Be Still

October 18, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Take time to build your relationship with the Lord…find a still and quiet place to seek Him…the greatest joy can come from experiencing God’s presence when the Holy Spirit is allowed to flow freely in your heart and soul. God is with you, He hears you and He knows you…make time to be with Him. I pray for all to take time to turn towards the Lord and away from the sinful nature. Amen.

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“Be still, and know that I am God…”

Psalm 46:10

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

Live A Life Filled With Love

October 16, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Offer hospitality…speak encouraging words…serve the needs of others…offer prayers and praise to God. A life of love is not an ‘it’s all about me life’ rather it is a life with God at the center. How can we show the love of Christ in our life today? It is easy to get caught up in the world’s definition of something worth doing, you know…’go big or go home’…we can make a difference in the world just by fulfilling the needs of just one person…to them it may be the biggest or best thing that is done for them today. Don’t judge your value or your life by the world’s standards…God created you…He knows you, He loves you and He is with you. I pray we seek and know the love of God in our hearts and minds and we have the courage to share it with others. Amen.

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“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:8-10

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

Fellowship

October 11, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Friendship…companionship…togetherness…mutual support…shared interests. A coming together and spending time together, that is what I think of when I think about fellowship. It is encouraging to come together and be able to openly discuss issues and topics while setting aside judgement and comparisons. In order for fellowship to be effective there is an element of forgiveness that must be present, because we are human, we will make mistakes and we will need to ask for forgiveness. The other key element that is necessary for fellowship to work is time. We need to devote time to fellowship and friendship. This is also true for our relationship with God. He has forgiven us of our sins and He is wanting us to spend time with Him. Reflect on your life and the people in it…with whom do you need to devote more time and where is a lack of forgiveness present? I pray that we turn towards God and ask Him to help us to see where fellowship is needed in our lives. Amen.

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“For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.”

Matthew 18:20

(This photo was taken in July of 2014 by one of my best friends at a lake place in central Minnesota)

To Be Different

October 9, 2018 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Around this time last year a new album came out and a new song by Micah Tyler…the title of the song is “Different.” This song has resonated with me ever since the first time I heard it. It is the truth about living a life of Faith and having Jesus Christ at the center of everything you do. I am continuously amazed at how God uses the gift of music to communicate with us and I am so grateful for others willing to use their gifts to share Christ through writing and performing music. Below are the lyrics and a link to a video…I pray that we are all able to see how we can be different for Christ. Amen.

Different – by Micah Tyler

I don’t wanna hear anymore, teach me to listen
I don’t wanna see anymore, give me a vision
That you could move this heart, to be set apart
I don’t need to recognize, the man in the mirror
And I don’t wanna trade Your plan, for something familiar
I can’t waste a day, I can’t stay the same

I wanna be different
I wanna be changed
‘Til all of me is gone
And all that remains
Is a fire so bright
The whole world can see
That there’s something different
So come and be different
In me

And I dont wanna spend my life, stuck in a pattern
And I don’t wanna gain this world but lose what matters
And so I’m giving up, everything because

I wanna be different
I wanna be changed
‘Til all of me is gone
And all that remains
Is a fire so bright
The whole world can see
That there’s something different
So come and be different; oh-oh

I know, that I am far, from perfect
But through You, the cross still says, I’m worth it
So take this beating in my heart and
Come and finish what You started
When they see me, let them see You
‘Cause I just wanna be different, ye-ey

I wanna be different
I wanna be changed
‘Til all of me is gone
And all that remains
Oh is a fire so bright
The whole world can see
That there’s something different
So come and be different
I just wanna be different
So could You be different
In me

Songwriters: Micah Tyler Begnaud / Kyle Lee

Different lyrics © Music Services, Inc

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 near Carlsbad Caverns in southern New Mexico)

