Everyone Is Carrying A Burden

November 9, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

^“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

Every person you encounter everyday is fighting a battle you know nothing about

We all have burdens of some kind…yes even the person who shows their best life on social media

We are not here to judge whether one persons burden is greater than another

Rather we are to strive to help others carry their burdens as much as we need someone to help us carry our own

We should strive to ask the question…”how can I help?” more often than “why isn’t someone helping me?”

Jesus set the example for us and we would do well to follow Him

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“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at White Sands National Park in New Mexico)

Helping Others

October 23, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25:31-36 NIV

Do whatever you can

Whenever you can

As often as you can

Wherever you are

To help those who are in need

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“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:37-40 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

A Better Way…Come Near To God

August 5, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 NIV

Father God, I want to seek You with all my heart. You are my everything-so let my actions match my words. Each day, help me draw closer to You. Guide me through each decision, and inspire me with new dreams and wisdom. I want to honor You in all that I do. I want to live a better way. In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

James 4:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Temperance State Park on Lake Superior)

Redeemed

February 8, 2024 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9 NIV

Father God, thank You for being the God who restores and brings peace. I need Your peace. Forgive me when I live in bitterness and refuse to give grace and mercy to others. Empower me to help others experience the gift of healing and hope that I have received through You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave

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“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV

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

Come Near

August 25, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 NIV

Jesus Christ came down from heaven to live as one of us…throughout the Old Testament there is a back and forth between God and humans as they would come close to Him and then wander off into sin. God would save them and they would come close again and then wander off again…and on and on it went. Then God changed everything by sending His one and only Son into the world. Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer, He has paid the price for our sins and reconciled us back to God, forever. Come near to God and stay close to Him…no matter what comes your way. Amen.

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“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

James 4:8 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Temperance State Park on Lake Superior)

Anything Is Possible

May 4, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Matthew 19:26 NIV

Why do we doubt so much? Why is it so hard for us to believe what may be possible with God? When we are willing to surrender to His plan and His way in His time, there’s no telling what can happen. Look at the stories in the bible…Abraham and Sarah had a child they had so longed for when Sarah was 90…the 5000 were fed when all that was available to eat was a few fish and some bread…Lazarus is raised from the dead after being gone for four days…and there are so many more examples. When God is involved in a situation anything is possible. We must turn to Him first with whatever we are facing and remember He is not a genie in a bottle who sometimes grants wishes…He is our creator, our savior and our guide who always has good things in store for us. Trust in the Lord and watch to see what He has in store for you. May the joy of the Lord be with you. Amen

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“For nothing is impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Come Near To God

August 19, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 NIV

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“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

James 4:8 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Temperance State Park on Lake Superior)

His Sacrifice

May 17, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14 NIV

God knows we are weak and unable to save ourselves from sin. No matter how hard we try to do good things we slip and fall…we make mistakes even with good intentions. God knows this and so He sent His Son to close the gap between Him and us. Jesus has done what we are unable to do…we didn’t earn it and we don’t deserve it yet He took our punishment so that we can draw near to God. Don’t take for granted what Jesus Christ has done and is doing in your life. May God’s peace be with you. Amen.

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“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2021 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

God’s Grace

April 13, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14 NIV

We see God’s grace on display in His actions…He sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to save us…He gives us an opportunity to learn from Him through His Word…even while we are still sinners He forgives us…He gives us the Holy Spirit as a guide through our daily life…He will never leave us or abandon us no matter what. That is truly amazing grace. Amen.

This Is Amazing Grace by Phil Wickham

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephasians 2:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling through southern New Mexico)