Do Your Best, Wherever You Are

December 4, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

Live out your day today…what is the next right thing to do? Live in the present day, right where you are. God is with you there…if we are always looking towards the past or the future or to when this or that happens we may miss what God is presenting to us right now…today. Do your best for God today, wherever you are and He will take care of the rest!

dsc_0836-publish

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“

Colossians 3:15-17 NIV

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

While I’m Waiting

December 3, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:30-31 NIV

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

DSC_0068 publish

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.”

Psalm 130:5 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2021 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

God’s Love For You

December 2, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIV

The Creator of the universe knows all about you and He loves you and wants a relationship with you. Look what He has done to ensure that you have the opportunity to believe in Him and spend time with Him. The Old Testament describes how God’s people would draw near to Him and then wander off and then come back to Him…then God put the new convenant in place to reconcile us to Him once and for all.

He put His plan into action at just the right time and now because of the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the penalty for our sin has been paid and we can be with God for eternity. He did it for you…He did it because He loves you and His love will never end.

DSC_0273 publish

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2020 at sunset at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

God Is Love

November 30, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.“

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

God’s love renews and restores us. Our relationship with God is an inside out relationship…we need to know and understand that everything in our life is the result of God’s love for us and there is nothing we can think, say or do that will change God’s unconditional love.

As we receive and understand God’s love in our hearts and minds, we are equipped to go out and give love to others in our daily life and interactions. May God’s love and peace be with you and flow through you.

DSC_0176 (2) publish

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2021 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

All Things Are Possible With God

November 28, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁷“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

Nothing we face in this life is too big for God…nothing. No matter what, no matter who, no matter where…all things are possible with God. Put your hope and your trust in the Lord and see the good that He will do.

“For no word from God will ever fail.”

Luke 1:37 NIV

dsc07553-publish

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 NIV

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Mark 10:27 NIV

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

Hope With Humility

November 27, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:1-6 NIV

Character and attitude…how we treat each other in our daily lives.

These are the things that show that we believe. Love is action. Learn from the example that Jesus provided in His life, death and resurrection. Live out your faith with your attitude and how you treat others in daily life.

DSC07425 publish

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

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

Worship And Praise

November 26, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
²Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

³For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
⁴In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
⁵The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

⁶Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
⁷for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.”

Psalm 95:1-7 NIV

King Of Kings by Hillsong Worship

DSC_0656 publish

“Praise the Lord.^[a]

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
²Praise him for his acts of power;
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.
³Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
⁴praise him with timbrel and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,
⁵praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

⁶Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.”

Psalm 150:1-6 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Grateful For God’s Presence

November 23, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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 NIV

God’s Presence restores and renews us, it comforts us. It provides for us even when we are not paying attention to Him. God meets all our basic needs…our role is to believe in Him and obey His Word. His Word is not a burden or only a bunch of rules…His Word and His Presence give life, comfort, peace and hope.

Think about circumstances and events in your life that have occurred in the last few days, weeks, months and in the past year…God was with you…so where did you see Him? Give thanks and trust in the Lord… remember He provides for you with His Presence all the time. Happy Thanksgiving!

DSC01214 publish

“Praise the Lord.^[a]

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.”

Psalm 106:1 NIV

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

The Word Of God

November 21, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

Keep God’s Word close to your heart…read it, memorize it, use it to pray and let it lead and guide you in your daily life.

God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit and can be used the same way Jesus showed us when tempted by Satan. God is the God of everything, every aspect of life…trust in the Lord no matter what and keep the Word of God in your heart and mind.

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:17 NIV

DSC_0103-1 publish

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2022 along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Trust In The Lord

November 18, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”^[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Instead of trying to control things beyond your reach…put your trust in the Lord.

Trust His way…trust His timing and trust the outcome to Him who has done more for you than any person in your life. He is with you, He is for you. Trust in the Lord.

DSC_1355 publish