The Door To Your Heart

June 22, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We learn to build walls around the parts of our heart where the deepest and most vulnerable topics and issues, thoughts and feelings are hidden from others. We believe we are safe keeping these items locked away. There is a door in these walls and Jesus is on the other side. He is not locked out, we are locked in…think about this…we do not have to wait and hope that He will find us and help us or save us. He already knows about these things, He has done what He needed to do to save us. In His words, it is finished (John 19:30). We are the ones who need to take the next step, unlock the door to your heart for Jesus and let Him in. I like many people have been searching for the door in the wall, it takes persistence, discipline and courage to open the door and let go of those things keeping us trapped in cycles…we need to let the fullness of Christ into our lives. May God’s peace be with you.

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“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

Revelation 3:20

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 near Pike’s Peak in Colorado)

God’s Love And Faithfulness

June 19, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

No matter where we go or what we do God’s love and faithfulness are always more powerful than anything in this world. We spend our days searching for something…happiness, justice, peace of mind and we believe we will find it somewhere on earth. Yet the whole time God offers a path to find these pursuits. It begins with a belief in God and His goodness. Every promise He made He has kept and the last promise has yet to come, and Jesus Christ will come again. I pray we have the courage to stop putting our faith in things created by mankind and put our trust and faith right where it belongs…In God We Trust. May you see God’s love and faithfulness at work in your life.

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“Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”

Psalm 115:1

(This photo was taken in June of 2015 on the side of the road while driving through South Dakota)

The Foundation Of Faith

June 18, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We often hear that it states in the bible if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can move mountains and nothing will be impossible for you (see Matthew 17:20). Well that doesn’t sound too hard. A mustard seed, that’s really small…oh but wait. If it only takes such a small amount of faith to do such big things why isn’t everybody full of faith? Take a look at your personal belief in Jesus Christ…when we face any issues, problems, concerns or difficult people are we able to approach all those situations with a belief and faith that Jesus Christ can do anything with that situation? God is still working on me for this level of spiritual maturity. This is a faith that points 100% to Jesus Christ and the belief in the saving grace that He provided at Calvary for every part of your life. It is a belief that every person no matter how the world has judged them and cast them aside can be redeemed, if we are willing to believe Jesus can change that. I am focusing my faith journey on more of this and less of me. May God’s grace and peace be with you.

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“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

Romans 12:3

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Father’s Day – Relationships

June 17, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We all need need our Father’s, just as much as we all need our Mother’s. Unfortunately, Father’s and Fatherhood has been under attack for a long time. Many television shows and movies portray the Father as the doofus who just messes everything up or the stupid and incompetent one who is hardly necessary. When most of society sees this as the role of the Father, it is no wonder that the family structure is disintegrating in this broken world. If God is the God of everything then He needs to be the God of our families. No matter what the current status is of our relationships, we need to invite Jesus into them with our Father’s and with everyone else in our family. Honor your Father and Mother. God designed the family structure for a purpose and it is for our good to honor the relationships we do have. Love like God our Father loves us. May God’s love, peace and joy be with you.

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“If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

Romans 14:8

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Lord Of My Everything?

June 16, 2018 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

One of my struggles in faith is opening up to the Lord for everything. Not only the parts of my life and my heart I think He wants to be involved in…that would be God on my terms. It does not work like that. God is the God of everything and Jesus Christ is Lord of all. All of creation, all people in all nations since the beginning of time and His love for everything, His grace and His mercy will endure forever. It is so difficult for my finite mind to comprehend the totality of God and His love. He is more than the God of Sunday morning or Wednesday evening…He is more than the God of when I really need help or a crisis is happening…He is more than a beautiful sunrise or sunset when we feel more of His presence. He is the Lord of housework, the Lord of daily errands, the Lord of trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, He is the Lord of where you work and what you do…He is the Lord of everything. Period. The best part of all of this means He is right there waiting to hear from you about all of it. He is your Lord and Savior and even though that doesn’t mean everything will be easy and good He is with you through it all everyday. May God’s presence, His love, His joy and His forgiveness be present in your life everyday.

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“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of the life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23:6

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

Honesty And Integrity

June 15, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

In the world of constant information updates it seems to be getting difficult to know what is really true. As we continue on our faith journey and study God’s Word we find the growth in ourselves when we are able to be honest with ourselves. When we are truthful and accept who we are, who God made us to be, we can act with integrity and be honest with others. I find it common in my faith journey the path to true joy is to get your relationship with God right first and take your worries, discouragements and concerns as well as your gratitude and joy to Him first and everything else will work itself out according to His plan. My personal issue with that process…I need more patience. So I am off to pray for patience in my day…May God’s grace and mercy be with you.

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“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:8-9

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

Angels All Around Us

June 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / 3 Comments

As we go about our journey of life God knows we will need His ever-present help along the way. Creation has so much to offer us but we still live in a fallen world. God is constantly sending in His angels to guide and protect us throughout our life. Angels come in and protect us, and the help they provide is typically essential in our daily lives. When you reflect on moments in your life where something incredible was avoided or times when a decision you made quickly ended up keeping you and others safe…do you believe angels played a part in the process? I do. God does not do His work alone…it is written about in the bible and I believe He has an army of angels working for the good of those who love Him. May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

Psalms 91:11-12

(This photo was taken in September of 2014 on a walk in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Have Faith…Pass It On

June 10, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

There is nothing greater in this world then a belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Your relationship with Him is the foundation of your Faith. It does not mean life will be easy and it does not mean you will get everything you have ever wanted in life. The world and evil continues to send us messages that if what we are pursuing doesn’t end with convenience or an easy life it is not worth pursuit. Not true! True joy, peace and contentment does not come from chasing after things to satisfy the self. It comes from knowing that you are loved and you are saved from your sins no matter how much you mess up. True faith is built by spending time on your relationship with God everyday and by sharing the Good News with others, especially those in the next generation. May the peace and understanding of God in faith be with you.

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“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!”

Proverbs 16:16

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalms 100:5

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling through northern Colorado)

God’s Presence

June 6, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

A relationship with God is like no other. He can provide the greatest comfort in times of trouble, the greatest joy out of the worst of tragedy and He never will leave you or abandon you. God wants you to engage in a covenant with Him. An agreement that you will honor only Him as God and you will pursue to keep His commandments in your everyday life. You will accept His Son, Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, believing that He died and has risen to save you from your sins. If you strive to honor this covenant you will get a better sense of God’s presence in your life. God does not play favorites like humans, His covenant is not a quid pro quo situation where you scratch His back and He will scratch yours. God loves everyone and His forgiveness, His mercy and grace is available the same to anyone. The only the difference is how we choose to engage in our relationship with Him. May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.”

Psalm 25:10

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

Hope Everyday

June 4, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We are blessed with the love God has for us and because of His love we have hope that is never-ending. We will experience trials and suffering, it is expected because we live in a world filled with selfishness and brokenness. Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him is where our hope can be found. Even when things are at the darkest hour, hope is the glimmer of light Christ provides. He has overcome anything this world can throw at us and He is waiting to guide you through everything you have going on in your life. May God’s hope and love be with you.

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