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Susan Alexander Yates

Susan Alexander Yates

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How to Pray When You Feel Like a Failure

by Susan Alexander Yates

This week I’m blogging over at Club31Women about how guilt and shame became my companions in my early years of motherhood — and how I learned to change my prayer when I felt like I was letting God down.

Here’s a snippet:

We had five kids in seven years.

Six weeks after our twins were born (numbers four and five) we moved from Pennsylvania to Northern Virginia. I had no friends, no family, no help, and I was severely sleep-deprived with colicky babies. My husband was in his first job as a Senior Pastor, so he was gone a lot.

Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels

To say that it was a rough time is an understatement! I was miserable. I felt like a failure as a mom, as a wife, and as a ministry partner. As I staggered through my day, waiting for someone to fall asleep I’d pray, “Lord, please make me a better wife, a better mother, a nicer person.”

I am sure He heard me, but I did not see many answers to this prayer for nearly two years.

Mostly I just felt like a failure.

Up until this time in my life, I’d been pretty successful at things. And then I had twins. And then we moved. And…now I wasn’t accomplishing anything at all.

Read the rest of the article: The One Thing That Matters.

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June 9, 2020 · 5 Comments

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Comments

  1. Bonnie says

    June 18, 2020 at 6:56 pm

    During this pandemic I can only love my grandchildren virtually and I’m becoming heartbroken for want of “touch and feel.” Suggestions/ideas for a more structured weekly family circle online ? I need something to look forward to – to hope for.

    Reply
    • Susan Yates says

      June 25, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      Thanks for writing Bonnie! I get your disappointment. we have 21 grandchildren and It’s hard not to see them. One idea is to get some white pillow cases and a permanent sharpie and write a verse for each particular child on the case and send it to them letting them know you are praying for them! I have 100 ideas in my free download which you can get from this site.
      Bless you!
      Susan

      Reply
    • Susan Yates says

      June 25, 2020 at 4:30 pm

      Thanks Bonnie,
      I have 100 ideas in my free download somewhere on this site:) I also just sent you an email.
      Blessings!
      Susan

      Reply
  2. Ellen says

    June 11, 2020 at 4:17 am

    Thank you so much for this article. My husband retired 3 years ago from being a senior pastor. We stepped away from all we had know throughout our married lives. Since that time, I have felt very useless in the Kingdom. It has been such a time of learning for me. Your article spoke to me and encouraged me.

    Reply
  3. Keith Crosswhite says

    June 10, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    Thank you for that good reminder, Susan…and you are right… I would rather just learn things once🤦‍♀️- not how it works! Thank goodness God doesn’t mind reminding us❤️

    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.

Read more…

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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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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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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!⁣
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More pics coming soon.

* numbers are estimates 😆

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Calligraphy by Jessica Blanchard · Paintings by Christen Yates
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