Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art

Walking on Water
Reflections on Faith and Art
by Madeleine L’Engle

Book Review submitted by Shirley Raye Redmond

Many of you already are familiar with writer Madeleine L’Engle, the popular author of the Newbery Award-winning novel, Wrinkle in Time. Her other children’s book titles include Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, among others. Walking on Water is for thoughtful adults. Through a series of journal entries and brief reflections on incidents in her creative life, L’Engle invites us into her life and shares with us her sense of humor, her honest thoughts about writing and her frank observations of the world around us. As she gives us a sneak peak into her life as a Christian writer, she reminds us that we’re all called to be co-creators with God.

First published in 1980, the book has recently been re-released for a new generation of readers. It doesn’t matter whether you are a writer or
artist or not, as she points out, there are “no small parts, no unimportant roles” in God’s creation.

I found this book to be uplifting and insightful. I’d already worn out my 1980 copy when I decided to purchase the new revised edition. I usually
read this book once a year—it’s that good! I’ve even been giving copies to my creatively artistic friends for their birthdays. Whether they sew
quilts, take photographs, paint pictures or decorate cakes, L’Engle’s Walking on Water will give them a shot of inspiration and encouragement as they strive to walk creatively in this our Father’s world.

An award-winning writer and frequent conference speaker, Shirley Raye Redmond is the author of three inspirational novels, PRUDENCE PURSUED, VIPER’S NEST, and AMANDA’S BEAU, as well as two dozen children’s books, including LEWIS & CLARK: A PRAIRIE DOG FOR THE PRESIDENT (Random House), which was a Children’s Book of the Month Club selection. Shirley Raye holds an M.A. in literature and teaches through the Institute of Children’s Literature. She has been married to her husband Bill for over forty years. They live in New Mexico and are blessed with two grown children and three adorable grandchildren. Touch bases at shirleyrayeredmond.com or Facebook.