God’s Will

Trust In The Lord

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Raise your hand if you have ever prayed to God about a problem or a situation and you asked God to help you and then you go and do what you think should happen next only to find you have made it worse…my hand is up.  Trusting God with our words is one thing…living it out in our daily life is another level of spiritual growth.  If we truly want to see God’s work and God’s plan in our life we need to learn how to get out of His way.  I can think of several times when I have been praying about something and have not been patient enough to wait for the Lord.  As I have stated in the past…I tend to be a slow learner.  I am thankful for God’s mercy and grace and know He will be with us no matter how long it takes for us to learn how to trust in Him.  Amen.

DSC_0485 publish

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Psalm 37:7

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling through North Dakota)

Seek God’s Will

/ 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.

DSC_0888 publish

“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)

Our Plans…His Plan

/ 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.

DSC_1402 publish

“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)

Endurance

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Keep going…keep believing…keep praying…listen…observe…endure.  God’s Word tells us we will have trouble in this world.  Be persistent, seek to do good things, learn from what you have experienced.  The next attempt might be the one that breaks through to something greater than you can imagine.  There is a new song by an artist named Danny Gokey entitled “Haven’t Seen It Yet” and it provides a perspective about God’s will that many of us need to be reminded of.  Don’t give up…God is with you.  Amen.

“Haven’t Seen It Yet” by Danny Gokey

DSC_0194 publish

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12

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

God’s Purpose For You

/ 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.

DSC_1232 publish

“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)

Do Good Things

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This statement is all about being focused on persistence and patience.  We often get stuck on narrow minded results of our actions or words.  We lose sight of the fact the God is working for the good of all people and each of us plays a role in a much larger story that we will not always be able to see the results of first hand.  His will and His plans are so much greater than ours and so it comes down to our willingness to trust in God’s plan more than our own desires.  We know what it means to do good, we understand how to bear fruit in our daily lives and it is our responsibility to strive to do those things and leave the rest up to God.  As they say, God is good all the time and all the time God is good.  May we be blessed to share the goodness of the Lord today and everyday.  Amen.

dsc_1080 publish

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 on the shore of Elliott Bay in downtown Seattle, Washington)

God’s Time

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God is always working for our good.  Even when life seems hopeless and we feel the darkness of evil surround us…God is with us.  Reach out to Him in prayer…true, honest, sincere prayer that is delivered with belief that He is there listening to you.  If your heart doesn’t truly believe in God and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God than your words are just sound.  We get frustrated because God does not respond the way we want or the way we think He should…that is not trust in God.  God does answer our prayers and He does provide us guidance.  The only reason we miss it is because the self is powerful and stubborn and won’t get out of the way.  God created you, He knows all about you and what you are going through in this world…He loves you, surrender your situation to Him and listen…He is caring for you in a far better way than you can do yourself.  I pray we all do a better job of giving ourselves to God’s time in the New Year.  Amen.

DSC_0158_1 publish

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

(This photo was taken in December of 2018 on Paradise Island, Bahamas)

Be Humble

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We have seen the example of what humility looks like when we look at Jesus Christ and His actions and behaviors while He was here.  He suffered as a human and yet was obedient to the will of God.  It was not easy, even for Him…He prayed so hard that it could go differently and then in the next breath gave everything to God.  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  -Luke 22:42  The only way we have a chance to learn about God’s will, is to be willing to surrender our own will.  One of my biggest obstacles in my faith journey is sustaining surrender…getting to the point of surrender is one thing, maintaining an attitude of surrender so God’s plan can unfold with His timing is yet another battle.  One thing I know for sure, as it is true for all of us…God’s not finished with me yet!  I pray that God will open the eyes of our hearts and wash over us with courage and patience.  Amen.

DSC_1416 publish

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

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

Seek God’s Will

/ mcalcagno / 3 Comments

We all have been given a conscience and we all have the ability to choose how we will respond to events and activity in our lives and the world.  Every day, every interaction with others is an opportunity to choose the way you will go.  We can’t get caught up in ‘the problems are too big’ or ‘they won’t listen to me’ or ‘I don’t have anything to offer others’…these are the words of darkness and evil trying to keep you from God’s will.  It may be only one moment in a day, one brief interaction or act of kindness but if you can do something to help or serve just one other person today, you have made a difference the world.  The world is broken and the problems, the suffering and the pursuit of selfishness and evil has people angry and fearful, for the human race overcoming all this alone is impossible but nothing is impossible for God.  I pray that we all will seek Him and His will for our lives.  Amen.

DSC_0681 publish

“He has showed you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park)