Trust God

We Are Not Alone…God Is With Us

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

Whatever the struggle…whatever the battle is in your life…physical, mental, emotional or spiritual…

You are not alone in your fight

God is with you

He tells us over and over again in the bible…Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20 and several more times

  Trust in the Lord, He has never broken a promise

His promise is to be with you for every day and for every situation

It is up to us to look, listen and to come near to Him

DSC_0019 publish

“…because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5 NIV

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

Anything Is Possible With God

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37 NIV

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 NIV

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

DSC_0021-1 publish

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

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

Peace Of God

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27 NIV

Father God, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by circumstances that are beyond our control

We are easily distracted by things that don’t matter

Please forgive us for not consistently placing our trust in You

Even when we are faced with intense situaitons, You are still near

You are the Creator of peace, and we can have access to Your peace-filled presence whenever we draw near to You

Help us to make room in our hearts and minds to experience the peace You freely give

In Jesus name, Amen

DSC_0040 publish

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:7 NIV

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

God’s Faithfulness

/ mcalcagno / 2 Comments

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

“God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV

God is always with us…

Even when we don’t feel His presence or think He isn’t hearing us

We must remember His ways are better than our ways

We are sinful and distracted by the world, our flesh and Satan

He has made a way for salvation, for everyone

Put your faith in God, trust in Him for great is His faithfulness

DSC_0025 (2) publish

“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.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

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

The Holy Spirit

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 5:15-20 NIV

Pay attention today and everyday…to your attitude, your thoughts, actions and your interactions with others

Let the Holy Spirit be your guide…He is God as much as the Father and the Son are God

Give thanks for the all that God is and what He has done and is doing in your life

May the peace of God that surpasses all understanding be with you

DSC01215 publish

“If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you.”

John 14:15-17 NIV

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

Trust What God Says…

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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 NIV

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

You Say by Lauren Daigle

DSC_0142_1 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 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Listen…Do What It Says

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Matthew 7:24 NIV

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35 NIV

Father God, give us courage to seek Your Word and to listen to Your guidance

Grant us wisdom to recognize the difference between what we think is best and what Your will is for our lives

In Jesus name, Amen

DSC_0555 publish

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

James 1:22-25 NIV

(This photo was taken on Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Don’t Stop Praying

/ mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness[b] be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7 CSB

Do not give up…

The Lord hears our prayers and His way is better than our ways

We must learn to be patient and persistent

No matter how long you have been praying about something and you haven’t seen a change…don’t quit…keep praying…believe

Many people fall away from God because He does not work on our time lines

Remember He is God and He knows what is best for us even if we can’t see it

Trust Him in everything

Don’t Stop Praying by Matthew West

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

DSC_0144 publish

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37 NIV

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

The God Who Stays

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

The God Who Stays by Matthew West

DSC_0484 publish

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.”

Psalm 23:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at Big Sky Resort in Montana)

Be Transformed

/ mcalcagno / 1 Comment

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.“

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Father God, make us more and more like You

We want You to know what is in our hearts, and we want You to change the way we think

Help us draw near to You and Your Word every day

We want every aspect of our lives to reflect Your glory, so please teach us how to pursue choices that lead to life

In Jesus name, Amen

DSC_0061 publish

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.“

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NIV

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