Questions

December 30, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

If you want to know the answers, you must be willing to ask the questions. If you have questions for God, Jesus encourages us to ask…seek Him and then pay attention for the response. Keep in mind He doesn’t answer questions the way we want, much like a parent doesn’t answer every child’s question the way the child wants. God loves you; He is with you and He wants good things for you…He has proven that by sending His only Son into the world to die on a cross for you. As we reflect and look ahead at this time of the year…look for where you have seen God in your life, give thanks and ask Him the questions you truly want to know the answers too. Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 in White Sands National Park in New Mexico)

Thanks Be To God

December 22, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

There is hope…even at times when it feels like there is no hope…God is still on the throne in heaven and even though things don’t go the way we want them to, or how we want them to, or things don’t happen when we want…we still have hope for the future because of Jesus Christ. No matter where you are or what is happening or not happening in your life, look around your life for what is good, look for what you can be grateful for and give thanks to God. Amen.

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“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57

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

Give Thanks To God

November 28, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Happy Thanksgiving! Take time today to give your thanks to God. Amen.

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

²    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
³Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100

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

Contentment

November 27, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

As the retail world bombards us with messages of the ‘greatest sale ever’…’lowest prices now’ and this year…’black Friday prices early’…it is a good time to seek contentment. This could be done by spending more time reflecting on all that we already have been given…realizing how much our needs are met each day and being…thankful. I find it interesting that the holiday intended to focus on gratitude is constantly getting pounded by the ‘get more’ self-focused attitude. Let’s work on becoming a new creation this holiday season and spend more time on being grateful for what we have, considering what abundance we can share with others and spend less time fulfilling our self-satisfying wants and desires. May the peace of the Lord be with you this holiday season. Amen.

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“But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”

1 Timothy 6:6-9

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

Gratitude

November 15, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Where do you see God today? If you think for a moment where did you see Him at work yesterday? When was the last time you recognized what God has done for you and you took time to give Him thanks? An attitude of gratitude starts by taking time to acknowledge what needs have been met by God in your life and offering thanks to God for those blessings. It is easy to slip into a mode where we take things or people for granted. A decision to be grateful is a change in perspective that can put to rest the worries and anxiety about what we don’t have and redirect us back to giving thanks to the Lord. Thanks be to God for His love, mercy and grace. Amen.

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“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalms 118:24

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Give Thanks

October 14, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What is on your mind? What thoughts are you stewing on? We easily slip into worries and fears even when things around us are calm and ok. Choose to change your focus…what are you thankful for? Think about yesterday and find what you are thankful for from yesterday. Look at your current surroundings…what type of device are you reading this post on? There are many things to be thankful for each and every day of your life…stop focusing so much time on what you can’t control; like what other people think, say and do. Finally, give thanks to God for His Son, Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He made to save us. Amen.

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“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:17

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Thanks Be To God

September 21, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What are you thankful for in your life today? Giving thanks is not reserved for once a year in November. Being thankful and having gratitude is about changing your perspective to a positive point of view. It is easy to focus on what is wrong, what I don’t have and what I can’t do or even what other people are doing wrong…be different…take inventory of your life today…look around, what are you thankful for? Pray about it and ask God to help you to continue to see the good. All that is good is from God and for that we give Him thanks. Amen.

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“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Reflect And Give Thanks

August 26, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When someone asks us, “Where have you seen God in your life?” We often quickly scan the last few days and maybe even the last week in our minds and come up with something…mostly in order to not disappoint those who are asking the question. What if we took more time to reflect? What if we look back 5 years ago or back to our childhood or teen years depending on what season of life we are in? The next time you are alone with God think about it, looking back now…”Where have you seen God in your life?” After all, He has been there all along, even when we were completely oblivious to Him. Thanks be to God for His love, His mercy and His grace. Amen.

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Give Thanks And Praise

July 16, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The Lord gives us blessings…He knows each of us and He cares for us. Some blessings are talents or natural skills we can use to share abundance with others…some blessings don’t feel like a blessing but are intended for us to learn from, in these times it can be difficult to stay true to faith and to look for God in all of it. He is right there with you, no matter what has happened, no matter who you have lost in this life. Spiritual maturity comes by walking with God and trusting in Him. Give thanks and praise Him for His love, His mercy, His forgiveness and His grace. Amen.

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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:5

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

Contentment

July 8, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

I hope you have enjoyed the music and listening for God in the talent of those who have been blessed to share the Good News through song over the last few weeks. This morning I am struck by gratitude for all the good things God has given. There is so much to be thankful for and yet we often choose to wish for things to be different or to have more or less of something. It seems to be human nature to desire more in some way, however, true joy and peace is found only in contentment. Think about how much we can enjoy the present moments in life each day if we begin with gratitude and thankfulness for what blessings we have been given and put Christ in the center of our lives rather than ourselves and our desires. Thanks be to God for all He has done for us and may the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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