Priorities

October 14, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Galatians 6:7-8

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Galatians 6:9-10

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)

God Knows

July 20, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

No matter where you have been…no matter what you have done or left undone…God knows. We may feel alone or trapped in our lives due to circumstances around us…don’t believe the lies that Satan is telling you…God knows about you…God loves you…He knows about everything and He knew it when He sent His Son to die for you. You are not alone…God is with you and God loves you. Turn towards God in faith and pray. Amen.

God Only Knows by for King and Country

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“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Psalm 103:8

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 on a bridge near Winterset, Iowa)

Patience

July 1, 2020 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Originally posted in May of 2018…

When we believe and we trust in God we will be required to develop patience in this world. Circumstances will often look hopeless and many people will despair and be engulfed in sadness and fear, that is the way of evil. We must never give up hope, we must trust in God to continue working for the good for us and for everyone. God does not make bad things happen, He is not tempting you with things that are not good…that is sin in the world and we humans invited that sin into this world. God is at work in all the bad we have created to bring out goodness, kindness and love. Believe in Him who created us, believe in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ and see the good things that can happen in your life in this world. May God’s peace and joy 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 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Everything, Anything

June 29, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Originally posted in November of 2018…

Nothing is to big, to complex. Nothing is to powerful. Nothing is to difficult to solve. When we believe in Jesus Christ and trust Him with our everything, everyday we know that God will guide our way through anything we encounter in life. It may not be the way we would do it on our own, but that is the point, on our own we would get stuck…stopped, without resolution. No matter what it is you are facing, no matter what battle is knocking you down…get back up and surrender the issue to God. That doesn’t mean you stop doing things or stop living, it means you do your best according to God’s word to live by the Fruits of the Spirit and let God take care of the rest. May we all take steps to surrender everything, anything to the Lord. Amen.

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

Philippians 4:13

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Arches National Park in Utah)

Strength From The Lord

June 5, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“I love you, Lord, my strength.

²The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield^[b] and the horn^[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:1-2

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“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Cascade State Park in northern Minnesota)

Hope

April 23, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What drives it? Why do we have it? It comes from belief…it comes from trusting. Even when no one believes there is any hope…hope persists. Think about the day Jesus was crucified…nobody, not even the disciples had hope. Jesus, their teacher, the one who performed miracles had died…yet with God anything is possible. Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! The stories of hope with God in the bible go on and on…Sarah who was barren has a son…Moses and the Red Sea…Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego survive the fiery furnace…Daniel in the lion’s den…Mary the virgin gives birth to Jesus and on and on it goes. Don’t give up hope…trust in God. Amen.

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“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake in central Minnesota)

A Solid Foundation

April 8, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we stand on the foundation of faith and a personal relationship with God, we can trust that where we stand is firm ground and even though all around us is uncertainty, fear and anxiety we are held by God’s love and we will be guided through the troubling times if we stay close to Jesus and God’s word. The only solid foundation we will find in this life is with God. May His peace be with you. Amen.

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“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:9-12

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

One Year Ago Today…

August 31, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

I received one of those calls…something has happened with Dad…it is not good…Mom is riding in an ambulance on the way to the hospital…roughly 30 minutes later…a follow-up call…Dad’s gone…

Life can change forever in 30 minutes…I am here to tell you, the only way to walk through the pain and struggles of life is with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He truly carries us in the most difficult moments…if we are willing to surrender our ways and our plans for His ways and His plan…we can find peace and comfort that we never knew was possible. Truly I tell you, our God is an awesome God…Amen.

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

Joshua 1:9

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Praise The Lord

July 4, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Today is recognized as Independence Day in the US. A holiday where people can gather and celebrate freedom. It is a day where we should give thanks to the Lord for all we have in our lives. Take a moment and reflect on your surroundings, people in your life…all of the good things are gifts from God. If it is difficult to see goodness, take some time to work on your relationship with God, talk to Him and listen in the quietness of time alone with God. You were created out of love by God, He is with you and you can have contentment, security, peace and hope for a future in a way that only God can provide by choosing to turn to Him and His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. God is good…all the time…and all the time…God is good! Praise the Lord. May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you.

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“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

Psalm 146:1-2

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Cross

July 3, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Come to the Cross…A place to bring your burdens…Savior…Salvation…Forgiveness…Peace. The Cross of Christ, this is the place we should turn to in all situations. This is where God sent His One and Only Son to be crucified to save us from our sins. This is where our relationship with God is reconciled. There are problems and struggles everywhere you can’t change everything for everyone, but He can. You can’t change everything but you can change something, you can change one thing that will make a difference in the world…You. Jesus said ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ (John 14:6) Open your heart and mind and invite Jesus Christ into your life everyday. This will make the world a better place. May God’s joy and peace be with you.

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