Trust In The Lord

November 18, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”^[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Instead of trying to control things beyond your reach…put your trust in the Lord.

Trust His way…trust His timing and trust the outcome to Him who has done more for you than any person in your life. He is with you, He is for you. Trust in the Lord.

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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 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Walking With God

November 4, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”

Psalm 119:105 NIV

A faith journey. It begins with belief, confession and prayer. It grows as we read the Scriptures, as we spend time in devotions, as we engage in our communities and serve others…it transforms us with a new attitude centered on God and His will for us.

Trust in God, spend time on your relationship with Jesus Christ and pray about everything, every day. He is with you, He is for you. It is up to you to seek Him. Amen.

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“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly^[a] with your God.”

Micah 6:8 NIV

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

Courage…Patience

October 21, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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?”

Psalm 27:1 NIV

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 NIV

The pace of world keeps getting faster with new technologies all being offered in the name of convenience. Yet God is the same today as He was over two thousand years ago, He does not change according to popular opinion.

His timing is perfect, our timing and our plans are based on our worldly desires. God is with you and God is for you. He is working in your life, even if you can’t see it. Have the courage to trust in the Lord and wait for Him to lead you.

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“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁴Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)

Nothing Can Separate Us

October 10, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

There is nothing on earth in your life that is more powerful than the love of God…nothing. There is no situation or life circumstances that can separate us from God’s love.

Trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior…He came down from heaven and sacrificed His life to reconcile us with God…this is the greatest gift you will ever receive. Nothing can separate us from Him, trust Him with every area of your life and you will know peace.

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Trust In The Lord…Praise Him

October 9, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4 NIV

Only God can do the things we wish we could control…only He can transform the way people think and change their hearts. Faith is about trusting His way and His timing…be still and wait patiently for Him. Keep doing good things according to God’s Word.

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“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.”

Psalm 86:12 NIV

(This photo was taken in April 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Guard Your Heart

October 7, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

We all face trials and struggles. The one thing we can control during these times and situations 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 they can.

All of us can do better if we start with bringing the situation, the difficult time or difficult relationship to God first. We need to stop waiting and trying to do things our own way…going into battle against darkness and evil without God is like a soldier heading into a battle without any weapon. If we turn towards God first, the more likely we will find peace and be able to overcome the troubles of life.

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

John 16:33 NIV

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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 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Teach Me Your Way

September 21, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
⁵Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.”

Psalm 25:4-5 NIV

God invites us into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. It is up to us to respond to that invitation. If we ignore God’s call and go our own way we will bring about more pain and suffering without God’s presence and guidance.

We need to be willing to open ourselves up to God’s way and His plan, that happens with His timing. It is a willingness and an ability to surrender our self-centered ways to Him…God is not in a hurry, like we typically are in this world. God is faithful and will guide you and lead you if you are willing to put your faith and trust in Him and His Way.

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“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.“

Psalm 32:8 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 along the North Shore of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota)

Remember What God Can Do

September 15, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.
¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
    he hears their cry and saves them.”

Psalm 145:17-19 NIV

Don’t give up…keep going. God is with you. We may not understand everything right now…yet we must continue on in faith. Remember in the past how God showed up? Even when you thought the situation was hopeless or impossible? Keep praying and be courageous even when you are unsure of the outcome. He is with you, He is within you, every day, all the time!

May God’s comfort and peace be with you. Amen.

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

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

Romans 12:12 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling along Beartooth Pass)

Anything Is Possible With God

September 7, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

⁹The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9 NIV

No matter what, anything is possible with God. If you are discouraged or defeated and thinking this is never going to change or get better…turn towards God, put your trust in Him. If you are frustrated and at your wits end with your circumstances or another person don’t give up…pray to God and draw near to Him.

God has saved me in every way a person can be saved. He has carried me through difficult times financially, in relationships and with personal difficulties and struggles. Be encouraged by what others have experienced…in the Bible look at the story of Saul who became Paul…Saul was filled with anger and hate and he was leading the charge to kill believers in Jesus and yet this was the person God chose to change to help lead the charge to spread the Good News about Jesus. You can read more about him in the book of Acts.

If God can change my life and if God can change Saul to Paul, He can change you or someone you are praying for as well. Anything is possible with God! Amen.

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“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
⁸They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Commit Your Way

August 23, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.”

Psalm 37:5 NIV

Stand firm in faith. Trust God and His plan for you. We will not always see the way or understand His plan, yet we know that all good things come from God. Amen.

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