Truth

August 13, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

On our faith journey there is so much conflict with what the world is telling us and what our readings and spiritual life teach us about how to to live. This is the result of the spiritual battle going on all around us. We are created by God and He loves us and longs to have a relationship with us. And the forces of darkness and evil are doing everything they can to keep our attention on other things, any other thing than God. There is peace, and it can be found in a daily connection with Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. The simplicity of doing good things and helping others where you can is the path towards hope. Take refuge in God and you will have your peace. May God’s joy be with you.

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“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 on Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Listen To Understand

August 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

To truly gain wisdom and to find understanding we must develop the ability to really listen. Not to be concerned with making our own point but to put ourselves in the place of those who are speaking. When you read the words of Jesus in the bible just breezing through it may not give you a sense of clarity. When Jesus spoke He was speaking to all of us not only the people alive at His time. To understand His message is to step out of your life in this world for a moment and consider where God is working in your life. One of the phrases I like to use is a summary of this website…“to know Him and to make Him known” When the Holy Spirit works into us and transforms us we then become equipped to go out and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Gospels to others. This journey is different for all of us and our impact is not measured by how many others we teach like a score sheet. Our mission is to receive the Word of God, let it transfigure our mind and attitude, then use our new self to serve. May the wisdom and peace of the Lord be in you.

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“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

James 1:19-20

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior in the Apostle Islands area)

Knowledge And Understanding

August 11, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We just want answers…to know what happened…why…who did this…where are they…when did that happen. To admit we do not know something is the beginning of being humble. Unfortunately the sinful nature leads humans to take advantage others and erodes the trust of people. That sounds like something evil would do…anything to keep people away from God and behaviors that promote goodness, kindness and compassion. When you want to seek knowledge and wisdom, when you are pursuing understanding, turn to the Word of God. The bible is the Word of God and He has the information you are seeking. He is the Creator, He knows the most about what we want to understand. If you are unsure where to begin, I recommend Proverbs. May the peace and joy of God be with you.

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“For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

Proverbs 2:6

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 in the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior)

Commitment

August 10, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Not giving up…to honor…responsibility…respect for…trust. The way of truth means doing what you said you would do. Our true character shows through to others when they see our commitment to something. The greatest example of commitment to completing something that was more difficult than anything we will face in our lives was the example Jesus set when He honored a commitment to saving us from our sins. He endured physical and mental suffering for something He didn’t do. He is innocent, He has no sin…and yet He took on the sin of all of us and paid the price so that we could be reconciled to God. He is our Savior and our Salvation will only come from a relationship with Him. May God’s love and faithfulness be with you.

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“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

Proverbs 16:3

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 in the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior)

Stewardship

August 9, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Guardianship…upkeep…safekeeping…managing…cherishing…protecting…preserving. We are asked to be good stewards in our lives. We come into the world with nothing and when we leave we can take nothing with us. All that we receive is from God. God owns everything and we receive so that we can be cared for and share with others. The sinful nature would have us go after gaining more to keep and store up this turns us away from faith. The world has been filled with more than enough resources to feed and clothe everyone, yet the human race has not distributed things properly so there is poverty everywhere. Do what you can wherever you are to help those who need it most. May God’s joy and peace be with you.

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“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give what they have decided in their heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

With All Your…

August 8, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Distractions are everywhere. Our focus shifts from one thing to the next so quickly, especially in the age of social media. When I was young I remember people using a phrase attributed to Mark Twain, ‘If you don’t like the weather; wait five minutes!’ Well in today’s society it could be ‘if you don’t like the top story of the day; wait a few minutes!’ With schedules and activities; things to do; places to go and see and access to so much information, it is no wonder people are filled with worry, anxiety and feeling exhausted. We end up putting any time with God and prayer as a line item in our never ending busy lives. God is not looking for you to be a social media friend or follower, who checks in on your feed to see what’s what…rather He is asking for your full attention, daily. Your all…your everything…everyday. May God bless you with wisdom and courage.

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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.”

Deuteronomy 6:5-6

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin)

Courage

August 7, 2018 / mcalcagno / 4 Comments

It takes courage to be a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. It not always the easy way or even the logical way to live according to the world. It means living with different priorities than many people. It means there will be times when you must step out in faith and it means you must be willing to admit your mistakes. One of the toughest parts can be gaining self-control and getting a handle on your emotions. There are many examples in the bible of people who have made this journey and they did really well at times and they also stumbled and failed at times. The lessons we can learn from their experiences are to be courageous, stand firm in your faith and trust in God. Don’t look for things to always go the way you want or have planned, but seek His plan. There is a phrase I think fits with faith pretty well…Faith – it’s simple but it’s not always easy. May God’s peace be with you.

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on a hike near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

Wait For The Lord

August 6, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

I find sometimes that there are periods of time when God seems distant in my faith journey. A sense that things that were once clear and focused seem less clear and jumbled up. It would be easy to fret and wonder why, what happened, what changed and of course, is it me, did I do something wrong? These are not times to invite worries and anxieties into your life. This is a moment to know and to trust that God is still on the throne in heaven and He will be with you. Think of Job in the bible…he had everything and I mean everything taken from him in life, plus he had these great “friends” telling him he must have done something wrong for all this to happen. Job did not give in and stop believing…he persisted in faith and the Lord restored him. There are and will be times when the Lord seems far off, be patient, stand in faith and wait for Him. May God’s love and comfort be with you.

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

Psalm 27:13-14

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 in the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior)

Humility

August 5, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

To say there seems to be less and less of this in the world is an understatement…more then ever we are hearing about people shouting about their individual rights or their me and my group first mentality, which just drives the motivation of others to put themselves first, which does nothing more that create division and violence. Imagine if more people were working for fairness for all people…instead trying to push and pull others down to get a step up. My guess is that this is because of a lack of trust in society. People can’t trust that other people will be honest and work for the best intentions of all. Selfishness. Think about what it felt like when someone did something kind and generous for you that had no benefit for them. That is where God is. The only one who can overcome the rule of self in the human race is God. He can be trusted, He has kept every promise He has ever made and He has one promise left. Turn to God and pray, trust in Him and He will bring you peace.

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin)

Call To Serve

August 4, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

If you find yourself frustrated, anxious or worried more often than usual you may be spending too much time focused on things that are self-serving. Typically I have found on my journey that contentment and joy come from serving the needs of another. Providing help where it is needed most. This does not have to be a major undertaking or monumental tasks…it can be what is most needed, when it is most needed. Maybe someone needs a ride to get to work…holding a door open for someone who has their hands full with someone or something…preparing a meal…or just sitting and listening. We all have gifts and abilities to share and we are called by God to serve one another. May God bless you with wisdom and understanding.

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