The God Box

The transformational story of one woman’s care and compassion: When Mary Lou Quinlan’s beloved mother, Mary Finlayson, dies, her family is bereft—until Mary Lou finds her mother’s “God Box,” or rather, boxes. These simple containers are stuffed with tiny notes written by Mary, praying for everything from the right flooring for her daughter’s new home to a cure for her own blood cancer. Mary’s petitions for friends, family, and even strangers are presented with love and without expectation—the ultimate expressions of letting go. Note by note, Mary Lou unearths insights into her mother’s compassion, faith, and perseverance. And through the journey, she discovers her own more empathetic, more engaged self—the woman her mother had believed in all along.

Ideal as a gift book: Poignantly written and beautifully designed, The God Box is a gift for every mother, every daughter, every human being who, regardless of faith, trusts in the permanence of love and the power of family.

Author is a renowned expert on women’s issues: Mary Lou Quinlan is the author of three books and multiple features in women’s magazines and other media. She is developing The God Box concept as a play, a mobile application, and website.

by Marty Allen

From the beginning to the last page, Qunlan invites readers into her life. She includes stories of her mother's love, excerpts of her prayers, and photographs from her life. At the end, she gives guidance for creating one's own God Box as well as contact information, inviting the reader to step into the book and her life. Her love for her mother permeates each page, and her stories make the reader feel a deep connection to this woman. Photographs could be more detailed--images of the notes themselves may be intimate to some but redundant to others. Even so, the sentiment is apparent, and readers will leave inspired and feeling like they have made a new friend.

by Michelle Iliescu

I loved this book and am waiting anxiously for its publication date, so that I may purchase tow copies on amazon - one for myself, and one for my mom, for Mother's Day! I know that she will love it as much as I did. Congratulations on writing such an inspiring, entertaining and uplifting memoir.

A wonderful book that I highly recommend. Five out of five stars.

by Enchanted by Josephine blog

What a beautiful story- and idea! Mary Lou Quinlan talks about how she discovered a bunch of little boxes that her mother stored away secretly throughout her lifetime. These contained years of accumulated bits of papers with prayers written on them. Her mom wrote prayers for everyone she knew; short- almost on-the-run little notes that she carefully folded into minute bitsies and put in these ‘God boxes’. The ‘letting go to God to take care of things’- experience in itself is what is also amazing about the whole process.

Mary Lou learned about her mother’s strengths, care, love and ultimate faith through this legacy her mom left behind for her. Beautifully written, I loved reading this book. Inspiring and refreshing, this idea to leave it upto God by physically writing out prayers and releasing them into the God Box for Him to take care of sounds so... relieving.

This is such a great idea- and it’s catching on fast. (See the author’s website for more info )
I really recommend you getting this book. You can go download the first chapter HERE.
Book on sale: April 17th

by Josie Barton

When Mary Finlayson dies, her legacy is discovered in mismatched boxes which, when opened reveal dozens of tiny messages, all hand written pleas to God. On handy scraps of paper, more often on the backs of other more mundane letters, Mary wrote down her wishes and worries. Never doubting that God would hear her petitions, Mary continued her correspondence with God, not just for herself, but more often for her family and friends who, when facing uncertainties in their lives would be conscious that Mary was interceding with God on their behalf. When her daughter, Mary Lou Quinlan discovers the contents of the God Boxes, she is sure that her mother’s greatest asset is quite simply, love.

I thought that this book was enchanting, not just in the simplicity of its style, but, for me, what shone through the narrative was the love that this mother and daughter had for each other. Whilst Mary was the glue that held them together, her lasting legacy to Mary Lou, reinforced the belief that the bond between mother and daughter is unshakeable, and everlasting.

The God Box is well worth reading and would make the perfect gift for mothers evereywhere.

by Conrade Yap, blog: Panorama of a Book Saint

This is a very nice little book that is part biography, part exhortation to establish a unique prayer routine. Beginning with stories of her late mother's passion to pray with little notes, the author shares her personal reflections about how the 'God-Box' represents her mother's love to people. Her mother, Mary Finlayson, diligently keeps all her prayer requests written and shared with God on behalf of her and her family. From personal health matters to praying for a cancer patient, Finlayson makes her prayers not only intimate, but exceptionally generous. Together with precious family photos, and pictures of the many messages written on papers of various shapes and sizes, the author is able to trace the ups and downs of her mother's time on earth. At the same time, it demonstrates the simple and personal faith of her mother.

