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Susan Alexander Yates

Susan Alexander Yates

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A Peek at My Personal Prayer Journal

by Susan Alexander Yates

When you finally set aside some time to pray have you ever felt like this – I don’t even know how to begin. There are so many needs- my kids, my friends, my spouse, that “issue,” an urgent request…and then there’s me, oh my; I’m already discouraged and I haven’t even begun to pray!

If we are really honest, each of us feels this way at some time. And if you are a Mom with little ones, before you even get started praying some small person will likely interrupt you!

I spend a lot of time hanging out with young Moms. Recently in three separate conversations I was asked,

“Susan, how in the world do you organize your prayer life? Do you have a plan?”

Actually I do have a plan. It’s always evolving and it’s not perfect. But it does help me to focus and it keeps me from feeling overwhelmed with too many needs for one time of prayer.

Susans Prayer Journal

I have a simple notebook in which I have inserted dividers–one for each day of the week.

Every day I pray for myself, my husband and each of my five married kids and their children.

Monday’s theme is our relationship with the Lord. (Matthew 6:33)

I begin by praying the Lord’s Prayer inserting each of our names within the prayer.  I pray for discipline in quiet times, a hunger for God’s word, and whatever relates to this theme.

Tuesday’s it’s our marriages.

Right when our kids were born I began to pray for their future spouses (if it was God’s plan that they marry). I prayed these little boys and girls would come to know Christ at an early age and I prayed for the parents who were raising them. I secretly hoped there were parents somewhere praying for me! Today I’m praying for my grand children’s future spouses.

Wednesday the theme is close friends.

Girls need a soul sister. Guys need guys even though they may not recognize it. We need friends with whom we can be completely vulnerable, friends who’ll push us to Christ and to our mates, folks who’ll challenge us, cry with us, and stick with us.

Thursday’s theme is boldness to proclaim Christ. (Psalm 138:3)

I pray for confidence, courage, and conviction-especially for the next generation.

Friday’s is “heart for the world” day.

How desperately we need a vision and love for people outside our cloistered circles. I ask God to give to each of us a passion for one country and ways to invest in the poor in our own communities.

Saturdays are reserved for extended family and Sundays simply for worship!

In addition to family prayers each day I pray for different groups. One day it may be friends looking for mates, another for friends struggling with infertility, a day for our church staff, a day for friends in other locations, a day for specific Hollywood actors and actresses to come to Christ, a day for each of the girls in my Bible studies, a day for ministries abroad, a day for special people to come to Christ, a day for our country’s leadership and so forth.

It may sound overwhelming but dividing subjects up into days keeps me from feeling discouraged. I constantly add to my pages and they are messy. There’s not one right way to do this. Mine is only one idea.

So as a new year begins take steps to organize your prayer life. It’s easy to start. Go buy a fun notebook, some dividers, and some new pens!

JOY will come when we look back and see how God has answered scrawled out prayers in a well-worn journal!

“For the word of the Lord is right and true. He is faithful in all he does.” Psalm 33: 4

Republished on Club31Women

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January 4, 2016 · 3 Comments

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  1. Linda Reeb says

    March 21, 2019 at 9:43 am

    Thanks for this Susan! This will help me and I will be passing it along to friends as well as young moms that I mentor.

    I also enjoyed your blog about praying the Lord’s prayer for your family. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Katia says

    February 27, 2016 at 7:46 pm

    I believe God has put you in his life for 2 reosans.1. God wants you to break upIf your reason for breaking up with your boyfriend is sincerely because he lacks the faith in God and the Christ-like leadership as a potential husband, a breakup should send him to God’s arms. If it doesn’t he’s not the man you need to be with anyways. If he’s not a leader for you now, he won’t be for you or your future children either without growth. Don’t be afraid to let a good thing go for God’s best. Being unequally yoked with your partner should be scarier than being in a relationship that doesn’t glorify God. I understand the men in the past have hurt you, but you need emotional healing of your wounds and the faith that there are plenty of wonderful men out there that have a heart for God that want to treat their significant others with the utmost Christ-like love possible. Pray about it and try to put your own opinions aside and follow Christ with your whole heart so you can end up with the man God truly has in store for you. 2. God wants you to stay togetherStaying together means obvious change on both of your parts is imperative. You need more open communication. You shouldn’t be asking an online forum of people for our opinions on this matter, you should be talking to your boyfriend about what you need from him in this relationship, and Lord willing, marriage, but since you asked, here’s my take on it. If you truly think he is God’s best for you, bring out the Christ follower in him. If he know’s who God is but doesn’t follow him, inspire him want to be more the man of God than he’s ever been. Do that by challenging him in his faith. Start small with little things like starting a bible study that you do on your own and talk about every day later. Don’t be overbearing about it, but give him the opportunity to really show you how much of a Godly man and leader he can be by needing him spiritually. Pray together, go to church together, go to bible study together, praise and worship God together, serve together. Focus on building a relationship with God as a couple. However, don’t let that be your only source of holiness. You both need separate relationships with God because you are both individuals. You should have your own quiet times and if he doesn’t, inspire him to start. Be weary not to be his crutch, but a reminder that he needs to step up and be a Godly man. If he is up for the challenge and sees that the changes are worth more than losing you, you’ve got yourself a keeper.These are the outcome of any relationship. Relationships either end broken up (or divorce unfortunately) or end in marriage . Either way, pray about all these things. Make sure you’re in tune with God on all of this. Seek first the kingdom of God. In the end, God’s will will ultimately be fulfilled. Have faith either way that God has amazing plans for you and your boyfriend regardless of your outcome as a couple. Best wishes and God bless.-Jeremy

    Reply
  3. Elisabeth Daley says

    January 6, 2016 at 4:40 pm

    What a great plan for prayer! Enjoy reading your posts!

