was then I beganto memorize Scriptures and even put theminto verse just to stay alert! I was renewingmy mind with the washing of the Word!Splash! I had to keep that tractor straightand on track!

By this time, I was part of a veryactive church family, loving it and beingloved, but something was missing. Fromreading Above Rubies I knew I needed anolder woman as stated in Titus 2:3-5,“These older women must train theyounger women to love their husbandsand their children, to live wisely and bepure, to work in their homes, to do good,and to be submissive to their husbands.Then they will not bring shame on theword of God.”

So God gave me Jean. Jean was a sup-port and when things were tough, she was

there on the other end of the phone. Jeanwas a challenger. She would get me think-ing about some news snippet or new waysof being creative in my home. Jean was awise woman. From experience, I knewthat if Jean ever said that she felt God wastelling her to share something with me, I’dbetter listen, ‘cos it was from God!

One day after we had put the worldheadlines in right perspective, she casuallyasked if I ever gave my Les a kiss as he leftfor work in the morning. No, I didn’t. Ihadn’t done so for years! He would finishbreakfast, pick up his pineapple-pickinggloves and his heavy, well-worn knife totake the tops off the pines, pat the dogand head for the Ute (pick-up) and wasgone for the day. No, he didn’t get a kissfrom me. I was always on my way to doingthe dishes or hanging out the washing ashe left.

“Joan, I feel God is saying to be thereand give Les a kiss as he goes to work.”Okay! So I had to kiss Les as he went towork!

Next morning, I was there beside theside door. He picked up his gloves andknife where he always left them, absentlypatted the dog and headed for the door. Iwas ready with a bright “Bye, Darling!”and went to kiss him. Missed! He was inthe Ute and off! Oh well! Always tomor-row!

The next day I lined up at the doorwith a smile and another bright “Bye,Darling!” I once again aimed a kiss. Thistime it felt as if he turned to avoid thatkiss. Ouch! The day-old whiskers thatbrushed my lips hurt, but the rejectionhurt more! Tears sprang behind my eyes asI turned to do the dishes. Later that daydear Jean rang to see how I was getting on.“He won’t even let me near to kiss him!” Isobbed. “It’s early days yet! You are doingwell! Keep at it”

Hey, he’s my husband and the fatherof our children and he doesn’t even wanta kiss!

“Be there for him!” Okay! If I have to!Jean is doing her Titus Two thing! Thishas to be a God thing!

Every morning I was there to givehim that kiss. Every morning I would getthat same glancing brush-off! Each day itwas the same. Yet each day it was different.Les shaved twice a week so twice eachweek I had the cycle of smooth cheek,sharp, short bristles then softer longer

whiskers brushing my lips—so close yet outof reach. My poor lips and cheek! It hurtso much!

As he came to the side door where Ifaithfully waited, I could pick up the smellof his work clothes—the ripe old juice fromthe pineapples and the almost tea-like soft-er fragrance of the leaves themselves.Sometimes there was the lingering of hisOld Spice aftershave that he loved tosplash on whenever he went to town… butstill I hadn’t landed even a peck of a kiss!

The weeks turned into months! Two,three, four months went by. They werelong months and without my faithful“older woman Jean” there to encourageme, I’m sure Iwould have givenup! Five, six,seven monthsand counting!Seasons changedfrom picking toploughing toplanting—dustyjobs… and thesmell of hisclothes changedfrom old juice todusty. But I wasthere by the doorwaiting withthat well-prac-ticed, bright“Bye Darling!”every morning! And let me tell you, I’d belying if I didn’t admit that sometimes Icould have thumped him good and prop-er!

Then one morning, at about theeight or nine month mark, I missed him.I’d had to race out to the laundry becauseI could hear the washer wobbling omi-nously as it spun out of balance. As I hur-ried back toward the kitchen to catch himI could see he was already in the Ute dri-ving out toward the road. Then the Utestopped. What has he forgotten? Hisgloves, his knife? I couldn’t see them by

Joan, enjoying a joke at her70th birthday celebration.

TheKiss

the door, so it must have been some-thing else.

Back to those dishes with a lump inmy throat, trying to hold back the tearsof regret that I hadn’t been there forhim! Savagely attacking the pile of plates,I didn’t hear the door slide open.Suddenly I was grabbed from behind,turned round and kissed fair and squareon the lips! Then he was gone! Back inthe Ute and out the driveway! I wasstunned! And stood there, tears stream-ing down my face, filling the sink, itseemed! He’d kissed me!

The next morning as I stood at theside door ready with my “Bye Darling”he kissed me! And the next! More andmore he would seek me out just to dropme a kiss! The drought was broken!

Something else was broken too—that un-written law about holding hands!But the miracle is that the older we got,the more we fell in love, with more andmore of those delightful spontaneousdisplays of love until Parkinson’s tookhim, nearly seven years ago.

Only a few weeks ago my preciouschildren and grandchildren joined withme for the celebration of what wouldhave been our glorious Golden Weddinganniversary. To be honest, as I lookedback down those years, it was a time ofups and downs and there were so manytimes they were not what a girl dreamsof, but what a change!

To quote dear “Titus Two Jean”—“Itmust have been all those long months ofloving-faithfulness-without-complaintthat wore down his stubborn resistance.”Was all that bruising of lips worth it?You bet! God first gave me Jean andthrough her godly ministry He gave meback my husband—sealed with a KISS!

JOAN WESTAWAYMoggill, Queensland, [email protected]

Joan shared this testimony at our AboveRubies retreat in Queensland September2010. We were all so blessed that I askedher to write it for us all. She also sharesthat soon after Les was admitted to anursing home with AdvancedParkinson’s, plus dementia, that during aglorious window of opportunity, he gavehimself to the Lord. Nancy.


We are a family of six who home-schoolour children. In 2009, it became clear thatmy husband’s management job was underserious threat. Very reluctantly, (because Ibelieve God led us into homeschooling), Idecided to check if there were any jobsavailable in my field of experience. Prior tohaving our children I had enjoyed special-izing in the field of Occupational Therapy,assessing people for wheelchairs. Fifteenyears ago, only a handful of these jobsexisted in the UK. Imagine my surprise tofind the exact job specification about 35miles from home. It seemed like theLord’s leading. My husband, knowing hisjob was coming to an end, agreed tohome-educate the children while I appliedfor the post. He planned to find anotherjob soon, if possible, so I could returnhome.

The interview went well and I wasaccepted. But from there on, things wentdownhill. The hospital told me theywould reduce the salary. I was expectedto work three months without pay toupgrade my skills. Finally, after morethan 1,000 miles travel in order to dothis, the promised reimbursement wasrefused. Christians were getting into trou-ble with the authorities because of shar-ing the gospel with colleagues or patients.On top of all this, my six year old wasupset.

“Why can’t Daddy do your job,Mummy, and you stay here with me?” sheasked day after day. The children werestarting to argue and get at each othermuch more than normal.

My husband was doing a marvelous

job of teaching the children, cooking forus all and looking for work, but it was dif-ficult for him. When I talked aboutwork, he wished he was the one goinginstead of me.

During this time Colin and NancyCampbell stayed with us during one oftheir tours. Unaware of their beliefsabout women in the workplace, I sharedthe pressure I was experiencing as we satat the supper table together. Nancylooked me straight in the eye and saidsimply, “Do you realize that by leavingthe home and going out to work that youare blaspheming the Word of God?” Iwas profoundly shocked! I loved Jesusand was horrified at the thought that Icould cause God’s Word to be blas-phemed. Yes, that’s what it says in Titus2:3-5 NKJV, “But as for you, speak thethings which are proper for sound doc-trine: the older women likewise, that theybe reverent in behaviour, not slanderers,not given to much wine, teachers of goodthings—that they admonish the youngwomen to love their husbands, to lovetheir children, to be discreet, chaste,home-makers, good, obedient to theirown husbands that the word of God maynot be blasphemed.”

Colin turned graciously to my hus-band and said, “You know, you can’tafford not to have your wife at home.”He outlined some of the possible conse-quences and dangers of the wife beingabsent from the home1 The children need their mother to

teach them what is right and to givethem nurture and security.

2 If the wife earns the money, she may

I have God’s Permission!I have God’s Permission!


feel she should have more say in howit is spent. That thought had alreadycrossed my mind!

3 What happens if the wife is offeredpromotion or relocation; do you thenfollow her career instead of being themain breadwinner?

4 There are pressures and temptationsin the workplace that the wife shouldnot have to deal with. You, as her hus-band are to protect her from these.

5 It is the biblical role of the husband toprovide for his family and it affects hisself-esteem when he is not theprovider. Together, my husband and I checked

the word “blasphemed” in the Greek. Itmeans “to rail at, to revile, to speak con-temptuously, to slander, defame.” Weprayed seriously about whether I shouldwithdraw from this job even before myhusband found any employment. As weprayed, both my husband and I felt that ifwe stepped out in faith to obey God’sWord that God would provide work formy husband. We went ahead in faith and Iwithdrew from the job, tremendouslyrelieved to be home with the children.The children were glad too and their strifegradually reduced.

Six days, less than one week later, theLord honoured our faith and obedienceby giving my husband another job, aneven better paid job than his previous one.We were even able to have a week’s holi-day as a family which the Lord providedsupernaturally and which was much need-ed after a year of considerable stress.

We are filled with thankfulness to theLord for His faithfulness to

Is GodSufficient

for our Needs?

Is GodSufficient

for our Needs?us. He lovingly sent Colin and NancyCampbell from another continent to bringHis word to us in our own home. Notmany have that privilege, but most of ushave His Word in our homes already.

I had unquestioningly accepted theworld’s view of women working outsidethe home. On reflection, it seems thatwomen in the workplace make thingsmore difficult for men. If more womenwere at home with their families, hus-bands would more easily be able to obtainthe work they need to support their fami-lies.

When I told one of the ladies at workof my decision, she acknowledged that sheregretted her choice of the workplace andtold me that research shows that

children benefit from having their motherat home with them. Since then I havetalked to many other mothers who yearnto be at home with their family but whofeel they do not have “permission” fromsociety to do so. I am thankful that I havemy Heavenly Father’s permission to stay athome with my family.

JOANNA O-CONNELLEdinburgh, Scotland [email protected] and Joanna’s children are Daniel (15),Annelise (13), Glen (10) and Charissa (7).

ProvisionGod’s

I never envisioned myself asa mother of eight children. My heavenly

Father sent each blessing one at a time,and with each pregnancy He provided thegrace, as well as the physical and financialmeans to care for them. Although societyproclaimed that having children was afinancial irresponsibility, we trusted in theprinciple found in Matthew 6:33, “Butseek ye first the kingdom of God and Hisrighteousness and all these things shall beadded unto you.”

Each pregnancy tested this Scripture.My first baby was born while we were still

in college. Surely we were too young! Ifound out I was pregnant with my secondchild at the same time my husband waslaid off from his job! This was the begin-ning of a trend. Each time I was expecting,my husband would be looking for anotherjob. But God used these lay-offs and firingsto lead my husband to his present voca-tion.

Now he owns his own business and isvery involved in the lives of our home-schooled children. What looked like finan-cial disaster to the world was our HeavenlyFather leading us into His best plan for us!And “all these things” such as food andclothing were faithfully provided along theway.

KATHY CLEMONSJasper, Tennessee, [email protected] and Kathy have eight children and five grand-children.

The Clemons recently featured in the filmEntrusted with Arrows which documents

the lives of six homeschool fathers who trusted God’s provision to start their own businesses inorder to be more involved in their family’s lives.Go to www.entrustedwitharrows.com

throughUn-employment

It was 2002 when my husband, Nathanand I welcomed our first son into theworld. I had just made the prayerful deci-sion to be a stay-at-home mom and feltlike I was jumping into a great abyss withno parachute!

Nathan worked long back-breakinghours at a local warehouse. Desperate toprovide for us, he started working over-time, even on Sundays. My husbandloved Jesus since he was a little boy, butthe pressure to provide often seemed toomuch for him. I preached at him aboutbeing in church on Sundays. My wordswere harsh and not helpful and webegan to fight!

No matter how hard Nathan worked,we were always short. The money com-ing in only afforded us a poorly-insulat-ed, mice-infested old farmhouse near a

Mice-Infested Farmhouse to Five-bed-roomed Home!


Evan and I were very young when we gotmarried. Can you believe it? I was 14 yearsand my husband was 16! I turned 15 a fewmonths before our first son was born. Lifewas not easy. Evan tried his hand at sellingvacuum cleaners to support us and didfairly well until the company shut downand left town without paying! By this timemy husband was 18 and could get a jobthat paid better money. When I was oldenough to go to work, I did. Our son wentto a baby sitter and then started school.

We decided to have another child.We stopped the Pill and a few monthslater I got pregnant. Nine months later wehad our first daughter and six weeks later Iwas back at work. We thought all was well,but God started to work on my heart. Imissed my children.

“Why do I have to work?” I kept ask-

ing myself. The answer of course was thatwe had to pay bills! I prayed that I couldstay home with my children. I prayed thatI could be a FULL TIME MOM. I sat atmy desk and prayed all day long for aboutsix months and then it happened.

