Put Your Hope In God

June 24, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.“

Psalm 42:11 NIV

Find Rest by Fracesca Battistelli

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“Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.“

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

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

Sacrifice…Savior

June 21, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

Father God, thank You for sending Your only Son to save us. Thank You for creating a way for us to be reconciled with You. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice our mistakes are forgiven! Help us never take this for granted. Give us courage to glorify You in every area of our lives. In Jesus name, Amen.

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“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:17 NIV

(This photo was taken at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota)

Worry And Anxiety

June 20, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

Cornerstone ft. Zach Williams by TobyMac

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“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)

Prayer Makes A Difference

June 19, 2024 / 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. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

Do we always get what we want, when we want it?

No. Does a child always get what they ask for?

No. Do they understand why?

No, they don’t…what we do know is that God wants us to pray.

It is our way to communicate and stay connected to God.

When We Pray by Tauren Wells

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“Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessolanians 5:16-18 NIV

(This photo was taken on shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Comfort

June 18, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.”

Psalm 119:76 NIV

Our God is the God of all comfort

There is nothing and no one in the world that can comfort us the way God can

Turn towards God and you will find comfort and peace

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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

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

His Way

June 17, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹“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 NIV

Father God, sometimes it is hard to surrender our lives to You. We make the mistake of thinking our plans are better than Yours. We know Your purpose for us is far greater than we can imagine, so help us let go and release all control to You. We invite You into our decision-making. Please inspire our thoughts and actions each day. In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling through the state of Washington)

God’s Promises…

June 13, 2024 / 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

“You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

John 15:7 NIV

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“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. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

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

Make A Commitment

June 10, 2024 / 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.”^[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Good and Gracious God, I want my life to be marked by loyalty and commitment to You. I want to be known for how I loved, how I was generous, and how I shared with others about You. Show me how to embrace a life of complete commitment to Your calling. In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 16:3 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Give Thanks

June 8, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Father God, nothing is impossible for You. You love us even when we are unloveable. You are good to us even when we don’t deserve it. You are kind and compassionate toward us even when we mess up. Thank You for never leaving us or forsaking us! Teach us to focus on gratitude in all circumstances and draw us closer to You. In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Enter 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.”