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Susan Alexander Yates

Susan Alexander Yates

Wisdom for Every Season

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This Is Why You Should Pray Regularly That Your Kids Get Caught!

This Is Why You Should Pray Regularly That Your Kids Get Caught!

by Susan Alexander Yates

I want to encourage you to pray that your kids get caught. What?” “Why would I want to do that??”…
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How to Do Secret Valentines: A Fun ‘Family Builder’ Idea

How to Do Secret Valentines: A Fun ‘Family Builder’ Idea

by Susan Alexander Yates

Many of us have not been able to be with our family members during this pandemic season. Adult children haven’t seen each other, cousins often can’t be together. Saddened by being apart, we wonder, “What can we do to build the closeness that we long for?”

Here’s one easy idea!

Use Valentine’s Day to re-connect with one another.

Many of us have been a part of “Secret Valentines” (or “Secret Santa”), maybe at the office.

It’s always fun and creates a sense of camaraderie. Let’s use this idea in our families this year.

We have 21 grandchildren ranging in age from 9-23. Their families live in different cities. It’s a challenge to help them grow close to one another, particularly this year.

As parents more than anything we want our kids to love the Lord and each other. And this is true for our grandkids as well. But how can they love each other when they rarely see each other? As parents and grandparents, we can create opportunities for them to bond. 

To foster this, here’s one thing we are doing this year:  assigning each cousin a “Secret Valentine.”

Why It’s Important to Say ‘No’ to Your Kids

Why It’s Important to Say ‘No’ to Your Kids

by Susan Alexander Yates

Recently I was chatting with a mother of a four-year-old. This four-year-old, according to others, has never heard the word…
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How to Flourish in this Uncertain ‘New Normal’

How to Flourish in this Uncertain ‘New Normal’

by Susan Alexander Yates

The “new” normal is no longer new. It’s very old. And getting older as headlines change daily. The news overwhelms…
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5 Simple Steps to Pray Powerfully for Your Kids

5 Simple Steps to Pray Powerfully for Your Kids

by Susan Alexander Yates

We had 5 kids in 7 years including twins. Very quickly I realized I needed to run to God for…
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How to Embrace the Craziness That Comes With Having Kids

How to Embrace the Craziness That Comes With Having Kids

by Susan Alexander Yates

This week I’m blogging over at Club31Women about how life gets a bit crazy after you have kids — and…
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The One Thing Your Child Needs the Most

The One Thing Your Child Needs the Most

by Susan Alexander Yates

There are so many things our children need. And so many things we want for them.  Assurance that they are…
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A Fresh Vision from God for Your Summer (and Mine)

A Fresh Vision from God for Your Summer (and Mine)

by Susan Alexander Yates

Life is crazy. Demands, expectations, options, responsibilities. There are so many things we ought to do, need to do. So…
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Mothers and Adult Daughters: Understanding One Another

Mothers and Adult Daughters: Understanding One Another

by Susan Alexander Yates

Relationships between mothers and adult daughters can be such a source of joy, but also at times deeply challenging.  This…
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Ask Susan: How to Balance Love and Discipline

Ask Susan: How to Balance Love and Discipline

by Susan Alexander Yates

Have you ever struggled to know how to balance love and discipline as you’re raising your children?  I think it’s…
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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.

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Recent Posts

  • Let Me Tell You About Family Camp: Crazy, Wonderful, Fun & Incredibly LOUD
  • How to Support Your Husband (Whether He’s a Pastor or Not!)
  • My 7th Big Hike (and 4 Metaphors for Your Spiritual Life)
  • A few good reads…and a summer break.
  • We Need the Comfort of Being Fully Known. Where Do We Find It?

One Word

One Word: Sufficient

Featured Books

And Then I Had Kids: Encouragement for Mothers of Young Children

And Then I Had Kids: Encouragement for Mothers of Young Children
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Character Matters: Raising Kids With Values That Last

Character Matters: Raising Kids With Values That Last
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Character Matters: Raising Kids With Values That Last

Character Matters: Raising Kids With Values That Last
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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! ⁣
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Be sure to check out the blog for more details and pics. (Link in bio or go to susanalexanderyates.com/blog)⁣
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* 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. ⁣
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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
 
One Thought:

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.⁣
⁣
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.⁣
⁣
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!⁣
⁣
@kristen_wetherell  @kario312⁣
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#christianwife  #pastorswife  #christianmarriage
One Word: Founder One Verse: “...let us run One Word:  Founder
 
One Verse:

“...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