My daughter cried and cried for meall day long, so my husband and I tookthat leap. I was now a full time mom! Ihave a sign that sits at my sink that says,FULL TIME MOM AND PROUD OFIT! I pulled my son out of public school

and we started to home school. It was abig leap and we had a lot of debt. Ourbills piled up and we thought we made amistake, but we decided to trust GODcompletely and He made a way for us.

We still ate three meals and snacks asbefore. We still had a home with lightsand heat. We still had cars, but we man-aged them differently and together.Instead of eating out five times a week, Istarted cooking at home and we ate healthier. We didn’t buy chips and sodas

&Full Time

Mom Proud of it!&

Full Time

Mom Proud of it!

at the convenient store but atefruit and healthier snacks. We pur-chased a car we could affordinstead of two brand new cars. Welearned to turn lights out whenleaving the room.

We still live this way and wenow have five children, not two. Westill have one income and my hus-band doesn’t have a high paying job.He has the same job that he had 14years ago. He just works hard to pro-vide for us and I work hard to save forus. We are a frugal family. Our chil-dren also pitch in by turning outlights and by not always asking forthings at the store. They know that ifwe have extra money we will ask themif they want something. They appreci-ate that more than if they had it all.

TIA WHITMIRE Franklin, Georgia, [email protected] and Tia’s blessings are Ryan (15),Aeriona (11), Zoe (5), Annabelle (3), Alex (18 months) and new baby due fall 2011.

I grew up as an evangelical feminist. I gotmarried at age 27 and married a manstudying to become a pastor. Theologically,I thought myself conservative and I sup-pose I was to a large degree. But in thearea of patriarchal headship, being a keep-er at home, the high calling of mother-hood and the giving over to the Lord myfamily planning, I did not embrace theteachings of Scripture. I was a publicschool teacher when my husband and Imarried. It wasn’t until five years laterthat we had our first child.

When we first got married, I didn’twant to have children. The love for chil-dren was not cultivated in my early yearsand being an only child, I didn’t haveyounger brothers or sisters to nurture.But, I believe there is an innate callingwithin women to motherhood and it isonly a special call to singleness or a con-science deadened to God’s purposes thatcrowds it out.

I gave birth to our first child in1996. I was completely satisfied and deter-mined that this child would be our one

and only. As far as I was concerned, wewere through. I was an only child and Ifigured I turned out okay. My daughterwould be able to have so muchmore…more of her parents, more privi-leges, more money. If there were no oneelse to share it with, she would haveadvantages that other children did not.

I had heard many times the versesin the Bible which say, “My God shallsupply all your needs according to Hisriches in glory,” how God “owns thecattle on a thousand hills” and that“nothing is impossible with Him.” Ithought I truly believed them. I sup-pose I was one of those people whohad the knowledge, but not the faith.Sometimes, it takes going through thevalleys for God to do His greatest workof making us more like Him. It wasthat way in my own life. I stayed homewith my daughter her first year. Butwhen she was a year old, circumstancessurrounding my husband’s employ-ment changed and I was fearful we

trailer park. Once, I even had to fend off aswarm of yellow jackets in our kitchen witha broom! This did not seem like “happily-ever after” to me!

Then I remembered Jennifer, a home-school-mom, who I met at the library whereI worked all through my pregnancy. Ithought that going to Jennifer’s churchwould be really good for us! If only Nathanwould agree to take one Sunday off! I real-ized that all my nagging and cajoling hadonly hurt my husband! Instead, I kept onpraying!

Out of nowhere, Nate began to speakwith great conviction about how we reallyshould go to church, even if it cost us! Soonafter, not only was he taking our family tochurch, but we were cheerfully giving! Myfriend, Jennifer introduced her husbandPeter to Nate and they instantly got along.Peter’s grandfather offered Nathan a greatjob. Nathan’s job record and hard work

quickly qualified him for paid training asa Natural Gas Mechanic.

God’s favor blesses us time and timeagain as we continue to put our trust inGod’s Word and remember to “seek firstthe Kingdom of God.” Eight years andfour children later; my husband nowworks as a Supervisor for a large naturalgas utility company outside New YorkCity. We own our own five bedroomhome in a good neighborhood where Ihappily homeschool our delightful grow-ing family!

Nathan takes great joy in providing sowell for us, but most of all, we are forevergrateful to the Lord, our true Provider.

IVY HOYT Port Jervis, New York, [email protected] and Ivy’s blessings are Isaiah (8), Joshua (6), Josiah (3) and Lianna (1).


Frightening but Exhilarating!

Is GodSufficient

for our Needs?I was working for three years when Ibecame pregnant with my first child. I hadno intention of quitting my job when hewas born, but during the pregnancy Irededicated my life to Christ and felldeeply in love with my husband.Previously, I was neglectful and disrespect-ful to him. I started going to church andtithing on a regular basis.

I went back to work for six weeks aftermy son was born and cried every night atwork as I knew I needed to be home. Iobeyed the Holy Spirit and gave mynotice.

It was not easy at first. I really lovedbeing home and spending time with myson, but I missed all the things I had givenup. At work I was very social and wealways had more than enough money.However, I was sad I had gone back towork because I stopped breast feedingand now I was home I regretted that deci-sion.

I learned a lot of life lessons the firstyear of being home. I had to learn quick-ly how to budget our spending. Icouldn’t always run out and buy whatev-er I wanted. Previously, we ate out a lotbecause we both worked 12 hour shifts;now we ate at home. I learned to dependon my family for emotional support andfriendship and also got involved with agroup of mothers at church. The firstbook we read was The Power ofMotherhood by Nancy Campbell. Thisbook, and the Bible, was the structureon which I built my mothering.

What Matterscould not make ends meet without myincome. I went back to work.

It was a difficult time for me. No mat-ter what feminists say, you cannot have itall. You cannot be the kind of wife or moth-er God intended by devoting so manyhours of the day to someone else’s agenda.I felt the pain of being pulled in so manydirections and never succeeding in any. Ittook another year of separation from mydaughter and seeing her become moreattached to a caregiver than me to make merealize I could no longer fool myself intothinking this was beneficial to our family.

My husband felt led to finish hisdegree in Biblical Studies at SoutheasternCollege in Wake Forest, North Carolina.He quit his job and we moved to our home-town of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Wemoved in with my parents and I got a job asa librarian in the school system. My hus-band spent the week at school, worked part-time in the cafeteria and commuted to bewith us on the weekends. Our mainincome was provided by my full-time job.But, I became increasingly dissatisfied. Iknew things would never be right until Iobeyed God’s Word and became the wifeand mother He had called me to be.

I sat down with my husband and toldhim of my desire to resign from my posi-tion at the end of the school year and hewas completely supportive. We had noearthly idea how God would provide, butwe knew He would be faithful. It was bothfrightening and exhilarating at the sametime. On top of this, we knew God wantedfamilies to be together and not apart. Wedecided we would all move to Wake Forestin the summer. No job, no stash of money,no lasting health insurance… just an over-whelming peace that the God who calls isthe God who provides.

We were determined not to accept gov-ernment assistance and to stay debt free forcollege. We knew that only God couldwork a miracle like that! After we moved toWake Forest, God began pouring out Hisblessings. My husband got a job at Sam’sClub at night, went to school full-time dur-ing the day and was the interim pastor at asmall local church. I did whatever odd jobsI could find while remaining a wife andmother at home. I assembled jewelry athome, did some transcribing in theevening, taught a few piano students andeven found a job picking up some childrenfrom school and watching them briefly

until their mother came home. Mydaughter, Joy was always by my side.

Once I obeyed God and beganembracing my calling as a help-meet tomy husband and a full-time Mommy,God began increasing my desire formore children. At 37 years old, Iremember telling my husband I want-ed another baby. He was a little appre-hensive at first. He told me that wewere barely scraping by with the threeof us. But God had increased my faithat this time and I told him that thiswould be God’s child, and He wouldprovide. God certainly did—and inmiraculous ways. We didn’t even havemoney for maternity clothes and oneday I got a knock at the door from awoman I knew. In her hand were twobags of maternity clothes my size!

Our second child was born in2001 and I can still recall the utter joyof giving birth to our son. While I washolding him in my arms I looked at myhusband and said, “I want anotherbaby!”

He smiled at me and said, “Can weat least pay off this one first?”

Our out-of-pocket expenses for thispregnancy and birth ended up beingover $5000.00, but we paid all of it off.After my husband’s BA degree, he knewGod was telling him to complete hisMDiv. By the time we left school he wasbeginning his career as an ArmyChaplain. I gave birth to our third childat 39 years old. I had two miscarriagesbefore her, so we named her JoannaGrace because it was only His grace shewas given to us. Two more children came,my last baby at 42, and I look back atthose wonderful days.

I am now a homeschooling Mom offive blessings and my deepest regret is notthe career I gave up, but the time wasteddoing things other than what God calledme to do. Those faith building lessonswere priceless. My husband and I grewmuch closer. We now had the same visionas we embraced God’s blessing of childrenand it has brought such joy to our lives.

JACKIE FOWLERFayetteville, North Carolina, USAfowlerfun@yahoo.comwww.raisingpreciousjewels.blogspot.comJonathan and Jackie’s blessings are Joy (14),Josiah (9), Joanna (7), Joel (6) and Julia (4)


&ElkWild Berries!When my husband and I were marriedin May 2004 we made up our minds thatas soon as we had children I would be astay-at-home mom. I was working full-time for a radiology company and theposition moved us to Sydney, Australia

&ElkWild Berries!

Through this group I gainedmany new perspectives andfriends. I finally had a sup-port group of woman striv-ing for the same goals andkeeping me accountable.

My son was about six months oldwhen I got another job offer. I was temptedto take this job and see where it could takeus financially. I even went as far as havingan interview and submitting a resume butrealized it was not what I wanted. I knewGod had something greater in store for me.

In October that same year my hus-band ran into an old friend who was work-ing for his dad who owned his own busi-ness. He told my husband that they werelooking for more workers. My husbandapplied immediately and the job was his. Itwas perfect timing because one week afterhe started the new job all the people on hisold shift were laid-off.

This job has been such a blessing forour family. The job consists of cleaning upand repairing foreclosed homes. Peopleleave a lot of belongings behind when theyleave and it either goes in the dump or myhusband and his co-workers take it home.Everything I’ve asked the Lord for I havereceived. My husband has found andbrought me a brand new crock-pot in thebox, a treadmill, children’s toys,microwaves, a gas range stove, kitchen tableand chairs, a sleigh bed, a shower andmuch, much more.

God has showed me the meaning ofthis verse, “’Bring all the tithes into thestorehouse, that there may be food in myhouse, and prove me now in this, says the

Lord of hosts, ‘If I

will not open for you the windows of heav-en and pour out for you such a blessingthat there will not be room enough toreceive it’” Malachi 3:10.

In February 2009 we celebrated myson’s first birthday and in June found outwe were expecting again. God continued tosoften and warm my heart. I gained moreappreciation and respect for my husbandand family. Growing up I had a rocky anddistant relationship with my earthly father,but now it is growing in leaps and boundsand I have come to respect and adore him.

My daughter was born March 2, 2010.With each child the Lord opens up newinsights and softens my heart even more. Ilove that I’m able to stay home and main-tain the household so that my husband cancome home and relax and enjoy the chil-dren. He has a very physical and sometimesexhausting job. I believe staying home hasgiven me a humble, servant’s heart and mylife has been simplified down to everythingthat matters most. I truly feel as though Ihave been saved through childbearing as itsays in 1Timothy 2:15. I’m so grateful andmy heavenly Father is so amazing and wor-thy of praise.

REBEKAH BLAHA Gobles, Michigan, [email protected] Wesley and Rebekah’s blessings are Rowan John (3) and Remington Jane (1).

Answered Prayers!

Over the years we have learned to be veryspecific in our praying for the daily needsof our family. We have grown deeper inlove with our Heavenly Father throughwitnessing His faithful and creative provi-sion. For example, one winter years ago, Iwas especially craving some fruit, but pay-day was many days away and we were coast-ing on what food we had in the house. Ishot up a quick prayer as I went about mydaily tasks, “Lord, could we please havesome fruit?”

A day or so later, I prayed anotherquick little request. A friend had taughtour children how to knit and their littleprojects were all over the living room. Iprayed, “Lord, could we please have awicker basket to put their knitting in?”and went on with life.

The next day, a car pulled into thedriveway. Several workers from our localgrocery store were bringing thank you giftsto their best customers. In their arms,delivered right to our door, was God’ssweet provision—a wicker basket full offresh fruit!

SHARON DUKEBryant, Wisconsin, [email protected] and Sharon are blessed with Tyler who ismarried to Jessica, Brennan who is married toAmanda, Kelly (20), Joel (18), Nathan (16),Anna (15), Carrie (12), Lauren (11) andShannon (8).

Is GodSufficient

for our Needs?Most!

in July 2004. My husband worked on hisacting career and had a few successes butnothing that could financially support afamily. In early 2006 Thomas was offereda part-time job working for the same radi-ology company and shortly after we foundout we were expecting our first child toarrive in December of that year.

