Our Rock…A Firm Foundation

February 28, 2026 / mcalcagno / 1 Comment

“The 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 18:2 NIV

Father God, there is no one besides You

You are the only One who is holy and worthy of our praise

Thank You for being our Rock and the firm foundation we can build our lives upon!

We are grateful that You are always faithful, never changing, and the One we can put our trust in

We love You!

In Jesus name, Amen

Firm Foundation (He Won’t) by Cody Carnes

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“It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.”

Psalms 118:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park)

God’s Promises

February 27, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.“

Isaiah 43:2 NIV

Father God, Your Word is filled with promises for my life

Often times my circumstances distract me from Your faithfulness

As I read and re-read Your promises fill me with comfort and peace that surpasses understanding because I believe You are working for good at all times

In Jesus name, Amen

You Say by Lauren Daigle

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“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 NIV

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

Trust

February 24, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Father God, when we are anxious and afraid, we will put our trust in You

We will rely on You no matter what comes our way because You are our source of strength and safety

You guide us and You fight for us

When we draw near to You, we have nothing to fear, because we know that You are in control

We know You will never leave us or abandon us and so we put our trust in You

In Jesus name, Amen

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
⁸They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken on a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Be Courageous In The Faith

February 23, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV

There are many elements of life working against those desiring to follow Jesus

The world, the flesh and Satan all are like a rushing river of water trying to keep us away from God and His Word

We must learn to stand firm in the faith…to be courageous

To speak the truth with respect, kindness and compassion

Remembering God is with you, no matter what

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“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)

Father God

February 13, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV

We are encouraged by the grace and mercy God our Father gives to us

We stumble and fall and yet He loves us the same

He walks with us daily and still there are days we yell ‘God, where are you?’

His love for us is greater than any we will find in human relationships but yet we put our time with Him off to the side or as a low priority that easily can be removed for our busy lives

We seek His forgiveness and He delivers everytime…

The Word of God never changes…

He created us; He loves us; He calls us by name…at that point it is up to us to respond

The greatest Dad there is, is God our Father

We are His children

We are comforted and encouraged by His love

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“As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.“

Psalm 103:13-14 NIV

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

Commitment

February 12, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8 NIV

Commitment is hard when things are difficult, when it feels like at every turn we try and failure is right there to greet us

When we commit to something we naturally put some level of our own expectations of how things should go or what we believe should be the outcome

Here is the issue with this approach…we are setting “our expectations” on the result with little regard for God’s will and God’s plan

Following our faith and trust in the Lord means we can be free from the limited results our own minds can generate and be open to new possibilities

For me this is hard to grasp and at times very difficult to embrace

Even Jesus in the last moments before He was arrested prayed breifly for a different outcome…

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” – Luke 22:42

Bring your commitments to the Lord in prayer and seek His will

Listen for Him and the Holy Spirit to guide you

Find your quiet place and quiet time and rest in Him

May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you

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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 NIV

(This photo was taken near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

God’s Mercy and Grace

February 6, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹²as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.“

Psalm 103:8-12 NIV

Though we can’t earn it God offers us grace and gives us the opportunity to be free from sin

He loves us so much that He willingly went to the Cross to pay to price for our sins

Think of it this way you were charged with a crime and were brought to court…

You are found guilty and convicted…

Then as you are about to be led away…

The judge comes down from the bench and says He will take the punishment you deserve and you are set free

That is what Jesus Christ has done for you and me…

He has made a way for us to be reconciled with God

Thanks be to God for His forgiveness, His mercy and His grace

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“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

(This photo was taken near Winterset, Iowa)

Persevere Under Trial

February 5, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. “

James 1:2-5 NIV

Don’t give up…keep praying…keep trying…be persistent…have courage…believe

Everyone is challenged by something in life

Everyone is fighting a battle of some kind

It is in these situations that we can see the power of God

We can see His mercy and His grace when we shift our perspective off of worldly treasures and worldly ways

God is holding on to you through everything the world is throwing at you

Trust in Him…Hold on to Him and persevere through trials

I Am by Crowder

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“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

James 1:12 NIV

(This photo was taken standing on one of the Bridges of Madison County near Winterset, Iowa)

God’s Timing

February 3, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

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“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.“

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV

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

Ask, Seek, Knock…

February 2, 2026 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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 NIV

Prayer and talking with God on a daily basis are key elements on our faith journey

Prayer includes confessing our sins, expressing gratitude, asking and listening

Keeping in mind that God is not a wishing well…rather He is your friend, your guide, your confidant

He knows about every aspect of your life and He loves you…

He sacrificed His one and only Son in order to reconcile you with Him

God loves you…He is with you…He is wating to hear from you

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