God’s Timing

March 8, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

One of our greatest struggles is trying to control or believing we are in complete control of time. If we live like this, we will experience tiredness, frustrations, fatigue and lacking energy because we are living apart from God’s will. God gives us free will and we have a responsibility in how we choose to live our lives and those choices have consequences. If you want to learn more about God’s time, pick up the bible, read Genesis or Ecclesiastes or whatever Book in the bible you choose…our time in life is about so much more than the numbers on our devices. Spend time with God each day and learn about His love, His plan and His time. Amen.

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“Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:14

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

Prayer Makes A Difference

February 20, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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 another topic in the bible that is repeated often…Matthew 6:6, Luke 18:1, Philippians 4:6 and many more places. This 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.

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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

(This photo was taken in july of 2018 on shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Persistence And Patience

February 17, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Keep going with prayer…don’t let the desire for immediate gratification discourage you…God’s will is not about your timing. Seek comfort from Jesus by spending time in prayer and reading God’s word, pay attention for God’s responses in your daily life. Align yourself with God’s plan and go after it with persistence and patience. God is with you and He loves you. Amen.

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“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Colossians 4:2

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

Focus

February 10, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What are your thoughts like? What is on your mind more often than other things? What issues or actions grab your attention? There is so much coming at us in our daily lives that we easily lose focus. We are distracted, constantly shifting from one thing to the next, never getting anywhere. So much of what is put before us is the work of evil and darkness, working to keep us away from God and our relationship with Jesus. The more we take time to focus on God’s word and spending time in prayer the more clearly we can see the important things in life and let the other stuff fade away. Renew your thoughts and your mind and you will find peace. Amen.

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“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:2

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)

Different Gifts

February 3, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We each have been made by our Creator God and we all have different gifts and abilities according to His will. When each of us use our God given talent to the best of our ability our community is made stronger. It does no good to compare ourselves to others and to covet their abilities. God created you, He loves you and He wants good things for you in life…when things go sideways or off track that is our sinful nature leading us astray. Turn towards Jesus Christ in prayer and seek God’s plan for your gifts. Amen.

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“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Romans 12:6-8

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

Do Your Best

January 15, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The struggle is real…we strive and we press to finish and to see the result…only to find the race is not over…there is more that needs to be done. We were made for community to lift each other up and encourage one another. Each of us has been given different gifts to offer to others, we can’t be everything to everyone and if we try, we will be going off course with God’s plan. Learn what God has planned for you and the blessings and abilities He has given to you for this life. Seek to do your best according to God’s will and you will find peace. Amen.

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Hebrews 12:1-3

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

Commitments

January 9, 2020 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

How do we get better at staying the course? This New Year’s resolution business 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 as well as a lack of patience for change in this fast paced, immediately gratification world. The biggest mistake we make is either 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 best change we can make is turning towards God first in all aspects of our lives. Amen.

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

Proverbs 16:3

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

Saved By Grace

January 3, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we read in the Gospel of Matthew 26 and the Gospel of Luke 22 there is a section that describes Jesus taking 3 disciples with Him and going off to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane…in these moments of prayer we get to see both the human side and the Godly side of Jesus…He prays “…My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” – Matthew 26:39 In these moments right before He is to be arrested, which He knows is coming, Jesus pleads with God the Father to find a different way to save us…and in the same breath He shows us humility and God’s grace by surrendering to God’s will. We have been saved from God’s wrath by God’s grace. May the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

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

Wisdom

December 27, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We have so much to learn…it is easy to think that we have lived our lives long enough to know what is right for us. We have experiences to draw on and we rely on feelings and emotions. Yet God knew all of these things before we were even born. He is our Creator and He loves us so much that He sacrificed His Son to save us…He knows what is best for us. For example, how many people would believe that Saul could become Paul…the greatest enemy of Christians would become one of the greatest disciples? You can read about it in Acts 9…this is the wisdom of God and it is far greater than any human wisdom. Trust in the Lord and seek His will for you and your life. Amen.

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“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”

1 Corinthians 1:25

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 in what is now officially White Sands National Park in New Mexico)

It Will Come…

December 16, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What have you been praying for but have not yet seen? Is it for you or someone else? Peace? Patience? Joy? A changed heart? For me, the hardest part of faith is surrender, trying to do my part for God’s plan and not trying to do too much to attempt to control the timing or the outcome of circumstances. Today’s verse below speaks directly to these times when we may feel frustrated and impatient. Trust the Lord and do good things…He has only good things planned for you. Amen.

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