Give And You Will Receive

August 18, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The messages we keep getting from all around us are “get more”, “take what is yours”, “protect it”, “mine”, “not yours” or “me first”…the world emphasizes selfish behaviors and attitudes and people wonder why there is so much conflict and suffering. This is not how we were made to be. When God created us out of His love He gave us free will because when we choose to give, it has such a deep impact compared to being forced to give and serve. Let’s talk about our pets as a simple example…if you have ever owned a dog or a cat you may have experience in the joy one feels when our pets give love and affection freely versus when they choose to do other things…and often times the pets receive better attention and affection when they are givers rather then when they are demanding to get! If you have never owned a pet I recommend watching the movie ‘Marley and Me’ to see this illustration. The point is when we make a choice to help, to serve and to give we are showing the love of God through our actions and we will have no need to worry about what we receive. May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you.

DSC_1355 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 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Solid Rock

August 17, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Firm foundation…strength…courage…determination…a shield…a place of refuge. When we think about solid rock it gives us the impression of strength to stand on or the protection to shield us. All of us has a rock in our lives, whether it is another person, a place or something else. The rock we all need is a solid relationship with Jesus Christ. He is our firm foundation, He gives us strength and courage, He gives us the fortitude to keep going and He is our shield and protector. Anything we could ever need will come from Him. Make time to build your relationship with Jesus Christ our Solid Rock! May you seek the Lord in your everyday life.

IMG_20150722_155504791 publish

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2

(This photo was taken in July of 2015 at Red Rocks Amphitheater near Morrison, Colorado)

He Will Restore You

August 16, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Keep going…be steadfast and determined to find a way…don’t quit…don’t give up on them. With so much of the world focused on convenience and saving time there seems to be less and less stories about the long journey of success. The truth about most accomplishments is that they occur over a significant period of time. In athletics people will tell stories of an “overnight success” a player just emerged from out of nowhere. When the truth is that individual worked their tail off for the last 5, 10 or 15 years to get to that moment and the world just noticed them now. Hard work is expected to achieve anything. Dedication, commitment and a willingness to fail and try again, these are the things that lead to success. Especially in relationships and faith. If you or someone you care for is struggling, start or keep on praying, don’t give up on the situation. The world and society throw people away all the time…be different, believe in hope and God will restore the situation one way or another. May God bless you with courage and strength.

DSC_0027 (2) publish

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

1 Peter 5:10

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Shine The Light

August 15, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and we receive the Holy Spirit we receive the Light of Christ in our hearts. It transforms our thoughts and our actions and it changes our attitude and behaviors. These transformations are not only to put the the Light in us, they put us in places where we can let that light shine for others to see and begin to know about God and His Son Jesus Christ. Letting the Light of Christ shine shows others the love God has for them and encourages them to seek Him. So shine on and let the love and the light and Christ shine through you. May your actions show the love of God to others.

DSC_0376 publish

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead they put it in its stand, and if gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Making Plans…

August 14, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Thinking about taking a trip…making a decision about where to live…job transitions…people and relationships…family gatherings and celebrations. All these things and many more can involve decisions that will have a lasting impact on our lives and the lives of others. As we grow our relationship with Jesus we must learn to start the planning process by connecting with God first and not wait until things have gone completely off the rails and we are in desperate need of saving. When we are early in our faith journey we tend want to keep God in a box with glass door that says “In case of an emergency break glass”…that is us trying to be in control and not fully surrendering ourselves to trusting in God’s plan. Don’t misunderstand me, I still struggle with this in my personal faith journey often. The change I am trying to make is to be aware of something that your mind spends a great deal of time on and openly offer it up to God’s will. To spend more time in prayer on the topic and less time stewing about it in my own mind. May’s God’s goodness and compassion be with you.

DSC_0164 publish

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

Proverbs 21:5

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Truth

August 13, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

On our faith journey there is so much conflict with what the world is telling us and what our readings and spiritual life teach us about how to to live. This is the result of the spiritual battle going on all around us. We are created by God and He loves us and longs to have a relationship with us. And the forces of darkness and evil are doing everything they can to keep our attention on other things, any other thing than God. There is peace, and it can be found in a daily connection with Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. The simplicity of doing good things and helping others where you can is the path towards hope. Take refuge in God and you will have your peace. May God’s joy be with you.

DSC_0597 publish

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 on Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Courage

August 7, 2018 / mcalcagno / 4 Comments

It takes courage to be a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. It not always the easy way or even the logical way to live according to the world. It means living with different priorities than many people. It means there will be times when you must step out in faith and it means you must be willing to admit your mistakes. One of the toughest parts can be gaining self-control and getting a handle on your emotions. There are many examples in the bible of people who have made this journey and they did really well at times and they also stumbled and failed at times. The lessons we can learn from their experiences are to be courageous, stand firm in your faith and trust in God. Don’t look for things to always go the way you want or have planned, but seek His plan. There is a phrase I think fits with faith pretty well…Faith – it’s simple but it’s not always easy. May God’s peace be with you.

DSC_0090 (2) publish

“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 July of 2018 on a hike near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

Wait For The Lord

August 6, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

I find sometimes that there are periods of time when God seems distant in my faith journey. A sense that things that were once clear and focused seem less clear and jumbled up. It would be easy to fret and wonder why, what happened, what changed and of course, is it me, did I do something wrong? These are not times to invite worries and anxieties into your life. This is a moment to know and to trust that God is still on the throne in heaven and He will be with you. Think of Job in the bible…he had everything and I mean everything taken from him in life, plus he had these great “friends” telling him he must have done something wrong for all this to happen. Job did not give in and stop believing…he persisted in faith and the Lord restored him. There are and will be times when the Lord seems far off, be patient, stand in faith and wait for Him. May God’s love and comfort be with you.

DSC_0362 publish

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 in the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior)

Every Generation

August 3, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The cycle of life…we are kids playing in the sand…we learn to ride bikes and gain freedom…we experience our school years and activities…we learn to drive and get our first job…we make choices about post high school and become young adults…people our age are getting married…people our age our having kids and are off into their careers…everybody’s getting older…our parents begin to need more assistance…people our age are getting terminal diagnosis’…we are attending more funerals than weddings…we are slowing down…we go home to the Lord. This does not describe every aspect of every life, just some of the stages in life. Every single person you encounter is somewhere on the journey and every single person needs faith to help find the way. As we learn and grow we need to be purposeful in teaching the next generation about a relationship with Jesus Christ. Each one teach one to restore hope and to live in peace. May your life be filled with contentment and joy.

DSC_0384 publish

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.”

Psalm 145:3-4

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Madeline Island at Big Bay Town Park in Wisconsin)

Gratitude

August 2, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

I am thankful for God’s amazing grace. I am grateful for His love. Each morning when I get up I look forward to time with Jesus, my morning readings and bible verses. I have a devotional bible that provides a writing from the perspective of a follower of Jesus and it provides bible verses as a reference for each day. I began this practice over 8 years ago and every year I learn new things about myself and my relationships. As long as we are here God is still working on us and when He believes we are ready He will call us home. No one knows when that will be for anyone and everyone is working through some kind of battle or struggle. Just because we don’t see it in them does not mean they aren’t struggling or fighting through something. Give thanks to God for your life and seek His will for how to best use your gifts. May God’s mercy and love be with you.

DSC_0013 publish