The Beauty of Motherhood and Intercession
The joy of Motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times, but amid the challenges there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction.                   ~Elder M Russell Ballard


I remember one morning I was in the living room crying out and praying to God regarding my daughter. I was asking for God to show her he loved her and how he views her.
I had asked several of my closest sisters in Christ to join with me to pray for her, and one of the responses I got from one of my sisters was to praise out loud. My spirit confirmed yes, I need to praise God and worship.

I started to worship and felt led to declare this song by Corey Asbury, Reckless Love.
I stood in the gap for my daughter as if my daughter was singing this song herself. It was declaring that there was no darkness God couldn’t break in with light, no mountain too high God could not climb, no lie he couldn’t tear down, and no wall he couldn’t break down that would keep him from coming after her with his love. After about an hour of worshiping and praying God started replaying my past—how broken I was, how I was living in sin, had no fear of God, and had so many misconceptions about him.
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I was reminded of my own sin, shortcomings, and failures as young adult and as a young mother. That my sins that I did as a young adult not only affected me, but my daughter and family members close to me. I had asked forgiveness before, and I knew God had forgiven me, but I think I needed a reminder of where I came from and how God had rescued me, delivered me, and healed me, and restored me.
He came to me with arms wide open of unconditional love that led me to repentance. I had peace for the remainder of the day, but still my heart was restless that evening.

The following morning, I sat in my usual place in the living-room where I spend time with God, pray, and journal. I asked God,
“God, what do you have to say about my daughter, and about this situation we are facing right now?”
This was God’s response:
“I am calling you too a fast and intercession. There is still much more for you to learn about motherhood. Motherhood doesn’t always look pretty; it is messy, dirty and downright painful. No one said motherhood wasn’t going to be painful. It doesn’t feel good, doesn’t look good, and there will be seasons of heartbreak.
“But that’s where I, the great I Am come along. You need to cry out and stand in the gap for your daughter through intercession—that she will come to a revelation of the Father’s love I have for her. When a mother’s love or father’s love falls short, I have a perfect love that heals, restores, and redeems. I have a perfect love that casts out all fear and torment.
“I entrusted this child to you. Abide in me, because in your own strength you can do nothing, but in my strength, you can do all things.”

I can do all things through him who gives me strength 
                                                                              (Philippians 4:13).

He also said that we as mothers were never meant to take God’s place in our children’s lives. No matter what decisions they make, no matter who they choose to love—it was not up to us.
We would like to have a say-so, especially when we see them heading in the wrong direction or about to make a big mistake. I’m learning that I don’t always know what’s best for my young-adult daughter. I’m learning I don’t always have a solution to her problems. But God does; he really knows what’s best for our children even if it means going through heartaches, making bad decisions, and learning the hard way.

Our role as parents to our young-adult children is to direct them to God—to fear God and to love him and to go to God first before anyone else when they are facing challenges. I am learning our job as a mother is to love them unconditionally like God does.
It’s not our job to change them, but to be an example and point them to God and his infallible Word. It was never our job to judge them, criticize, or beat them with the bible or theology but only to direct their hearts to Jesus.
I know as parents we have fallen short of this and made a lot of mistakes, but there is grace and forgiveness in God.

God is so much bigger, and his love is so much deeper, purer, and unconditional. His love conquers all, but he can understand a mother’s heart for her children. I believe he gave us that heart to want to nurture and protect our children from all harm. We’re like lionesses when it comes to our children, but God loves our children even more than we do, and he wants to be their protector and their everything when we fall short. His answers to our prayers don’t always look like we think they should. His ways and thoughts are so much higher, wider, and deeper. He sees the overall picture of what is yet to take place.
Sometimes he takes us deeper through pain, disappointments, and unexpected circumstance.  He is always faithful, and he always answers. He is the perfect Father and gives perfect love. I’m learning to have a heart like his. To love like he does.

I miss those times when my daughter was small, and I used to sing to her and teach her how to read. Those were priceless memories.

The adolescent years were the hardest, but they drew me closer to the Father for wisdom, strength, and more of his love.