Her mother is a 'hands on' person, regularly teaching it through actions. The author praises her mum as one who 'could solve anything.' Anything that she cannot do on her own, or feels that she cannot do any better than God, goes right into the God Box. With God like a pen-pal, the little notes reveal the mother's deepest desires. It reflects her deep faith as she takes them to the Lord in prayer. It reflects her love, especially for her husband, reflected through her fierce care of him even during the untimely stroke that devastated his speech. Her compassion shines through as the box contains prayers for people far and wide, from praying for people to even 'pet friendly' little intercessions.

For me, this book paints a picture what simple faith and living prayer look like. It is a simple heart of belief put into practice with a simple idea of prayer notes in a box. Simple enough for anybody to do. Authentic enough for anyone to pour out their deepest desires to God in private. It reminds me of the verse in Psalms:

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Ps 37:4)
Mary Finlayson turns the old hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" into reality through her God Box. We do not need lots of knowledge about God or the world in order to talk to God. Neither do we need to be trained many years theologically in order to practice our faith. What we need is more heart, and Mary Finlayson shows us one way to do just that.

Be moved. Be warmed. Be encouraged to pray. The God Box is a very simple but highly creative way to take it to the Lord in prayer for everything that matters. For there is nothing too small that God cannot hear. There is nothing too big that God cannot solve. Little faith presented with a big heart to God will grow firm.

by Ellen Cook, Blog: A Season For All Things

How do you 'give all your problems to God?' I know I need to leave my problems, worries, anxieties, etc. at the foot of the cross, but what does that look like in real life and how does one accomplish it?
Well, The God Box by Mary Lou Quinlan is a beautiful picture of her mom's faithful walk with God. She lived the last 20 years of her life, petitioning and praising God in small notes and gave them to God in her 'God Box.' "Her requests, penned on scraps of paper, were presented without expectation - the ultmate expression of letting go."
To Watch the Book Trailer: Click Here
After her mother passed away, Mary Lou found her mother's God Boxes. As the family read through these heartfelt prayers and praised, they realized that no concern was ever too small for God. Not only did these notes show the love of a mother, but of a friend for the lost and hurting.

Do you have a God Box?
Click Here

Thanks to Mary Lou for sharing her mother's journey with me. I am going to start my first God Box and can't wait to see how God works in and through me.

Thank you to Greenleaf Book Group and NetGalley.com for my complimentary copy of The God Box for my review.

by Lisa Braloski

http://bookaholique.blogspot.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/295250257

This is a nice little book of 122 pages, with a big message. The author’s Mom would put notes in a box as a request to God to take care of her own or someone else’s troubles – an illness, a lost job, maybe a job interview or a sick loved one. The rule was that once in the box, the issue had to be “let go” and turned over to God. Still want to worry about it? Think you can handle this better than God? Out comes the note (or that was the threat).

I like the book for its strong message about having faith in a higher power. That there are situations in life we can’t control, so we should just let it go and believe that that God will take care of things. I’m a bit of a control freak. I often tell people that while I can turn things over to God, I will often say – now that I’ve given it to you, let me tell you how I would like you to handle it!

At the end, the author suggests that readers consider starting their own God box. Simple – a jar or shoe box. Fancy – a hand carved wood or fancy inlay box. High tech – she has a website for posting anonymous thoughts. I know I have issues that would go in a God box – do you?

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

The books publications date is April 17, 2012.

by Betty McBroom, blog website Reflections with Coffee

When Mary Lou Quinlan’s beloved mother, Mary Finlayson, dies, her family is bereft—until Mary Lou finds her mother’s “God Box,” or rather, boxes. These simple containers are stuffed with tiny notes written by Mary, praying for everything from the right flooring for her daughter’s new home to a cure for her own blood cancer.

my perspectives: My mother, just like the author's mother, prayed daily. She kept calendars of birthdays of all her nieces, nephews, their children, and grandchildren. Mother didn't keep a God Box, but she had shelves full of journals year-by-year. Therefore, I was delighted to run across this sweet little book. Hmmm, so other mothers did the same thing.......

Mary Lou Quinlan had an extremely close relationship with her mom, Mary Finlayson. Her book shows assorted notes Mary F. wrote along with issues facing the family throughout the years. Any scrap piece of paper would do ... it didn't have to be fancy. It was her way to send pleas and gratitude to God, then letting go.

