God’s Mercy and Grace

February 6, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹²as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.“

Psalm 103:8-12 NIV

Though we can’t earn it God offers us grace and gives us the opportunity to be free from sin

He loves us so much that He willingly went to the Cross to pay to price for our sins

Think of it this way you were charged with a crime and were brought to court…

You are found guilty and convicted…

Then as you are about to be led away…

The judge comes down from the bench and says He will take the punishment you deserve and you are set free

That is what Jesus Christ has done for you and me…

He has made a way for us to be reconciled with God

Thanks be to God for His forgiveness, His mercy and His grace

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“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

(This photo was taken near Winterset, Iowa)

Persevere Under Trial

February 5, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. “

James 1:2-5 NIV

Don’t give up…keep praying…keep trying…be persistent…have courage…believe

Everyone is challenged by something in life

Everyone is fighting a battle of some kind

It is in these situations that we can see the power of God

We can see His mercy and His grace when we shift our perspective off of worldly treasures and worldly ways

God is holding on to you through everything the world is throwing at you

Trust in Him…Hold on to Him and persevere through trials

I Am by Crowder

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“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

James 1:12 NIV

(This photo was taken standing on one of the Bridges of Madison County near Winterset, Iowa)

Keep Doing Good Things

February 4, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

^“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

We reap what we sow in this life

This does not mean we can earn our way into heaven by doing the right things

It means whatever we go out and do in the world will come back around to us at some point and none of us knows or can control how or when that will happen

This is further proof that God is in control and it is our responsibility to choose our behaviors and our actions in our daily life

We cannot control what others will think, say or do, yet we can control how we respond

Let’s keep doing good things

May the Fruit of the Spirit flow through us each day

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“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:7-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

God’s Timing

February 3, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁴Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

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“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.“

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Ask, Seek, Knock…

February 2, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Matthew 7:7-8 NIV

Prayer and talking with God on a daily basis are key elements on our faith journey

Prayer includes confessing our sins, expressing gratitude, asking and listening

Keeping in mind that God is not a wishing well…rather He is your friend, your guide, your confidant

He knows about every aspect of your life and He loves you…

He sacrificed His one and only Son in order to reconcile you with Him

God loves you…He is with you…He is wating to hear from you

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“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

John 16:24 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

To Make Him Known

February 1, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

As we learn and grow on our faith journey, we will be given opportunities to share faith

How, when or where we share the gospel is different for everyone

This is about living in the present moments of your life

If we are constantly stewing about the past or what might happen in the future we will miss that which is right in front of us

This is the journey, we will get distracted and sidetracked, it happens to everyone

In our efforts to get to know Him and make Him known, we will read stories of conversion and sharing and it will seem like, wow that person changed who they are instantly and began sharing the Good News with others…that’s not typical, at least it hasn’t been for me

I didn’t start daily devotions in my life until I was in my thirties…

I started posting on this blog in 2013…

I started posting something everyday late in 2015…

I began actually writing thoughts inspired by the Holy Spirit on this blog everyday in the beginning of 2018…and here we are today

What you don’t know is all the other things that go on in a person’s life that impacts their journey

We all are part of God’s plan and on our life’s journey, God is helping me narrow the focus on this…

He created me to Know Him and to make Him Known, everything else should lead into that and I am still learning how that works

I want to take this moment to say Thank You for stopping by, reading, commenting and being part of the journey

May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you on your journey

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“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

To Know Him

January 31, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8 NIV

As it has been said, faith is a journey not a destination

So what does that mean?

It is about making progress, every day

We live, we learn, we pray, we give thanks, we cry for help, we forgive others and we learn some more

We are human, we live in a broken and fallen world

Nobody is perfect, even if their social media profiles try to project it

We are not made to do this life alone

We need to know Him, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord

He gave His life to save us and to reconcile us to God

Give faith a chance, spend time learning about Jesus Christ and His birth, His life, His teachings, His death and His resurrection

Pickup God’s Word and seek Him daily, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain

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“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Wisdom From God

January 30, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[a]

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV

Nothing we encounter in this world is greater than God

Do not be deceived by the wisdom the of the world

Seek God’s wisdom

Read His Word and learn about life from His perspective

He is our Creator

He is our Savior

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“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”

1 Corinthians 1:25 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Consider Him…

January 29, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Hebrews 12:3 NIV

When you are tired and run down or discouraged and defeated, consider Him…

When you are frustrated or angry with others, consider Him…

When you feel like there is no hope, consider Him…

Consider Him who endured death on a cross between two thieves, for us…

Consider Him who was spit on and had a crown of thorns pushed onto His head, for us…

Consider Him who had His beard plucked out and gave His back to the whip, for us…

And consider Him who gave His blood and His life for us

He did it because He loves you and He wants good things for you

Turn your attention towards Him and give Him thanks, then you will find peace

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

(This photo was taken near Colorado Springs, Colorado)