The Prayer Box (Carolina Heirlooms Book 1)

ECPA Christian Book Award Finalist, Christy Award Finalist, Christianity Today Book Award Finalist!"THE PRAYER BOX is a masterpiece of story and skill."-- Debbie Macomber, NYT #1 Bestselling Author"A good option for fans of Nicholas Sparks and Mary Alice Monroe" - Library Journal When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iolas rambling Victorian house.Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iolas walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iolas youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything. Review "I am in awe of Lisa Wingates talent.  She strikes the heart and turns my gaze toward heavens door.  THE PRAYER BOX is a masterpiece of story and skill." -- Debbie Macomber, NYT #1 Bestselling Author"A book that transcends simple hope and healing while capturing the heart of the reader.  Tandis story is an enchanting take on family ties, redemption, and of allowing oneself to be swept up into a river of grace regardless of ones past.  And, in the end, perhaps its also a testament to the fact that maybe, sometimes. you really can go home again." - Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of The Time Between"Lisa Wingate writes with grace, beauty and so much heart." -- Sarah Jio, New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST CAMELLIA"Tenderly woven.  Skillfully threaded.  A grab-your-heart story about faith, the healing power of love and how both are often found in unlikely places." - Charles Martin, -- New York Times Bestselling author of Unwritten "Lisa Wingate is a remarkably gifted storyteller.   Her novels both captivate and cradle you, and The Prayer Box is Lisa at her finest.  Tandis extraordinary journey of healing and hope on Hatteras Island is a mesmerizing thrill and a joy youll want to savor.  However, beware, you will not be able to put this story down!"- Beth Webb Hart, best-selling author of Moon Over Edisto Review Starred review. A beautiful, lyrical style reminiscent of those of Mary Alice Monroe and Patti Callahan Henry.BooklistThe Prayer Box is a charming book that transcends simple hope and healing while capturing the heart of the reader.Karen White, NYT bestselling authorLisa Wingate writes with grace, beauty, and so much heart.Sarah Jio, NYT bestselling author From the Author 1.  Where did you get the idea for The Prayer Box?   The idea for The Prayer Box came as I was sketching out some short novel summaries at a publishers request. I literally looked across the room, and saw a prayer box that had been given to me at a speaking event, and thought, What if the prayers of a womans entire lifetime were recorded in prayer boxes? What would you learn about her if you opened those boxes, and how might it change you? 2. From idea to final revision, how long did it take to write?The writing and revision of The Prayer Box took roughly a year. I knew that the book needed a coastal setting, that it would be the story of a life in ruins being slowly resurrected through the discovery of prayer boxes left behind by the owner of a house. I saw a small seaside community, struggling to recover from a hurricane, and a main character who was an outsider, seeking refuge. I knew that there would be connections between the life of the woman