Wheaton literary series

Most of the literature on Genesis and creation emphasizes what was created, and how. But in And It Was Good, Madeleine L’Engle cast long, loving, and perceptive glances not only at the created universe but at its creator as well. At every level she sees the connections between Made and Maker, and in the vast beauty, order, and complexity of our world, she observes many of the characteristics of God, the First Poet. Just as Mm. L’Engle learns about God from his book, Genesis, we learn about this human author from hers. She too is a creator and poet, and her reflections on early chapters of the first book of the bible radiate the intuitive insights of her keen mind, a luminous view of her own world, and the warmth of her large heart.

In this collection of poems of human struggle and God's grace, Madeleine L'Engle speaks across the centuries through the voices of biblical figures, like Rachel, Isaac, Mary, and Andrew. Every one of us will find at least one character with whom we can identify--their dilemmas and struggles, moments of joy, and heart longings. Their dramatic songs echo in our minds and touch us afresh with belief in God's grace and love, no matter what our situations.

In this eagerly anticipated third volume of the Genesis Trilogy, Madeleine L'Engle takes us on a new jouney. And It Was Good reflected on the marvel of new beginnings; A Stone for a Pillow tells the story of Jacob, one of the Bible's earliest pilgrims, and follows his, and Madeleine's, inner and outer journeys. In Sold Into Egypt, we trace a new journey, that of Jacob's favored younger son, Joseph--a journey on many levels: the abduction from Canaan country to pagan Egypt with its slavery and sophistication, from poverty to riches, from insignificance to the power of privilege and leadership, from the foolish arrogance of youth to the seasoned wisdom of maturity, from parochial narrowness to the authentic human-ness which comes with hard lessons learned and relationships restored. Madeleine L'Engle joins Joseph on this journey as she herself moves through grief. With the loss of her beloved husband, she traverses the barren desert of bereavement. And just as Yahweh was Joseph's strong companion in the desert journey, in the house of Potiphar, in prison, and in his rise to power, so God was with the author of this book and, she assures us, he will be with us as we, too, move toward the human-ness of true maturity. --from the book jacket

Despite protests and warnings from friends and family, author Madeleine L’Engle, at the age of seventy-four, embarked on a rafting trip to Antarctica. Her journey through the startling beauty of the continent led her to write Penguins and Golden Calves, a captivating discussion of how opening oneself up to icons, or everyday “windows to God,” leads to the development of a rich and deeply spiritual faith. Here, L’Engle explains how ordinary things such as family, words, the Bible, heaven, and even penguins can become such windows. She also shows how such a window becomes an idol–a penguin becomes a “golden calf”–when we see it as a reflection of itself instead of God.