Identity Crisis

March 30, 2019 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Who are we trying to be? What are our worries? What are our concerns? Are we pursuing to be who God created us to be? How do we know? Why am I doing this? Where is God? Why is this happening? This is so hard…I don’t know how I got here…I don’t know what to do…

STOP…Pick up a bible

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

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

1 Peter 5:7

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

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

Philippians 4:13

How do we know that this is the way…that this is the truth…and this is the life?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

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Amen.

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

Seek God’s Will

March 28, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When questions seem never-ending in life, we often look for easy or convenient answers in worldly places. If we just knew all the answers than life would be easy…becareful what you wish for. Easy has never been promised to anyone and even if you think there is a person or people who have it easy than most likely you don’t know the whole story about them or their lives. We all have troubles, we all are broken in some way. The one constant, the only thing that we know we can count on is God’s love. He is our Creator, He knows everything about our lives and His plan is far better than anything we can cook up ourselves. Seek God’s will for your life and you will find peace. Amen.

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

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

Prayer…Taste And See

March 17, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We are searching for answers to so many questions. We are easily frustrated and begin to think negative thoughts. We think that the only way to pray is with certain words or a certain way…God just wants hear from us no matter how or when we pray. He desires a real relationship with us, not for us to perform the way we think He wants us to. Pray with your words and your feelings, be willing to be honest with God and seek His will for your life. Here are the lyrics and a song by Riley Clemmons to share her thoughts about prayers…

Broken Prayers by Riley Clemmons

I’ve been taught how to talk to you
Hold it together, make the bad look better
Say all the words that I’m supposed to
Bow my head, say, “amen”
Yeah, that’ll do
Making every dead end look like heaven
Like being okay is the way to reach you

But you’re not afraid of all the things I feel
So why am I afraid of being real?

You want my tears, every messy word
Every scar and every fear
You want all I have
With no holding back
When I’m hurt, at my worst
You meet me there
‘Cause you see the beauty
In my broken prayers
In my broken prayers

You don’t care if it ain’t poetry
‘Cause all of my edges
They’re a little rough
But that’s all I got to bring

‘Cause you’re not afraid of all the things I feel
Don’t have to hide the scars that still aren’t healed

You want my tears, every messy word (yeah)
Every scar and every fear
You want all I have
With no holding back
When I’m hurt, at my worst
You meet me there
‘Cause You see the beauty
In my broken prayers
In my broken prayers

Mascara running down my face
Desperate cry in a dark place
You take me that way
All of me

My broken prayers

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Psalms 34:8

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

He Knows

March 12, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

No matter how you are feeling or what thoughts are racing through your mind, remember that God knows what is going on in your life and in your mind and He is waiting for you to turn to Him and trust Him to be your guide and to care for you. All that is good comes from God, all that is sin and suffering was brought into this world by us. Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and come to Him for whatever you need. The music of the world has been impacting more than usual over the last few weeks…I can’t help but think it is God speaking through others as some of the songs I have heard many times over and yet they seem to sound different lately or more like message. Today I share a song by Jeremy Camp that He released 4 years ago. May the God of mercy a grace be with you. Amen.

“He Knows” by Jeremy Camp

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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.”

Matthew 11:28-29

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

Wait For The Lord

March 9, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

If you are frustrated or worried, if you are anxious or tired, if you are angry or defeated…pray and wait for the Lord. If you are weighing thoughts on a choice or decision…ask Jesus to guide you and wait for Him. If your heart says this way and your head says that way…seek God’s will and wait for His plan. God has good things in store for you and your life, be patient and know that He loves you. If you feel like darkness and evil are all around you, that is not God’s doing that is sin and the sinful world, seek His Light and you will see a way out. The Lord is with you, He will never leave you and He will never abandon you. Amen.

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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.”

Psalms 27:13-14

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

Our Plans…His Plan

March 6, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The faith journey can feel like a repetitive cycle. We read God’s Word, we go to worship, we listen and learn. We believe we understand and will now go and live according to what we have learned…then as humans tend to do, we try to take control and go off our own way and end up frustatred and wonder what happened? Then it’s back to God’s Word and going to worship, etc. How can this cycle be broken? When we get to a point where we are about to take some form of action, something that we normally would do, we need to pause, step aside and pray. Ask God what do you want me to do here? Ask Him to give us wisdom according to His plan and then wait and listen. It could be we are spending a siginificant amount of our time on something God never intended for us to be doing. The only way to find out is between you and Him. Seek the will of the Lord for your life and live. Amen.

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“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

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

God’s Purpose For You

March 4, 2019 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

What is it? When was the last time you asked Him, directly? What would it look like to get a direct answer? Or has this question been answered, several times, several ways and we just are not sure or we don’t like what is being said? We were all made for a purpose and it is not always the purpose we think it should be…it actually is something better then what we come up with on our own. To help us understand more about our purpose we should reflect and think about the things that come easy to us that we can do that another person may not be able to do for themselves. Look around your life right where you are…if you are willing, God can use you there too. Seek the will of the Lord for your life because He is with you every step of the way. Amen.

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“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Nothing Can Separate Us

February 26, 2019April 16, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

No matter what we do or where we go, we are still loved by God. We tend to think, not me, God deosn’t really love me…look at the things I have done and left undone. Look at what I said, look at my life and the things that have happened because of me. To this I say look at the examples of people in the Bible. Peter, rejected being associated with Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested. Rahab in the Book of Joshua, she was a prostitute who acted with faith and courage to help God’s people capture the Promised Land. Saul who became Paul…he hunted down and killed many of the followers of Jesus and yet the Lord still loved him and made him one of the greatest teachers of the faith in the New Testament. There are many more like these. We are not perfect nor will we ever be, we will make mistakes and do the wrong things…inspite of it all God still loves us and wants to help us grow and mature in our faith. Trust in the Lord. Amen.

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“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39

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

God’s Peace

February 23, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

As hard as it may be to believe there is true peace available during life on earth. To find it, we must be willing to seek Him. We must be open to surrender. We need to be persistent in allowing God to transform our attitudes and perspectives to be more like Christ. Peace will not be found rushing from here to there, always in a hurry, scrolling through social media feeds for hours…there is no peace in those things. The comforts and conveniences the world offers do not bring peace they bring an unsatisfied longing for more. The world offers to help you “save time” but for what? The peace in our realtionship with God can teach us to appreciate the time we have and it can calm our spirit. True peace can be with you…if you believe in Jesus, the next step is to turn to God and ask Him for His help in finding it. Amen.

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“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27

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

Praise And Worship

February 17, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Tune your spirit to align with God. When you find yourself in that moment you will know it. There is nothing like it. I have very few words to share with you this morning as my faith is best expressed through song. May the love and joy of the Lord wash over you and bring you peace. Amen.

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

Psalm 118:24

How Great Is Our God – Chris Tomlin

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“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spriritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

Colossians 3:16

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