When our daughter was born we real-

ized due to visa laws, we would be forcedto leave Australia if I quit working for the company that sponsored our visa. Thanksto the Lord, I was able to stay home withmy daughter for the first six months—threemonths of accrued holiday pay and threemonths of working part-time from home.After that my husband and I worked out aschedule that allowed one of us to stay

home with our daughter at all times. Thisput a strain on our marriage relationshipas we rarely saw each other.

We prayed for a way out. Just beforeour daughter turned one year we weregiven the opportunity to return home tothe USA, as my department was expand-ing to the headquarters located in myhome town and they needed someone


The tears rolled down my face as thebreastfeeding counsellor stood in front ofme, sadly shaking her head. “I’m sorry,but if your milk hasn’t come in by day 10,it’s not likely to.”

This was my fourth baby and thefourth time I’d felt like a failure because Icouldn’t breastfeed. I had been certainthat this time I would succeed. I had thelatch perfect, I fed on demand (which was

basically constantly) but still the baby lostweight and didn’t get enough milk. Thatwas when I discovered I had PCOS(Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), affectingmy fertility and milk supply. It didn’t seemlikely my body would ever produce enoughmilk to allow me to breastfeed.

A year or so later I was expectingagain (quite a miracle in itself) and thistime I researched all I could. HavingPCOS affects your breast development,and you don’t always have enough mam-mary tissue to produce plenty of milk.(Other PCOS sufferers can experience anover-supply and with some others it doesn’taffect their milk supply at all.) I decidedthat I would try, but be prepared to supple-ment with formula early on to save some ofthe stress and exhaustion I’d experiencedpreviously. I also asked for a lot of prayer,from the Above Rubies UK email list andfrom Nancy herself when she came to theUK.

Abigail Mary was born in February

2010, a fairly straightforward, drug freebirth but she was not interested in feedingat all! On the very first day of her life themidwife advised me to give her an ounce offormula as I was planning on mixed feedinganyway. I did as advised and sadly resignedmyself to the thought that this would beanother baby I could not breastfeed.

On day three, as I sat in bed cuddlingmy baby and my wonderful husband wassorting out breakfast for the other chil-

dren, I looked at Abigail and thought,“Let’s just have another try.” Shelatched on like a pro—and has lovedbreastfeeding ever since!

It has been a long hard journey. Westill had to supplement in the begin-ning although I was careful not to giveher too much formula. I was a littleworried that she would prefer the bot-tle to the breast but it never happened.She always preferred the breast andcompletely gave up the formula on herown. In fact, she refused to take thebottle!

Breastfeeding has been an amazingexperience. It’s so totally different fromformula feeding and I’m very thankfulthat God was gracious enough to give methe strength to persevere and provide thesupport I needed, I would encourage anymother having problems to persevere.Because pregnancy and breastfeedingdevelop mammary tissue, I am trustingthat if God blesses us with another dearbaby I will be able to exclusively breastfeedfrom the beginning!

SARAH DAWESBolsover, Derbyshire, [email protected] Damian and Sarah with their blessings: Bethany (9,) Matthew (7), Rebekah (4),Deborah (3) and Abigail (1).

Sarah has organized two Above Rubiesretreats in the UK, a Ladies Retreat and aFamily Retreat. Damian and Sarah will beorganizing the Above Rubies Family Retreatin March 2012.


Breastfeedingagainst the odds

there to help organize it. We movedhome in December 2007 just in time forChristmas and were given a house to livein by my wonderful parents.

My mother was so excited to be agrandmother (my daughter being herfirst grandchild), that she happilywatched our daughter three days perweek while my husband and I worked. Inearly 2008 we discovered we were expect-ing another child to arrive in January2009. When our second daughter wasborn, my husband was offered a full-timeposition with the same company whichallowed me to be away on maternity leavefor three months and then return towork part-time.

In December 2009 we found out wewere expecting our third child in August2010. I could not see myself leaving threebabies to go off to work, so my husbandand I prayed for an opportunity for meto finally stay at home full-time. InMarch 2010 I still had not yet informedmy co-workers I was pregnant and waspraying for the right time to make thisannouncement. One day, while shop-ping with my girls, I suddenly had theoverwhelming feeling that I needed to goto the office right away and announcethat I was expecting another baby andwould not be returning to work after thebirth. I received loads of excited congrat-ulations from my co-workers as well ascomments about how much I would bemissed.

Five days later I was called into theoffice for a surprise departmental meet-ing where it was announced that ourentire department would be moving to anew headquarters in Arizona and wewould either be let go in May 2010 orcould choose to move to the new loca-tion. I praised God that my announce-ment was made only days earlier when itwas still my decision to quit and not onethat was forced on me.

We now feel the pinch of a single-income budget. However, the Lord isfaithfully providing. Early in the year Iplanted my first garden; although small,we continue to enjoy the bounty. I wasalso able to pursue my favorite hobby—picking wild berries. I made my supply ofhuckleberries and blackcaps (aka blackraspberries) into delicious home-madejams, syrups and pies to share. I wenthunting for the first time in nine years

Is GodSufficient

for our Needs?


and shot a deer just 30 yardsfrom our house. This hasprovided much sausagewhich we can also share withfriends who are less fortu-nate.

I’ve learned, without fail,that once one hardship isovercome there is sure to beanother. I can either worry myway through or trust God tocarry me through! We are nowoutgrowing our tiny, two bed-room mobile home and haveno idea how we will accommo-date our growing family.However, I can now say that Iwill completely rely on the Lordfor our provisions. I am gratefulthat the Lord placed in me thedesire to devote myself to myhusband and children as a stay-at-home mom and I have noregrets about leaving my jobposition. It never ceases to amazeme how God can soften my stub-born heart.

The greatest lesson I havelearned throughout this entirejourney is to rely on the Lord andtrust Him with everything and foreverything. Trusting the Lord hasbrought me to the place where Ino longer have to hear my four-year-old say, “Mommy, I wish youwere here with me all the time.”

ANGELA STEWART Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, [email protected] and Angela’s children are Aliyah(4), Makayla (2) and Isaac (5 months).

If interested, check these links to Thomas’ films for men and pastors.

youtube.com/watch?v=-stn9X_Jvk0sermonspice.com/product/16654/iwitness

I met Nancy Campbell at a Christmas partyin December of 1999, just days before ourfirst child was born. Nancy exuded God’s joyand peace—and truth. It’s that last qualitythat God used to begin turning my lifeupside down.

I was a 35-year-old professional womanwho had just married the year before. It wasmy career that had brought my husbandand me to Nashville and mine was the larg-er salary. My whole pregnancy had been aleap of faith, sparked when I heard aChristian radio host speak about theScriptures that clearly declare children to bea blessing from the Lord. My husband, thepeacemaker, wanted children, and I didnot. But when I heard from the Lordthrough that radio program, I was convict-ed about my selfishness and suddenly knewit was wrong to try to prevent God’s bless-ings. I stopped taking the Pill, which I laterlearned is abortifacient, and within sixmonths, we were pregnant!

As the Lord molded my husband andme during my pregnancy, I realized, in the-ory, that He would want me to stay homeand care for our baby. But there was noway we could make our finances work onone income.

Enter Nancy Campbell, who affirmedmy suspicions that I needed to stay homewith our baby. I explained to her why thiscould never work and she (and the HolySpirit) scaled my defenses. I was in tearsby the time we finished talking and angryinside. Nancy graciously and gently reas-sured me that the Lord is big enough toovercome any obstacles and took myaddress with the promise to send me oneof her magazines.

I never received the magazine, butGod is so very gracious and patient!When Isaiah was born, all my theorieswent out the window. I fell in love andmy world was totally wrecked by this lit-tle person. I sat and nursed him andreeled. I look back and praise the Lordbecause I was virtually clueless aboutmotherhood and had suppressed all mymotherly instincts to the point of havingnone—until Isaiah was born. I instinc-tively nursed him whenever he wantedto nurse. We tried a few times to puthim in a baby bed, but his crying was

heart-rending, so we brought him into ourbed.

Our journey continued as the Lordpeeled back layers of women’s lib ideas Ihadn’t even realized I’d espoused. While Iwas on maternity leave, my husband camehome from work to find me crying about theprospect of leaving our baby to return towork. Finally, we prayerfully decided that Ishould quit my job. I haven’t worked since,and God has abundantly provided for us andour four children! Yes, He has blessed uswith four children (plus two who are inHeaven, lost early in pregnancy), the lastborn when I was 43 years old! And, at 46years old, we would be overjoyed and awed ifHe saw fit to bless us with another baby.

The Above Rubies magazine finallycame, five years after I met Nancy, through afriend I’d met in Kentucky, where we hadmoved! My friend passed on some magazinesto me that were dear to her. Imagine myamazement when I opened the top magazineon the pile and saw Nancy’s picture smilingat me! I remembered her well from our prov-idential Christmas meeting years before.God’s timing is perfect. My heart laughs withjoy to see how intricately He weaves thefibers of our lives together for His glory.Had Nancy sent me an Above Rubies at thetime I met her, I might have burned it, soradically alien to me were her (and theLord’s) ideas about families. But He is sopatient; and at just the right time, He sentme exactly what I needed and brought thisstory full circle.

He continues to draw me nearer andteach me His ways and give me His wisdom,which is foolishness to this world. He hastaught me that my precious husband is theleader of our home. He has led us to home-school our children. He has blessed me witha peaceful assurance that my career as wifeand mother is His perfect design and mis-sion for my life. All this blessing and joy Hehas given to me, an undeserving, indepen-dent, wise-in-her-own-eyes (extremely foolish),single (until the age of 34) woman who sawchildren as inconvenient. The Lord truly isable to do miracles!

RANAE WYNDERLaGrange, Kentucky, [email protected]

I Fell in Love!


My husband, Charles Daniel Two Hatsand I have been married for 32 years. Wehave four grown children, three of whomare married and they have blessed us withfour grandbabies. As the chief of our littletribe of Shawnee, my husband gets a lot ofstrange phone calls from members askingfor help or advice. The strangest of thesewas from the county hospital last July.When he arrived at the ER, my husbandwas handed a little bundle—a two monthold baby boy who belonged to a younglady from our tribe who had made somevery bad life choices. Child ProtectiveServices gave the child to us to care forwhile his Mama got her life straightenedout.

Thus began our odyssey back intoparenthood. We were living in an RV, dueto mold in the old mobile home we hadlived in for years. We were building a newhome—slowly, without a mortgage, andout of scraps and cull material.

The little one was thin, had difficultybreathing, severe colic and woke every twohours. He was diagnosed with InterUterine Growth Restriction due to hismother’s tobacco, drug and alcohol usewhile she was carrying him and had spentthe first week of his life at Riley Hospital

for Children. We fell in love with the little guy and

made room for him in the RV. In the weehours of one morning, as I fed andburped Little Dude (as we nicknamedhim), I looked down the length of the RVto the open door of the bathroom and themirror. There stood an old lady holding atiny baby—ME! “Dear God,” I prayed,“What are we getting into—at our age andwith no place to live?”

Li’l Dude went back to sleep. Whenhe woke early next morning I changedhim and asked, “What are we gonna callyou? I don’t want to call you by your legal

name, and Li’l Dude is just a nickname,not a REAL name.” Then the Lord spoketo me, just as clear as if it were my Hubbyin the same room, “His name is Isaac.And you will see my provision.”

And we HAVE seen His provision inso many ways. We are now living in ahouse, built by us, with no mortgage. Godhas guided us through all the heartbreakand frustration that a mentally unbal-anced biological mother and CPS canhand out (including visits from the sheriffand the baby’s disappearance for a week orso at a time). Through it all God has beenfaithful. He has taken care of every need(even making a way to pay the legal bills)!

He protected Li’l Dude when he wasaway from our care and in real danger. InSeptember 2010, the court made IsaacJames Jumping Deer our adoptive son. Heis small for his age but developing at orabove his developmental level. He is happyand outgoing and brings lots of fun andlaughter (like his name!) into our home.

LEANN BANTANashville, Indiana, USA [email protected]

Return toParenthood!

Check out what God says!Go to www.aboverubies.org and click on Articles and Stories, then Can God Provide?

You will then find an important article called Can God Provide for Another Baby?


Proverbs 14:1 NKJV says, “The wisewoman builds her house, but the fool-ish pulls it down with her hands.” Lastyear, I was that “pulling down” woman.After twelve years in a tumultuousmarriage I decided to quit prayingabout it. I had given up believing Godwas ever going to change our relation-ship. Often depressed, I had recurringthoughts of suicide. As a Christian, I knewthat I would never go through with it, butI soon made a series of decisions thatbrought destruction to my front door,nearly ruining forever everything I loved.

I began to listen to the world’s way ofthinking. I abandoned reading God’sWord in lieu of listening to humanisticaudio books throughout the day. I willnever forget one title I heard while watch-ing an author being interviewed on a pop-ular daytime talk show. A woman leavesher husband to travel to different exoticlocations searching for “deeper meaning”to life. While watching that program, Ireceived my first warning from God: “Ifyou read it, you will leave your husband.”

