Anyways, my husband and I  6 yrs ago had vasectomy which we did not consult the Lord we just did it.  More out of fear.  Any ways back in 'O3 God but a hold on my heart of what we did.  A very wise lady told me that if my husband could see me enjoying the ones I had (2- boys ages 6 and 9 now)  that GOD would do a work in his life/heart but I had to learn to enjoy them.  As years went by the longing got worse and worse then about a year ago I was introduced to the Above Rubies magazine.  Oh I was heart broken I devoured the whole thing and balled my eyes out.

Then I went to the conference in March '07, and my life took a drastic change.  Needless to say prayers were heard.  My husband and I have an appointment Oct 19 in Oklahoma for a reversal.  It is a God thing no one could of changed my husbands mind he was adamant he was not gonna do this. He told God 6 weeks if he had the money he would do it. Within 3 weeks every $$ we needed to go was sent by other people who believe God's promises.  We had claimed at retreat it would be by the end of the year, and Guess what it is.

So you ladies who are waiting don't give up!  Please keep Praying and God does hear you.  He puts every tear you cry in a bottle.  I found that in the Bible through one of my heart felt cries.  He loves humble broken cries...  Be in prayer about plane tickets we would love to sit together.  We have never flown together so we are praying we can buy tickets.  That is Gods timing too. Need encouragement write me at gappetitt@juno.com    God Bless You all..

Update:  We had reversal Oct 19,2007 things went well great recovery and my husband has no regrets.  Praise God God not only gave him a reversal in the physical body but spiritually as well.  I don't even know my husband anymore he is so much different for the better praise God.  Thank you for all  your prayers, money, etc. to make it possible.  God is so Good!  Keep praying for Babies and adoption in Lithuania. Also my husband wants to stop smoking which is a praise pray for grace and strength in this... See ya Feb 28th.

Anne -- Georgia

I have made an effort since being back home to smile more at the children.  We already laugh a lot about stuff, but I can get real intense around the house about our schedule; and before I know it I get caught up in discipline areas and obedience more than anything else.  While those things are of high importance, I'm able to see them not as something to be upset about, but to smile at knowing that I'm improving my children.  I really took to heart using the timer to stop and praise the Lord.  So now we have our timer out, and I'm hoping for it to become something we do without thinking also. 

Through all the women's circumstances I also really learned to appreciate my ability to bear children without any effort.  I never really appreciated being pregnant and carrying them to term without any complications, but I really came to realize how difficult it can be and especially to lose a baby while in the womb.  I praise the Lord for his goodness with all 6 of my babies and will look at any pregnancies with appreciation.  Also, seeing older women on probably their last pregnancy also made me realize that I won't be in child bearing years forever, and that it'll seem different when I can no longer have my own!!!

It was sort of a reunion for me and Lia, and also Kristina, and so I must say it was a wonderful weekend.  I came there a little focused on my shortcomings, but I received such wonderful compliments from people.  It really gave me a boost of confidence that made me promise the Lord that I would stop complaining about myself being overweight, etc.... and I would just allow him to use me.

When I got home we went to the park.  As we were approaching we heard a young, “gangster style” looking young man arguing, yelling and slamming doors and things at his girlfriend.  The children were afraid and so I told them to begin singing praises.  After a while he threw another cussing, slamming fit and went and sat down at a bench.  The Lord said "Are you ready to be used?  I want you to go over there and tell that young man that I Love him!”  Needless to say I argued with the Lord,  "Are you kidding me?  You know I'm not doing that".   He kept on me, and I remembered my friend Carrie at the retreat not wanting to give her whole testimony, but doing it anyway.  She ended up blessing people....To make a long story shorter......I walked over and told him that the Lord sent me to tell him that He loved him and that everything would be okay.  He just stared at me.  But a few minutes later, he came over and thanked me and told me that he really needed to hear that! He has since contacted my husband, and he was able to go and talk with him one night when he was really struggling.  It turned out he, his girlfriend and her two children were living out of their car!!!!   Anyway.....praise the Lord for what could be a turning point in their lives.

The retreat definitely made a difference in my life in several ways; and, hopefully, and more importantly, in others around me.

Melanie Brown -- Florida

I was so blessed to have been a part of the Above Rubies Retreat in Elberta, Alabama, January14th-16th.  The weekend was an answer to prayer.  God clearly has used Above Rubies as a tool for proclaiming His truth.  The whole weekend I felt like I was trying to drink water from a gushing fire hydrant. 

One specific prayer was answered in such a powerful way at this retreat.  I had been praying for many months for God to make His will known to me, not just to my mind but for Him to personally reveal His will to my heart.  God awesomely answered this prayer on the Saturday night of the retreat.  After praying that night with the group and with my roommate at the retreat I tried to go to sleep and just couldn't.  God's truths that I had been immersed in so far that weekend kept running through my mind. 

During this time I heard God speak so directly to me these words "Nehemiah, build and rebuild your home for me; and I want you to get a verse from Nehemiah to stand on".  I had never experienced God speaking so clearly to me this way before so I prayed Lord if this is you please confirm this through what Nancy says tomorrow.  

