Our church family has a lot of great things going on and a lot of great new possibilities on the horizon. In order to continue to fulfill our mission, we need to have a solid number of committed volunteers. And yet sometimes I allow priorities and comfort zones and past experiences keep me from choosing to help serve at church. But what if I chose to stop making excuses for why I can't volunteer? How can I get better and consistently connecting with and serving my church family?

How do I react when something bad happens to someone else? What if I feel like that person really deserved their misfortune? This is one of the principles addressed in the book of Obadiah. Even though it's the shortest book in the Old Testament, we're going to discover that it contains some relevant truths that still apply to us today.

The mission of the Flagstone church is to reach out, connect, and serve. That "reaching out" part is difficult sometimes though. I may not know how to reach out, how to initiate a conversation, how to help. So instead of trying to reach out when the opportunity arises, I simply make an excuse for why I'm not able to. So how do I get out of that habit? How do I get better at helping people in my community when I see their needs on display?

Whether it's my relationship with my spouse, my kids, my parents, or my siblings, there are times when that relationship is strained, hurting, maybe even broken. For many of us, instead of trying to address whatever the issue might be and trying to find healing, we simply make excuses for why that relationship might be dysfunctional without actually choosing to do anything about it. But what would it look like if I made a conscious effort to mend that broken connection and make it stronger? And what would it take for me to stop making excuses and start being a blessing to my family?

"I'm too busy." "It's been too long." "It's not a big deal." If we made those kinds of excuses for why we're disconnected from our spouse or someone we're dating or our kids, it would be heartbreaking for that person. And yet many of us make the same kind of excuses for why we don't choose a relationship with God or why we don't stay in a close connection with Him. So why does it matter whether or not I choose to accept God's grace in my life? And how do I get out of the habit of making excuses for why my relationship with Him has grown stagnant?

Most of us know the frustration of setting goals for ourselves in different aspects of our lives and then failing to stay committed to achieving those goals. Often we find a variety of excuses to justify why we fall short of what we set out to accomplish. What if, instead of making excuses, I chose to follow through on the things I know I need to do? What would happen if I kept trying again instead of giving up when things got tough? As I begin a new year, it may be time to recognize the things in my life that need to be different, and it may be time for me to fully commit to those changes - no excuses!

It's Christmas Day - a day when we open presents and empty stockings and ooh and ahh over the gifts we receive and the gifts we give others. Today is also a day to be reminded of the greatest gift that has been offered to all mankind - the gift of grace. But what exactly is this "grace" that's been given to me? And why does it matter that God wants me to experience it? Let's discover together why the birth of Jesus represents the best gift any of us could ever receive.

When you were a kid did you ever ask Santa for a gift you really wanted...only to be disappointed on Christmas morning when that was the one gift that wasn't under the tree? We can feel the same way about God sometimes when He doesn't give us what we think we need or maybe even think we deserve. We start to lose that sense of expectation. We start to lose our trust in Him to keep His promises. We start to lose hope. Is it really worth it to put my hope in God and His promises? And if I've lost that sense of hope in my life, how do I get it back again?

We don't know very much about Micah's personal life, and the book dedicated to his prophecy isn't very lengthy. But the messages he shared and the challenges he set still resonate with God's people some 1,300 years later.

A recent survey revealed that 60% of Americans feel like their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays. This is supposed to be the "season to be jolly," but instead many of us feel this is the "season" to be stressed. Supposedly one of the things we celebrate this time of year is "peace on earth," but if I'm being honest, I may be struggling to find peace this Christmas. Is peace really possible in my chaotic world? And if so, where do I find it?