Courage

We Must Humble Ourselves

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14 NIV

It’s not about me

That is a statement we need to remind ourselves of often

There is a significant difference between self-care and self-centered

To be humble takes courage, to admit that we make mistakes and poor choices with an attitude that seeks redemption is a path to peace

Jesus taught us about humility…

DSC01182 publish

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.“

Matthew 18:1-4 ESV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnestoa)

Love And Faithfulness

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.”

Psalm 25:10 NIV

When we are able to surrender ourselves to God and His plan and we follow Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we will grow and mature spiritually

We may believe we know a great deal about love and faithfulness and yet there is so much more God wants to show us

It will not be easy and we should take nothing for granted

Living in this world where sin and selfishness run wild, where temptations are lurking…we will never be perfect and we are not to be the judge of the ways of others

Love and faithfulness these are characteristics of the new creation God is making us to be

Seek the Lord and the life He has planned for you

IMG_20141015_061309527_HDR publish

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

Proverbs 3:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at sunrise on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Rest And Renew

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

We are not in control of what happens in the world

The daily news and events make that abundantly clear

The only thing we can control is how we choose to respond to things that do happen

The best thing we can do is turn towards Jesus

Give thanks to the Lord for the good things and ask for help and guidance for the difficult things

We don’t know and can’t control what will happen tomorrow yet we can trust in Him who sits on the throne of heaven

It is by drawing near to Him that we can find rest and be renewed

DSC_0322 publish

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31 NIV

(This photo was taken in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)

Listening

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

James 1:19-22 NIV

Listening is a skill we all need to use more often and a way of communicating that could get us much closer to peace in our life

If we were better listeners there would be less divorce and broken families…if we were better at listening there would be less violence and crime as hate and anger would not be stirred up so quickly

Listening involves taking time to understand what the other person is saying, it involves empathy

It means not being so quick to respond with your own will and desires as first priority…it takes humility to really listen…it takes a willingness to admit we don’t have all the answers

Think about recent interactions in your life…when are you hearing and when are you listening?  I know I can do better

Lastly, communicating with God takes more than just talking, if we are doing all the talking in prayer when do we take the time to listen to Him?

May we all be blessed with courage and humility to listen better

DSC_0604 publish

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

Psalm 25:4-5 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

It Takes Courage…

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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 NIV

Courage is not the absence of fear

Courage is the willingness to move forward without knowing the outcome

To admit we don’t know the answers…to be patient…to share and be vulnerable with another person

Having courage is placing your trust in God ahead of fear

It is about not allowing fear to stop you or defeat you

It takes courage to seek the Light…to surrender your plans for God’s plan

It takes courage to live the life that God has intended for you…and where can you find strength for courage?

In a relationship with Jesus Christ

There you will find joy, peace, patience, and strength for courage

Seek Him and His will and live with hope from God

DSC_0164 publish

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Our Refuge In The Storm

/ 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

When danger is approaching, where should we go to seek cover?

Where can we be safe?  Who can help us in our time of need?

God is our rock and our refuge…He shields us and delivers us from the things that try to take hold of us

Our emotional reactions can quickly escalate and get out of control…God can help us with self-control

A relationship with Jesus Christ is a strong foundation that can withstand anything in this world

Seek the Lord in prayer and pick up a Bible…read God’s word and take refuge from the storm

Praise You In This Storm by Casting Crowns

DSC_29 publish

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 NIV

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

Put Your Trust In God

/ 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

What do you put your trust in?

Who do you believe is trustworthy?

Take a moment and think about it

The dictionary states trust is – firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something

So, who or what in your life do you trust?

The world is filled with deception, selfishness, lying, cheating, etc… these things were brought into the world by the human race

There is still hope…there is One who is worthy of trust

There is One who is reliable, who is the truth, who has the ability and the strength and He is the One who sacrificed himself to save us…Jesus Christ

He is a Light in the darkness, turn to Jesus and put your trust in God

DSC_0452 publish

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.[a]“

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling through North Dakota)

Trust In The Lord

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

When you are facing trouble in this world…and it seems like everything you try to do is failing

Pray and wait for the Lord

When you don’t know what to do next

Pray and trust in the Lord

Do something good and wait patiently for God and His will

Trust is hard, especially when we have put our trust in things that have let us down in the past

We can trust in the Lord

He keeps His promises…He always has and He always will

He is with you and He will never leave you

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Turn Towards God

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

This is the first thing we should do with every aspect of our lives

We often try to go it alone and then turn to God as a last resort…even then He will be there for us because of His mercy and grace

No matter what the circumstances are in your life…bring it to God in prayer

Trust in Him…it is never too late

DSC_0004 publish

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7 NIV

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

Patience And Persistence

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

“Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV

Father God, we know You have a plan for our lives, and that You want to bless us

Help us lean into that promise!

Sometimes it is hard to see past our present struggles

Thank You for loving us even when we have doubts and fears

Fill each of us with Your hope and give us courage to carry on

In Jesus name, Amen

DSC_0546 publish

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)