The young-adult years are about learning how to let go and trust God. I think it’s the hardest phase.
You learn that by helping them too much you’re enabling them and making them to depend on you instead of depending on God. You learn that even your advice isn’t always the best advice for their problem, because we think we know what’s best for them.

You learn to ask if you can share your advice, rather than just give it. Sometimes we just need to listen and let them figure it out for themselves and trust God that he will show them the right direction or solution. And then watch, pray, and be there when they make mistakes, because they will learn through their mistakes.     

God is that way with us as his children. He always points us in the right direction, but sometimes we don’t always make that right choice, and we learn, and he give us grace to walk it out and get it right the next time.

 It makes me think of Jesus's mother to have to see her son go through excruciating pain to fulfill God’s will for the world. I can’t even imagine having to go through that or compare it, but I know he understands a mother’s heart for her children.

 “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for own children”          (1 Thessalonians 2:7).

Prayer:

Thank you, God that your loving kindness leads me to repentance when I need to repent and turn to you.  Teach us how to have your heart towards our children.  You created them, and you know their, hearts, and you know what moves them.  Help us to get out of your way and trust you when our children are wayward and heading in the wrong direction. I choose to trust you that you know what’s best. You will give me wisdom in every decision and the grace and strength to walk it out.

Questions:

1.  Do you have children, nieces or nephews or even a friend’s child/adult children that you tend to worry a lot about because they are clearly with bad company? Are they doing drugs, being in jail, or heading in the wrong direction without God in their life?

2.  Can you choose to trust God and surrender them into God’s hands right now?

3.  Are you willing to sacrifice time too fast and pray when God calls you to?

From Inner Beauty book copyright ​© 2019 Isabel Perez McCoy

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Happy Palm Sunday and Hosanna to the King.

Here is a song I wanted to share with you all.

Who is HE, the King of Glory, The Lord almighty!

My prayer is that we draw closer to Him like never before, as my pastor said this morning, that our paradigm would shift and give our hearts to Him fully. No greater sacrifice, no greater love, than the love of Jesus.

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Good Morning Beauties,

This month is Women's History Month, and I wanted to pay tribute to my grandmother.

Here is a video I did last year for Mother's day for our family.

Hope you enjoy,

​Blessings Isabella

Good morning Beloveds,
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Happy Valentines almost.
 
The month of love, makes me reflect on what is true love. God's word says in Corinthians 13:1-13
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That love is patient, Love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love never fails.
 
The best place to test this love is in a marriage. I know my husband and I have fallen short of this many of times, but we are better at recognizing our sin, repent and ask for each other’s forgiveness. It doesn’t always happen right away, sometimes we have to bring it up to each other to let the other spouse know how much it hurt us and then give them the opportunity to say I’m sorry and other times Holy spirit does the work which is sometimes better, because when Holy spirit convicts it causes you to truly repent and go to your spouse in humility to ask for forgiveness.
 
I am no expert at this, but I have learned that I cannot even love perfectly without Gods love and grace. I can't do anything without Him.
 
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12
 
Last week in our marriage workshop someone asked me how long have you guys been married? I said 25 years this September, and we’ve been together for 29 years almost 30. My goodness where has the time gone? I just can’t fathom that. I have grown to love my husband more and more with each passing year. I can’t imagine my life without him. We have gone through some rough years, but God has been faithful to us. We have learned without the trials and testing’s you just don’t grow.
Sometimes we need to be put under the fire to wake up from our slumber, sober up, grow up and suck it up.
And we have also had sweet years of enjoying life together. We both love to take road trips and enjoy exploring new destinations. We are able to travel more in this season of our life and we enjoy being in each other’s presence.
 
We have a lot in common and I am trying new things with him like deer hunting and doing more of the things he likes, one of them being is going to the shooting range. We will be doing that more this new year, God wills.
We used to go target shooting in our early dating years so need to get back to the fun stuff that we both can enjoy.
 
I have learned you have to be willing to give of yourself, your time and try new things that your spouse enjoys. 
 
 
Here are a few pictures from our favorite trips and activities.
 
