Patience

Be Patient

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Why all the rushing around?  The hurry up, the plow through, 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 approach the 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 the reason for the season and to make time to be present with whoever God has us spending time with this year.  May the peace of the Lord be with you.  Amen.

DSC08480 publish

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

Ephesians 4:2

(This photo was taken in December of 2013 in northwestern Wisconsin)

The Fruit Of The Spirit

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The way we think…the words we say…the actions and behaviors we put into practice in our daily life can be built on the nine qualities described as the Fruit of the Spirit.  None of these things cost money, they are free.  It is up to us to choose how we live.  Our best life is one led by God and His Holy Spirit.  Seek Him and live your best each day.  Amen.

DSC07425 publish

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

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

Timing

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We spend so much effort trying to line things up, make things happen just the way we want, just when we want…as if we are in complete control…when will we learn?  The timing of events in life are not up to us!  God is in control…we would do well to acknowledge Him and wait patiently for His timing.  Put your hope in God and trust He is doing good things in your life.  Amen.

DSC06842 publish

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

Lamentations 3:25-26

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota)

Trust Requires Patience

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God is working for good things in our life…we must be willing to wait for Him.  If we believe and know Jesus Christ is the Son of God and we confess our sins, and we know the sacrifice that Jesus made to save us…then we know how much God loves us and how far He will go to care for us.  As it says in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  Trust in the Lord, wait for Him and good things will come.  Amen.

DSC_0153 publish

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

Psalms 27:13-14

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Wait For Him

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

There is a sickness sweeping over many people…it is the “hurry” sickness.  It is the sickness of faster, faster…always rushing, always scattered…rarely resting.  Too many things scheduled, always running behind, constantly looking for conveniences and more ways to jam more in…things can be different…it will take extra effort to change the tide of your own life…with God all things are possible so don’t try this alone.  God created you for a purpose and He loves you.  Turn towards the Him in prayer, read God’s Word and wait for Him to guide you.  Amen.

IMG_20141016_100154512 publish

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Isaiah 30:18

(This photo was taken in October of 2016 on the north shore of the island of Maui)

Patience And Persistence

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Keep going…learn from what has happened…know that God is working for good things in all situations…He is with you…it is His plan that is best…there will be plenty of opportunities to go your own way…stay on the path…walk with God.  Amen.

DSC_0546 publish

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Wait Patiently

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This can be very difficult…just about every single part of society is pushing to go faster, hurry up, cram more into less time.  Instant messaging, immediate gratification and my favorite at work…’did you see the email I just sent?’  At some point we will all encounter a situation or circumstances that will require patience and we will be poorly prepared.  If we fail to learn patience, we could be setting ourselves up for greater frustrations and disappointments.  Turn to God’s Word and pray for God’s help in teaching you patience.  Amen.

DSC_0815 publish

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Psalm 37:7

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park)

The Fruit Of The Spirit

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we come to Christ and seek Him, we are renewed.  The Holy Spirit within us encourages us to live by the Fruit of the Spirit more and more and to leave the evil, anger, hatred and darkness behind.  The more we use the Fruit of the Spirit when thinking about ourselves and while helping others the better our life will be.  Most of us are too hard on ourselves and too hard on others…things can be different.  Pick up God’s Word and read about it, pray and ask for forgiveness of your sins and to have the Fruit of the Spirit stirred up in you.  May God’s love, joy and peace be with you.  Amen.

DSC07425 publish

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

Galatians 5:22-23

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

Trust In The Lord

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Raise your hand if you have ever prayed to God about a problem or a situation and you asked God to help you and then you go and do what you think should happen next only to find you have made it worse…my hand is up.  Trusting God with our words is one thing…living it out in our daily life is another level of spiritual growth.  If we truly want to see God’s work and God’s plan in our life we need to learn how to get out of His way.  I can think of several times when I have been praying about something and have not been patient enough to wait for the Lord.  As I have stated in the past…I tend to be a slow learner.  I am thankful for God’s mercy and grace and know He will be with us no matter how long it takes for us to learn how to trust in Him.  Amen.

DSC_0485 publish

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Psalm 37:7

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

Daily Living

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This is defined as the activities we perform on a daily basis for self-care related to our needs.  Caring for ourselves related to food, hygiene, our living environment, etc.  Many people take these items for granted and for many people just getting through the day regarding these things is a struggle, for a variety of reasons.  The Fruits of the Spirit provided by God are not worldly possessions that require wealth or privilege, they are not only for certain people.  God’s love is for all in creation and we all have a responsibility to learn, to grow, to care for and to share with others.  Give thanks to God for each day and seek to live as God intended.  Amen.

IMG_20150719_212711704 publish

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14

(This photo was taken in July of 2015 while on a mission trip in Denver, Colorado)