Intimate Moments With God: Capturing Him Through Your Heart And Imagination
Alethea Mesadieu
ISBN: 1600345417
Xulon Press
Reviewed By Dominique Sessons
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
It
is a well-documented fact that the majority of people on this planet
believe in some form of a Higher Power that monitors/influences our
everyday thoughts and actions. Such a common belief unites us as a
species; however, the particular approach that we take in interfacing
with that Power differs from person to person. What can't be denied,
though, is that our approaches must be sincere and genuine if we are to
make the most of our relationship with the greater spiritual world
surrounding us.
Such is the prevailing argument of Intimate Moments With God, the debut offering by Alethea Mesadieu. In Intimate Moments,
Mesadieu proffers simple, everyday suggestions for strengthening the
bond between us and our Creator. In doing so, she doesn't so much offer
a step-by-step blueprint for building a more solid faith, but instead
provides a general outline for enhancing that faith as it varies from
individual to individual.
Some of her suggestions come as no
surprise: such practices as prayer, meditation, joining a church body,
and reading the Bible are often recommended for inclusion among the
other routines of our daily lives. What sets Mesadieu's book apart,
though, are her prescriptions for greater overall spiritual health:
fostering a forgiving heart, serving God by helping others, and
developing a greater passion for wanting to be in His presence
everyday. This advice goes above and beyond the call of normal daily
activity and invites the reader to take a more holistic look at
improving spiritual well-being.
Mesadieu also shares a very
moving account of precisely how her personal relationship with God
developed from faint curiosity to solid devotion. By her own example,
she will surely inspire countless others who may find themselves in
positions of doubt or uncertainty similar to that of her past.
For all those weary of clichéd, automated responses to questions about the true nature of God, Intimate Moments With God
is highly recommended reading for a better understanding of the
significance of the spiritual realm. Mesadieu's convincing viewpoints
contribute much to clarifying many myths regarding faith that have
heretofore gone undisputed.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Alethea Mesadieu (Intimate Moments With God)
Apex Reviews: Alethea, thanks for joining us for this interview. We greatly appreciate having this opportunity to learn more about your book.
What inspired you to compose such a moving account of developing a healthier spiritual life?
Alethea Mesadieu: From all the curiosity I had about God growing up as a child and becoming a young adult, it was my desire to really know God on a personal level and to be closer to Him. And I knew that God was the higher spiritual being and in order to connect to Him, I knew that I had to do His will instead of mine and to mature spiritually in Him. When I became closer to God, I began to receive divine messages from Him and one of the revelations is that He desires that all the believers of God to draw closer to Him.
AR: In the book, you offer great advice on such practices as embracing forgiveness and serving others as a means of coming closer to God. These practices go beyond the usual suggestions of simply reading the Bible and going to church. Do you think many people who read the book will see the value of implementing them in their daily lives?
AM: Absolutely! Of course, these are the practices that please God. We must be pleasing God instead of ourselves in order to connect to Him and to enter the Kingdom of God.
AR: You also write plays and screenplays. Do you incorporate similar themes in them?
AM: No, I write plays that deal with real-life issues in order to get a godly or spiritual message across to God's believers and to the world.
AR: Our reviewer commented on the very moving account you give of the development of your own faith. Please share more with our readers about the significance of that personal growth.
AM: Not only was my personal Growth essential to enter the Kingdom of God, but I wanted to focus on drawing God's presence to my life. And the only way I could do that was by developing a spiritual life because God only draws closer to the Holy and righteous individuals who desire to be closer to Him.
AR: Have you shared your personal story with live audiences? If so, what have their reactions been?
AM: No, not really. I wanted to wait and reveal it in the book, so I can reach each reader on a one-to-one basis.
AR: What's the main message you want readers to take from Intimate Moments?
AM: The message that I'm trying to convey through this book is that every believer must highly value his or her relationship with God by spending intimate moments with Him. It is God's desire that we seek His face to draw closer to Him. And in order to seek His face whole-heartedly, we must spend personal time with Him to draw His presence to our lives. Believers of God must realize that when the presence of God is absent from their lives, anything goes, which means a life full of heartaches, pain, sickness, sorrow, tragedies and troubles. So many believers are wondering why God doesn't hear my prayers or help me, but many believers fail to realize that when they are not doing the will of God and drawing closer to Him, his presence is gone from their lives. It is in His presence that you will find love, joy and peace, which is the true happiness of life.
AR: Intimate Moments is your first book. What's next for you?
AM: Well, I'm currently collaborating with other authors and writers to contribute to a devotional book. And I'm working on a second book to release sometime next year.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
AM: I just want to share that I pray that this book will inspire readers to draw closer to God and help take your relationship with God to a Higher level, so that you may be blessed! Thank you.
AR: Thanks again, Alethea, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!