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)

Transformation

January 5, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What does it look like? How should it feel? What is different? I certainly can’t answer these questions for others as this is a process of spiritual growth and the cornerstone of the spiritual life is our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. For me it is still going on, as I have mentioned in the past, I am a slow learner. This process is about the change of perspective…when the bible talks about the dying of self and the rising of my focus on Christ, it is 100% in contrast with what I see and experience in the world. I have spent a significant amount of time talking about the Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22 because for me these behaviors are the keys to transforming my life. There are plenty of days and moments when I get derailed and the desires of the self bully there way into life…hey I’m only human…it is not about that we will make mistakes, what is more important is how we respond when the mistakes happen. That is one way things can be different in transformation. Have a talk with Jesus about it for yourself and look and listen for ways to change and to be transformed. Amen.

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“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Romans 12:2

(This photo was taken in September of 2014 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

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)

Commitment

November 17, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This is hard when things are difficult, when it feels like at every turn we try and failure is right there to greet us. When we commit to something we naturally put some level of our own expectations of how things should go or what we believe should be the outcome. Here is the issue with this approach…we are setting “our expectations” on the result with little regard for God’s will and God’s plan. Following our faith and trust in the Lord means we can be free from the limited results our own minds can generate and be open to new possibilities. For me this is hard to grasp and at times very difficult to embrace…even Jesus struggled in the last moments of His commitment to save us right before He was arrested and He prayed to His Father…“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” – Luke 22:42 Bring your commitments to the Lord in prayer and seek His will. Listen for Him and for the Holy Spirit to guide you…find your quiet place and quiet time and rest in Him. May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you. 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 lift up my soul.”

Psalm 143:8

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

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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“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:2

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

Making Plans…

August 14, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Thinking about taking a trip…making a decision about where to live…job transitions…people and relationships…family gatherings and celebrations. All these things and many more can involve decisions that will have a lasting impact on our lives and the lives of others. As we grow our relationship with Jesus we must learn to start the planning process by connecting with God first and not wait until things have gone completely off the rails and we are in desperate need of saving. When we are early in our faith journey we tend want to keep God in a box with glass door that says “In case of an emergency break glass”…that is us trying to be in control and not fully surrendering ourselves to trusting in God’s plan. Don’t misunderstand me, I still struggle with this in my personal faith journey often. The change I am trying to make is to be aware of something that your mind spends a great deal of time on and openly offer it up to God’s will. To spend more time in prayer on the topic and less time stewing about it in my own mind. May’s God’s goodness and compassion be with you.

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“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

Proverbs 21:5

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Anything

July 6, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God can help us with anything…everything! If we are worried about money, He can help with that. If we are worried about physical health, He can help with that. If we are concerned about our emotions or how we are feeling about issues He can help with that. If we are struggling with family and friends or social relationships, He can help with that. The important things to remember about God is He will and does help with everything on His terms not ours, not on our timeline and not with our outcome as His top priority. He has a far greater plan and outcome in store for us if we will just trust in Him. Here is what I have learned from my relationship with God. Be patient and persistent and pay attention for resolutions to situations that you never even considered. Be humble, willing to speak honestly and learn how to listen. Spend time with Him everyday and grow your relationship. Forgive others, do not be quick judge and do not stay angry. God is with you, He is holding you in the palm of His hand, be thankful and be willing to tell others of His great love for us. Anything is possible when we learn to trust in Him. May God’s peace, joy and love be with you.

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

Matthew 19:26

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

In God We Trust

April 16, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

These are the words that help to form a new nation. As we fight our internal struggles our hope is tied to our belief in God. There is so much in life that can be good, if we have the courage to build a personal relationship with God. We must be prepared to humble ourselves, to know we are not the center of the universe or our own lives. When God is at the center we look to Him and His Word. God created us out of love, He has forgiven us with His One and Only Son and He can guide us with the Holy Spirit. Take the next step in trusting God whatever that is for you and see what He has in store for your life. May God’s love and joy be with you.

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“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

Psalm 119:105

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 in White Sands National Monument in New Mexico)

Spiritual Growth

April 11, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Spiritual growth comes when we continue to devote time to our personal relationship with God. Reading God’s word, spending time in prayer and in the quiet of His calming presence. The more we are able to center our lives on trusting God with everything the stronger our foundation of life will be. I have read about this in several different books, the writer explains a turning point, that point where everything starts to look and feel different…it is much different to read about it then to begin to start experiencing it. I began listening to christian music on the radio 20 years ago…I started reading faith based books and my devotional bible everyday 8 years ago…and I started this blog 5 years ago…I am just beginning to sense and understand what it means to trust God with my everything (yes I am a slow learner :). Just like one of my favorite phrases states…it is simple but it is not easy. May God’s love and peace be with you.

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