Cindy Eksuzian's 'Beyond Our Exodus' Highlights God's Presence in the Natural World
In our hectic lives of sending tweets, updating our status and checking email, it might not occur that the essence of our natural world around us is full of God's gifts and inspiration, we just need to take the time to notice.
Cindy Eksuzian, author of "Walking on HIS Footstool," recently published her second book "Beyond Our Exodus" which explores the relationship we have with God through Nature and encourages readers to "strengthen our faith as we walk with Him." Eksuzian also provides the photography for Beyond Our Exodus, capturing the immense presence God has in nature if a person is able to stop long enough to look and listen.
The Christian Post was able to talk with Eksuzian about her own personal experience as well as where she draws her inspiration from.
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CP: What was the inspiration behind your book Beyond Our Exodus?
Eksuzian: Without question, in all things, God drives my inspiration. My sense strongly is that He makes known to me to share this understanding of Him and His presence of Himself in nature, with others. ... We live in a troubled world today, in which too many aspects of our material living have bled into spirituality and religion, thus adulterating the purity of God and the good messages of doctrine that God's purity sanctifies. I believe that this condition makes all aspects of human living become more challenging to know the truth of God from an unadulterated sense. In the natural world, however, He is constant. Mankind cannot modify a sunrise or ocean tides or the truth that the jet stream flows weather patterns.
You use a lot of natural imagery – do you feel the natural world is the best way to interact with God?
First I'd like to clarify by saying that the spiritual context within the natural design (imagery), whether it be a cloud formation or a pattern in earthly vegetation is made known to me spiritually and this in itself is prophetic in nature. I have many examples throughout my blog of photographs that demonstrate these natural designs of spiritual communication ... nature is one of the ways we can communicate with God and He with us. For example, many places in scripture, it is written that God speaks to us in clouds. The cover of my book, Beyond Our Exodus, is one such example of spiritual communication, in the appearance of an "eagle cloud." ... When one is immersed in the knowing of God's presence within ourselves and in our natural surroundings, He directs us to that which He wants us to see. One turns around, looks up and there it is.
Secondly, I believe that when we choose faith to know God's presence, the natural world is one way that we can justify experiencing Him. In the passage of Job, Holy Scripture discusses this in verse 39:1-4, God Speaks of Nature and its Beings. God has given us the gift of the Earth on which to live. To humans, an intelligent species, yet matter all the same, along with all other earthly matter, God has given the gift of life on earth. When we experience nature we have the opportunity to become closer to this concept and can embrace a deeper sense of spirituality and know God's grace and His gifts for us in the natural world.
Job 39: 1-4 God Speaks of Nature And Its Beings
1 Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth?
Do you observe the calving of the deer?
2 Can you count the months they fulfill,
Or do you know the time they give birth?
3 They kneel down, they bring forth their young,
They get rid of their labor pains.
4 Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They leave and do not return to them.
In "Eternity On Earth" you speak of "earthly materiality" can you give a deeper explanation of your intentions?
In "Eternity On Earth" ... I am hoping for the reader to perceive that there are two aspects to be experienced; physical matter and spiritual energy. The spiritual energy in both the poem and the photograph ... is meant to expand the meaning of life for that particular reader. ... However, the spiritual energy meant for the reader will specifically be for that reader's healing and enlightenment. I've had readers tell me that each time they picked up the book to experience it, they found something new to help them.
Throughout your book there is a sense that we are given blessings if you pay attention or listen to the natural world around us - do you think enough people are listening?
I think so many of us are trying to know God as deeply and profoundly as we can, given our life conditions. The natural world is one of the simplest places to begin or to expand upon to know God's presence more fully. Choosing faith in God will bring us the gift of Him helping us to open our intuition for this discovery.
Here is His simple call to us below:
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 6:7)
This declaration is God's simple truth of instruction and this is all we need to choose to begin lifting in faith to receive Him.
In "Inspiration," you talk about regeneration, rebirth and rejuvenation, is this possible without acceptance of Him?
My intent in this combination is to help us step out of the box of the physical matter of our bodies in order to accept ourselves and the true light we have to offer as individuals. Choosing faith in God helps us to know His presence in us, its workings for our highest good ... Without acceptance of Him through faith, we inhibit our true gift of light and thus the 3 concepts you spoke of, regeneration, rebirth and rejuvenation.
Are there any comments regarding to Beyond Our Exodus that you would like to add?
First I'd like to offer to readers that this book is small, lightweight and is easy to be in one's possession at rest or on the go.
I'd also like to end with a prayer:
For humanity and creatures
For land masses and waters
I pray for the blessing
Of the Holy Spirit
To come upon eternity
To come upon the universe
To rain down upon our beautiful earth
To cleanse and to purify
To renew and to regenerate
To rebuild life.
Amen.
©2012 Cindy Eksuzian, all rights reserved.
To see more of the authors work or to obtain a copy for yourself or a loved one you can visit:
http://cindyeksuzian.wordpress.com/
