by Mike Costanzo | May 9, 2023 | Devotion, Faith, Reflections
What kinds of things in life do you enjoy? What brings you joy, happiness, or pleasure? What delights you, brings a smile to your face, makes you wish it would never end? I think that for most of us, delicious gourmet food or refreshing beverages rank pretty high on...
by Mike Costanzo | Jun 22, 2022 | Faith, Reflections
Everyone knows that we here in America are in the midst of an all-out culture war regarding guns and their place in society. And in this skirmish, most of the pro-gun rhteoric presupposes the sanctity of a little thing called “self-defense.” This tenet of U.S....
by Mike Costanzo | Dec 25, 2021 | Devotion, Reflections
Every year, everyone asks my kids if they’ve been good this year. Why? Because, as the legend goes, if they’ve been good then they’ll get presents. Not only that, but the presents-to-goodness ratio is directly proportionate, so the more goodness, the more presents...
by Mike Costanzo | Feb 9, 2013 | Devotion, Reflections
Death. Nobody really likes to talk about it. And for good reason; it’s a raw, gritty topic that throbs with the pain of past losses, the fear of future losses, and the threat of the ultimate loss—ourselves. Even for Christians, who believe that death is...
by Mike Costanzo | Sep 17, 2012 | Devotion, Faith, Reflections
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.1 In the version of the Bible I read, the New Testament talks a lot about the “flesh”—that is, my sinful nature, the part of me that is hell-bent and always wanting to do...
by Mike Costanzo | May 24, 2012 | Devotion, Reflections
One of the things about my seminary experience that changed me for good was the opportunity to take introductory Greek and Hebrew classes. While I am no scholar and unfit to accurately translate anything not written by the apostle John on my own, I have nonetheless...
by Mike Costanzo | Apr 8, 2012 | Devotion, Faith, Reflections
This morning in church my pastor said something profound: Why don’t Christians make more of Easter? He didn’t mean it in a guilt-inducing, shame-on-you sort of way; that doesn’t help anybody. But he had a good point: on Christmas we give gifts and...
by Mike Costanzo | Apr 1, 2012 | Devotion, Faith, Reflections
Oftentimes when God says, “No,” to something we really want, it’s hard to believe that His heart toward us is tender and loving and that He delights to give us good things (Psalm 107:9). But He has been teaching me recently that sometimes when He...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 30, 2012 | Devotion, Faith, Reflections
I’m reminded tonight that of all the things I put my time and energy into, only two will remain: people and the Bible. People last forever. Whether in Heaven or in Hell, I believe we all have a permanent, everlasting existence. Thus, my time spent with people is...
by Mike Costanzo | May 15, 2011 | Disaster, Faith, Missions, Reflections
What is God doing in Japan? God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at...
by Mike Costanzo | Apr 8, 2011 | Disaster, Prayer
Please Pray for Japan! New earthquake retraumatizes millions According to recent news updates , Japan was rocked by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake near Sendai Thursday night. While there was no tsunami this time, there was still a tsunami warning for an hour and a half,...
by Mike Costanzo | Apr 3, 2011 | Disaster, Mike, Missions
Saturday After a very blessed stay in Iwaki, we drove straight through my old hometown of Funehiki (I really wanted to stop, but our schedule wouldn’t allow it) up to the city of Sendai, which had arguably seen the most devastating effects of the earthquake and...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 25, 2011 | Disaster, Mike, Missions
As of this writing, I have been in Japan three days, and already I have seen God move powerfully, first in my own heart as well as in others’. God is so good! Tuesday When we arrived on Tuesday evening, people at Honda Chapel were busy, busy busy! Some of them...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 21, 2011 | Devotion, Disaster, Missions
These have been some crazy days…initially I was hoping to blog every day before the trip, but that got blown out of the water because God’s plans have been so much bigger than ours! The team I’m with is now officially 8 people, and in only 6 days God...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 17, 2011 | Disaster, Prayer
Urgent Prayer Needed for Fukushima Daiichi Reactor Crisis Our dear family & friends, According to recent news updates , although the Japanese government’s evacuation zone around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi power plant is still officially 12 miles (20km),...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 16, 2011 | Disaster, Missions
Our dear family and friends, First of all, thank you for your patience as we got our fund-raising details taken care of! Our team has arranged two ways to donate to helping our brothers and sisters in Japan (electronically or by check). Gifts by check are tax...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 15, 2011 | Disaster, Prayer
Our hearts break for Japan. Never in all our years have we ever imagined that this kind of apocalyptic destruction could happen again in our hearts’ country. Japan has always been the safest, most disaster-prepared country we have ever known. And in one day, we...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 15, 2011 | Devotion, Disaster
May the floods that they so much dread make blessings break upon their head. -John Piper On March 11, 2011, the dreaded tsunamis swept away hope and life, leaving death and ruin in its wake. The water that swept them forward was dirty and dark, and carried the...
by Mike Costanzo | Mar 15, 2011 | Disaster, Missions, Prayer
Our dear family and friends, An opportunity has presented itself for Mike to go to Japan along with Danny Iverson (son of missionary Dan Iverson) to help out with relief efforts in some of the hardest-hit areas. We have heard first-hand reports from the missionaries...
by Mike Costanzo | Jun 18, 2010 | Faith, Reflections
When I was growing up, I was told a lie—by my family, by my peers, by the society in which I lived. I was told that the true value of a man is measured in how “studly” you are. I was told that manly men were those who were so charming, handsome, and strong that they...