 
Blessings Bella

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Good morning, beauties and Gents,
 
It’s a wintery, quiet Saturday morning, it’s snowing, with a few inches of snow on the ground and 26 degrees that’s supposed to feel like 13 degrees, brrrrr, but nothing like being cozied up by a fire, cozied up with my hubby drinking coffee and watching it snow. It’s the simple things in life that I enjoy. It’s so peaceful and quiet. There’s just something so tranquil about watching it snow and listening to the fire logs crackle. Everything just seems to stand still at least for a little bit. We sit, we listen and just breathe it in, the restful atmosphere and enjoying God’s presence. The best part of it is when the cardinals come to feed on the bird feeder and the beauty of their red ablaze next to the snow. My favorite snowfall is when it’s wet with big snowflakes and it sticks to the trees and branches, it’s so beautiful. According to Science ABC snowflakes come in seemingly endless variety of shapes and sizes, almost all snowflakes are unique. They have intricate patterns and designs, which is why they appear so beautifully designed. Beautifully, uniquely, intricately designed by God, just like God designed us. Enjoy the simple things in life, enjoy God and enjoy your loved ones.
My favorite scripture;
 
“For you formed my inwards parts; you knitted me together in my mothers’ womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden form you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” Psalm 139: 1-18
 
Selah
 
By Isabella

A few photos from this mornings snowfall

Photos taken by Isabel Perez McCoy

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Good Morning Beauties and Gents, I pray you had a blessed Christmas with your loved ones and friends. And that you will have a new year of blessings and unlimited favor. I know it's been quite a year for a lot of us but we put our hope and trust in God. May the Lord shower you and your family with His peace, joy, health and favor. 

Blessings Isabel Perez McCoy

 Recently the Lords been speaking to me about betrayal. Three people in the bible come to mind when I think about betrayal. David who was betrayed and was also the betrayer, even murdered to cover up his sin, and Judas and Peter who betrayed Jesus. These two disciples walked with Jesus in the flesh and David described it so well in psalms 55: 1-14 and 20-21
 
“If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you a man like myself, my companions, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshippers.
 
My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
 
I can only imagine what Jesus felt or what He was thinking knowing Judas was going to betray Him and Peter was going to deny Him, and yet He remained silent until the last supper.
 
“When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, they were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.  The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him said, surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi.
 
Imagine sitting at the table with some close friends or brothers and sisters in Christ whom you once enjoyed fellowship with, people you trusted and shared your supper with and in your own home mind you. You had no idea that one of them was going to betray you, that war was in there heart to slander, and gossip about you to cover up their own sin and guilt, to set you up like Jesus was, but not only that what if they not only slandered you, what about a dear loved one because in their own eyes and self righteousness they thought they were right with God.
 
Now, Jesus knew the disciples’ hearts and their motives, He knew everything and everyone and yet He invited them to the last supper and had communion with them.
 
It was obvious to me that Judas did not know or see Jesus’s worth, to be able to betray Him for 30 pieces of silver. When someone betrays you, they don’t see your worth or value, let alone their own. In fact, they must really hate themselves. God said love others like you love yourself. Meaning value others like you value yourself. We can easily betray, deny, or judge someone else when we don’t love and value ourselves and in turn love and value others.
 
But, something else comes to mind about Peter and Judas, the difference between them was that Peter wept bitterly for what He had done, he was repentive and turned back to Jesus. Now Judas on the other hand was seized with remorse, returned the 30 pieces, and hung himself. I really believe that both had the opportunity to repent and turn back to Jesus, but Judas could not see forgiveness for what He did to Jesus. If I had done that, I probably wouldn’t have either if I had not known Jesus's love and forgiveness. But, think about this, how many times in our lifetime have we denied Jesus, or betrayed Him or Have placed more value in others and in things other than in Jesus? but, thank God for what Jesus did on the cross for past, present, and future sins. If we truly repent and turn away from our sins, He is just to forgive us.
 
