Are you co-creating with God? Book Review - Walking on Water

Book Title   Walking on Water  

Reflections of Faith and Art

Book Author      Madeleine L’Engle

Publisher            Waterbrook Press

Pub. Year  1980

Pages       240

Genre       Non-Fiction Writing

My Rating   

Ease of Read   The words flowed off the page   

ISBN    978-0-87788-918-2

I was attracted to this book because...

This book sits at the top of my list of all time favorite writing books. Even though I owe  Stephen King’s On Writing a re-read, he is now firmly on line two. I connect with her writing in ways that influence my life. It was true when I was a child, it is still true today. 

This book was about

   She was asked to write a book on writing as a Christian. This is a powerful examination of what being a Christian artist and producing Christian art means. We like to think theses questions belong to our generation. Madeleine states strongly - all art is inspired by God and your Christian beliefs will show through your work. 

She answers the question of why one writes. You write because you must. You become better at writing when you let go of yourself and listen and obey the work. 

One of her thesis is Christian art should be life affirming. For me, the life affirmation I found in these pages was powerful. After a spell of depression, her beautiful words of God, art, writing, and the meaning of life in the everyday world, as well as the world on the other side (of reason, silence, time and space) lifted me to an engaging level. 

Her advice is 1) be obedient to God’s call and to the work you hear, 2) listen and learn from the work and 3) to write every day. 

As a writer you are a co-creator with God and your reader, such an empowering thought. 

 “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”

– Madeleine L’Engle

Things I liked about this book

  The book provides practical, inspiring and encouraging words for artists. expecially writers. It gave me a fresh breath of hope for my writing. 

Why you should read this book

  This book is for you if you are looking for answers to what is Christian fiction, am I a Christian writer, should I be a writer, or what is my calling. Or maybe you just want to be reminded to embrace life with child like faith so you too, can walk on water. 

This book lived up to the back cover copy

  You are taken on a wonderful journey of faith and art and how they are related to each other. You come away with the believing in the gifts you have been given. 

Contact the author

Madeleine L’Engle passed on September 6, 2007. You can learn more about her at her website.