Last summer, as I held a copy of thebook in the library, I remembered God’swarning. I scoffed, chalking it all up to a“vivid imagination.” Less than threemonths later, I left my husband.

I declared that I was through being“dominated” by men. I danced to popsongs that glorified women overcomingmen, not needing them anymore. Isheared off my long hair, reveling in mynew-found “freedom.” I took the childrenand moved thousands of miles away fromthe family home I once called “our Eden.”I followed the advice of unbelieving familymembers who had often criticized me forhomeschooling our two children. I putthem into the public school system and setout to find myself a “real job.”

At first, my husband sold many ofour things, since I swore I wasn’t comingback. I told him that I wished him well,but felt nothing towards him anymore.Fortunately, he took that to a “HigherAuthority.” He sought out a church forcounseling and the answers to whatseemed like an impossible situation. Hefound prayer and the faith to believe Godfor a miracle.

He had his vasectomy (he once insist-ed on) reversed, even though I wasn’t talk-ing to him at the time. He fasted andprayed. God spoke to him about giving me

every-thing hehad. Hetrans-ferred hissavingsinto myaccountand boughtus new furni-ture and toys toreplace what hehad sold in ourabsence. His financialsupport allowed me toresume educating the childrenalthough it took some time to reverse thedamage that occurred from leaving theirdad behind and embracing the world’sviews.

My husband flew into town to attendfamily court for a custody hearing I filedagainst him several months earlier. He hadgrounds not to come, but he showed upanyway. He was not sure of what I wouldsay or do, but he believed that God wouldrestore our marriage. His trust moved me.I knew that I was in rebellion to God. Irepented that very day and withdrew mypetition on the spot. It was the day beforeValentine’s and the Judge looked like anangel, smiling at us and wishing us well.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 NKJV says,“Now to the married I command, yet not Ibut the Lord: a wife is not to depart fromher husband. But even if she does depart,let her remain unmarried or be reconciledto her husband. And a husband is not todivorce his wife.” God has blessed my will-ingness to forgive my husband by super-naturally restoring the passionate friend-ship we had in our youth.

Although we reconciled, I still had tofulfill the lease on my apartment for sever-al more months. My husband took care ofus the entire year we were living apart. It

was a hard, lonely time living for phonecalls and e-mails, but it deepened ourresolve to obey God’s word by keeping ourfamily intact. Once my lease was up, thechildren and I moved back toKaiserslautern in Germany (where my hus-band was currently stationed), to live as afamily. We will remain here until he trans-fers to his next assignment in Washington.

God mercifully rescued me from myfoolishness and delivered us from thebrink of divorce, bitterness and totaldespair. I used to think that the goalshould be to attain a perfect marriagewithout any conflict. I see now thatdoesn’t exist on earth. God is glorifiedwhen I respect, honor and obey the hus-band he has given me. I must do so withjoy despite how hard it may sometimesfeel.

We are continually grateful that Godhas completely restored our family.

ERIN NELSONYelm, Washington, [email protected] and Erin’s children are Xalavier Jr (13)and Erin (8) and believing for more!

From the Brink of

Destruction!


FeminineI read these beautiful words,“quintessentially feminine” in Songof Songs (The Message Bible) andwas arrested by them. What does itmean to be feminine? I don’t meanfeminine according to society’s stan-dards but rather what is quintessen-tially feminine. It means the perfectembodiment of who God originallycreated us to be. It is who we are inour purest form. Instead of lookingaround us to see what other womenare doing to find our standard, weshould be looking at the plumb line

of God’s Word or even at our inher-ent inclinations which God has

divinely put within us. One of the most beautiful aspects of

femininity is pregnancy. The pregnant fig-ure is beautiful. In this awesome time of awoman’s life, she has the privilege of hous-ing and growing a new life, a life that willnot only be born into this world, but aneternal soul that will live forever.

Absolutely nothing in this world ismore powerful than nurturing an eternalsoul. This season of a woman’s life is onlyfor a certain time. It is her time of visitationwhich is only about 20 plus years of herwhole life, not many years when you consid-er that most women live into their eightiesand nineties today. It is the privileged timeof a woman’s life when she can be visited byGod to conceive life.

Every conception discloses a visitationof God. Mere man cannot give conception.After Hannah dedicated her firstbornSamuel to God and took him to live at thetemple, God “visited” her five more timesand gave her five more children (1 Samuel2:21). Genesis 21:1 also tells us how God“visited” Sarah and she conceived.

There are only two kinds of humanbeings in this world—a man without awomb, the male; and a man with a womb,the woman. The womb is distinctive toGod’s female creation. 1 To embrace ourwomb is to embrace who we are; toreject the function of the womb is to

not only reject the true essence of female-ness, but to reject our Creator whodesigned us. Does the handicraft disown itsCraftsman? Isaiah 29:16 (RSV) says, “Youturn things upside down! Shall the potterbe regarded as the clay; and the thing madeshould say of its maker, ‘He did not makeme’; or the thing formed say of him whoformed it, ‘He has no understanding’?”Have we become so shaped by a godlesssociety that we no longer understand whowe are? What perversity! 2

Motherhood is also part of our innatefemininity. Noah Webster’s 1928 dictionarydescribes quintessential as “the highestessence of power in a natural body.”Motherhood is primal, powerful, protectingand permeating—not only in our chil-dren’s lives but in all of society.

Motherhood is not something weperform at a certain time of our life.Motherhood is who we are as afemale. When we reject mothering,we reject who God created us to be.The desire to nurture is divinely inher-ent in every woman, even those whoseemingly reject motherhood. Thosewho refuse to embrace children into theirarms will usually have a cat or a dog, whichthey nurture like a human baby!

To embrace motherhood is to embracequintessential femininity. Motherhood isthe highest career in the nation. It is adivine mandate. It is the glory of the nation.We read in Hosea 9:11 how God toldEphraim that He would take away their“glory” as punishment for their sins. Whatwas their glory? Conception, pregnancy andbirth!

Not only is motherhood innately with-in us, but it reveals the nature of God. Oneof the names of God is El Shaddai whichreveals God as a nursing mother.Motherhood is not something we “have todo” but it is the revelation of the nurturingheart of God. Webster (1913) describesquintessence as “an extract from anything,containing its rarest virtue, or most subtleand essential constituent in a small quanti-

ty.” We are not El Shaddai, but a little“shad” revealing to the world the rarestvirtue of motherhood. When we embraceand live in the glory of motherhood, weshow to the world what God is like. Whenwe reject motherhood, we deprive the worldof seeing this characteristic of God.

There are some women who cannotconceive naturally. Are they denied mother-hood? No. When a woman expresses hernurturing instinct to mother the hurtingand needy, the elderly, the orphans andwidows, or even to adopt a child, she findsher fulfillment in mothering. The mostrenowned mother of our last century wasMother Theresa, a woman who never

birthed children, but she was the greatestexample of motherhood as she poured outher life for the downtrodden.

There are some mothers who denythemselves the privilege and joy of nursingtheir own baby, and yet this is primal andquintessential to being female. 3 The Bibletells us that “Even jackals offer the breast,they nurse their young; but the daughter ofmy people has become cruel like ostrichesin the wilderness” (Lamentations 4:3).4

We find that our daughters naturallybehave femininely as they haven’t yet beenconditioned by society. They love to mother.That’s all they want to be when they growup, until society re-programs their brains.They love babies. They love to dress likeprincesses, which is another area of our fem-ininity we have lost. As we look aroundtoday we see most women in the uniform ofthe day—jeans and top. I am not into legalityand would not say that you should not wearthe “uniform” but does it really convey whowe are? When my little granddaughters goto my dress-up box, what do they want towear? Each one of them wants to be aprincess. They look for the princess dresses,

Quintessentially

It is not just loving our children,

but loving and embracing the role of motherhood

that releases us into the joy and glory of our divine career.

To reject motherhood is to reject the transcendence of our femaleness.

and if there are not enough to go around,they create them out of sheets and old cur-tains! I have never noticed that they want todress up in a business suit!

One of my Above Rubies helpersshared with me that she and her sistersewed civil war time dresses with hoopedskirts for a historical fair they were attend-ing. They had to run some errands, andrather than changing into street clothes,decided to wear their dresses. They wereamazed that in every store, both workersand shoppers, stopped to exclaim, “Oh youlook so beautiful!” or “What beautiful dress-es!”

I was thinking about this when travel-ing some time back. Delayed in a long lineat an airport, I decided to look around forbeautiful women. Every woman wore the“uniform” but I spotted one lady who stoodout from everyone else. She was dressed in aflowing apricot-colored sari with scarvesflowing around her. She looked gloriouslyfeminine and I feasted my eyes upon her asI waited. How sad that we have degeneratedso far from our intrinsic femininity that wecan only wear a dress that makes us feel likea princess or a queen if we “dress up in acostume!”

I believe a woman also reveals her femi-ninity in her home. This is the domain thatGod has planned for women—to make herhome a restful place where God’s presencedwells, to raise and nurture her children, tocreate a delightful atmosphere her childrenwill remember into the next generation,and to be a successful home-maker and gar-dener. Proverbs 24:15 calls the home a “rest-ing place.” Hosea 11:11 (Knox trans.) says,“In their own home, says the Lord, I willgive them rest.” It is easy for a woman tolose her femininity when she works in thesecular world, but she can also lose her rest.When we lose the anointing of rest uponour lives, we need to get back into thehome.

In the home a woman can also bask inthe provision and leadership of her hus-band. She loses her femininity, her graceand her peace when she rules her husband.A truly feminine woman trusts in her hus-band’s provision and authority. This doesnot mean that she is a doormat. God hasgiven to the woman a sphere of leadership,not to rule over her husband, but to governthe affairs of her home (1 Timothy 5:14). Itis her prerogative to efficiently administrateher home and garden. This is not aninsignificant task. It is a full time career,especially as God blesses the couple withmore children.

Gentleness and meekness are also theinner essence of being female. 1 Peter 3:3-4(Williams) says, “Your adornments… mustbe of an internal nature, the character con-cealed in the heart, in the imperishablequality of a quiet and gentle spirit, which isof great value in the sight of God.” Thesequalities in a female are very precious to theheart of God, and to husbands. In fact, theyare a woman’s charm. They are called an“unfading charm” in the AmplifiedVersion. Is it weak to have a gentle andquiet spirit? No. It is a woman of strengthwho keeps a gentle spirit in the face ofharshness and rebuke. It is a strong womanwho keeps an even temper when she feelsoverwhelmed and angry. Have you triedbeing meek for a week? This is certainly nota challenge for the weak!

The anointing of gentleness on amother is beautiful to behold. Motherhoodis equated with gentleness. And yet it ismore. Just as Jesus was revealed as both aLamb and a Lion, so too, God has put with-in the woman a gentle anointing, but also a“lion-like” spirit which rises up to protecther children, or to resist the enemy thatwould come to attack her marriage or home(Revelation 5:2-6).

This “quiet and gentle” spirit is alsorevealed in our speech. Soft and gentle

words exemplify femininity. Sweet words arebecoming to a woman. If I start to get onmy “high horse” my husband will say to me,“Nancy, you’ve got to be sweet to me.” Ohmy! I don’t have a chance to get harsh!Sweet words endear us to our husband.Sweet words bless our children. Sweet wordspersonify our femaleness. Shakespeare’sfamous words are apt for us: “Her voice wasever soft, gentle and low, an excellent thingin woman.” Solomon, speaking to his bridein Song of Songs 4:11 says, “Your lips, mybride, drip honey; honey and milk areunder your tongue.” Could your husbandtestify that every time you open your mouthsweet words drip from your lips?

In Song of Songs chapter 7 (Message),the Bridegroom is overcome as he admiresevery part of his bride. And then to describeher completely he exclaims,“Quintessentially Feminine.” He cannotthink of greater praise. We have come so farfrom God’s original intent for us, Hisfemale creation. Can we allow God to workin our lives to bring us back, little by little,to the original glory He planned for us?Can we no longer measure our lives by theworld around us but by God’s originaldesign?

NANCY CAMPBELL

Art work: DEBBIE [email protected]


FeminineThe ultimate quintessence of motherhood is

the revelation of God’s maternal heart to the world.

1. Go to www.aboverubies.org, click onArticles and Stories, then Motherhood,then Protect Your Womb. This is animportant document which everywoman should read.

2. The Hebrew word for “you turn thingsupside down” or “you turn thingsaround” is hophek and means “perver-sity!” Read also Isaiah 45:9-10; 64:8and Romans 9:19-21.

3. To read more about the blessings of embracing motherhood and femi-ninity go to www.aboverubies.org,click on Articles and Stories, thenMotherhood, then Preserved throughMotherhood and Fully Female. Youcan also read Preserved throughMotherhood in Above Rubies # 77which is still available. Contact Above Rubies to receive a copy.

4. See also Job 39:14-17 and Isaiah 49:15.

A sigh escaped my lips as I stood over thedryer folding yet another load of laundry.While listening to the squabbling of mythree and five-year-olds and being paged bythe baby, I felt overwhelmed with thenever-ending barrage of tasks demandingmy attention. The sigh I released was notthe type of sigh that expressed anythingpositive. It was the kind of sigh that says,“I’m tired, I’ve had enough, I’m annoyed.”The Lord convicted me right then andthere about the matter.

