A Better Way…Come Near To God

December 6, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 NIV

Father God, we want to seek You with all of our hearts

You are our everything-so let our actions match our words

Each day, help us draw closer to You

Guide us through each decision, and inspire us with new dreams and wisdom

We want to honor You in all that we do

We want to live a better way

In Jesus name, Amen

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“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

James 4:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Temperance State Park on Lake Superior)

Joy Because God Keeps His Promises

December 2, 2025 / 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

God keeps His promises

God promised to send the Messiah

God fulfilled that promise when He sent His One and only Son to save us

God has made many other promises in the Scriptures

He has kept every promise He made

The only promise we are waiting for Him to fulfill is the return of Jesus

It will happen…He will come again

I know because God keeps His promises

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John 3:16-17 NIV

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

Trust God’s Promises

November 29, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

³His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

2 Peter 1:2-4 NIV

God’s promises are many and they are all throughout the Bible

He promises salvation, to give you rest, to strengthen you, to provide for your needs, to protect you, to never leave you and so many more

The question is do you believe Him and do you trust Him?

Consider what God has done, what He is doing and what He has promised will come

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“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
²When 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.
³For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush^[a] and Seba in your stead.
⁴Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,…”

Isaiah 43:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

His Sacrifice For You

November 25, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5-6 NLT

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIV

He came down from heaven and was born as a baby

He lived and taught…He was beaten, spit on and made to carry the Cross He would die on

He comitted no sin and took the punishment for all of our sins

He suffered, He was crucified, died and was buried and He did it all for you

Then God raised Him from the dead and He is alive

Thanks be to God for the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me so that we can be reconciled to God

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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. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.“

John 3:16-18 NIV

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

Believe

November 23, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

2 Timothy 4:18 NIV

Believe in the power of God

He is our Creator

He is our Savior

He will guide us with the Holy Spirit

God can and will rescue you

Don’t give up hope…don’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result

Believe in God’s saving grace, believe in God’s love for you

Trust in the Lord and believe

Rescue by Lauren Daigle

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“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

Psalm 91:14-16 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass near the Montana and Wyoming border)

The Greatest Story Ever Told…

November 16, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning. ³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.”

John 1:1-5 NIV

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14 NIV

From Genesis to Revelation the over-arching theme of the Bible is God’s love through Jesus

This love does not guarantee that life will be easy and always pleasant…yet it is a love that never changes

This love comes to us directly in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

You are part of this story…God chose you

Open your heart and mind to Jesus, invite Him into every part of your life

As you learn this story, help tell others about it

It is the greatest story ever told

End Of The Beginning by David Phelps

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John 3:16-17 NIV

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

Hope Perspective

November 12, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

The hope we receive from Christ is a hope that knows and believes that Christ lives and that God is for us and working for our good, even when, especially when the visible evidence is against it

The hope from God’s Word tells us to not give up or surrender to sin and doubt, rather know that God is with us and we can trust in Him

Not for the things we believe we should have but for the things God knows that we need

May we all place our trust in the God of hope in our daily lives

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 NIV

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

Nothing Can Separate Us From His Love

November 4, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”

Romans 8:31-35 NIV

No matter what has happened or is happening

No matter where you are

No circumstances or situations in your life can separate you from God’s love

Nothing…

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither 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 8:37-39 NIV

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

God’s Presence Is All Around Us

November 3, 2025 / 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

One of the most difficult things for us to accomplish is change

A change that will last, is sustainable and makes a difference in us and how we interact with others

One of the greatest changes in human history occurred when Jesus Christ changed Saul into Paul, His disciple

We read about this is the Book of Acts, chapter 9

What Jesus did to create and sustain this change was to illuminate His Presence to Saul

To show His Presence and then to give instructions to Saul as to what he must do

God is present in creation and in each of our lives everyday…we just need to do a better job of looking for Him

His Presence exists in nature, the change of the seasons and in the Fruits of the Spirit that we give and receive in our interactions with others

God is with you, He loves you and His Presence is what gives you strength

Thanks be to God

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“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

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

God’s Word

October 31, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God’s word is the source of truth and our guide for living in this world

There are so many ways it will help us and support us and it never changes

People will come and go; people will try to twist it and use it for their personal agenda

Stay close in your relationship with Jesus Christ as He is the Truth

Pickup God’s word every day and you will see the many ways God speaks to us

Below are a few situations from my life and how God’s word speaks to me about these things

When I am focused on worry and fear…

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 27:1 NIV

When I have doubt or confusion…

“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

When I am led astray by temptations…

“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.”