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Susan Alexander Yates

Susan Alexander Yates

Wisdom for Every Season

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You Don’t Need to “Play God”:  Reminders from the Christmas Story

You Don’t Need to “Play God”: Reminders from the Christmas Story

by Susan Alexander Yates

Do you ever feel like you know the Christmas story backwards and forwards, and while it’s wonderful, it’s so incredibly…
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How to Care for Your Pastor and His Family During the Holidays

How to Care for Your Pastor and His Family During the Holidays

by Susan Alexander Yates

You may not know this if you’ve never been on a church staff (or married to someone who is), but…
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Ask Susan: A New Vision for Your Christmas

Ask Susan: A New Vision for Your Christmas

by Susan Alexander Yates

Do you feel in need of a new vision for Christmas this year? Sometimes I’ve felt that way in the…
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Affordable Gifts to Delight and Encourage Your Loved Ones

Affordable Gifts to Delight and Encourage Your Loved Ones

by Susan Alexander Yates

Are you looking for gift ideas this Christmas season?  I wanted to share some recommendations. Hoping this helps you find…
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How to Prepare Your Heart for Joyful Holidays with Family

How to Prepare Your Heart for Joyful Holidays with Family

by Susan Alexander Yates

Are you anxious thinking about the holidays coming up and all the family that’s about to descend on your house?…
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Don’t Give Them Everything They Want

Don’t Give Them Everything They Want

by Susan Alexander Yates

Are you thinking about Christmas gifts for kids–and how many to buy this year?  Let me encourage you:  don’t give…
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Ask Susan: How to Get Ahead of Holiday Stress

Ask Susan: How to Get Ahead of Holiday Stress

by Susan Alexander Yates

Do you feel it already — the holiday stress?  Christmas can be overwhelming, can’t it? I’d love to help you…
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Navigating the Holidays with Parents, In-laws and Children

Navigating the Holidays with Parents, In-laws and Children

by Susan Alexander Yates

It’s the season! I’d love to give you some simple tips for faithfully navigating the holidays. Your head is likely…
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Relieve the holiday stress before it arrives

Relieve the holiday stress before it arrives

by Susan Alexander Yates

Just the other day I was chatting with some friends, primarily mothers of young children. They were feeling anxious about…
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My Top 8 Christmas Gift Ideas

My Top 8 Christmas Gift Ideas

by Susan Alexander Yates

Here are 8 of my favorite gift ideas for a variety of ages. They just may be ones you haven’t…
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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.

Read more…

Recent Posts

  • 10 Questions to Ask Yourself When You Need to Make a Hard Decision
  • Celebrate! Your Recipe for a One-Day Summer Gratitude Extravaganza
  • Feeling Afraid? Remembering God’s Faithfulness Will Help
  • Our Weeping, Suffering Savior: Why This Matters to Me & You
  • How God’s Creation Comforts and Restores Me

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One Word: Sufficient

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Cousin Camp

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Barbara & Susan’s Guide to the Empty Nest: Discovering New Purpose, Passion & Your Next Great Adventure

Barbara & Susan’s Guide to the Empty Nest: Discovering New Purpose, Passion & Your Next Great Adventure
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Cousin Camp

Cousin Camp
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One Word: Saves One Verse: “The saying is tr One Word:  Saves
 
One Verse:

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." 1 Timothy 1:15
 
One Thought:

Father, I am a sinner. Thank you for saving me once and for all. Help ______ to come to realize that you want to save him (or her) as well. Your nature is to save. Your love compels it. You cannot help it. You sent Jesus to redeem each one of us.
On a walk the other day I noticed beautiful Iris p On a walk the other day I noticed beautiful Iris plants beginning to bloom. They were surrounded by plants I didn't recognized except that I know some were weeds. 

This metaphor came to mind: ‘Our lives have both beauty and weeds mixed together. It’s easy to focus on the weeds (illnesses, hurtful relationships, a difficult decision, a longing unfulfilled), however it’s healthier to focus on the beauty. 