I was listening for a confirmation as Nancy spoke the next morning.  She started off by completing the 21 things mothers should instill into their children's lives and then she shared the next principle of her overall message "Mothering with a Mission".  It was “mothers with a mission will not be intimated”, and she related it to the book of Nehemiah with a specific verse, Nehemiah 6:3, "I am doing a great work, so I can not come down to you".  Nehemiah was doing God's will for his life at the time which was to build and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah spoke the words of verse 6:3 to his enemies who were trying to get him to stop the work God had given him to do. 

This was such a powerful confirmation to me that I had heard God.  He was answering really two prayers at the same time.  One was that He would speak to my heart, and He did. The second one was for Him to show me His will for my life at this time, and He did.  He confirmed to me that His will for me is to build and rebuild my home.  I have always felt called by the Lord to homeschool my children in my mind, but have faced opposition as I have homeschooled for the past three years. This caused me to think that maybe God had not called me to homeschool and even to start questioning other things in my life like my marriage etc. -- "Grass greener on the other side syndrome".   God is so GOOD!!!!  He clearly spoke His will into my heart and then confirmed it through Nancy.  He showed me that His will for me is to build my home through loving him first and then following His command to love my husband and children.  To continue to nurture and educate my children at home.  To rebuild any damage I had done in the lives of my husband and children.  To stand on Nehemiah 6:3 when faced with opposition from the enemy. 

Because of this Fresh Vision God spoke into my heart, my faith in Him has grown amazingly more than I could have imagined.  I give God all the glory and praise for great things He has done and will do.  I thank the Above Rubies ministry, Nancy, and her family for allowing God to use them to share His truths in the power of the Holy Spirit so faithfully.  I thank the women who put together such a blessed time.  I have been so blessed and pray others will come, hear and allow God to speak to their hearts.  God Bless you with a capital B!   

 Janet O. -- AL

When Nancy Campbell spoke at the Above Rubies Ladies Retreat in Orange Beach, I realized the importance of why women should encourage each other to love their husbands and their children. It seems our society continually tempts us to go our own way and trust others with raising our children. It is a mother's duty to protect her family from negative and destructive forces that come against it daily.  

Nancy Campbell qualifies as a mature and incredibly godly "older woman" who constantly encourages others and brings vision to those seeking to follow Jesus. Her godly daughters are the fruit of her walk with the Lord and continue her life message daily by caring for their families. Nancy is a rare gem who has impacted my life in a very real way, and I am so glad I invested the time to attend this excellent event. It was the inspiration in a relaxing tropical setting that I needed.

Hi, my name is Sarah, I am 23 years old, and I live in Pensacola, Florida with my wonderful husband (Barry) of 3 ½ years.  Barry and I have desired to be parents and have tried to conceive from the beginning of our marriage.  As the months and then years passed without my becoming pregnant, we began to wonder if we would ever be parents and the question “what’s wrong with us?” plagued our minds.  Our constant prayer during this time was “God, in your timing”.  Although there were many moments of doubt and frustration, we always believed in our hearts that He would show Himself faithful and that in His perfect timing we would conceive.  I was invited by some friends of mine to attend an Above Rubies retreat in Orange Beach, AL last fall (2003).  I had never even heard of Above Rubies before this, but I was very interested upon hearing of Nancy and her ministry to women, and I decided I would like to attend.  During this retreat, Nancy asked for all those who were trying to conceive (or who were having problems conceiving) to come forward for prayer.  I went forward along with several other ladies to receive prayer, and hoped and prayed that God would move and that He would bring healing—if there was a need in my body—through the laying on of hands.  Would you believe that my husband and I conceived during my very next cycle and we are expecting our first child in August!!  Praise Jesus for His goodness!  We are so thankful!  I truly believe that this was His perfect timing in my having attended this retreat and sat under Nancy’s teaching on the high calling of motherhood and bringing such inspiration and encouragement through her words of wisdom!  God is faithful!

Being in a room with like-minded women is like balm to a wound.  Above Rubies conferences, tapes and magazines have been a great source of spiritual nourishment for my husband and me.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to Gulf Shores this year. 

Last year our hearts were open to having more children.  At that time we weren't sure the route we were to take.  One evening there was a great time of prayer.  I left before it ended.  The next day I asked the lady sitting next to me what was prayed over.  She told me of a lady whose husband just had a vasectomy.  The ladies prayed for a reversal.   Just by that mention my husband and I took small steps in obedience to see if this is what the Lord wanted for us.  Turned out that the Lord cleared all obstacles out of the way and made it quite easy.  On Dec. 5th we had the reversal operation from a wonderful doctor in Arkansas.  On Jan. 25th we learned that I was pregnant.  October 5th is my due date as well as my husband's birthday.  His name is Asher (Gen. 30:13). 

P.S.--Thinking about my dates I wondered what "5" meant.  It means grace.