I felt several tinges of regret while reading the book. My relationship with my own mother was not as "perfect" as Mary and Mary Lou's relationship with each other. I loved my mother, and I miss her terribly. It reassured me to find the Reading Group Guide on the God Box Project website (below) that questioned how the reader feels about this perfection.
We all should take Mary F's habit to heart. Mary Lou has created The God Box Project for the rest of us. You can find a sample chapter here along with a copy of Mary's note, "I love you. You will always be in my God Box."

That's how I felt about my grandmother. I knew I was in her prayers. Before she died at age 106, she lay in bed praying every night for each one of her descendants (there were around 100) by name. How I miss these prayers! But now that I'm in the "older" generation, I will start a God Box. Maybe I can accumulate ten little boxes like Mary F. What a legacy Mary F. left!

by Holly Weiss

This book is a heartfelt tribute to Ms. Quinlan’s mother. After her mother’s passing, the author found ten boxes of prayers written on behalf of her children. Mother and daughter, alike in many ways, had a special closeness illustrated by their secret code “hands on,” symbolizing their bond whether physically together or apart.

The faith of Ms. Quinlan’s mother is evident in the problems large and small written down and “given to God.” If anyone continued to worry about an issue that had been placed before God, her mother’s response was “If you think you can handle it better than God, it’s coming out” (of the box). The book is a beautiful example of unconditional faith and commitment to the power of prayer. Images of the notes and photographs pepper the book, written by a loving daughter.

Highly recommended for those wanting to deepen their faith or strengthen a mother/daughter bond.

by Jane Yasenchak, blog: http://speaking-many-languages.blogspot.it/

A beautiful book written by a daughter to her mother reflecting on a mother's journey in life with faith and love and letting go. In her act of letting go by writing and placing the requests in her God box, Mary's mother gives it all to God to answer those prayers. A woman I'd love to have met who has blessed so many just by listening. I highly recommend this book to all who want to learn more about this wonderful idea of giving it all to God!

by Heather Cimuchowski

What a beautiful concept! This book is written by a daughter about her mom's God Box. She would write down prayers and thoughts about different people and different events and give it to God. It was her way of releasing her "overburdened heart", fears and hopes by giving to God for Him to take care of as He wishes. Like Mary, I know that I tend to internalize a lot of different things - it hurts me a lot to read stories about hurt children or adults around the world, but especially children, so I think I may just need to create a God Box of my own!

It isn't just about the God Box though - it is also a love letter about the relationship between mother and daughter. I could tell from reading this just how much love Mary Lou had for her mom and vice versa. I hope that I have the same relationship with my mom.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a little bit of inspiration with their relationships with their moms or children, as well as their relationship with God.

by Candy Yates (blog: http://journeynewworlds.blogspot.com)

The God Box by Mary Lou Quinlan touched me on so many levels I am not even sure where to begin. I requested this book to review several weeks ago. The thing that made me interested in reading this book was my own close relationship with my mother and her lengthy illness which had taken a turn for the worse in December of last year. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing her, but little did I know how soon I would lose her. Right about the time I had decided to read this book, my mother passed away. I believe in some strange way God chose this book for me to read at this particular time to offer me some form of comfort. Even if only to know that someone else had the privilege of having and loving a mother in a similar situation as mine.

While my mother didn’t have a box in which she put her prayer requests, I know she petitioned God for every little thing. We would “ask” for every situation because, as is quoted in the book, “it never hurts to ask”. Many little things over the years we have asked about, from pets being sick to major issues we dealt with. When she passed, like the author said in her book, she took a part of me with her. I was also left with a fear. Who would I go to when I needed someone to “ask” with me from now on? Who would I talk to and who would petition God for me in the way only a mother understands? The author dealt with this same issue, and came to the realization that she could pray for herself. Starting her own God box was her way. Ironically, I had a God box of my own when I was younger, and I did this exact same thing. I still have it to this day, never opened from the time I put in all those petitions. I don’t know that I will start the God box back—who knows I might. But I now realize that I can approach God myself. I have always known that, but with my mother’s death, that confidence escaped me.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who has ever loved their mother, and especially to those who have lost this irreplaceable jewel. In some way that I cannot explain, this book has offered me peace.