Strength

May 2, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When life is difficult and frustrating, where do we get the ability to move forward? What could possibly renew us? What makes some people so resilient? It has been my experience that there is only one thing powerful enough to lift us up out of any tragedy or trial…it is the Presence of the Lord. A relationship with Jesus Christ in the way to strength in the battle and rest when we are weary. To experience His presence we must do our part and be willing to spend time in devotions and prayer. God made a promise, He will never leave you nor forsake you and He always keeps His promises. Invite Jesus into your heart and into your life daily and you will be renewed each day. May God’s peace be with you.

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“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Good Things

May 1, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

If can be hard to see the good sometimes. The world so full of evil and darkness, deceitfulness and envy. Often when living in the moment, I tend to question, what difference does it make? It matters, it always matters, especially when at least one other person will be impacted. We are not in a position to know what God has intended for us. In the book of Genesis, Joseph, son of Jacob, was thrown in a pit and left to die, he was sold into slavery, he resisted the advances of a married woman and was put in jail. Joseph continued to be a good person and saved another man’s life and that man quickly forgot about him when he left prison. Eventually, he became a ruler in Egypt and saved many lives during a famine. He never stopped trying, he never stopped doing good to others and all along the way he suffered and must have been frustrated…in the end he never stopped trusting in God and he saved many lives. Reflect on the road you have been on and look to see the good things. May God’s peace be with you.

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“No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Romans 8:37

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while driving through North Dakota)

Lead Me, O Lord

April 30, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We are always looking for the the best way to go, looking for the right path, whether physically going from one place to another or mentally trying to make a decision. We analyze and assess multiple options and eventually proceed. We do this so often it is easy to forget to consult with our Creator and to consider what direction or path will keep leading us closer to Christ versus leading us farther away in from our relationship with Him. God knows you better than anyone, even if you haven’t spent much time with Him. You are His child and He loves you. Take time to meet with Him each day and bring your choices to Him. May God’s peace be with you.

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“Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.”

Psalm 27:11

(This photo was taken in April of 2018 while walking the dog at a park near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Power Of Faith

April 29, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The blessings that come from our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are so great it is hard to fully appreciate. We should be careful not to underestimate the gifts God has given us. Each and every one of us has been created and blessed with special talents and our role in life is to learn about those gifts and talents and then to use them to do good things in and around our community, to help others and to spread the Good News of Jesus. Our actions and the things we choose to do and say are a good indication of where we are in our personal faith journey. For myself, I did not understand or spend much time thinking about such things until about 8 years ago and in the last 8 years I have experienced events of all kinds in life, pain and suffering as well as joy and contentment…most importantly I have been learning to be more open to putting my relationship with God first…I have been learning gratitude and thankfulness…I also know I still have a lot of learning left to do as I still mess things up frequently. The best part of my journey so far…I know more about who God has made me to be and I know He is always with me no matter what…I know because He told me so in His instruction manual for life…the Bible. May God’s love, joy and peace be with you.

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