Keeping the Lamp Lit in Your Home

LIVES CHANGE, MIRACLES HAPPEN, around our table…Nearly a year ago we were invited by friends of ours to visit the Above Rubies home fellowship and I have to be honest, I was not sure about it at all.  My husband had his reservations as well.  We declined on the invitation each time we were asked.  About 4 months ago, we finally took our friends up on their invitation, asked for directions on how to get to their home fellowship.  We took a chance.  Upon arrival, we could see that we were the first ones there based on the lack of cars in the driveway.  We showed up rather early because we were new, and my husband did not want to show up late and have everyone noticing us.

I saw the door and I knocked.  This kind gentleman greeted us to a room that was beneath their home.  There was more kindness and love flowing out of the two men that greeted us than I have felt in whole rooms filled with people.  It rushed over me like a wave and I felt like I had found my HOME.  The Gentleman’s name was Colin Campbell.  He told us he moved here many years ago from New Zealand and by his accent we could tell he was telling the truth.  His beautiful wife, Nancy strolled down to greet us with warm open arms.

After one Sunday, I felt like I was so full to overflowing of Love that I wanted to be there forever.  Being in the presence of that type of love is like medicine.  I drank in the healing power of it.  I met her lovely daughters and their precious families who just gleamed of the energy of Christ and his all encompassing LOVE for others.  It was like a dream to me.

The service started with PRAYER.  I mean PRAYER.  They would go on and on from praying for our country, to praying for the persecuted whom are suffering around the entire Earth.  Prayers for the sick and praise reports.   The aroma of the LOVE and sincere worship was hanging in the air like a beautiful fragrance.  As soon as they found out that our daughter was a diabetic, they all gathered around to pray for her.  Anything that is needed, their answer is to pray for it we found out.  What a glorious thing!

Then after prayer, there were different men teaching from scripture, and people sharing testimonies of all the wondrous things God hath done!  Songs of praise and encouraging words of wisdom echoed from every corner of the room.  Lasting over 3 hours, you would never know, for the love within those walls held you captivated and wanting for more.

Each time we would come for this fellowship, it was like my heart would be plugged into God so much that I felt it would explode with love and vitality.  I remember it as a walk into the glorious light after a long slumber.  It was ALIVE with Christ, and the people were not afraid.  They were on FIRE!  And we found our oasis of Hope.

One Sunday as all the children gathered outside for playing sports and swimming, Nancy asked me right out if we have devotions.  I said not very often.  She said, “Why NOT?!”  and I told her that I thought it was not my place to make that happen.  I told her if my husband wanted to he would lead us that way.  He loves the Lord with all his heart and he gives us much instruction in the ways of God along every path of life, coming naturally in our everyday conversation.  I told her about how wise my husband is and how he would never want to push religion on our children.  AND I felt for so many years I would be a Jezebel spirit if I would suggest it.

She instantly admonished me in the most LOVELY way…
“Your husband is the KING but you are his QUEEN.  You are the QUEEN of your home.  You are the manager of everything in the home, and your husband needs you. You are HIS glorious Queen and helper.  If you wait until your husband thinks of devotions you will wait until the LORDS return!  But as the manager of the home, it is your DUTY to arrange your home around the word of God.  You never have to nag or suggest.  You plan out your meals, you place the dishes on the table, you create order in your home, and you can put a Lamp at the table for your husband to easily find.”  She had the biggest smile on her face and I knew she was telling me something I needed to hear!

It was so life giving.  I needed a TITUS 2 woman in my life who would lead me to the ways of my household and in the LORD.  How to love my husband and children.  I have never been good at planning meals at certain times.  As I reflected on my life, I remembered my husband’s frustration over my meal planning.  This admonition spoke to my heart just in the simple way I needed it at that time.  She gave me a little devotional book that they love to use that contains only bible verses in it.  Just the plain words of GOD, so simple on each day you read out of it in the morning and in the evening.  The dates are all laid out to make this a simple but most beautiful thing that the husband can easily make time to read from the word and answer the questions of the children as they may come.  It is genius!  I was so amazed at this all.

Nancy went on to say in her most beautiful accent…
“It has verses for MORNING and EVENING.  You do not expect the fire to stay going if you only light the stove one time per day, do you????”

“NO!  I never though of this!” I said as I was literally scratching my head in deep thought,

She went on to say, “If you want to keep the fire going, you light the lamp in the morning and in the evening.  The word of God is our lamp and in order to keep His fire in us, we need to keep the lamp of his word glowing from morning till night!  Isn’t that marvelous!”  As she clapped her hands and smiled so energetically!  It all clicked for me.

I AM A QUEEN!!!!!  
I found such a glorious meaning to my life.  I felt empowered!  I thought, I can do this!  I can manage my home better!  I can make the way for the LAMP and be a KEEPER of the HOME in this way as well.  I can KEEP the lamp lit in my home.

Now I wake each morning, I put on a dress and fix up my hair.  I try to look like a Queen, not all drab running around in pajamas for half the morning, but like royalty.  It sets me up for a productive morning.  When you look good you FEEL good.  You feel more ready for the day.  I tie an apron around my waist and I prepare to be a  QUEEN each day.    I get busy in my kitchen preparing a lovely meal for those whom I love the most in this life.  My husband and children wake to the aroma of food cooking.

I set the table each morning with the finest dishes and goblets like a beautiful royal meal in my dining room.  We all gather around this table now, every morning and every evening.  We pray together.  We enjoy the family fellowship together.  Next my husband grabs the Lamp and he reads scripture and talks to the children about it.  They learn from God’s word twice a day.  It is not drawn out, it is not religious, it is just fantastic.  Then we all find someone to pray for.  Each of us will pray around the table and it is our humble prayers lifted up to a mighty GOD.   ​

The very best things in life were always there, I just never realized what my purpose was…I have a HIGH calling as the QUEEN of my home.  What a joy to realize this!  Any of you reading this, please know, you are all Queens of your homes.  You can make a difference just like I have been used of God in my home to make!  You can be used of God to make a difference too!​And the blessings that are flowing from these precious times of fellowship around the table twice a day have gone so far.  Our children are learning to be so kind, so compassionate, so on FIRE for God.  It is our Major  miracle!  I pray it will encourage some of you to give this a try.  It is the most blessed things that come in the most humble packages.  Who would have thought something so simple as preparing a table would be so rewarding!  God is good!  And I am always learning new ways to serve my family!