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9’
 
Selah

Isabel Perez McCoy

Good morning, Beauties
 
I am so thankful for another quiet morning with my beloved Jesus, I savor these times, because I don’t always get to enjoy my Saturday mornings all to myself, with a cozy fire and instrumental worship music playing in the background. I love these fall mornings, cold and crisp air, apple cider and the beautiful foliage we get to enjoy.

So, every November I do the 30-day thankful challenge and I tell you, it really changes your perspective on things you maybe facing. It gets your mind off what is not right but on the things that are good, that are praiseworthy, pure, and lovely and that are of good report. In fact, in Philippians 4:8 encourages us to meditate on these things,
 
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
 
I know it’s not always easy to do especially with all the distractions from social media, tv news and everything going on in our world right now, but it sure is worth setting some quiet time to journal, read the bible and quiet down from all the busyness that calls our name.
 
I challenge you if you haven’t already to do the 30-day challenge and every day after that, it shouldn’t be just in November, we are called to be thankful everyday but sometimes life just gets in the way, we get overwhelmed, discouraged, you name it.
 
What are you thankful for right now in your life?
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Maybe you’re not in the best circumstances right now, maybe you have lost a loved one and maybe everything is a mess, you are jobless, but whatever you are facing right now God is bigger, God is there, he hears your cry and your prayers and maybe the answer won’t come right away because instead of fixing your mess, He wants to heal your pain, your heart and mind which is far more important. He wants you to know and experience his nearness, his love, his peace during the storm. He wants you to experience His peace right now when everything is in chaos not when everything is good and right. He loves to come in our broken state, our messes and give us peace, joy, new perspective and having a grateful heart
It says give thanks in all circumstances. I know I shared this scripture on the last blog, but this never gets old.
 
 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. 1st Thessalonian’s 5:18
 
What are you thankful for?
 
Blessings Isabel Perez McCoy
 

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​Good morning, beauties and Gents,
 
Happy Saturday, so thankful for a beautiful fall morning. It’s cold here in Kc but thank God for cozy fires. I have been missing my Saturday morning devotionals. It’s been quite a year for me, for all of us, I am sure. My husband is out deer hunting and I am enjoying the house all to myself. It’s quiet, I have worship instrumental music playing in the background and I am still in my pj’s. I love my mornings having coffee, cozy fire, spending time with JESUS and journaling. My mornings are when I am the most creative, I have not been feeling creative this year, but this morning is a breakthrough, Thank you God. Today is a new day and I am feeling God’s joy despite the trials we are facing, God is good. He gives us peace amid the storms. I don’t know about you, but I decided to decorate Christmas early, way earlier than I normally do. One of the things I enjoy the most is decorating, especially Christmas, it makes me happy. So, I have been decorating little by little since October 30, ha ha ha, I skipped fall decorations and went straight to Christmas. Who says you must wait till at least thanksgiving, hum bug, this is what brings me joy? How about you? what brings you joy? I encourage you to do something that brings you joy and happiness. Life is too short to be miserable, count your blessings, there is always something to be thankful for. I am challenging myself with the 30 days of being thankful. It’s easier to look at the negative and start complaining about what’s wrong but God wants us to see the good in everything, in everyone, my greatest struggle and I must be deliberate and pray and ask God to open eyes so that I can see like He does, Love like He does, see the good in everyone like He does. God is good, and He always sees what’s good in us and He loves us so much. I am thankful for the small breakthroughs and the big miracles God has done, is doing, and going to do.
 
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus.” Always continually, and in all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
 
Blessings Isabel Perez McCoy

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Hello Beauties and Gents,

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Florida. We fell in love with the gulf beaches, water was so warm not like the beaches in Cali, its so cold. 

My new oceans of love. We got a lot of rain, but it finally stopped and we got some beautiful sunsets, warm weather and met some really nice people. Definitely going back.

We visited Destin and Miramar beach beautiful warm waters and white sand. 

And the last night of our trip was incredibly awesome with a group of teens playing and singing worship in the background, a romantic night with my husband and God displaying His beauty through a beautiful sunset for us.

And on our last day there, God left us with a promise, a double rainbow, His promises are yes and amen.

God is Faithful.