Serve One Another

May 7, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

1 Peter 4:8-11 NIV

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

Galatians 5:13 NIV

DSC_0229 publish

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2 NIV

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

Surrender and Rest

March 9, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Luke 9:23-24 NIV

Father God, please show us what in our lives we are withholding from You. We want to live fully surrendered. Teach us how to prioritize following You and loving others. No matter how hard it may be, we want to daily deny our self-focused desires and seek You first. In Jesus name. Amen.

DSC_1543 publish

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Our Purpose

March 5, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Love God

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:5 NIRV

Love God and Love Others

“He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]””

Luke 10:27 NIV

The Commission by CAIN

DSC_0010 publish

Share The Good News

“So you must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. ²⁰Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”

Matthew 28:19-20 NIRV

Love God…Love Other People…Share the Gospel

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

Seek God’s Will

February 23, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

Father God, thank You for loving us and pursuing a personal relationship with each of us. You are everything to us, and we want to seek You first every day. Please be a part of every decision, every thought, every word, and every action we have. In Jesus name, Amen.

DSC_0090 (2) publish

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

(This photo was taken at a park near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

His Way Is Better Than Our Ways

February 13, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

Father God, please instruct us and teach us as we seek to live a life that honors You. Guide us into our calling, and lovingly correct our mistakes. We know You are good and You are working for good in our lives. Thank You for listening to us and never giving up on us. In Jesus name, Amen.

IMG_20180604_204033101_HDR publish

“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

(This photo was taken while walking the dog in a neighborhood near Plymouth, MN)

Perspective

November 15, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust^[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

One of the most precious gifts in life is time…where we spend our time gives light to what we value. When we spend too much time on things that are not aligned with God’s will for us, often we feel discouraged and drained.

When we seek God’s wisdom and we strive to live in His will and purpose for our lives we feel renewed, peaceful and content. Take time to assess where you are spending your time and seek to look at your purpose through God’s will rather than the world’s perspective. May God’s peace be with you.

DSC_1556 publish

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[d] is not in them. ¹⁶For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

1 John 2:15-17 NIV

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

Make A Commitment

October 17, 2023 / 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

How do we get better at staying the course? The worldly way we set goals is almost always a path to failure. Some of the most common mistakes is over-committing to too many things or setting unrealistic goals and achievements. Not to mention our lack of patience for change in this fast paced, immediately gratification world.

The biggest mistake we make is not asking God to guide us or not listening and looking for His will for our lives. We are easily distracted and believe we have to maintain everything on our own. The most important change we can make in our lives is turning towards God first and a make a commitment to follow Him in every area of our lives.

DSC_0933 publish

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

Proverbs 16:3 NIV

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

Seek God’s Will

September 25, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

God has given us the gift of free will. It is up to us to choose how we will live each day…seeking Him and His Word or following the ways of this fallen world? God tells us the truth in the Bible. He lays out what will happen based on what we choose to believe and do.

So what do you believe? What will you choose to do today? I encourage you to seek Him and seek Him with all of your heart. May God’s peace wash over you. Amen.

DSC_0090 (2) publish

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 at a park near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

Serve One Another

September 12, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

1 Peter 4:8-11 NIV

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

Galatians 5:13 NIV

We each get to choose each day the attitude we will embrace and how we will act when interacting with others. God has given us instructions in His Word and He has followed up His Word with actions that show His love, His grace.

Our job, our purpose is to seek Him and live out His will in our life every day. Put your trust in Lord and choose to live as Jesus lived, love and serve one another.

DSC_0229 publish

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2021 at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Prayer Makes A Difference

September 9, 2023 / 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? 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 with God. It is a common topic in the bible…Matthew 6:6, Luke 18:1, Philippians 4:6 and many more places.

Prayer is something God encourages us to do and knowing that, means that even though we may not understand how it works, prayer does make a difference. Amen.

When We Pray by Tauren Wells

DSC_0001 (2) publish