These sighs rob all the motivation

and positivity from my life. They expressmy disappointment to everyone withinearshot. They seem insignificant, yet theirmessage is loud and clear. And my hus-band detests them!

They also signify a lack of content-ment and motivation on my part. When Isigh like this, I am not expressing any formof thankfulness to God. Rather, I am filledwith negative emotions, including plentyof self-pity. The example they give to mychildren is not one of a willing servant,but rather a grumpy slave.

There is a reason that sighs arelikened to groans in the Bible. They aretwo of the same thing! You cannot utterpraise and thankfulness as you sigh in frus-tration. Now there is a difference betweentaking a deep breath and preparing for themoment’s challenge and allowing a defeat-ed sigh to escape your lips!

There are also contented sighs thatcome once in a while too—like after a deli-cious meal, or as you soak in a hot bath orcrawl into your warm bed. The Lord madeit clear to me as I folded my laundry thatall of my sighs should be contented sighs!All other types of sighs only tear down mymood and the atmosphere of my home. Itwas a real eye-opener for me! I had neverreally given it much thought before, northought that my sighs were anything butharmless. Even when my husbandexpressed his dislike over them, I mini-mized it when I really should have lis-tened.

Now I have no excuse! If I catchmyself in the act of sighing, I immediatelybring to mind something for which to bethankful. For example, as the children cre-ate a sticky mess all over the kitchen and Iwash down the counters with a sigh, Iinstead thank the Lord for having the chil-dren here to make the mess in the firstplace!

I haven’t broken the sighing habit yet,but when one escapes my lips, it remindsme to praise God for something and to seethe good in the situation. This is a start toa much more productive and up-buildinghabit! Why sigh in frustration and aggra-vation, when I can praise God and bethankful? Why tear down when I canbuild up? Isaiah 35:10 says that “Gladnessand joy will overtake them, and sorrowand sighing will flee away.” May my sigh-ing flee away!

MICHELLE KAUENHOFENNew Bothwell, Manitoba, [email protected] and Michelle are the blessed parents ofBryson (19), Jacinda (17), Dalton (16), Brielle (13), Logan (11), Havenne (10),Gideon (8), Jilissa (7), Tressa Leigh (5),Drayden (3) and Solana (1).

Michelle is the Canadian Above RubiesDirector and also, along with Nancy, hoststhe Above Rubies Facebook pages. Go tohttp://facebook.com/AboveRubiesUS

Do You

LikeTO SIGH?

Change every sigh into a Hallelujah!


No Longer on MedsWhen Robby and I got married we want-ed a large family, but knew that I hadunexplained infertility and might neverhave children of our own. So when ourdaughter, Christi, came along we wantedher to have everything. I went to Mothersof Preschoolers (MOPs) meetings, sched-uled weekly play dates, and enrolled herin gymnastics. I looked forward to herfifth birthday because she would be oldenough to take piano lessons. I kept herbusy. Of course, that meant we neverstayed at home. I thought she was gettingeverything she deserved as an only child.What I didn’t realize was that she wasmissing out on the most important gift Icould give her—my time. We were so busyrunning around visiting friends and par-ticipating in organized activities that ourquality time together was spent in the car.Not much quality time with her strappedin a car seat while I listened to the radioor talked on my cell phone.

We were delighted when I found outI was pregnant with child number two.We believed Samuel was another miracleand we would not have any more chil-dren. Therefore, I started planning whatactivities to get him involved in. I contin-ued our very busy schedule believing thattaking them to various activities was thebest way to parent.

When child number three camealong, I was getting pretty weary of all therunning around. By this time I had addedhomeschooling and a homeschool co-opto our list of things to do. Keep in mind, Ididn’t want my children to miss out onanything the world had to offer. Unfortu-nately, I was severely depressed and onmedications.

My dear husband, Robby, was veryconcerned. We had figured out by thistime that God had healed my infertilityand we decided to let God determine our

family size. I realized that if I was going toregain my sanity and get off the meds,things had to change. Through my hus-band’s prayers and prompting, along witha well-timed reading of Managers of theirSchools by Steve and Teri Maxwell, I final-ly listened to God telling me to STAYHOME. I kept thinking about a particu-lar section in the book. The message basi-cally stated that homeschooling means“schooling at home.” I was so busy takingour children to various activities that wedidn’t spend much time at home. Iargued with my husband and God that ifI stayed home, our children would missout on so much—gymnastics, karate,music lessons, play dates, sports, etc. Godand Robby didn’t give up, and I finallyaccepted that God had called me to be astay-at-home-mom. That meant I neededto stay at home.

We now have five beautiful children.I no longer worry that they are missingout. Best of all, I am not on any meds!

I’ve come to realize that it is a world-ly mind-set that thinks having a big familymeans the children will suffer. Media,friends, and well-meaning family all tell usthat small families are best. We are con-tinually bombarded with propaganda toput our children in every activity that thechild thinks he wants to do. We are led tobelieve that with only one or two childrenwe will have more money to provide thelatest toys, fancy vacations, the best pri-vate schools, music lessons, and more. We

are also led to believe that with a smallfamily we will have more quality time withour children. May I remind you that timein the car is not the best quality time! Themedia fails to point out the lonelinesschildren might have because they have nosiblings to bond with or the selfishnesstoo much stuff can create.

We have chosen to see our familythrough God’s eyes. God says, “Likearrows in the hand of a warrior, so are thechildren of one’s youth” Psalm 127:4(NKJV). Think about going to battle. Ifyou are in a battle, you want lots ofammunition (arrows) to defeat the enemy.With a larger family, we are training manyarrows to spread the Gospel of Christ asinstructed in Matthew 28:19-20.Therefore, we will have a greater impacton society. I alone can only tell so manypeople about Christ. But, depending onthe number of children I train up in theLord, I can multiply the number of peo-ple impacted by Christ through my family.

Children of large families may missout on what the world says they shouldhave, but they do not miss out on God’splan for them. I no longer have to takemy children to weekly play dates. Theyhave each other to play with. They arevery close friends with each other. Wehave chosen not to put them in teamsports right now. The five of them are ateam. They learn that working as a teammeans the chores get done faster, leavingthem with more time to play.


Can Children Flourish in Large Families?

A young mother, who has not yet experienced the joys of a large family, complained that she would not want a big family because there would not be enough time to spend with each individual child and the children

would miss out on many things that children of two-child families receive.

Is this thinking true, or a fallacy? Enjoy the following testimonies…

Some may argue that by not puttingthem in various activities my children willnot be properly socialized. Trust me.Children in large home-schooled familiessocialize with all ages and with a variety ofpeople. Our children have learned thatthings do not bring happiness. They canbe selfish at times, but as a rule, with somany people running around the housethere is no room for an “it’s all about me”attitude. There is always an opportunityto teach them to share and think of oth-ers first.

There is never a boring moment inour home. Sometimes I wish I could havea moment of peace and quiet, but when Iget it, I don’t know what to do. Eachchild has his or her own personality pro-viding every day excitement and chal-lenges. And the best part of having manychildren is the abundance of hugs andkisses.

BARBARA SMITHSaint Matthew, South Carolina, [email protected] Robby and Barbara’s arrows are Christi (10),Samuel (5), Joseph (3), Peter (22 months) andHannah (5 months).

Never LonelyI vividly remember a couple summers ago;I was helping at a VBS in a small town nottoo far from where I live. On the very lastnight, I talked to one of the boys who hadalso helped. He asked about my family,and when I told him there were six chil-dren…and my momwas pregnant withtwins, he freakedout.

“Wow! Haven’tyour parents heardof birth control?” heasked. Even though Ipresented a calmand reasonableanswer at themoment, I laterthought this ques-tion through. I knewthat my parents hadused birth controlfor quite some timewhile having theolder children inour family. But, I

wasn’t sure why we now had so many chil-dren. I’d never talked about it with myparents. The next day I did.

My mom and I had a great discus-sion. What I was most amazed to learnwas that my mother never really wantedchildren, much less eight of them! Butafter having Jason before marriage, sheand Daddy knew they had to deal with the

consequences of theiractions. I’m so happythey did; my brother isone of the most won-derful people in my life.Mom said that theyused birth control afterJason as they didn’t feelthe same way then thatthey do now. During aperiod of twelve years,they only had three ofus. Not until after hav-ing a miscarriage didthey realize that Godwanted them to placethe control of their chil-dren in His hands.After that, my parents

had five wonderful, beautiful, intelligent


Growing up as the fourth child in a familyof eight, I guess it’s hard to deny that mymom didn’t have the same number ofhours in the day for each individual childas she would have if she had stopped atjust two. But every single need I had wasalways met. I KNEW my mama loved me.I KNEW that if I wanted to talk all I hadto do was ask. I KNEW that if I had aneed, she would meet it.

The needs of a child in a large familyare actually different than the needs of achild in a small one. When I walkedhome from school with my sister, she andI talked about the troubles we had eachfaced during the school day. When momwould ask, “How was school?” she usuallyheard, “Fine!” or “Oh, so-and-so wasmean again,” but the issue wasn’t criticalbecause I had a companion helping mesort it out before my mom even asked thequestion. I was never at a loss for a play-

mate either! If I was mad at one sibling, Icould always find another who would playwith me, even if it was the baby.

There was plenty of family timearound the kitchen table. We went to theneighborhood pool together, a Six Flagstheme park (family season tickets actuallyconstituted cheap entertainment for afamily of our size!), and to the homes ofother large families. But instead of think-ing of it in terms of one-on-one time(which actually requires the exclusion ofother family members), we thought interms of FAMILY time, and there wasPLENTY of that!

My family never had a lot of money,but God always provided above andbeyond just our needs. Because others rec-ognized the challenges of raising a largefamily, we were constantly provided withhand-me-down clothing. Our church orga-nized a free bread delivery to families who

could benefit from it. Oh, how I lovedseeing that truck pull up to our houseloaded down with things we shouldn’thave been eating anyway! I loved thoseDanishes! While I’m sure my parents hadto learn humility in all of it, aren’t thoselessons that parents of just one or twochildren ought to learn anyway? We arecalled to humility!

I like the way I grew up. If we havemore than the three we have, I would behappy for them to have the kind of child-hood I had. It wasn’t without flaws andheartaches, but I’ve never met a single per-son who can say that theirs was. It’s justpart of life—parents do their best, andGod takes care of the rest. Children AREa blessing. Even though there’s challengein having many children, there is also somuch blessing.

JANIS MUNOZHouston, Texas, [email protected] and Janis’ olive plants are Isaac (3),Isabel (1) and new baby due August 2011.

No Loss of PlaymatesNo Loss of Playmates

Brett and Deanna Chatterton with their children:Jason (23), Joshua (19), Brittany (15),

Josiah (10), Bailey (7), Brenna (5), AnnaMary and Hadassah (1).

children that are fairly close in age. I know that a big part of my strong

beliefs about abortion and birth controlcome from my parent’s wisdom and teach-ings. But I’ve also realized how differentthings would be if abortion and birth con-trol would have played out differently inmy life. I have a brother (and a couple ofclose friends with similar stories) thatcould have easily been aborted.

I recently talked to a friend of minewho said she only wanted a couple chil-dren. I pushed her to consider her beliefsabout birth control. She didn’t fight me.She said something that I hear much toooften from girls my age: “When I am withyour family, I just feel like everything’scomplete. When I’m with mine, I feel likethere are people missing.” If we don’t letGod plan our family, there will be peoplemissing for whom He had a great plan!

Being part of a big family has beensuch an incredible blessing to me. I learnso much from each sibling. I don’t haveenough room to list all the character traitsI learn from each one. My twin sistersboth see me as another Mommy (they callme “Mama J”), and those two relation-ships are just mind-boggling. I neverthought such a blessing would be mine! Ihave a bond with my ten-year-old brother,and seven and five-year-old sisters that Ican spend an entire night with any ofthem, talking and falling asleep together.The instances when my parents don’t havetime for me, I can always find that timewith an older sibling, or even a youngerone. There’s always someone to be there

for me, and there’s always someone that Ican be there for.

All of my friends that don’t havelarge families (which is most of them) tellme how wonderful mine is, and that theyalways have so much fun when they arewith us. A friend once told me, “Afterwatching 19 Kids and Counting and spend-ing all weekend with you guys, I reallythink I want to have a big family. You guysare all so close to each other and you reallyhave what I want when I have my ownfamily.” I almost cried when she said that!

Along with my firm beliefs on the“rights and wrongs” about family planningand such, I think it might even be moreimportant to realize that it really is God’splan for families to be big (when possible).

But what about evangelism, you ask?Aren’t we winning souls to Christ throughevangelism? The truth is that the majorityof Christians have come to Christ becausetheir faith was passed down through theirfamily. Fewer have been saved throughevangelism. Evangelism is good andimportant and God commands us topreach the gospel to the entire world. Butraising a quiver full of children to be war-riors for Christ is just as, if not more,important. It is the devil’s plan for us tobe having fewer children—he’s happy tosee it. How many of us are going to fightthat and do what the Lord commands ofus?

