Take Refuge In Him

June 8, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The world is an attacking place filled with darkness, deceitfulness and evil. The only place to seek refuge from the storms of life is in God. There are several examples in the Bible of people who were under attack by others or by circumstances surrounding them…Abraham, Elijah, Job, the disciples, Jesus etc. They all took refuge in God, through prayer and listening. We don’t have to have all the answers and we never will…we just need the courage to seek our relationship with God everyday and be able to listen and understand where He is leading us. May you experience the peace and joy of God today.

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“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”

Psalm 18:30

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at Kaanapali Beach on the island of Maui)

His Love Endures Forever

June 7, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Just when we think, ‘I am sure God is upset with me’ or ‘why do I feel so distant from God’ or any other self pity thoughts about our relationship with God…He shows us again that His love is all around us. Either through nature or through another person God shows up and reminds everyone He will never leave you or abandon you. When we make an effort to start with gratitude for what blessings we have been given, we learn to better understand how God is working in our life. God is love and His love is never-ending for us. He gave His one and only Son to be a sacrifice for us, out of love, and He continues to know you and to bless you because His love endures forever. May you see God’s love and peace present in your life.

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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 May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

God’s Presence

June 6, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

A relationship with God is like no other. He can provide the greatest comfort in times of trouble, the greatest joy out of the worst of tragedy and He never will leave you or abandon you. God wants you to engage in a covenant with Him. An agreement that you will honor only Him as God and you will pursue to keep His commandments in your everyday life. You will accept His Son, Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, believing that He died and has risen to save you from your sins. If you strive to honor this covenant you will get a better sense of God’s presence in your life. God does not play favorites like humans, His covenant is not a quid pro quo situation where you scratch His back and He will scratch yours. God loves everyone and His forgiveness, His mercy and grace is available the same to anyone. The only the difference is how we choose to engage in our relationship with Him. May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.”

Psalm 25:10

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

The Holy Spirit – Counselor

June 5, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

There are many times when we are praying to God and we just want Him to tell us in an easy to understand way, what should I do?! One of the greatest freedoms God provides is free will. He provides us the ability to decide our attitude and our behavior. Better still He has given us the instruction manual for life, the Bible and the guide to walk along with us, the Holy Spirit. The key to unlocking these resources?…Time. In order to understand the instructions and to sense the direction of the Holy Spirit, we need to spend time studying the Word and time in prayer. Jesus our Savior came and has saved us all from the defeat of sin and before He ascended into heaven He told of the Holy Spirit coming. Tune in to the Counselor and seek direction and guidance from the Word of God. May God’s love and joy be with you.

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“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 14:25-26

(This photo was taken yesterday while walking the dog in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Hope Everyday

June 4, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We are blessed with the love God has for us and because of His love we have hope that is never-ending. We will experience trials and suffering, it is expected because we live in a world filled with selfishness and brokenness. Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him is where our hope can be found. Even when things are at the darkest hour, hope is the glimmer of light Christ provides. He has overcome anything this world can throw at us and He is waiting to guide you through everything you have going on in your life. May God’s hope and love be with you.

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 14:8

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Forgiveness

June 2, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This is something we all want and need and yet it is so hard to give to others. The part to work on is remembering this is not saying what someone did or said is Ok…forgiveness is making a commitment to not hold on to bitterness and hardness in your heart over something that happened in the past and can’t be changed. We all make mistakes and we all will be making more mistakes in life, forgiveness is about the courage to move forward and to find joy, it is about letting go of the things in the past. The best place to start to forgive is to turn to God in prayer, as He has forgiven you already. Look up the serenity prayer and use it to speak to God about the forgiveness needed in your life. May God’s grace and mercy be with you.

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12

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

Learn To Listen

June 1, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The skill of listening is becoming less and less frequent in today’s world. It seems people are so intent on speaking and spend more time preparing a response then seeking to understand others. It is a form of selfishness. All of us are cursed with some form of selfishness…it does not go away or become less present over time unless we are actively working on reducing its presence in our lives. In order to strengthen our abilities to see things from the perspective of another person we can start by listening and seeking to understand them. Listening does not mean you automatically agree with them rather it means you are willing to consider more than your own opinion. We do not have all the answers, nobody on earth does…nobody. The only one who knows is God…and if we can’t listen to Him we will struggle more than is necessary. May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

Proverbs 19:20

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Friendship

May 31, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We need good friends as a part of our journey. True friends, not the ‘how you doing’ people we pass and never take time to sit and listen to how they really are doing. Friendship is a commitment to the other person that you will be there for them and they will be there for you. It is a give and take and both parties have a responsibility to honor that commitment to the other. These are the people that will go through your greatest highs and your deepest lows with you. Think about who that is for you…give thanks to God for that person and take time to let them know you appreciate them. May God’s love and joy be with you.

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“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:12

(This photo was taken in July of 2014 by my friend Matt at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Giving

May 30, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Be generous when you can, to whomever you can, wherever you are in your life. Look not only to your own needs. Look around you, there are others in need and you have the ability to help. Giving is not always a financial based event, the world tends to portray it that way. Giving can be in things more valuable than money, like giving your time, your attention, sitting and listening to someone, preparing a meal, etc. Don’t limit your gifts to what the world wants to tell you can offer, trust in God and your relationship with Him to fully understand what you are created to give. God loves you and knows the most about what you have to offer to others. May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7

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

Grace And Mercy

May 29, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God provides us both His grace and His mercy, even though we do not earn them. His love for us is so strong that even though we were still sinners He sent His one and only Son to save us. When we reflect on our daily lives there is so much we should be thankful for that gets taken for granted. We would be wise to take time to praise God and give thanks for all He has done for us. It is so easy to get distracted by a variety of things in the world and yet God is right here with us, waiting for us to turn to Him in faith. We are most encouraged when we spend time in relationship with the Lord. May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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