Call To Serve

August 4, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

If you find yourself frustrated, anxious or worried more often than usual you may be spending too much time focused on things that are self-serving. Typically I have found on my journey that contentment and joy come from serving the needs of another. Providing help where it is needed most. This does not have to be a major undertaking or monumental tasks…it can be what is most needed, when it is most needed. Maybe someone needs a ride to get to work…holding a door open for someone who has their hands full with someone or something…preparing a meal…or just sitting and listening. We all have gifts and abilities to share and we are called by God to serve one another. May God bless you with wisdom and understanding.

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“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”

Galatians 5:13

(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.

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“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.

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“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Psalm 143:10

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

He Knows You

August 1, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

That’s not what I meant…I wish they knew me better…I don’t feel like I fit in…Nobody understands me…have you had moments like this? I know I have. You can be surrounded by people but feel like you are isolated. God knows who you are, He knows what you can do, He knows how you think and He cares for you. If you feel like you are off the rails in your life, it is time to get back to God. He is waiting to hear from you. He is the Creator, the one who formed you and has been right there with you every step of the way in life. Turn towards God. Trust in Him. May you see the blessings from God in your life each day.

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

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

Prayer

July 31, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This is about communicating with God. It involves more than speaking and it is not about saying the right words or phrases or using the correct gestures. It is about being humble, trusting, honoring and giving thanks. Prayer is about knowing how our spirit is fed and trusting that our greatest hope for anything is with God. Even when things don’t go the way we want or the way we planned…that is just another reminder that life is not about us it is about our relationships with others, beginning with our relationship with Jesus Christ. The path to joy, love, peace and forgiveness starts and ends with prayer. May you be surrounded by God’s grace and peace.

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

Psalm 143:8

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

Home

July 30, 2018July 30, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We all want a place where we feel like we belong. A place where the majority of the time people are interacting with kindness, goodness and love. The boom of electronic devices has created an invasion in our houses or places to be in community. It is interesting to me that we look down and draw into ourselves with these devices as our life and relationships are enriched when we look up, listen and engage with others and nature. One of the reasons I focus so much time and attention on nature in photography is because it is God created. He made the earth a place for us to live before we go to our eternal home. Wherever your home is invite God into it and invite Jesus into your life every day. The lessons we learn during life on earth are all to help us thrive in eternity. May you see God’s blessings in your life and relationships.

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“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4

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

Use Your Gifts

July 29, 2018 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

All of us have something that comes naturally for us to do. Things we do well that can help others and serve a useful purpose. Our gifts or strengths that God has blessed us with could help support the basics in life…food, shelter or clothing. They also could be gifts that help spread the Good News of the Lord. Whatever they are and whatever they help you to do…get to know them, understand how to use them best and if you are not sure about this…start by asking God in prayer to help you to see the goodness He has planted in you and where and when to use it. All that is good comes from God and He created you, don’t take your cues about your worth from the world. Learn from the Creator about your goodness and use your gifts from Him to help others. May God’s love and joy surround you each day.

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“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Draw Near To God

July 28, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It is so easy to get drawn into a worldly perspective. To judge others and have thoughts that justify ourselves in our own minds. Eventually we may find that things are beginning to draw us farther away from our relationship with Jesus and our faith life. This can be a very gradual process, during this time when you start to question something from a faith perspective be sure to draw close to God and His Word. In order to persevere in faith we must look to God and the Holy Spirit for guidance. I believe it is true that all people were made to be able to be good and do good things as we are all created by God. The hard part for us as humans is managing our free will. It is a gift from God and when it is used to pursue the sinful nature we are choosing to turn away from the Lord. May the grace and peace of the Lord be with you.

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 near the border between Minnesota and South Dakota)

Rest And Sleep

July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

How many of us have had or are having trouble falling sleep? Our minds won’t stop wandering or we are constantly moving, rolling from side to side trying to find the comfortable way to fall asleep. There is usually much more than physical discomfort at work when this is happening. If we are trying to control everything in our lives we keep thinking about the next thing we need to focus on and if we go with very little sleep too long we will eventually wear out sooner than we should. Being unable to fall asleep is a spiritual problem more than anything else. We all need to rest and recharge. One thing that has worked great is when I hit the pillow and close my eyes I start to pray in my mind, prayer that is memorized, whether it is bible verses or the Our Father. It keeps my mind focused and I drift off secure in the hands of the Lord. Another great source of soothing bible verses are in the Psalms. If you are struggling to fall asleep try something new, put yourself in God’s hands for your rest. May you find rest and be at peace with God.

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“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8

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

Treasures

July 25, 2018July 25, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What gets your attention quickly? What is it that gets your blood flowing faster? What is it in your life that you have passion towards? These are hints of your treasures. We all have something that drives to the heart of us. As we continue to grow on our faith journey the treasures tend to change. As our knowledge and time spent on growing our relationship with Jesus Christ grows we begin to get a better understanding of the value of a person. We also can begin to clearly see that the stuff and the things we have worried about in the past may have been foolish worries. We are humbled to learn and to know that God in heaven knows us, loves us and forgives us and the things He has planned for us are far greater treasures than those the world offers us. May the awe and wonder of our God be with you.

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