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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wait Patiently For Your Answer, September 25, 2008
This review is from: Playing God: A Novel (Paperback)
What do you do when it appears that God has turned his face from you and stopped listening to your prayers? The Bible says to wait. Job waited, and he was healed. In the Psalms, David tells us to wait on the Lord. Various scriptures in the Bible instructs one to keep praying and wait on the Lord for He will answer your prayers. However, when you pray, you must pray for the right reason lest your prayers will not be heard. We get in trouble when we decide to help God and hurry him along. The Ladies in Michelle McKinney Hammond's newest novel, Playing God, find out that God really does not need our help, He has it all under control.
Tamara is a sucessful psychologist, counseling woman using a Christian approach.While listening to the women who come to her for services, she is pondering her own situation. She wants a man and while she is living the life that she knows is not quite right, but still pleasing to God, she is getting tired of waiting on Him. When she meets Kenny at a local restaurant, she knows he is the man for her. She knows in her heart things are not quite right and her friends and family also let her know that she is making a mistake. Tamara does not want to heed their warnings and uses scriptures; "He who findeth a wife, findeth a good thing," or " God did not intend for man to be alone" to justify this relationship. While she is developing her relationship with Kenny, her clients and friends' lives are falling apart.
Corrine, the wife of a pastor of a mega church in Chicago is unhappy at home. She has had all the plastic surgery possible to make herself desireable to her husband, and he still does not show any affection towards her or their daughter. Corrine is so caught up in her own misery, that she does not see that her daughter, Jada is in trouble and is crying out for help. Lydia, the newly divorced woman has taken up with a younger man, in order to make her ex-husband jealous,
McKinney Hammond is a renowned relationship expert for the single Christian woman and has many non- fiction titles on the subject. She teaches things that women may not want to hear. It is hard waitng for that special someone and while waiting what do you do? It even harder when you see other women, who you think are not worthy, being blessed while you still sit at home, lonely, wondering when will it be your turn to experience love and marriage. In Playing God, McKinney Hammond offers biblical answers and solutions. I like that when reading this novel, I did not feel preached at or condemned. She makes references to and explains scripture in her characters' conversations and actions, but does not necessarily quote them. I think there is a message for all women, single and married, in this book. If you read closely, you will probably find yourself in one of the characters or at least see a question that you may have asked God.
Jeanette
APOOO BookClub
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Large Cast of Characters, Loads of Issue, Plenty of Drama, a Huge Dose of Truth., August 27, 2008
This review is from: Playing God: A Novel (Paperback)
Playing God is the first of Michelle McKinney Hammond I've ever read. I've seen her non-fiction books and recognize her picture. But she and I are on different pages in life so I didn't know if I'd ever relate to her.
After being pulled into her story, I can tell you that she is quite the communicator. Her characters are real and transparent. The plot moves along at a fast clip and the tension is definitely in place as I found myself wanting to slap some sense into a character or two. Or hoping that someone, somewhere would intervene.The plot centers around Tamara, a good Christian woman who's expecting a reward from God. She sees that others who've been foolish or out of control seem to have the whole package now, a little scarred maybe, but so what. Tamara wonders why her own package deal isn't better, surely it deserves some serious bling/beauty and depth after all she's given up for God. Tamara becomes a victim of they older brother syndrome from the infamous Prodigal Son parable from the Bible. Several other key players struggle with their own faithquakes, fears and consequences. Many of them interact with Tamara because she is their psychologist.
McKinney Hammond's voice is a mixture of sassy girlfriend and teacher/preacher. There is an element of teaching through each of the stories that intermingle. A quippy line or two, scriptures to support the lesson and lessons taught through dialog among the characters. I think this story might be a terrific way for the "good girls" who are thinking about dangling a toe into the refreshing looking world-water to do just that without paying the high price of screwing up. Counselors may find a great resource to refer to clients who may be struggling in areas touched on in the book. The issues covered are heavy ones: faithquakes, judgmentalism, infidelity, child and sexual abuse, immorality, closet homosexuality, pastors who do harm and glossy exteriors that are designed to cover up pain and ugliness. Readers may find the novel to offer some soul balm or a little hope. The topics I just mentioned are handled honestly so edgy Christian fiction fans may want to check into it, too. Sensitive souls may want to dig a little deeper as much of the story veers into PG-13.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
We Need More Books Like This!, July 8, 2008
This review is from: Playing God: A Novel (Paperback)
You would think a Christian psychologist would have all the answers to life's problems, wouldn't you?
Well think again because Tamara is fed up with waiting on God and sick and tired of listening to her patient's problems while watching their faith diminish.
Corrine, the First Lady of a prestigious church, wonders how long she's supposed to suffer in silence while her family falls apart. While Corrine's daughter Jada struggles to hold the hand of God while she endures the painful consequences of her father's sins. And elementary teacher, Jamilah wonders will God step in to save her young student before the urban streets claim her as its next victim.
Does God really have a good plan for these women? What happens when God doesn't move fast enough and you've reached the breaking point?
Michelle McKinney Hammond gives voice to the angry and confused Christians who sometimes wonder where is God in the midst of their pain. Why do some dedicated Christians suffer for years when convenient Christians who really could care less about their relationship with God seem to have not only the promise of the pie-in-the-sky or eternal life, but are getting "blessed in their mess" or appear to live problem-free lives down here?
This is edgy Christian fiction at it's best! While careful to keep the reader's focus in God's direction, the author exposes some of the real problems and real emotions some Christians face.
I nearly fell from my chair when a character rebuked another character when she threw a simplistic platitude at the other woman's problem. So often Christians want to brush aside problems with a memory verse they themselves haven't lived through or sweep the problem under the rug with some useless Christian-ese instead of getting involved with prayer and understanding.
This story will speak out to those who cried out to God asking: why God why do I have to go through this and when are you going to step in.
The author keeps the door open to Tamara's office for more patients sit down and discuss their faithwalk challenges. I hope this is the beginning of a series.
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