Announcements!

Hi, moms!

There are a couple of announcements that I want to make regarding Moms Pursuing God. I hope that these will be a blessing to you!

First, we are moving the time up! Some have told us that they would like to come, but the time has been too late for them. So, effective immediately, we will be moving the time up an hour! We will now be meeting from 7-9pm, first hour in the prayer room and second hour together. We hope that this allows more people to join us! We would love to see you.

Second, our next meeting will be Monday, February 7. We usually meet the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, but since Valentine's Day is the 14th, we thought we'd move it up a week.

We really hope that you can come. If you haven't been able for a while, please come back! We miss you. :) :) :) (And, even if you can't come, please let us know whether there is anything we can pray for you about.)

With much love,

Michelle, Ruth, and Nicola

The Little Things

by Nancy Campbell

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee rule over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Matthew 25:21).

Doing little things can often seem so insignificant, can't they? Especially menial things. Tedious things. The things that you have to do over and over again like making beds, doing laundry, doing dishes and preparing meals. Can I remind you that no little thing is insignificant? Little things accumulate and add up to big things. And more important of all, God notices. He is interested in the little things as much as the big things.

When God, who is watching over the walls of your home, sees you faithfully and joyfully embracing your daily tasks, it pleases His heart. He takes notice of it. God takes as much pleasure in the little things as He does the big things. He created the huge mountains,but put even more intricate design to each tiny snowflake which you can only see under a magnifying glass. He created the giant redwoods (you may have driven your car through one of the trunks of these trees in California, as we have), but He created the beauty of the little violet and forget-me-not flowers.God poured beauty and intricate design into the tiniest of His creations, some that can't even be seen by the eyes of men. You also are being transformed into the character of God when you make beauty and joy out of your little and menial tasks, tasks that you think are boring. Nothing is boring when God is in it! Seek ways to do your little tasks faster, better and more creatively. Sing while you do them. Thank God that He is with you as you do them.

I am always challenged by Frank Bunker Gilbert in Cheaper by the Dozen who sought to do every household task more efficiently and quickly. He timed his children doing each task to see if they could do it more quickly the next time. That's why we have so many wonderful inventions in the world today because people seek ways to do things quicker and better than before! The little can lead to the amazing! This can happen in your home every day as you bring God into every task! It changes the boring to the interesting; the mundane to the creative and the little to make the way for the great.

I feel very blessed to have the privilege of encouraging the mothers of the world and printing 160,000 magazines each time we print a new Above Rubies.Did I start with this number? No. when I printed the first issue over 33 years ago I printed only 1500 copies! But it started even before I was married. I was teaching and gave my vacation time to ministering at girls' camps. These young girls came in from all over the country, many from non-Christian homes. It was a joy to lead many of them to the Lord, but I knew they would go home to receive no encouragement in their faith. I began writing to them and ended up writing regularly to over 100 girls. Looking back, I believe that because I was faithful in that small task, God chose me to do a bigger task and to reach thousands and thousands of families across the world.

Many women send in poems and writings to me for inclusion in Above Rubies. Sadly, I can't use them all. I cannot find space for all the poems. But can I encourage you? Don't wait to be published. Write your poem or prose out beautifully on a lovely card and give it to someone in need. Write poems for your husband, children or grandchildren. Write rhymes for Name Places at the dinner table. Write encouraging letters to those who need uplifting. Use your writing talent for your family and the people God puts on your heart. As you share your writings with those around you to bless and uplift them, God will open bigger doors.He gives rulership to those who are faithful in the least. Do you feel you have a message to speak to thousands? You may wait forever for that opportunity. Start where you are. Bless your family with your inspirations. Speak to everyone you meet. As you are faithful to do this, God may open up remunerative opportunities.Are you an artist? Paint the walls of your home. Paint beautiful pictures to give to friends. Draw a picture for an older person living on their own. Decorate cards and give them to those who need encouraging.Use your gift to bless those around you and God will open bigger opportunities.Zechariah 4:10 says, "Who has despised the day of small things?"

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL,

ABOVE RUBIES

PRAYER:

"I thank you, dear Father, that you are interested in the little things as well as the big things. Help me to know

that you are with me in every small task I accomplish in my home. I thank you that even the mundane things
are wonderful when you are in them. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I am making every little task into an amazing one!

Be Worthy of Me

Yesterday evening we read and discussed chapter 3 in Sacred Influence, "Be Worthy of Me." I read through the verses that were referenced regarding walking a life that is worthy of the Lord. Oh, how I desire to live toward my children, my husband, and my Lord in a way that is worthy of Him and of them! And oh, how I fail every day!

The verses that especially challenge me are Ephesians 4:1-3. In the version I've been using for my devotional time, it says, "Therefore I, the prisoner united with the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Always be humble, gentle, and patient, bearing with one another in love, and making every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit gives through the binding power of peace" (Complete Jewish Bible).

Humble ... gentle ... patient? I wouldn't really use those words to characterize me yesterday toward my children. "Bearing with one another in love"? Hardly. I was mostly frustrated and impatient. Thankfully, I never totally lost it with them yesterday, but I was certainly close many times.

This is so much more than I can possibly do! I cannot live worthy of Him! At least ... in my own strength I cannot.

But thanks to the Lord, He lives to make intercession for me (Hebrews 7:25)! When I am weak, I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). He is able to keep me from stumbling (Jude 1:24). He works in me both to will and to do according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13)!

Lord, have Your way with me! Work Your character in me. Cultivate the fruit of Your Spirit in me. Renew my mind. Purify my heart. Keep me from going astray. On my own, I am but a foolish, wayward sheep. You protect and keep me. I place myself in Your hands.

Psalm 51 is the prayer of my heart today.