Patience

I See Your Goodness All Over My Life

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 NIV

Nothing in our lives is wasted

God is near and always working for our good

Look closely and you will see God’s goodness

All over your life

Evidence by Josh Baldwin

DSC_0993 publish

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

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Wait For The Lord

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV

The world preaches immediate gratification, seek more…quickly

Obedience to God is upside down according to the world

God is with you and working for your good and His glory

Keep seeking Him…Keep praying

Trust in the Lord and wait for Him to complete His work on His timeline

It may be you just haven’t seen it yet…

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

DSC_0229 publish

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

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountian National Park)

Be Patient…Be Present

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

Why all the rushing around?

The hurry up, the plow through the checklist, the I have to finish this so I can rush off to that…and on and on it goes

  No wonder we are lost…we don’t even take time to acknowledge where we are or what is going on around us

As we live out this holiday season, let’s not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of all the things we are ‘supposed’ to do

Let’s strive to acknowledge what Jesus has done for us in this season

Make time to be present with whoever God has us spending time with this year

May the peace of the Lord be with you and flow through you

DSC08480 publish

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Ephesians 4:2 NIV

(This photo was taken in northwestern Wisconsin)

Waiting…

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

 “In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to come true. The Holy Spirit was with him. 26 The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. 28 Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,

29 “Lord, you are the King over all.
    Now let me, your servant, go in peace.
    That is what you promised.
30 My eyes have seen your salvation.
31     You have prepared it in the sight of all nations.
32 It is a light to be given to the Gentiles.
    It will be the glory of your people Israel.”

Luke 2:25-32 NIRV

Oh, the waiting…our world is always sending out messages to hurry up…save time and literally “don’t wait” act now before…you get the point

Once again, the world pursues the exact opposite of what we hear from God’s Word

God wants us to walk with Him…not ahead of Him or on our own without Him

His timing is perfect because it is His plan

In Luke 2 we meet Simeon, who had been waiting his whole life to see God’s promise fulfilled in the Messiah…as he expected the promise was fulfilled just like every other promise God has made

The last promise to be fulfilled is when Christ returns…and so we are waiting for that day and while we wait let’s be like Simeon and be good, do-good things, be godly and be faithful to God’s Word

How are you doing while you wait?

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

DSC_0142_1 publish

“Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. Instead, he is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins.”

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIRV

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

The Light Shines In The Darkness

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.”

John 1:4-5 NIV

DSC_0044 publish

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Be Still…

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”“

Psalm 46:10 NIV

Take time to be still with God’s Word

DSC_0242 publish

“Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him…”

Psalm 37:7 NIV

(This photo was taken in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Forgiveness

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Luke 23:34 NIV

Jesus Christ was treated as poorly as any human ever has been treated by others in history to the point of death…

Yet as He hung on the Cross in which He was crucified on for our sins, He spoke the words above…He prayed for forgiveness for those killing Him

If we do not find the way to forgive others it is us who will be destroyed…not those who have wronged us…

Forgiveness by Matthew West

DSC02384 publish

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 6:37-38 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in South Dakota)

Call To Serve

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45 NIV

“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

John 12:26 NIV

Jesus came to serve the needs of the people

He sacrificed to help others

We are called to do the same

DSC_0176 publish

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

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

We Must Humble Ourselves

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14 NIV

It’s not about me

That is a statement we need to remind ourselves of often

There is a significant difference between self-care and self-centered

To be humble takes courage, to admit that we make mistakes and poor choices with an attitude that seeks redemption is a path to peace

Jesus taught us about humility…

DSC01182 publish

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.“

Matthew 18:1-4 ESV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnestoa)

Remember What God Can Do…Anything Is Possible

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
    he hears their cry and saves them.”

Psalm 145:17-19 NIV

Don’t give up…keep going

God is with you

We may not understand everything right now…yet we must continue on in faith

Remember in the past how God has showed up?

Even when you thought the situation was hopeless or impossible?  Keep praying and be courageous even when you are unsure of the outcome.  He is with you, He is within you, every day, all the time!

May God’s comfort and peace be with you

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

DSC_0597 publish

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling along Beartooth Pass)