Put Your Trust In God

July 30, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What do you put your trust in? Who do you believe is trustworthy? Take a moment and think about it. The dictionary states trust is – firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. So, who or what in your life do you trust? The world is filled with deception, selfishness, lying, cheating, etc… these things were brought into the world by the human race. There is still hope…there is One who is worthy of trust. There is One who is reliable, who is the truth, who has the ability and the strength and He is the One who sacrificed himself to save us…Jesus Christ. He is a Light in the darkness, turn to Jesus and put your trust in God. Amen.

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8

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

Safe Pasture

July 29, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What does it take to feel safe? To have shelter, food and water? These are the physical essentials for life. When traveling on mission trips, I have met some people who struggle for these things every day and yet they seem to have unique peace about them…for others they have all these things and much more and they are worried, scattered, scared. This isn’t true in all cases for either group of people, however, there was a noticeable difference sometimes. The one thing that stood out whenever I met a person who exuded a sense of peace, whether they had little or plenty of worldly things? It was their faith. Take inventory of people in your life…who constantly seems to have a sense of hope and who always seems eager to complain and worry? Now take time to reflect on yourself…how do you typically present yourself? To say we believe in God and know that He is with us is one thing…to live it out in our everyday life is the next step in spiritual growth. Trust in the Lord and you will find safe pasture. Amen.

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“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4

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

Trust

July 11, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Even when you can’t see the result…even when it feels like everything is working against you, He is working for your good…even when your feel your desires, wants and temptations are pulling you away from God, turn towards Him and be patient. This can be so difficult to live out each day, yet by reading God’s Word and spending time with Him in prayer, He will renew your strength. May the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalms 27:1

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

When Trouble Comes…

May 11, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We all face trials and struggles. The one thing we can control during these times and situatons is how we choose to respond. Many of us quickly try to gain control and take charge, determined not to let the situation get the best of us…others do an about face and get away from the situation as quickly as we can. All of us can do better if we start with bringing the situation, the difficult time or difficult relationship, start with bringing our anxieties and worries to God…First! Not waiting until after it gets worse or something unexpected occurs…going into battle against darkness and evil without God is like a soldier heading into a battle without any weapon. The more we turn towards God first the more likely we will find peace and be able to overcome the troubles of life. Amen.

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

(This photo was taken in March of 2013 at the Botanical Gardens in the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)

Trust His Plans

April 26, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We have so many thoughts and ideas about ‘how things should go’ or ‘ the way things should be done’…we put our own expectations on situations and interactions and how many times have we heard or thought, ‘well that is not how I thought that would go’ or ‘wow that was unexpected.’ Yet we still struggle to learn that we are not in control of anything other than our own actions, reactions, attitude and behaviors. Take your worries, your burdens, your fears and your frustrations to the Cross…lay them down at the feet of Jesus and surrender your life to God’s will. Amen.

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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 October of 2018 at Clark Tower in Winterset City Park in Iowa)

Humility

April 25, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Modesty…humbleness…meekness. Let go of pride and trust the Lord to lead you. It may be uncomfortable, it will be difficult…God never promised life would be easy but He has provided the Way, the Truth and the Life through His Son. Invite the Lord Jesus into your heart and life circumstances, no matter what you have done or what you have not done, He wants to hear from you. May the grace and peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

Who Am I by Casting Crowns

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“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you…”

James 4:7-8

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Trust

January 12, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Why is it so hard? What are we trusting? If my foundation of trust is related to how everything affects me…I will have very little trust of others…and they with the same perspective will have very little trust in me. If everyone has a center of self, then we all will be disappointed, frustrated and unable to trust. Stephen Covey talks about trust in relationships as an emotional bank account…with deposits and withdrawals. These are the behaviors we exhibit in our relationships. The faith perspective is what relationship is at the center of your life, your heart and your mind? Is it you with everyone else…or is it Christ and your relationship with Him? The world tells you that you are at the center of everything…the Scriptures tells us that Christ should be. This is a change in values, a change in perspective, a change in attitude…it takes time and Jesus Christ will be there with you every single step of the way. Amen.

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

(This photo was taken in July of 2012 while on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

We Are In His Hands

January 8, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

No matter where we are, no matter what our circumstances, we are held in God’s hands. He is our Creator, our Savior and our Guide for this life. Things will go wrong, people will make mistakes and darkness will try to overcome all. What we need to remember is God knows us, God loves us and He is working for the good in our lives today and everyday. He can renew us, restore us and strengthen us…when we invite Jesus into our hearts and minds and trust in Him. Let go of the things that are not for you to control and know God has you in the palm of His hand. Amen.

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

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

Trust In The Lord

November 30, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We struggle…we despair…we want things this way or that way…it is not up to us. We must learn to trust in God the Father our Creator, Jesus Christ, His one and only Son who saved us and the Holy Spirit, who guides us. God is love and He is working out all things for our good. Trust in the Lord. I pray for the courage and confidence to bring my worries and anxieties to the Lord. Amen.

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

Romans 12:12

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

Trust

October 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Something that is earned…easily eroded by poor behavior…to be a person of your word…to keep your promises. Trust is an essential element in good relationships, in relationships that have a chance to grow. It makes us vulnerable and when we get burned it takes that much longer for us to trust again. God is the only one who has never broken a promise, He is the only one who is by our side every single day, He is the one who sent His only Son to die in order to save us…yet so many of us want to keep Him in a box with a glass door that says “In case of an emergency break glass.” In order to trust God we need to be willing to be more open to Him, to be more vulnerable in our relationship with Him and to believe that He is working for good things in our life. I pray we all can take steps toward trusting God more in our life everyday. Amen.

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