BRITTANY CHATTERTON(15 years)Avon, Illinois, [email protected]

A Continuous PartyI am not a mother of a large family (onlytwo so far), but I am the oldest daughterin a family of 18. My parents adoptedseven of these children so we are everycolor of the rainbow. I have absolutelyNO regrets coming from a large family. Itwas such a wonderful blessing and I hopeI can pass on this blessing to my own chil-dren. Every time we found out my momwas expecting (or an adoption was proba-ble) we rejoiced. Everyone from my oldestbrother to my two-year-old sister lovesbabies and family.

I was always puzzled reading parent-ing magazines and books as to why therewas so much concern about “sibling rival-ry” or enough attention for each child. Ithought, “They haven’t seen a large fami-ly in action” because there is attentionfrom everyone everywhere you turn. Forinstance, what two-year-old doesn’t loveto have a roomful of clapping and cheerswhen they leave the bathroom after a suc-cessful potty break? How many teenagegirls wouldn’t love to have a group of girl-friends who are always there to talk intothe night, laugh, go shopping with, andgive fashion advice? How many boyswould kill to have a “ready-made” teamevery time they pick up a basketball? Evenin difficult times, such as we are experi-encing right now with the loss of myfather, my family stands united andstrong. We can laugh with one anotherand grieve with one another.

The experience I gained in being theeldest daughter was invaluable when Ihad my own little ones. I had loved onbabies all my life and therefore it was nat-ural to know what to do with my own. Ialso had a mom who had experiencedeverything under the sun. She gives mesuch wonderful advice and encourage-ment!

I am a 36 year old mother of two. When Iwas in my twenties I had two miscarriagesand then the Lord blessed us out of theblue when we thought all was said anddone. He gave us a wonderful baby boydelivered by c-section. Six months later Iwas pregnant again and God gave us abeautiful baby girl by c-section. At thattime everyone around us were having twochildren and the husbands were gettingvasectomies. So, after two babies back toback, we joined the sterilizers.

We were also scared into thinking weshouldn’t have any more because of thetwo c-sections. Now I read about mothers

who have nine c-sections! Three years later, I have deep regrets

for following the crowd. I am surroundedby large families where we live now andwitness first-hand the joy they experiencetogether and the tightness to one another.My children see what it is like to havemany siblings and they love the relation-ship the larger families experience. Theyare always asking for more siblings.

JEANETTE (Last name withheld because of security).Rheinland Pfalz, [email protected] and Jeanette’s children are Logan and Kyla.

My Children want more Siblings


The blessings have con-tinued into the second genera-tion. My children, nephews,and nieces all love to gettogether and play with theiraunts and uncles. Many arethe same age. There is atten-tion being given everywhere!It’s a party all the time!

ASHLEY ANDERSONLas Cruces, New Mexico, [email protected] and Ashley with TJ (3).

I am a 14-year old girl and you could say Icome from a “large” family. I am one offive, so far. And you know what? I LOVEbeing a big sister and a helper to my par-ents. I have been given the amazingresponsibility of investing in their lives forthe glory of God. Perhaps, if you were myage you would not see washing dishes,folding laundry, changing diapers, rockingthe little ones, helping supervise theirschoolwork, organizing crafts, playingmatchbox cars in the dirt or pretending tobe princesses as a great experience or “thelife.” But you truly would not know whatyou were missing out on! Since I amhomeschooled, for which I am incrediblygrateful, I spend every blessed day with myfamily.

I wasn’t always homeschooled,though. I attended a Christian academythrough third grade before my mom anddad decided to take the radical step andhomeschool me. I only had a three-year-old brother at the time, and my parentswere amazed at how much closer we drewtogether. He became my best friend.Before, I was interested in my friends fromschool, now I boarded the amazing ride ofa lifelong friendship with my wonderfulbrother.

Many wonder how my parents giveeach of us enough attention or one-on-onetime. I think this is often thought of inthe wrong manner. What many peopledon’t realize is that you can spend one-on-one time with your child even if you are in

your home surrounded by others. Momdoesn’t have to take me out for the dayjust to spend one-on-one time with me.Going out with my mom is wonderful!Yet, I get to spend a lot of time with her athome—we often exchange hugs through-out the day. She encourages me withuplifting words and is always available totalk. The best one-on-one time my momand I experience is our own personal talksabout our struggles, challenges and joys.

My siblings also receive attentionthroughout the day. Because they haveeach other, there is always someone tospend time with. In fact, when my momwas expecting baby # 5, she was afraid thatperhaps she would not be able to give thebaby enough attention. After all, shealready had four others who needed herattention too. Would this baby be brushedaside? Absolutely not! When Sarah Bethwas born she had so many hands ready tohold her—all the children loved her. Ithink she received more attention thanprevious babies just because there weremore children ready to give it.

I know this may seem odd, but Iwould love it if the Lord would send morechildren to our family! The more, the mer-rier! Yes, there are hectic days, but I neverwould want to exchange them for a daywithout my siblings. They bring so muchjoy. I could never imagine being an onlychild! There would be such a void in myfamily’s life if even one of these preciouschildren weren’t with us. I thank the Lordfor each passing day and for my wonderfulfamily!

MORGAN HIETT (14 years)Capon Bridge, West Virginia, [email protected]


God’s PerspectiveGod’s Perspective

Many Hands to Hold the Baby

I often think about the family in which Godchose His beloved Son to be raised on thisearth. Mark 6:3 tells us about Jesus’ four broth-ers and his sisters. Sisters? That’s plural. Hewould have had to have at least two sisters, buthe could have had three or four sisters. Thatmeans Jesus grew up in a family of at leastseven children! Or, maybe he grew up in a fam-ily of 10 or more children.

If God, the Creator of the universe and

all mankind, thought that there were negativesabout large families, He would not haveallowed His Son to be raised in such a family.Yet God chose for Him to be raised in a largefamily. This is how God intends children to beraised.

If it was good enough for Jesus, it surelyshould be good enough for our children!

NANCY CAMPBELL

JD and Nancy Hiett with their children: Morgan (14), Benjamin (9), Joseph (5), Madison (3) andSarah Beth (1).

An Adventurous RideWhy not just have one or two children?For us, it boiled down to submission.Were we willing to allow God to makedecisions for us, trusting in His goodnessand plan for our lives or take control our-selves? It was a gamble, as faith always is.Giving up what’s known to walk towards aland that is just a hope like Abraham wascalled to do can seem preposterous tomany. As tempting as it is to choose asmaller family and larger house I’m hereto advocate the larger family and thehouse that God provides. Why? How doesone manage the demands?

Recognize that life is seasonalWe won’t always be pregnant, nursing, ortrying to maintain order during the yearsof toddler mayhem. There will be a daywhen you mourn the loss of your fertility,wishing that you’d have one more child.

Recognize that God provides Helpless babies are His people. I rememberpraying, when I was “surprised” by the real-ization of carrying our first child, “God,you will have to provide for this baby. Wehave nothing and we aren’t prepared inany way!” He has, for the past 24 years, pro-vided clothes, food, furniture, opportuni-ties, even a four-year college scholarship!

Realize that children grow Children grow into and out of stages andages, become more mature, learn to read,cook and take out the trash. As your fami-ly grows, so do your resources! I honestlydon’t think I bathed our fifth child ever,or tied the shoes on my fourth. Thesetasks were always done by siblings and theysang the same shoe-lace tying song that myhusband and I sang to them! Now that wehave more adults than children in ourfamily, we are constantly and pleasantlysurprised at the resources and friendshipsthey introduce us to.

Realize that once you submit in one area to God’ssovereignty, the easier it is to submit in others The more you allow your faith to seep intoevery area of your life, the more opportu-nities. We are like stewards in a King’scourt and those who steward well theirresources are trusted with more. The chal-lenge continues to grow! The adventureexpands!

Realize what is most important At the end of the day, and our lives, whatis of utmost importance? Is it money, pres-tige, power or work? It boils down to peo-ple and our relationships with them.When we are in trouble, need help, or areweak, we lift each other up.

Last year was one of the most diffi-cult of my life. Our family was burned outof our house and within a year both my 48year old sister and 74 year old father died,leaving my younger sister and me as theremnants of my family of origin. I strug-gled with deep sorrow throughout theyear. My husband and children, over andover again, read Scripture, prayed andencouraged me when I myself was discour-aged to the core. Their faith built me up.Their friendship sustained me. Ecclesiastes4:9 states that, “Two are better than onefor they have a good return on theirlabor.” More children means more onevery level: more groceries to buy, morechallenge, more demands on time andenergy along with more creativity, morelove, more hands to hold, more of life toembrace and more heart friendships tobring forth good return.

Having more children allows the chil-dren you have to learn to live with moder-

ation and sacrifice. I remember years ago afriend with one child came to visit. I’dbaked a chicken for dinner. The onlychild, aged nine at the time, took a chick-en breast and a thigh for himself, leavingthe other eight of us to divide what wasleft. I realized that my children will neverstruggle with unaware greed. They aretrained to ask if someone wants to sharethe last of whatever it might be. They aretrained to look creatively for resources andto share the resources they have. They aretrained to give as well as receive, to serve,as well as be served. Living in a large fami-ly gives them the opportunity to under-stand that the world doesn’t revolvearound them.

Having a large family is challengingand demanding. When I feel over-whelmed and burdened, it’s usuallybecause I am forgetting that life is seasonaland I start assuming that I’m called to doeverything, all at once. It’s usually theHoly Spirit, letting me know that there areareas of my life that are out of balance orthat I need to change some things around,reassign chores or the work load, rely lesson myself and more on Him

I would encourage you to say “Yes” tothe wild and glorious life God waits to giveyou. Our culture chants the mantra of Me,Me, Me, demanding that living a life thatis stingy and self satisfied is “normal” andthat children are an expensive burden.Embracing children into one’s home andfamily is about selfless living and embrac-ing the One who has infinitely more thanwe need, who breathes adventure andinvites us to join Him on a grand and glo-rious ride.

LISA NEHRINGParker, South Dakota, [email protected] David and Lisa’s children are Rachel (24),Kendra (20), Derek (16), Ethan (11) andHannah (8).

Above Rubies Facebookhttp://facebook.com/AboveRubiesUS

Instant Encouragement for you as a wife and mother!Jump in each morning to be encouraged in your high calling of mothering. Then sign off to get on to your great job of mothering and training your children, the greatest career in the nation.

Or, if you have a phone with internet access, sign up on Above Rubies Facebook to have SMS messages sent straight to your cell phone. You don’t have to take time from your family to “check” your Facebook. Instead, your phone sends you a sound message and opens a text

message window every time Nancy or Michelle write you an encouraging message.

5ABOVE RUBIES March 2011, No.81 23

&I do not have to look back very far in myfamily tree to see how righteousness, or thelack thereof, has played a crucial influenceupon the succeeding generations. Mygrandfather Campbell on my father’s sidedied indirectly through alcohol and I amtold all his brothers did likewise. They saytheir mother was always late with the mealsand in order to placate their impatiencewould offer them alcohol until she dishedup the food! Perhaps it was part of theScotch tradition, and being Campbells itkind of fits!

On a positive note, my father‘s grand-mother on his mother’s side (although herhusband owned a brewery) became aChristian, and as time went on became amighty prayer warrior. The power of thisrighteous woman’s prayers has influencedseven generations of my family to this day,including my father’s conversion.

My grandfather Brown on my moth-er’s side was a very gracious and godlyman. His wife died early in their marriageand he never remarried. He later became aChristian, lived a godly life and was a veryrighteous influence to the nine children inmy family as well as to my cousins. I wasblessed to hear him share from the Biblemost Sundays at our small church and hewould join us occasionally on Sunday after-noons if he thought the family needed tohear more of God’s Word.

Grandfather Brown had an amazingconversion and he and his brother werebaptized at the same time. They becameregular attendees at church. Sadly, someoffense caused his brother to stop going tochurch and his godly influence didn’t takelong to diminish. Marriage break-ups haveblighted their family and many no longerwalk with the Lord. His wife kept attend-ing church faithfully each Sunday but thenegative effect of her backslidden husbandtook its tragic toll on the family.

Now, five generations away from mygrandfather Brown, his side of the family isstill walking in great blessing; the otherbrother’s side has many a sad story to tell.

Righteous parenting has great powerand influence. A vital part of this parent-

ing is the faithful attendance at a churchfellowship, whether small or large.Together as a family we can absorb theanointing of God’s presence, the power ofthe spoken Word and the fellowship of thesaints. This keeps us from falling.

Do not even let it enter your brainthat it is okay to stay away from churchwithout serious consequences to your fami-ly and the following generations. Talkingabout Jesus, Luke 4:16 tells us that “as hiscustom was, he went into the synagogue onthe Sabbath day.” God chose His belovedSon to be raised with the habit of going tothe house of God each week. He didn’t gowhen he felt the urge, but because it washis custom. Not only was it his weeklyhabit, but the Scriptures also tell us that hewas consumed with zeal for God’s house!(Psalm 69:9 and John 2:17) How can weexpect our children to be filled with zealfor God’s house if we don’t establish thehabit of weekly attendance at church? Even

the singing of hymns and worship songsenables truth to enter our hearts. We can-not bless God with our lips and not haveHim minister some reward back to oursouls. I always find it easier to bless andworship God in a corporate setting thanon my own.

