Everlasting Love

September 16, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Friends the Lord is speaking again with hymns from my childhood and today on this day of worship this one is playing over and over in my mind telling me that no matter what you face the Lord loves you and you will find comfort in Him. Here are the lyrics and a link to the song.

I Have Loved You

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine;

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine.

Seek the face of the Lord and long for him: He will bring you his light and his peace.

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine;

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine.

Seek the face of the Lord and long for him: He will bring you his joy and his hope.

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine;

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine.

Seek the face of the Lord and long for him: He will bring you his care and his love.

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine;

I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine.

Jeremiah 31:3, Psalm 24:3

Michael Joncas

https://youtu.be/Fmn_QgeIpTs

May we all know the love and peace of the Lord.

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

Jeremiah 31:3

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

Compassion

September 15, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

To be helpful…thoughtful…aware of the suffering of others…a desire to provide help and support…understanding the needs of another. One of the strongest elements of humility is compassion. Being aware that others are suffering and need assistance and then going and doing something that provides help and support. We all have different roles in our relationships with others, which means there are many different ways for us to provide help and support depending on who needs us and what has happened to them. When you know or get a sense inside you that you should do something for someone else but you are unsure what it is you should do, do not ignore that feeling, turn to the Lord and ask Him to help guide you to what the other person needs…then listen and watch for His reply. Be careful not to do something you believe they need from your perspective, rather be sensitive and aware of what they say they need. Compassion does not have to be something difficult and complex in order to be helpful…often times it is the simple and thoughtful things that make the biggest difference for others. May God’s grace and mercy flow through us and into our relationships.

DSC_0102 (2) publish

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 near the border between Minnesota and South Dakota)

Humble Yourself

September 14, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Admit it when we are wrong…forgive others when they are wrong…be grateful…reflect and confess our sins to God…choose to serve the needs of others. These are just some of the ways to practice humility. The messages we receive all around us are ‘get more’, ‘climb higher even if it means running over others’, ‘me first’, ‘look out for number one’. To guide us at being better at humility we should read the teachings of Jesus. Work at simplifying our lives and living with the hope of eternal life. The past five days for me and my family has included two funerals, difficult times, and yet this morning I am struck by the fact that there are others all around us that are suffering everyday. It is so easy to get swallowed up by our own world of existence…however, God gives us community and fellowship with each other to help guide us. Don’t try and go it alone, be willing to accept that we need each other…all of us do. May goodness and kindness surround you in your daily life.

DSC_1523 publish

“Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 18:4

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

Living Water

September 13, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

How are we going to get through this? Now what? I don’t know what to do? Why is this happening? The answers to these and many other questions is Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. The true source of all that makes life good is your relationship with Jesus. Like any relationship we must invest time in meeting with Him, we must be willing to listen to Him, we should do our best to help support what is important to Him and be willing to introduce Him to others. He supplies the living water of life. The first step to staying connected or re-connecting with Christ is spending time reading the Word of God. May God’s mercy and grace be with you.

DSC_1292 publish

“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:13-14

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

He Knows Me

September 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The One who created us knows everything about us. Even if we haven’t spent much time with God in our life. Even if we have put Him aside in our daily, weekly routine and have been trying to go it alone or do things our own way. He knows you, He loves you and He wants to have a relationship with you. If you want to seek more about this read Psalm 139. Then pray and invite Jesus into your everyday moments. God has a plan for you and your life and we must be willing to surrender our belief that we are in control and seek His Word. God knows you, He loves you because He created you. May our days be filled with the comfort of God’s presence.

DSC_0251 publish

“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 July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

He Carries Us Through…

September 11, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Struggle…conflict…suffering…darkness…pain…difficulties…uncomfortable. We all encounter these moments in our life. There is no way to avoid them and if we spend our time trying to avoid them we are mostly likely hurting ourselves and others. The one true source of peace, courage, strength and perseverance is Jesus Christ. He is strength in the struggle, He is calm in the conflict, He is peace in the suffering, He is light in the darkness, He is healing for the pain, He is answers to the difficult times and He is our comfort when we are uncomfortable. Nothing is impossible for our God. Seek Him and His Word and you will find rest for your soul. May you see and sense the presence of the Lord in your life.

DSC_0128 publish

“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

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

The Word

September 9, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The one true guide for all of life, the gift that provides wisdom and brings us back to the Lord is the The Word of God. The bible is full of lessons and instructions. We always seem to want to find answers to our questions in the world and the only thing the prince of this world wants to do is to take us further away from God. The strongest foundation for us to build our life on is The Word of the Lord. Seek Him and seek His Word and trust in Him to guide your life. May we all find time to dwell in the Word of the Lord.

DSC_1502 publish

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

Psalm 119:105

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

A Channel Of Peace

September 8, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We are blessed to be a blessing…we receive and so we are to give…let the Word flow through you…shine the the Light of Christ…share the peace of the Lord with others. Jesus Christ gave His everything to save us. He suffered and died on the Cross, before He left He promised that if we believe we will receive the Holy Spirit of God within us. We are to be a channel of God’s peace…it will flow into us and we are to be shaped and molded by His peace and then share it with others whenever we can. May your life be filled with the Light of Christ and with opportunities to share that Light with others.

DSC_0095 (2)publish

“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

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 near the South Dakota and Minnesota border)

Peace Of God

September 7, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

As I have been fully immersed in working through life after my Dad has passed away 7 days ago…there are moments of busyness, so much to take care of and do and there are moments of calm and reflection. Life has slowed down and I am grateful for that pace change. It will not be this way forever, and from the moment my brother called and told me ‘Dad is gone…they couldn’t bring him back,’ life has changed forever. We can either fight it or we can embrace it…live it to the best of our ability…be present right where we are and trust in the Lord. May you find peace with God in your life.

DSC_0993 publish