And if we don’t know what is a weed or a possible plant God knows. He will reveal them to us when we need to know and what we discover may surprise us. It helps to remember that HE is in the midst of whatever we are experiencing.
I have a gift for you this week! In my blog, I'm s I have a gift for you this week! In my blog, I'm sharing 10 questions to ask yourself when you're trying to make a hard decision. ⁣
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We all struggle with decision-making! Especially when it's not a clear moral choice between right and wrong.⁣
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Some years ago, my pastor husband John came up with this list of 10 questions to help make decisions. I'm sharing them on the blog, and my friend, artist Jess Blanchard @jessblanchardstudio turned them into a gorgeous bookmark you can download for free.⁣
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You might want to laminate it and keep it in your Bible. I hope it's a blessing to you.⁣
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Read the blog and download the bookmark -- link in bio, or go to susanalexanderyates.com/blog
One Word: Holds One Verse: “Nevertheless, I One Word:  Holds
 
One Verse:

“Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand." Psalm 73:23
 
One Thought:

Dear God, help me to remember all day today that you are holding my hand. You never let go.
I just got back from a quick trip to Chicago with I just got back from a quick trip to Chicago with two friends (Barbara Rainey and Joanne Thompson) to hear poet Malcolm Guite @uitemalcolm3774 lecture and to visit the Lilias Trotter collection at Wheaton College. We got to read her journals and hold her precious art. She was an artist in the late 1800’s who gave up a promising career to go to Algeria for the next 20 years to minister to poor women. @laurawatershinson has produced a movie about her called Many Beautiful Things. (It's wonderful! Look it up if you haven't seen it.) #manybeautifulthingsmovie 

We were inspired by both of these people. It was wonderfully refreshing to get out of our own worlds and away from ”our stuff” and focus on something completely “other!” We all need to do this😊
This verse from Psalm 105 speaks to me. How easy i This verse from Psalm 105 speaks to me. How easy it is to forget -- rather than to remember -- what He has done. Or to focus on all the crises around me. It’s easy to lose perspective on life and on what God is doing. ⁣
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Setting aside a specific day this summer for celebrating God's faithfulness will restore our PERSPECTIVE.⁣
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I'm sharing ideas in my blog you might want to use to put together a summer gratitude extravaganza of your own!  I hope you'll check it out.⁣
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Link in bio, or go to susanalexanderyates.com/blog⁣
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Let us remember the wonders He has done!
One Word: Mighty One Verse: “O Lord God of h One Word:  Mighty
 
One Verse:

“O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?" Psalm 89:9
 
One Thought:

Father, too often I forget that you are mighty. I unknowingly assign to you my own weakness without even realizing it. Forgive me. I want to dwell on your mighty power today. Your might levels mountains, raises seas, heals diseases, changes hearts and creates a complex human body. When I focus on your might my perspective is restored.
@jodie_berndt’s new book, Praying the Scriptures @jodie_berndt’s new book, Praying the Scriptures for your Marriage, is the #1 book I would recommend on marriage.

Written with her husband Robbie, it’s honest, funny and very practical. Her down to earth style will make you feel normal with the challenges we all face in marriage, but she doesn’t leave us there. She provides us with tips for communication, relevant scriptures, and samples of specific prayers to pray for your marriage. Get a copy for yourself and several for wedding gifts or anniversary presents!

We’ve been married 53 years and this book is so good for us!

Thank you Jodie!
A craft table at the farm with some of our budding A craft table at the farm with some of our budding artists (grandchildren). ⁣
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I have an idea for you: Let's put on our calendars now a SUMMER CELEBRATION DAY!⁣
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The purpose? To set aside one whole day to recount God’s faithfulness with thanksgiving. This simple act can lead to a day of praise and worship and a closeness with others as we share His goodness together.⁣
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There are so many ways you can do this! On your own, on a day-long (or hour-long) retreat. With your immediate or extended family. With church friends. ⁣
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Out in a park or inside on a rainy day. With a craft table like ours or with music or food or sports -- or all of the above!⁣
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I'm sharing lots of ideas in this week's blog: Celebrate! Your Recipe for a One-Day Summer Gratitude Extravaganza  Link in bio or go to susanalexanderyates.com/blog⁣
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I hope you'll plan something and I'd love to hear what you do!

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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