If you find your church or fellowshipdry and boring, first of all check your ownheart. Do you have a critical spirit? Are youeasily hurt? Are you too touchy? Are you adiscontented murmurer? And what sort ofexample do these attitudes give your chil-dren?

Maybe there is some way you couldmake your church better. Before we get toocritical of the church and take off to be aproblem somewhere else, we need to askourselves, “Am I the problem or am Iadding life to the fellowship?” Of course,God can lead us to another church wherewe could be more useful and perhaps findmore help for our souls, but we mustalways remember the old saying, “You will

never find the perfect church, and if youdo, when you walk in it will be flawed!”We are all imperfect people, and in manycases, easily offended. We cannot blamethe church, for it is we who are the church!If you do move to another church, main-tain warm-hearted fellowship with the folkyou leave behind.

It is true that many churches needrevival, lack power and hospitality and areboring and unattractive. But with all theirfaults and failures, I believe it is still impor-tant to set a good example to your familywith regular church attendance. The sameproblems exist in families as in churchesand we certainly do not advocate stayingaway from family life for the same reasons.

What would it be like if all theChristians in the nation used their differ-ent excuses to stay away from church? Thenation would soon deteriorate spirituallyand morally—and eventually collapse.Honestly, would you like to live in a coun-

try where no one goes to church? We should never set the example to

our family that it is alright to be a recluseor a loner. Church is all about loving andministering to one another. When we gath-er together, we have opportunities to fel-lowship, encourage and assist each other. 1John 3:14 says, “We know that we havepassed from death to life, because we lovethe brethren.” And 1 John 3:16 says,“Hereby perceive we the love of God,because he laid down his life for us: and weought to lay down our lives for thebrethren.”

I believe that God-fearing families willwant to go to church somewhere. Why do Isay this? I say this because the Holy Spiritwho lives in us loves His people and Hewants to love them through us—with alltheir faults and failures. Just as each mem-ber of our family makes the family brighterwith their gifts and personality, so we makethe church fellowship brighter with theblessings and contributions that we and


The First to Arrive

Where would America be today if there was no church?

the Lastto Leave!

our children bring.Perhaps you and your family could

take care of an elderly widow. You can be ablessing to other families in your fellowshipby inviting them to your home for a mealand finding out ways to bless them. It is ablessing for your growing family to invitepeople to your home who have godly chil-dren that you feel would make good com-panions for your children. If you reply,“We can’t find these families in church,”all I can say is that you are less likely to findthem outside the church!

Some churches give time for theircongregations to share encouraging testi-monies or special needs for prayer. This isvery positive and you and your familyshould make the most of these opportuni-ties to lift up and encourage other families.

If you want to see more spiritual firein your fellowship, make sure you and yourfamily conduct Family Devotions—dailyreading God’s Word and praying together.When you arrive at church, people willsense the spiritual fire that arrives whenyou walk in!

If we don’t praise the Lord at homeduring the week, we will not be exercisedto do it at church. If we do not fill our-selves and our family daily with God’sWord, we will bring dryness instead of rich-ness to the gathering. If we do not praytogether as families throughout the week,we will not bring the spirit of prayer withus to church. And is not God’s house to becalled a “house of prayer?” Our churchesshould be filled with a spirit of prayer. Ifthey are not, it reveals we are not praying athome.

Church should be the culmination ofthe week of Family Devotions. As each per-son arrives, filled with the Word and theanointing of the Holy Spirit, they bring apowerful deposit of the presence of God.This makes for gatherings that no onewould want to miss. Church was nevermeant to be the one source of spiritualfood. Your family would soon starve if theyonly received physical food once a week.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consid-er one another in order to stir up love andgood works, not forsaking the assemblingof our selves together, as the manner ofsome, but exhorting one another, and so

much the more as you see the Dayapproaching.” If we forsake gatheringtogether, it stands to reason there will beno context in which to consider one anoth-er, stir each other up to love and goodworks and to encourage one another. Thisexposes that we really do not practicallylove God’s people and the church isdeprived.

Let’s consider the following points:1 Church services can easily switch in

temperature from “down” to “up” injust a week. This is often caused by atti-tudes in the pulpit or the pew as wellas lack of prayer and waiting on God.

2 We should make allowances for differ-ent types of personalities, whether theybe old fashioned or cool; loud orquiet; introverted or extroverted; intel-ligent or ignorant; good-looking orplain Jane or wise or foolish. Try yourbest to be a blessing to all of them.

3 Are you in your fellowship to serve orto be served? It is fine to sit and receiveduring times of suffering and loss, butthis should not be forever. The moremature attitude is one of giving andblessing.

4 When looking for a church for yourfamily, check out what they believedoctrinally. Are they compromising thetruth? Can you and your family beuplifted spiritually?

5 Do they encourage and practice hospi-tality to one another? If not, you couldstart the ball rolling. Invite a family orlonely person home with you afterchurch. Hospitality is contagious.

6 What is their stand on morality?7 Are there other families that you and

your family could be benefited mutual-ly by getting together?

8 Do they encourage family life? Do theyhave negative attitudes about havingbabies? Do they welcome families, bothlarge and small?

9 Does the leadership practice what theypreach? Are they humble or proud?

10 Are they interested in outreach to thecommunity and the world?If you cannot find a church fellow-

ship with even some of the above points,perhaps you could find three or four otherfamilies in your area that are like-mindedwho would be interested in starting ahome fellowship. Pray about it first, ofcourse. The downside of having church on

your own is not gathering with the saintsin order to bless them.

With all my heart I believe that regu-lar church attendance is a most importanttradition to keep alive in your family.Despite all the faults and failings of thechurch, the positives far out-way the nega-tives.

Regular church attendance is notonly wholesome for your family but alsofor the nation. It would be a sad day forAmerica if churches were closed down andit was illegal to hold a church service inyour home. Where would America betoday if there was no church? I rememberwhen living in Australia that our city by-laws forbade all home churches. Weshould make the most of the freedoms weenjoy.

Get your family up and dressed andbe the first ones to arrive and the last toleave!

COLIN CAMPBELL

The blessings of being in the Lord’s House:Psalm 26:8; 27:4; 36:8; 42:4; 52:8; 55:14; 65:4;69:9; 84:1-4, 10; 92:13-14; 93:5; 101:7; 116:14, 17-19; 122:1; 134:1-3; 135:1-3; Isaiah 2:3; 58:13-14;Zech. 8:21;1 Cor. 16:2 and Rev. 1:10.

Related Articles:Go to www.aboverubies.org and click onArticles and Stories, then Family and Church,then click on the following articles:Should Children be in Church? and Children inChurch: How can we keep them Quiet?


“The first and primary key to your family’s spiritual health is a commitment to the weekly public worship services of the church.”~ Terry L. Johnson (The Family Worship Book)

Wris

t Ban

ds

Powerful and Positive affirmationsfor wives and mothers!As you wear them on your wrist each day you will be constantly reminded of your high and mighty calling as a mother and wife!

I LOVE MOTHERHOODWE’RE A SMILING FAMILYI’M A COVENANT KEEPER

I LOVE MY HUSBNDI AM ABOVE SELF-PITY

MOTHERHOOD=ADVENTUREI AM A NATION BUILDER

WORTH MORE THAN RUBIES

$2.00 eachOr only $8.00 for the eight bands!

Asking a friend or family member for assis-tance makes the hair on the back of myneck stand on end and the blood boil upto the top of my forehead! I have thisstrange problem. I’m fine asking for helpwhen I think it will come as a surprise tothe one I’m asking, or if I’m sure they’d bedelighted to oblige and I don’t appearneedy or desperate. But, if I think some-one thinks I need help and things appearout of my control, my asking or acceptingability is paralyzed! In my distorted think-ing, if they already think I need help, Ishould act like I don’t need any so theywon’t think I actually do.

I am married to an extremely helpfulman. He starts the car for me on frigidmornings, shops for groceries, carriessleeping children in from the family van,does dishes and laundry… you name it. Ihave the most helpful human being I

know ready and willing to help me withanything imaginable and I can’t even bringmyself to ask him to help me open a stickyjar!

What is wrong with me? I know whatit is, but it’s hard to admit. It’s pride. P-R-I-D-E. Ouch. Maybe I have too much prideto ever think of myself as a prideful per-son. It’s an ugly word, named in the Bibleas a downright ugly sin. I’ve fooled myselfall these years, thinking I was just feedingmy need to feel capable without asking forhelp. A twisted part of me thrives on carry-ing 10 bags of groceries into the house intwo runs or less, all the while balancing adiaper bag and an infant car seat. I revel inthe moment as if I’ve just done this grandand noble thing like a martyr in a greattale. Granted, even with my heartdrenched in pride, I cherish the sight ofmy husband greeting me on the front

steps with eager hands ready to lighten myload.

A shocking and sad realization hascome to mind. My desire to be a help toothers, whether they look needy or not, isthat same help others wish to bestow uponme, but to no avail. They may hear, “I’vegot it.” Or, “I’m used to it, I can do it.”And, “No thanks, it’s easier if I just do it.”My need to feel capable and strong hasunknowingly squashed another one’s needto feel helpful and needed! Upon askingGod to forgive this shortcoming in my life,I decided to become a Yes Woman when itcomes to humbly admitting I do indeedneed help. The Bible says in Proverbs 11:2,“When pride comes, then comes shame;but with the humble is wisdom.”

I can now hear myself saying, “Yes,there is something you can help me with.”And, “Yes! Would you mind chopping upsome carrots for the salad?” And, “Oh yes,it would be great to drop the children offwhile I run to my appointment, thankyou!” You see, with my new attitude putinto action, I will not only be receivingsome much needed assistance but I will beallowing someone else the satisfaction andblessing of giving it.

AMANDA BACONWasilla, Alaska, USA [email protected] and Amanda’s blessings are Drew (9),Gavin (7), Morgan (5) and Annika (1).

HELP!


What an amazing savingsfor such powerful life-changers!


ABOVE RUBIES E-GROUPhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/AboveRubies/Questions: Contact Denise Bryce at [email protected]

ABOVE RUBIES RETREATS FOR 2011Check www.aboverubies.org for additional retreats or changes.

25 – 27 MARCH, WISCONSIN13th ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT at Inspiration Center, Williams BayContact Roger and Jackie Thelen Ph: 262-723-6557 • [email protected]

1 – 3 APRIL, OHIOLADIES RETREAT at Camp Carl, www.campcarl.comContact: Brianna Graber • [email protected] • Ph: 330-877-2471Or: Sharon Carmichael • [email protected] • Ph: 330-455-7571Website: www.neohrubies.blogspot.com

8 – 10 APRIL, BROWNWOOD, TEXAS (2 hrs SW of Dallas)LADIES RETREAT at Heart of Texas Camp Contact: Jeanette Watje • Ph: 830-608-0880 Email: [email protected] • www.TexasRubies.comPrayerfully; Pearl, Meadow, Serene, and Vange will be there!

29 APRIL – 1 MAY, MANITOBA, CANADALADIES RETREAT at Wilderness Edge Retreat Centre Pinawa Bay, NE of Winnipeg • www.wildernessedge.comContact: Michelle Kauenhofen • Ph: 204-388-6015 (noon–4 pm or after 8 pm)Email: [email protected], Pearl and Evangeline will be attending this retreat.

10 – 12 JUNE, ONTARIO, CANADAFAMILY CAMP at Torrance (near Gravenhurst)Contact: Alison Morrison • Ph: 705-458-9631• [email protected]

19 - 21 AUGUST, TENNESSEELADIES RETREAT at Garner Creek Center700 Sam Hollow Rd • Dickson, TN 37055 • www.garnercreak.comContact: Shelly Cathcart • Ph: 828-586-3024 • [email protected] Katharine Collings • Ph: 828-226-8414 • [email protected]* Serene, Pearl and Evangeline will be attending this retreat.

26 – 28 AUGUST, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIAFAMILY and LADIES RETREAT at Pine Valley Bible Conference CenterContact: Gary and Trish Evans • Ph: 951-681-4858 or Cell: 951-315-9078Email: [email protected]

23 – 25 SEPTEMBER, MINNESOTAFAMILY CAMP at Camp Shamineau, Motley, MN.Contact Marc and Tonya Kramer • Ph: 218-287-5114 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

28 – 30 OCTOBER, CALIFORNIA/NEVADALADIES RETREAT at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conf. Center, Lake TahoeContact: Kasey Channell • Ph. 530-544-1366 or 530-307-2442Email: [email protected] Jennifer Brackett • Ph. 530-318-3370 • [email protected]

4 – 6 NOVEMBER, OREGONLADIES RETREAT at Aldersgate, Turner (South of Salem)Contact: Pam Fields • Ph: 503-363-0579 • [email protected] Terri Burkhert • Ph: 541-580-2905 • [email protected] to website: www.oregonrubies.com

Live LongerUniversity of California, Berkeley:

A 28-year study of 5,000, people aged 21 to 65 years, revealed that people who attended religious services at least once a week

had a 23% lower risk of dying over the study period than less frequent attendees.

