Take Time to Rest

April 3, 2019 / mcalcagno / 1 Comment

There is always more we could be doing. More on the checklist of things to do…how many items on our checklist make room for living a balanced life? We seem to prioritize the activities of “getting things done” pretty easily, when do we rest? To be clear sitting still scrolling through social media is not rest. Resting and restoring yourself is about calming your mind, body and spirit…when and how do we rest our minds and emotions? The first step is figuring out what place or environment best provides you the opportunity to calm your mind, your body and your spirit? What time of day or night? The next step is to make it a priority and designate time in your schedule. As always, be sure to include God’s Word and prayer in your time as the only true source of peace in life is Jesus Christ. Amen.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28-29

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 sitting by the lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Rest In Him

January 22, 2019 / mcalcagno / 1 Comment

When and where do you get quiet time in your life? We all have commitments and responsibilities and if we run ourselves into the ground just trying to keep up, we eventually become weary and ineffective at many things. The key is to find some balance, to prioritize, we can’t be all things to all people. This is why the story or analogy of the big rocks, the pebbles and the sand in a bucket hits home with so many people. We know that if we spend all our time on the sand and pebbles we will never get to the big rocks in life. For me this analogy is all about balance. Sometimes we can say yes and sometimes we need to say no or not right now…Jesus set the example for us, while He spent time teaching and speaking to the people He also would go off alone to pray and spend time with God our Father for hours…balance. Take time and rest in Him. Amen.

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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 May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Find Rest For Your Soul

December 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The pace of life in society tends to be frenetic and hurried. Rushing to get here and there taking little time to stop…and live in the present moment. There is time to rest, to be more balanced and to set down our technology devices and have an in person conversation with a friend or family member. To talk and to listen…all we have to do is make the decision to do it. The world and other people are not going to do it for you…there is one person I know who actually invites us to come to Him and find rest. He is even willing to take on our burdens and to give us peace and comfort. Take your worries, your fears and all those things weighing down on you and bring them to the Cross of Christ and you will find rest for your soul. Amen.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28-29

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

Put Your Hope In God

December 1, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Good morning. Welcome to a new day. There are many things happening in your life today, yet God is still with you because He loves you. Sharing the lyrics and music of the song on my mind this morning. Here is “Find Rest” by Francesca Battistelli

“Find Rest”

He never sleeps, He never slumbers
He’s been awake at every hour
No tear catches Him by surprise
He’s never lost, He never runs out
He never lives in the shadows of doubt
No fear catches Him by surprise

Find rest my soul
Put your hope in God
Put your hope, put your hope in God

He always is, He always will be
He always has been everything I need
How can this be catching me by surprise
He’s ever strong, He’s ever faithful
His love is real, now nothing is impossible
‘Cause nothing catches Him by surprise

Find rest my soul
Put your hope in God
Put your hope, put your hope in God

I close my eyes, and I can see
The arms of mercy holding me
I close my eyes, and I can see
The arms of Jesus holding me

Find rest my soul
Put your hope in God
Put your hope, put your hope in God

Put your hope in God
Put your hope in God

Songwriters: Francesca Battistelli / Ian Eskelin / Jared Anderson

Find Rest lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Capitol Christian Music Group

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“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Psalm 42:11

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

Rest In Him

September 25, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Take your burdens and your worries to the Lord. Take rest in His grace and forgiveness. Believe in the sacrifice that Jesus made for you and trust in Him. All that is good comes from God. May you find peace and joy in the Lord.

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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 March in 2018 in southern New Mexico)

Music Fills My Soul

September 23, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Ever since my Dad passed away about 3 weeks ago, I have sensed there has been this constant bit of darkness hovering around me. No matter where I went or what I did, nothing could change the fact that life is different now everyday going forward. The thing is…different doesn’t have to be bad, do I miss my Dad, absolutely…but more importantly I am thankful for every day of my life that I had with him and I will see him again someday. The darkness was trying to tell me something different and send me into a downward spiral. Last night, my wife and I attended a Christian concert with tickets given to us as a gift back in July. The music and worship that these talented people provided last night was so uplifting, so encouraging and so refreshing for my soul. There is something very unique about music and christian music is a gift that soothes my soul unlike anything else. I offer my things to Danny Gokey, Tauren Wells and Riley Clemmons for wonderful evening of restoring music and praise. May you feel the joy of the Lord in your life on this day of worship.

Here is one from Danny Gokey: Give Me Jesus

Here is one from Tauren Wells: When We Pray

Here is one from Riley Clemmons: Broken Prayers

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“I have told you these things, so that in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

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

A Quiet Place

August 29, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Peaceful…Prayer…Meditation…Rest…Renew…Restore…Recharge. Where and when are you spending time in a quiet place? If you live a busy existence keeping schedules and deadlines for either the family calendar or a job you usually have to wait until late at night or early in the morning while others are sleeping. I have had co-workers who prefer to get the office really early before others because it is quiet. We need to have a balance of going and doing and being productive some of the time and being at peace and resting at other times. If we don’t have both we will either become completely worn out from running around all the time with no rest or become isolated from community because we are always off on our own. This isn’t a choice of which one should I be but more of a mindfulness of what does my mind and body need right now? Go and do and then rest and recharge…(rinse repeat) May you find peace and rest in the Lord.

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“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’.”

Mark 6:31

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

Take Some Rest

August 20, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We can’t keep running at top speed in our minds or in our daily lives. We must plan down time. To fill every moment with activity and planning and scheduling will lead to exhaustion. Mental exhaustion, physical exhaustion and spiritual exhaustion. We all need time to recharge, to be restored and renewed. When Jesus was here on earth He often would go off alone to pray. Before feeding the five thousand He told the disciples…“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31) In order to be at our best we need to plan time to rest and that means resting our minds as well as our bodies. If you are someone who always has to be busy, plan some quiet time in small increments to get started. We all should pray about it as that time in prayer can be restful too. May the love, joy and peace of the Lord 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)

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)

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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