    Reply

Hello, I’m Susan.

Susan Alexander Yates

I’m a wife (of more than 50 years), mom to five children (including a set of twins), and grandmother to 21 (including a set of quadruplets!). My favorite time of the year is when all my kids and grandkids are together for a week of “cousins and family camp” in the foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia.

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More of our Family Camp fun from Labor Day weekend More of our Family Camp fun from Labor Day weekend. Such a joy! ⁣
⁣
Be sure to check out the blog for more details and pics. (Link in bio or go to susanalexanderyates.com/blog)⁣
⁣
* Poppy (John) is always happy to get help with the horses and the kids love them.⁣
* There's always a competition of some kind going on! Volleyball, a hula hoop contest, a ping-pong tournament. ⁣
* The "ice cream gutter" is a cherished annual tradition!⁣
* Lots of hanging out, and even some quiet moments, but not a lot of sleep. ⁣
⁣
If you want to host a camp or family event of your own, check out my book Cousin Camp for all kinds of ideas. (Link in bio.)⁣
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#christianmom #christianfamily #grandparent #cousincamp #familycamp
One Word: Mystery One Verse: “To them God ch One Word: 
Mystery 
 
One Verse:
“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
 
One Thought:
You are a God of mystery. It’s a glorious mystery. I can’t explain you even though sometimes I want to. Your mystery is part of what makes you so much greater than man. Thank you that you, with all of your glorious mystery, have chosen to dwell in me.
John and I are in Colorado for a week’s vacation John and I are in Colorado for a week’s vacation, still celebrating 54 years of marriage! We had a fun dinner, sharing about folks who have been role models-mentors for us in ministry and family life over these years. It sparked a fun discussion and thankful memories!
We're so grateful we got to host another Family Ca We're so grateful we got to host another Family Camp over Labor Day weekend!⁣
⁣
Here's a peek behind the scenes. I'm sharing all the details (and more pics!) over on the blog, check it out. (Link in bio or go to susanalexanderyates.com/blog)⁣
⁣
1 - We had 33 of us this year!⁣
2 - So much prep and shopping. But I never clean before they come because I learned that's futile. 😜⁣
3 - Lots of cousin bonding.⁣
4 - My daughter-in-law @christenbyates, who's a professional artist, set up an art station this year and the kids loved it.⁣
5 - Cousins with their camp journals. (I keep the journals at my house and they get to write in them every year.)⁣
6 - John led a short teaching time every day, this year on Psalm 139.⁣
7 - Meals are crazy when you're cooking for 33 people!⁣
8 - There are shoes everywhere. 😂 ⁣
9 - The kids actually did dinner cleanup this year, without any prompting! ⁣
10 - A few of our guys.💙⁣
⁣
#christianfamily #cousincamp #familycamp #christianmom #grandparent
One Word: Shows One Verse: “But God shows hi One Word:  Shows
 
One Verse:

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
 
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If you, God Almighty, would send your son to die for me in my own wickedness, then how much more will you show me how to make the decision I need to make.
Cousin love at Family Camp! These are 2 of our you Cousin love at Family Camp! These are 2 of our youngest grands. (We have 21!)

Catch the blog later this week for details and more pics.
This photo of me and John is from our trip to Isra This photo of me and John is from our trip to Israel last fall. When we first got married, I didn't know what being a pastor's wife would entail. Now after more than 50 years of marriage I understand a little better (although I can always learn more!).⁣
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I'm sharing an interview over on my blog with @thegospelcoalition's Front Row Seat series on Supporting Our Husbands.⁣
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We discussed how pastors’ wives can support and encourage their husbands in ministry, marriage, and life. But so much of this applies to any marriage, whether your husband is a pastor or not.⁣
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Check it out -- link in bio, or go to susanalexanderyates.com/blog⁣
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You might want to share it with your pastor's wife -- it will encourage her!⁣
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@kristen_wetherell  @kario312⁣
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“...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith." Hebrews 12: 1-2
 
One Thought:

You are the author of my faith. You began it, Father. It is yours. I ask you to be perfecting it. Thank you that even this isn't up to me. My part is to fix my eyes on you and let you do your work within me.
This is how we feel right now -- we finished our A This is how we feel right now -- we finished our Annual Family Camp yesterday!

4 days with 33 kids and grands; 19 teens sleeping on floors and outside, 44 bags of trash, 15 gallons of ice cream, 67 dirty towels, 135 ping pong games, 90 individual miles hiking on the AT, gleaning from Psalm 139, 532 tickles and hugs, and 2 exhausted grandparents--who are deliriously grateful!

More pics coming soon.

* numbers are estimates 😆

Copyright © 2023 · Susan Alexander Yates · All Rights Reserved
Calligraphy by Jessica Blanchard · Paintings by Christen Yates
Blog and Ask Susan Photo by Natalie Puls Photography · Books Photo by Cambria Elizabeth

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