Dale Cresap's blog

Do you know the difference between happiness and joy? Happiness is circumstantial and joy is internal. The pursuit of happiness is enshrined in your culture as a basic human instinct. Yet have you ever found it frustrating and unsatisfying?

Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it come the issues of life. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. There is no such thing as an idle word, for all shall be accounted for in the Day of Judgment.

Have you ever heard a parent disciplining a child say, this hurts me more than it hurts you? People do not make the same statement when they withhold forgiveness from others, but in this case it is undeniably true. To be denied forgiveness is a terrible burden, just as losing a case in court.

Paul was eager to obtain his heavenly reward. He had a desire to depart and be with me. Some take this matter into their own hands, but suicides are those who despair of life here, not knowing what lies beyond. If they did they would not take their own lives.

Have you heard that the road to hell is paved with good intentions? This is a cynical saying, but there is often a big difference between the good that you would do and the way you actually perform.

You cherish heirlooms that are of great sentimental value to you. You realize that you have a finite time on this earth, and hope that when you are gone someone else will value them as you did. When your time approaches you would rather give them to the right person instead of selling them on the open market even if they have significant monetary value.

Do you live a life of regret, looking back and wishing you had made different choices at key points in your life? Do not be discouraged. This is not appropriate behavior for a believer, and you may not be as far from my will for you as you imagine.

We are friends closer than brothers. Do you usually think of friendship as a relationship between equals? Yet we are not equals. You understand that this cannot be. Normally this puts a strain on a friendship but it is not true in our case.

I took you seriously when you gave your life to me. Now you are bought with a price and you are not your own. Therefore I have the authority to intervene in your life, and to expect you to obey. On one hand you have already given me blanket permission.

You live in a noisy world. It is not just the drone and clanging of engines and other machines. You have continuous access to music and talk. You engage in this voluntarily, but do you ever grow weary of it and seek a place of solitude and silence? You should, for it is good for your soul.