I received a copy of The God Box by Mary Lou Quinlan to review. This book came out on Tuesday, just in time for Mother’s Day!
About The Book:
After her mother Mary Finlayson dies, her daughter uncovers 10 of her God boxes spanning over 20 years of her life. The boxes are stuffed with tiny notes written by Mary, asking and praying for everything from the right flooring for her daughter’s new home to a cure for her own blood cancer. Mary’s petitions are presented with love and without expectation. Note by note, author Mary Lou Quinlan unearths insights into her mother’s compassion, faith, and perseverance, and revelations of her innermost thoughts—nostalgic, surprising, and even a bit shocking. And through the journey, the author discovers her own more empathetic, more engaged self—the woman her mother had believed in all along.
My Thoughts:
Though this book is based on a mom’s faith in God, I think that anyone, regardless of their beliefs, would benefit from reading this book. It was an easy read and was split into chapters that could be read in short periods of time. I loved that she tells the story of her mom’s life, and of her own life, using the notes that her mom had written throughout the years. I also enjoyed trying to decipher the handwriting on the assortment of notes that Mary Lou had included in the pages of the book and reading the mom’s heartfelt prayers about everything from small, seemingly “silly” things to life-threatening illnesses.
Reading this book has inspired me to make a God Box of my own. Writing down my day to day prayers would serve as not only a way for me to communicate with God throughout the day but would also help me let go of negative thoughts and worries. Too often I hold on to things without fully giving them over to God and I think that the simple act of putting my concerns into written prayers would let me move past them and not focus on them.
The book also made me think about the memories that I am leaving my children. I’m still in my 20’s but I already have a hard time remembering things that happened only months ago. Leaving bits and pieces of my life behind on scraps of paper would give them an insight into who I was other than “mom” and would share moments of my life that they otherwise might never know.
The God Box Online:
One reader will win their own copy of The God Box by Mary Lou Quinlan
HOW TO ENTER:
Tell me why you want to read this book {or why you want to win it for a loved one if it’s going to be a gift}
OPTIONAL ENTRY:
For one extra entry you can share this review and giveaway post on the social network of your choosing
{Make sure you leave a separate comment telling me you did so.}
Giveaway ends May 10, 2012 at 11:59pm Central Time. US Only.
(Disclosure: I received a copy of this book to review but all thoughts are my own.)