What’s in your God Box?

 

Last night in Lake Forest, I was so grateful to perform The God Box on behalf of the BCureful Foundation. Photos coming of the beautiful, packed house who came to the show filled with love for the host and mom in charge Julie Scroggins of Waukegan, Illinois. With her trusty genius artistic friend Teddi, look at the God Box centerpieces she created with antique boxes, each holding one of my Mom’s little messages. Pure joy! What do you place in your God Box?

share the love:


My Secret Agent Man

Ok, this shot says it all. This is Joe and this is Old St. Joseph’s Church where we were married nearly 34 years ago. Last night, I was headed into a radio interview with Ralph Collier and his office is right next door to this lovely historic church on Willings Alley in Philadelphia, founded there by the Jesuits in 1834 who eventually founded my alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University.
No, Joe is not trying to break into the church to demand a refund or a return policy to give me back, though I wouldn’t blame him since I have been quite the handful with my constant tweeting, facebooking, radio interviewing and generally hyperventilating over the God Box launch. Hey, wait a minute, wasn’t the book supposed to be about me learning to let go?
Anyway, Joe scouted the church, found it locked, so I guess we are still hitched.

share the love:


Week One and Running!

Happy earth day everyone! Good thing it’s the weekend or I’d never get caught up on all the God Box to do’s. I know Mom would say, “Give yourself a break,” but I can’t when the book is bubbling with such great news.After last Monday night’s party in New York for friends and family, and my trip to Pittsburgh for the speech at Chatham University followed by a performance of The God Box play at Adat Shalon synagogue, I headed back to New York and straight into shopping fever. The Wall St Journal was coming to my house to shoot me in my Mother’s garden and I had to look casual but ideally cute. Ever try to shop for relaxed clothes when you are half asleep?

After smiling into the camera a zillion times (actually for me, the harder thing was not smiling!), I’ve got blogs to write, tweets to tweet and more packing to do for next week’s trip to Chicago.

But the best news is that the book is really moving up the ranks in amazon ( we hit the # 6 spot among all spiritual books this week) and Barnes and Noble stores have already been re-ordering. So that energizes me all over again! It amazes me how the story of something so simple appeals to so many…and has so many moving parts behind it. And so many loving hands on the God Box team to make it all happen smoothly. Monday night, we celebrate together! So, Mom, guess my feet will keep running for now…for you!

share the love:


FROM @PINTEREST: Chatham University Natatorium

Just presented at Pittsburgh’s Chatham University in the Mellon Board Room that was once the Natatorium, one of the first indoor swimming pools ever-gorgeous white tiled ceiling. And yes, robin’s egg blue shining from the sun!

I added this picture my on @Pinterest here.  Join me there.

 

share the love:


DAY OF REST: On the road today with Joe and Rocky

Here is my backseat companion, Rocky. We are on our way to pick up Joe’s Mom and Dad in Levittown to go to Easter Mass and brunch and then heading up the NJ Turnpike to NYC to celebrate in New York with Joe’s sister Ginny, brother-in-law Tony and their children and grandkids (all our nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.) Easter peeps, here we come!

And in between, Rocky and I are studying my lines for upcoming performances of The God Box, my one woman, one act play. Well, I’m studying. Rocky is, well…resting!

What are your plans today? Enjoy in every way!

share the love:


FROM @PINTEREST: My NYC view of springtime

Springtime inspiration viewed from my NYC window….

So I added my photo to my  on @Pinterest here. Join me there.

 

 

 

 

share the love:


FUN FRIDAY: In London Town


A whirlwind first day in London from the moment the flight left Newark. Thanks to super high winds, the trip was only five and a half hours, the train from the airport, just 15 minutes and moments later, I was having coffee (sorry, needed a hit of caffeine even here in the land of tea!) with a terrific women’s tech marketer Belinda Parmar AKA Lady Geek. Funny how you can live time zones away from a perfect stranger and feel instantly like old friends. Have already shopped a little and narrowly avoided the “wrong way” screeching taxis. Just like home. Can hear Mom saying in my head, “When are you coming back to the US?”

This weekend my husband Joe is the one on stage as he speaks to fellow Haverford College alumni gathered here in tribute to an incredible alum of the class of ’10 (1910, that is.) Philip Noel-Baker won a silver Olympic medal for the 1500 meter event 100 years ago this summer and also the Nobel Peace prize in 1959. The upcoming summer Olympic Games in London seemed the perfect time to do this. Glad to give Philip (and Joe!) a long deserved ovation.

(photo credit: londonhotelsoption.com)

share the love:

sample chapter
Enjoy a free selected chapter from The God Box.
Download

reading group guide
Invite your book club to join this engaging conversation about Mary Lou’s book.
Download

printable mini cards
Share these mini note cards or write notes for your God Box.
Download

mobile app
The God Box app makes it easy to write notes on the go.
Download

giving back
Ask how Mary Lou can support your local cause with the book and play.
Learn more

 

Come meet Mary Lou and experience The God Box: A Daughter's Story at a venue near you.
Learn more


press & praise
View All
  • "Mary Lou Quinlan shares her mother’s handmade and heartfelt gift of how to persist, believe and move forward with joy."
    – LEE WOODRUFF, AUTHOR OF "IN AN INSTANT"
  • "What a beautiful and profoundly human book....I will keep The God Box in my heart for a long, long time."
    – LAURA SCHROFF, AUTHOR OF "THE INVISIBLE THREAD"
  • "In the slips of paper that carry this sweet story forward, we can see the love in our own families and the great possibilities of simple faith."
    – JEFFREY ZASLOW, COAUTHOR OF "THE LAST LECTURE"
  • "Mary Lou Quinlan has told the story of her mother in a way that entertains, moves and inspires. The thoughts about life and values will stick with you forever."
    – JIM LEHRER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF PBS NEWSHOUR
  • "The courage and wisdom from the messages left in her mother’s God Box will inspire you to create a God Box of your own."
    – GAIL SHEEHY, AUTHOR OF "PASSAGES IN CAREGIVING"
  • "A wonderful legacy…Keeping a God Box is an incredibly moving and hopeful ritual that we should all consider adding into our daily lives."
    – REBA, MUSICIAN, AUTHOR, ACTRESS
  • "A beautiful story of love, faith and family. It reads like an intimate, familiar prayer."
    – ELIZABETH GILBERT, AUTHOR OF "EAT, PRAY, LOVE"

The God Box App is shiny new and ready to welcome your cares

November 28, 2023
by Mary Lou Quinlan

Since The God Box book was published in the spring of 2012, so many readers have told me that they started their own God Boxes. I love hearing stories of children creating God Boxes and married couples joining their prayer and cares in a family box. (And my mother would be thrilled!)  A 'real' God box is a constant reminder that we are not in control and that letting go is the first step to finding comfort, hope and relief for life's worries. But did you know that many thousands have gone virtual with their God boxes? To help the many busy ...

View More