Duke University Medical Center:A study of nearly 4,000 elderly North Carolinians found

that those who attended religious services every week were 46% less likely to die over a six-year period

than people who attended less often or not at all.

Pew Research Center: People who attend religious services weekly or more

are happier (43%) than those who attend monthly or less (31%); or seldom or never (26%). This correlation between happiness

and frequency of church attendance has been a consistent finding in the General Social Surveys taken over the years.

ORDERINGINFORMATION

Order by credit card or PayPalwww.aboverubies.org, or send check to:

ABOVE RUBIESPO BOX 681687 • FRANKLIN, TN 37068-1687

PHONE: (877) 729 9861 (between 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday central time)

PLEASE ADD 25% SHIPPINGMinimum Shipping $1.40.

(The above are US prices only and please pay in US funds)(Canadians place orders through www.aboverubies.ca)


Special for this Issue! COURTSHIP DVDs

ONE MORE TIME!

100 DAYSOF BLESSING!

by Nancy Campbell

Next issue it will be back to the usual price!

See page 14.

PLUS, an even BIGGERdiscount for the

Wristbands with powerful and positive affirmations to wear daily!

Or Only $8.00if your purchase eight!

See page 26.

Last time for these specials!

Only$9.95

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL YOUNG PEOPLE!

Pamela’s Prayer This motion picture portrays the unique story

of Pamela Bucklin from her birth in 1969 to her wedding day in 1991. It is a wonderful story

that shows Pamela’s temptations but how in the end God enabled her to keep her first kiss

for her wedding day. A captivating and inspiring story.

One Lucky LadyA very touching drama. When the subject

of kissing comes up, each cast member reveals the age they had their first—until one young man

shares haltingly and yet passionately how he has decided to keep his first kiss

for the wedding day. Powerful and moving.

Betrothed The story of Brayden and Talitha Waller’s

betrothal and wedding. Brayden and Tali decided to go beyond courtship and experience a betrothal

just like in Bible days. It is an incredible story. You will laugh! You will cry! Colin and I were

very blessed to be part of their wedding ceremony but when I saw the movie of their whole story

(and what happened behind the scenes) I was awed. You will be too.Go to www.aboverubies.org

or page 29 to place your order.

Above Rubies YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/aboverubiestennessee

You can see...Music DVD of Serene and Pearl’s song, I Promise to Love you I do, from This is our Road.

Serene Allison making sour dough bread, Part 1 & 2Colin and Nancy sharing God’s vision for Families, Part 1 and 2.

The Campbells conducting Family Devotions at their evening meal.

$2.00EACH

Truth can never win unless it is promulgated. Truth does not carry within itself an antitoxin to falsehood. The cause of truth must be championed, and it must be championed dynamically.”

~ William F Buckley, Jr.

Photocopy this page if you don’t want to cut in to your magazine.

RESPONSE FORM

J

J

Above Rubies Webmaster: Contact Joeat [email protected]


Price Qty TotalStudy Manuals:The Power of Motherhood $18.00The Family Meal Table and Hospitality $20.00 Be Fruitful and Multiply $14.00Gate Keepers of the Home $10.00

Discount for above 4 manuals $50.00Your Price is Far Above Rubies $18.00Music CDs:Peace All Over Me - Serene & Pearl $15.00Soothe Me - Serene & Pearl $15.00Angel in my Arms - Serene & Pearl $15.00This is our Road - Serene & Pearl $15.00Richest Man on Earth - Songs for Fathers $15.00I had No Idea - Val Halloran $15.00DVDs:Rejuvenate with Serene $14.95The Family Meal Table $14.95Who Am I? Understanding my Purpose... $19.95Reclaiming God’s Plan for Women $19.95Children Are a Blessing $14.95Courtship DVDs:Pamela’s Prayer $ 9.00One Lucky Lady $ 9.00Betrothed $19.95Nancy’s Teaching CDs: MP3Changing the World from your Home $19.00 $10Powerful Parenting $17.00 $9Shepherding your Flock $19.00 $10The Atmosphere of the Home $21.00 $11Back to the Beginning $21.00 $11Mothers with a Mission $21.00 $11The Beautiful Woman $19.00 $10God’s Grace at my Place $17.00 $9Building a Strong Marriage and Home $17.00 $9Lovely Homes $17.00 $9The Flourishing Mother $13.00 $7Home Sweet Home $ 5.00Gird your Loins with Truth $ 5.00Colin Campbell’s Materials: MP3Stand Up and be Counted $ 5.0021st Century Patriarch DVD $19.59Where are the Real Men of God? $14.00The Making of a Patriarch CDs $17.00 $9Evangeline’s Teaching CDs: MP3The Adventure of Motherhood $13.00 $7Guard Your Child’s Brain Space $ 5.00The Weeping Warrior $ 5.00Justice in the Home $ 5.00Serene’s Health Information:Rejuvenate Your Life - Recipes for Energy $18.00Coconut Butter/Oil Recipes - by Serene $ 4.99Rejuvenate Your Life CD $ 5.00Posters:Etiquette Poster Package $ 8.95Sub-Total left column

Price Qty TotalBooks:10/40 Window $ 9.99100 Days of Blessing $14.95Adoption as a Ministry $13.99A Change of Heart - Reversal Testimonies $12.00A Full Quiver $10.00Breastfeeding and Fertility $10.00 Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions $ 3.00Love your Husband, Love Yourself $14.95Nuturing the Nations - by Darrow Miller $15.00Quiet Reflections For Mothers - 101 Poems $12.00The Bible and Birth Control $ 7.95The Daily Light $15.99Bracelets:1- I LOVE MOTHERHOOD 2.001- WE’RE A SMILING FAMILY 2.001- I’M A COVENANT KEEPER 2.001- I LOVE MY HUSBND 2.001- I AM ABOVE SELF-PITY 2.001- MOTHERHOOD=ADVENTURE 2.001- I AM A NATION BUILDER 2.001- WORTH MORE THAN RUBIES 2.00Eight Bracelets 8.00Sub-Total from this columnSub-Total from left columnAdd 25% ShippingMy Donation for Above RubiesMy Donation to CampbellsTotal:

The Specials will have you seeing stars. J

$ 9.95

~CAMPBELL SUPPPORT~All donations to Above Rubies go to the printing and

distributing of the magazines. Colin and Nancy do not takeany support from donations to Above Rubies. All donations

to Above Rubies and money to books and manuals, go tothe printing and distribution of Above Rubies. To helpthem personally to continue this ministry, fill in below.

Enclosed: $_______________________________________________________

NAME ____________________________________________________

STREET ___________________________________________________

CITY ____________________________________________________

STATE _______________ ZIP __________________________________

EMAIL ____________________________________________________________

HERE IS MY DONATION FOR

ABOVE RUBIESSend by credit card, PayPal, or check.

Above Rubies is made freely available by donation. However, we can only keep printing as the donations flow in. We encourage

those who have a burden to see marriages and families restored back to God’s ways to give liberally so we can continue to

strengthen families across this nation and the world. Thank you very much.

My Donation for Above Rubies ____________________________

Method of payment:__ Check __ Money Order __ MC/Visa/Disc

Credit card number: _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _

Telephone number: ______________________________________

Name on card: _________________________________________

Exp date: _ _ /_ _ V-code _ _ _ Signature: __________________

I AM ALREADY ON THE AR LIST qI AM A NEW SUBSCRIBER q

I ALREADY HAVE ABOVE RUBIES #____________________

NAME _______________________________________________

STREET ______________________________________________

CITY _________________________________________________

STATE ____________ ZIP ________________________________

EMAIL _______________________________________________

I WOULD LIKE ________OF THIS ISSUE TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.

INCREASE MY FUTURE ORDER TO _____________________

DECREASE MY FUTURE ORDER TO _____________________

I WOULD LIKE TO ORGANIZE ANABOVE RUBIES RETREAT IN MY STATE. q

MY ADDRESS HAS CHANGED. HERE IS MY NEW ADDRESS.

STREET _____________________________________________

CITY ________________________________________________

STATE ____________ ZIP ________________________________

PREVIOUS ZIP # ______________________________________

NEW FRIEND. COULD YOU PLEASE SEND AR TO:

NAME _______________________________________________

STREET ______________________________________________

CITY ________________________________________________

STATE ____________ ZIP ________________________________

EMAIL _______________________________________________

List more friends on a separate sheet of paper. Share Above Rubies with everyone you meet. # 81


Purchase Nancy’s Four Manuals for Only $50.00. YOU SAVE $12.00!

The Power of MotherhoodWhat the Bible says about you as a Mother!

You will be strengthened, fortified, inspired, encour-aged and uplifted in your high calling of motherhood!

Mothers who have read this manual confess that they are never the same again!

The Family Meal Tableand Hospitality

What the Bible says about your Table!This manual will give you a vision for your family meal

table far beyond what you have ever dreamed. Filledwith scriptural inspiration and creative ideas

for your family mealtimes and hospitality. It will change your family life and

is a “must” for every family.

Gate-Keepers of the HomeHow to Guard your Home

This manual studies the twelve gates of Jerusalem thatNehemiah rebuilt, relating it to building,

repairing and guarding the gates of your home. It is a great study for Bible Study groups. You will be

encouraged in your powerful calling as theWatchwoman of your home.

Be Fruitful and MultiplyWhat the Bible says about having Children!This book goes into the Word of God to see what

He says about having children. You will be surprised. It is a must for every

single person planning to marry and every marriedcouple. Buy it for yourself and give as gifts

to as many as possible.

Discount Prices for Manuals40% discount for ten or more!


* South Asia:India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

* East Asia:China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Macau,

Taiwan, Japan and Korea.

* South East Asia:Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,

Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam (except Malaysia as we have an

Above Rubies base in Malaysia).

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

AMERICAPO Box 681687, Franklin, TN 37068-1687Nancy Campbell: [email protected]: 1 877 729 9861 (between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, Central Time)

AUSTRALIAPO Box 5604, Manly, QLD 4179Val Stares: [email protected]:/Fax (07) 5543 4744

CANADABox 152, New Bothwell MB R0A 1C0Michelle Kauenhofen: [email protected]: 204-388-6015; Cell: 204-355-7682

MALAYSIANo 1, Jalan USJ 13/1A, UEP Subang Jaya, 47620 Petaling Jaya, SelangorRosalyn Khoo: [email protected] Ph: (60) 5638 3522

NEW ZEALANDPO Box 4232, Mount MaunganuiHeather Jones: [email protected]: (07) 575 5787 Fax: (07) 575 2024

PAPUA NEW GUINEA and AFRICA8 Burkes Road, Gowrie Junction, QLD, Australia 4352Lisa Thorpe: [email protected]

SINGAPORE, SOUTH ASIA, EAST ASIA AND SOUTH EAST ASIA*Marine Parade, PO Box 720, Singapore 914408Jenny Png: [email protected]

SOUTH AFRICAPO Box 3916, Durbanville 7551Linnie and Christo Lues: [email protected]: 021 976 0883

SOUTH PACIFICPO Box 4232, Mt. Maunganui, New ZealandMargarett Hartnett: [email protected]

SOUTH/CENTRAL AMERICA, ISRAEL and MIDDLE EASTEmail [email protected]

UNITED KINGDOM AND EUROPE6 Field Close, West Molesey, Surrey, KT8 2LAJohn and Alice Gurr: [email protected]: (020) 8224 3628

Thank you for your support to help us bring the message of encouragement to marriages and families across the world.

ONLINE DONATIONSYou can now donate to Above Rubies online.

Go to:

www.aboverubies.org

ARE YOU MOVING?Please remember to send us

your change of address. We are charged for your returned mail.

Thank you.

CANADIAN READERS:For all Canadian orders and prices,

call Michelle at 204-355-7682Address or subscription changes email

Marie at [email protected]

Publications Agreement 40866061

Praying Through the 100 Gateway Cities

of the 10/40 Window This book gives information on the100 key cities in the 10/40window, the world’s leastevangelized area. Most of

these cities are in darknesswith less than one per-cent Christians. Theyneed the light of the

Gospel.What a privilegeto pray together as a

family for these cities.

What would happen if everyChristian family puchased thisbook and prayed for God tomove mightily in these cities?

Go to www.aboverubies.org

ABOVE RUBIES is a non-subscription magazine, supported by the contributions of its readers and interested people. Our vision is to print four times a year,

but this is dependent upon the donations. We go to print as soon as the money is available. God has been so faithful and we have been printing

Above Rubies for the world for over 33 years. If you would like to receive this magazine regularly, or would like a bulk order for distribution

in your community, please WRITE to us or fill in the form on page 30 and post to the appropriate Above Rubies address below.

ABOVE RUBIESPO BOX 681687 • FRANKLIN TN 37068-1687

www.aboverubies.org

Change Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.U.S.POSTAGE

PAIDFranklin, TNPermit No. 25

rubies us #81aboverub/images/stories/... · 2 above rubies march 2011, no.81. ting ready, but all...

Documents