Reviews
New Devotional Guide Encourages People to Get Closer to God
NEWARK, N.J. - The desert can be a place or a state of mind, says Charles Elephant. In his new book, Echoes of Heaven: God's Love is Better Than Life Itself, he explains what religion is and what the deserts - both literal and figurative - mean, as well as what the "green pastures" represent to those who seek a closer relationship with God.
"[The desert] is the literal place where God chose to reveal himself to messengers and prophets. It is also a state of being, for you may have every material thing you desire in the world, yet inside your soul you may not feel happy or content or at peace," the author explains. "In that situation your soul is in the desert, and you need to find something that can make your soul satisfied again. That is when you seek God's guidance."
Ultimately, says Elephant, religion is a relationship between an individual and God. "Those who were sent by God to bring his guidance did their work, and we need to do our work, too," he says. What, then, are the "green pastures," and what state of being do they reveal?
hey represent the state that exists when our soul is content and at peace," Elephant says. "That [state] can only be achieved through a good relationship with God - by believing, trusting, obeying and living according to his guidance. If you have peace within you, it does not matter where you are physically or what you are going through-every place, every situation is a green pasture."
Through his encouraging words and insight into the Scriptures, Elephant urges readers to nurture their individual relationships with God.
"If we do what is good and walk in the right, we bring good unto ourselves," he says. "God will be pleased with good actions and bless us. God is interested in having a good relationship with us; this is the true religion."
"Today, Christianity is under attack. It is obvious that there are many questions left unanswered, and some gaps of information need to be filled," he says. " But should Christians worry about Da Vinci Code and whether it is true of false? Before we reach a conclusion, it is a good idea to analyze our religion to see whether we are right or wrong. What should we know about Jesus the Christ?"
An enlightening guide to connecting with one's spiritual self, Echoes of Heaven is full of heartfelt wisdom from a man whose strength of spirit is evident on every page.
By Editors:
Author House Promotional Services Department
Excerpts
Chapter 2
INTRODUCTION
Since I came to know God and understand His ways, my life has been
changed. At first, I was confused and bothered because I could not
understand myself, and my life seemed nothing but chaos. I was tired of
hearing the same scriptures being read in the church, such as the story of the
prodigal son, or the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Moses, among others.
Every day I used to wonder, Where is God?... for nowadays He does not speak
to us. I wanted to hear directly from God and learn more from Him. I knew
that if there was a God, surely He had good stories to tell me. I longed for
those good stories day and night until finally God heard my prayers and
blessed me according to my heart’s desire.
To begin, my parents are Mr. Johnson Njogu Muthuu and Mrs.
Lear Wairimu Njogu. My parents have eight children—two sons and
six daughters. The last two children were twins, a boy and a girl, and I
happened to be one of them. I was born and brought up in a small town
called Mukurwei-ini in Nyeri, Kenya. Later I moved to Nairobi, the capital
city of Kenya.
First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my parents, due to
the love they have given to me, my brother, my sisters, and my extended
family. It has been a blessing to be a member of the family, and I have truly
appreciated their presence in my life. My life has not been normal since
childhood. Therefore, my family should not regret anything that they have
done to me.
Chapter 3
GOD’S CALLING
This chapter explores the calling of God. It is a long process; most of
the time we need to understand things after they have taken place.
My problems and the suffering that I went through were not unique, and I
believe many go through situations far worse than mine. But the reason to
include them in this book is because they were calls of awakening. Through
suffering we are able to look or wait upon the Lord. I pray that for those who
are going through problems and suffering today, God gives them strength
to persevere until they experience victory. But God calls us, awakens us,
in different ways. No matter what situations we are in today, God is still
faithful to us.
To start with, I would like to apologize because the best I can do is
to narrate my own encounters, Yet, I will touch upon the most relevant
instances I believe can be helpful to you in building your relationship
with God. Every day is a day of miracles and new learning. I cannot put
everything in writing, but you can learn more directly from God. I can only
give you about forty percent of what God has revealed, but the rest may
come through interaction, through asking questions, through emails, and
through letters. You may choose to disagree with my experiences because it
is hard to dream my dreams. In this, I would then urge you to ask God for
more revelation or clarification for your own self.