Be Transformed

October 7, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

If we want to see a change in our lives and the world we must begin by being changed in our minds, in our hearts and in our soul. A desire to see change is one thing and probably a good first step…but then what? To be renewed, to be transformed and to truly have it be a new way of living and seeing means working on ourselves with God as our guide. Repent, believe and pray. We need to begin with repentance, admit our wrongs and our brokenness to God and ask God to give us the courage and wisdom to do better. Next we must believe in the power of God, pick up the Bible and read Scripture…believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God and our Savior who came down from heaven to save us, was crucified, died and was buried and that He has risen. Then we need to pray…in the morning, during the day and at night. Pray for our new behaviors, pray for our family and friends, pray that more people will turn towards God rather than away from Him. These are the things that will truly change your life…not according to the world’s standards but according to God. May we all be blessed with the courage and wisdom to be transformed into what God created us to be. Amen.

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

1 Corinthians 1:25

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

Wherever You Go

October 6, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Our Lord and our Savior is always with us. When we are with family and friends or when we are alone…when we are busy at work or focused on a certain task and when we are sitting peacefully…when we are driving or riding in a car or out for a walk…no matter what time, what place, what activity…our God has assured us He is with us. I am reminded this morning what an amazing and awesome promise this is and how frequently we don’t trust it or believe it or just don’t think about it in our daily lives. Take a moment and think about what is your plan for the day or where are you needed today, no matter what it is, whoever you are with or wherever you go…God will be with you…look for Him, look for where He shows up today. You will see, if you trust and believe. I pray that God will open the eyes of our hearts in all we do. Amen.

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs)

Redeemer

October 4, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

To save…to get back…to retrieve…to regain…recover…reclaim. We belong to Jesus. We are God’s people, He loves us. He is constantly seeking a connection with us. When we are lost He shines a light on the way out. Even though we are sinners and broken He sent His One and Only Son to save us and bring us back. It is up to each of us to turn towards Jesus instead of turning away and come back to Him who loved us first. May we be blessed with wisdom and courage this day. Amen.

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“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:17

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Faith Drives Out Fear

October 1, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Fear is a bully, it takes away from who we truly are, it restricts us, it wants to control us and it will tell us lie after lie to get its way. Faith in God is one of the greatest weapons against fear. Belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came down from heaven, was crucified, died and has risen is the foundation to stand on to overcome fear. All of us are fighting something that is trying to use fear against us…maybe other people know about your battle…maybe they don’t…God knows and He is willing to provide you the courage, the strength and the wisdom to defeat fear. Our trust and in Faith in the Lord will carry us through any thing the world throws at us. Bring your worries and your fears to the Cross and let Jesus lead the way. May we all have new courage and strength against our fears because of our Faith.

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“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

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

Gratitude

September 30, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

A key element in shaping our perspective is gratitude. Being thankful, looking around at your life and recognizing the ways God has blessed you. We must be careful not to judge a blessing based on the world’s view of us or our life. God has promised to give us what we need, not fulfill all our wants and not to give us everything that will make us feel better compared to someone else. We are each unique, created out of love and blessed to be a blessing. We have already received the greatest gift we could ever receive from Jesus Christ, it is up to us to turn towards Him and give Him thanks. May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you.

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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in you hearts to God.”

Colossians 3:15-16

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Persistence

September 27, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we read about prayer in the Bible there are words and phrases such as “without ceasing” or “continually” and when we read about the life of Jesus we find He spent hours and sometimes even the whole night in prayer to God His Father. In today’s society we are so quick to move from one item to the next it seems there is little attention paid to dedication and commitment. The ability to stick to it, not giving up and believing the next attempt will be the one that is successful…these are the attributes of true success in life. This approach to anything takes patience, persistence and faith. We learn the most from trying and failing and we succeed by taking what we learn and applying it to the future. The same is true in our prayer life…if you have been praying about something and you haven’t seen results yet, don’t give up, keep praying. God hears you and He will work things out in His time, His way, not based on our thoughts or our timetable…and thankfully His way is always better than ours. Be persistent in prayer and give thanks to God for all your blessings.

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