Highs And Lows

June 27, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Our journey is filled with these…moments where things are good, we are strong, confident, faithful and filled with hope and joy – Highs. We also have moments of fear, concern, sadness that are filled with despair – Lows. Every life has both whether you see it in others or not, they both exist for everyone. The key to living with all of this is how are you reacting to your highs and your lows? Reading and learning from God’s Word with the Holy Spirit as your guide is a great place to start. After that, the way to give and receive celebration for highs and support for lows is with Friends. Personal relationships, that is the key to living, learning and growing through out your life journey. Reflect on your personal relationships, with God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as well as with your friends. Pray about them and find ways you can enrich those relationships. Faith is not a destination, it is a way of living through the Highs and Lows that come to all of us no matter who we are or what we are doing. May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:12-13

(These photo’s were taken in July of 2016 at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

The Foundation Of Faith

June 18, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We often hear that it states in the bible if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can move mountains and nothing will be impossible for you (see Matthew 17:20). Well that doesn’t sound too hard. A mustard seed, that’s really small…oh but wait. If it only takes such a small amount of faith to do such big things why isn’t everybody full of faith? Take a look at your personal belief in Jesus Christ…when we face any issues, problems, concerns or difficult people are we able to approach all those situations with a belief and faith that Jesus Christ can do anything with that situation? God is still working on me for this level of spiritual maturity. This is a faith that points 100% to Jesus Christ and the belief in the saving grace that He provided at Calvary for every part of your life. It is a belief that every person no matter how the world has judged them and cast them aside can be redeemed, if we are willing to believe Jesus can change that. I am focusing my faith journey on more of this and less of me. May God’s grace and peace be with you.

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“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

Romans 12:3

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Father’s Day – Relationships

June 17, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We all need need our Father’s, just as much as we all need our Mother’s. Unfortunately, Father’s and Fatherhood has been under attack for a long time. Many television shows and movies portray the Father as the doofus who just messes everything up or the stupid and incompetent one who is hardly necessary. When most of society sees this as the role of the Father, it is no wonder that the family structure is disintegrating in this broken world. If God is the God of everything then He needs to be the God of our families. No matter what the current status is of our relationships, we need to invite Jesus into them with our Father’s and with everyone else in our family. Honor your Father and Mother. God designed the family structure for a purpose and it is for our good to honor the relationships we do have. Love like God our Father loves us. May God’s love, peace and joy be with you.

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“If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

Romans 14:8

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

The Lord Of My Everything?

June 16, 2018 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

One of my struggles in faith is opening up to the Lord for everything. Not only the parts of my life and my heart I think He wants to be involved in…that would be God on my terms. It does not work like that. God is the God of everything and Jesus Christ is Lord of all. All of creation, all people in all nations since the beginning of time and His love for everything, His grace and His mercy will endure forever. It is so difficult for my finite mind to comprehend the totality of God and His love. He is more than the God of Sunday morning or Wednesday evening…He is more than the God of when I really need help or a crisis is happening…He is more than a beautiful sunrise or sunset when we feel more of His presence. He is the Lord of housework, the Lord of daily errands, the Lord of trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, He is the Lord of where you work and what you do…He is the Lord of everything. Period. The best part of all of this means He is right there waiting to hear from you about all of it. He is your Lord and Savior and even though that doesn’t mean everything will be easy and good He is with you through it all everyday. May God’s presence, His love, His joy and His forgiveness be present in your life everyday.

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“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of the life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23:6

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Take Refuge In Him

June 8, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The world is an attacking place filled with darkness, deceitfulness and evil. The only place to seek refuge from the storms of life is in God. There are several examples in the Bible of people who were under attack by others or by circumstances surrounding them…Abraham, Elijah, Job, the disciples, Jesus etc. They all took refuge in God, through prayer and listening. We don’t have to have all the answers and we never will…we just need the courage to seek our relationship with God everyday and be able to listen and understand where He is leading us. May you experience the peace and joy of God today.

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“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”

Psalm 18:30

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at Kaanapali Beach on the island of Maui)

Choose How You Will Respond

May 24, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

With every situation in life we are given free will by God which means we choose how to respond to what other people do or say. This freedom also means we are accountable and responsible for our response even if the response is to do nothing. If we are focused on self more than anything else we will often choose a poor response as self is only responding to the impact on me without regard for others. God created us out of His love and we were made to choose the fruits of the Spirit in how we live our daily lives. Be aware not only of ‘what’ you do and say, but also ‘how’ you do and say things when you respond to others. Free will is a gift from God, how we respond with this gift makes all the difference in how we feel in our life. May God’s joy and peace be with you.

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“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Proverbs 15:1

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

The Joy Of Faith

May 19, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The true form of joy comes from believing and knowing that the Lord your God created you out of love, knows the about the deepest part of you and will never leave you or abandon you. Faith has been and is the only thing that can overcome sadness, darkness and sin. Jesus came down from heaven and showed the power of faith by His actions and His sacrifice. He defeated sickness and illness, He defeated the devil in the desert, and He defeated death. He did it all for you and He did it out of His love…and that is why true joy is found only in Faith and nowhere else on earth. May you find joy in God’s peace and love.

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“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:8-9

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

Your Personal Relationship With God

May 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It comes down to this…what is the status of your personal relationship with God? Is He someone you used to know really well and have lost touch with over time? Is He a social media friend who you only interact with in a superficial way? Is He a friend that you are unsure about? Is He someone you have heard some good things about but you have never really met Him in person? God wants you to know how He is involved in every area of your life…He wants you to want to be closely connected to Him daily. He is with you and He is waiting to hear from you. If you are wondering where is God…stop what you are doing and take sometime and ask Him. He knows you and He loves you. May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

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

Bring Your Burdens To The Lord

May 7, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When something is weighing you down, constantly causing angst and worry, bring it to the Lord in prayer. Our minds often deceive us that we can take care of things or just distract ourselves long enough and everything will be alright…yet that concern finds its way back to the forefront of our mind and if we are not careful we could continue this cycle endlessly. When we come before the Lord in prayer and offer these worries up to Him and we trust in Him to guide us we can make our way forward. We still have a role to play as we need to pay attention and listen for God’s guidance and then we will begin to see a change in that burden or belief. God is always working for our good, we just need to talk with Him and get out of our own way. May God’s peace be with you.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Arches National Park in Utah)

Parenthood

May 3, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When life on earth begins we are completely dependent on loving parents to care for us, feed us, hold us and watch over us. As time goes by and the phases of life change a child begins to learn about interacting with others in the world, all the while the father and or mother each offer their unique perspective based mostly upon their own experience with their parents. The generations go on…unfortunately the family structure has been under attack by darkness and evil for a long time now and in today’s society the vast majority of people are ruled by selfishness and they show little respect for family or parents mainly because of how people who are given the gift of children have not honored their role of parenthood. When we become parents, we should be prepared to sacrifice things in order to help a child become a contributing adult in community. One of the greatest joys of parenthood is watching your child succeed and do well because you were willing to have patience and willing to be persistent in doing what God has asked you to do with the gift of a child. We are all God’s children and He is patient and persistent in loving us. We would do well to pass it on. May God’s peace be with you.

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