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)

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)

Every Generation

August 3, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The cycle of life…we are kids playing in the sand…we learn to ride bikes and gain freedom…we experience our school years and activities…we learn to drive and get our first job…we make choices about post high school and become young adults…people our age are getting married…people our age our having kids and are off into their careers…everybody’s getting older…our parents begin to need more assistance…people our age are getting terminal diagnosis’…we are attending more funerals than weddings…we are slowing down…we go home to the Lord. This does not describe every aspect of every life, just some of the stages in life. Every single person you encounter is somewhere on the journey and every single person needs faith to help find the way. As we learn and grow we need to be purposeful in teaching the next generation about a relationship with Jesus Christ. Each one teach one to restore hope and to live in peace. May your life be filled with contentment and joy.

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“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.”

Psalm 145:3-4

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Madeline Island at Big Bay Town Park in Wisconsin)

He Knows You

August 1, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

That’s not what I meant…I wish they knew me better…I don’t feel like I fit in…Nobody understands me…have you had moments like this? I know I have. You can be surrounded by people but feel like you are isolated. God knows who you are, He knows what you can do, He knows how you think and He cares for you. If you feel like you are off the rails in your life, it is time to get back to God. He is waiting to hear from you. He is the Creator, the one who formed you and has been right there with you every step of the way in life. Turn towards God. Trust in Him. May you see the blessings from God in your life each day.

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

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

Prayer

July 31, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This is about communicating with God. It involves more than speaking and it is not about saying the right words or phrases or using the correct gestures. It is about being humble, trusting, honoring and giving thanks. Prayer is about knowing how our spirit is fed and trusting that our greatest hope for anything is with God. Even when things don’t go the way we want or the way we planned…that is just another reminder that life is not about us it is about our relationships with others, beginning with our relationship with Jesus Christ. The path to joy, love, peace and forgiveness starts and ends with prayer. May you be surrounded by God’s grace and peace.

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“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 lift up my soul.”

Psalm 143:8

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Home

July 30, 2018July 30, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We all want a place where we feel like we belong. A place where the majority of the time people are interacting with kindness, goodness and love. The boom of electronic devices has created an invasion in our houses or places to be in community. It is interesting to me that we look down and draw into ourselves with these devices as our life and relationships are enriched when we look up, listen and engage with others and nature. One of the reasons I focus so much time and attention on nature in photography is because it is God created. He made the earth a place for us to live before we go to our eternal home. Wherever your home is invite God into it and invite Jesus into your life every day. The lessons we learn during life on earth are all to help us thrive in eternity. May you see God’s blessings in your life and relationships.

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

Psalm 37:3-4

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

Use Your Gifts

July 29, 2018 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

All of us have something that comes naturally for us to do. Things we do well that can help others and serve a useful purpose. Our gifts or strengths that God has blessed us with could help support the basics in life…food, shelter or clothing. They also could be gifts that help spread the Good News of the Lord. Whatever they are and whatever they help you to do…get to know them, understand how to use them best and if you are not sure about this…start by asking God in prayer to help you to see the goodness He has planted in you and where and when to use it. All that is good comes from God and He created you, don’t take your cues about your worth from the world. Learn from the Creator about your goodness and use your gifts from Him to help others. May God’s love and joy surround you each day.

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