Playing God: A Novel

By Michelle McKinney Hammond

Hammond explores the heartache that can come when women try to play God in their own lives. This riveting novel with intersecting story lines reminds readers that God is loving, all-knowing, merciful,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0736921168
• ISBN13: 9780736921169
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

shocking, truthful, liberating

shockingly truthful,wonderfully inspirational and informative. i cried when i read this book. i cried in the beginning and smiled at the end. i found myself a million times in this book's characters, their troubles, their hurt. when i came to the end of the book and saw how God had worked all their problems into good, how He took care of them all, each one in a very personal special way and how He forgave them their mistakes giving them a second chance at coming back to Him.... when i read all those wonderful things after the pain and hurt and sadness, i cried for relief, and realized that i had come to love and understand my God a little bit more.

Page Turning Drama

Michelle is not only a master storyteller, but her characters are beautifully hand crafted. Usually, I get lost when the story moves from one character to another, but not so with Playing God. Instead I looked forward to the escalating drama that unfolded with each new page. The story of Jamilah and Ari was heartbreaking and riveting. And how could Corinne not know what was going on with her own daughter? I'm still angry about her self-absorbed attitude. I can't believe that Michelle somehow brought this roller-coaster ride with multiple characters to an exciting, yet real-world conclusion. This book is fast-paced, page-turning drama at it's best.

We Need More Books Like This!

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.

Wow...something truth looks just like fiction

Though Michelle McKinney Hammond has written about fictional characters, so many of the issues the women faced were issues that I have either experienced personally or vicariously through friends. It made me really think about where the center of my heart really is, and why does it seem that when we go years without a significant other, when we get fed up with waiting, that is exactly when you "happen" to meet what seems to be the best man that you could imagine and through your beliefs out the window...additionally how often have we looked from the outside into someone elses life that seems to be perfect compared to ours even though they have not lived their life as we feel like would be in perfect order! I think whether you are married, single, unsure of your relationship, this book will find some semblance of you or someone you know. Buy an extra copy and pass it on to a friend...

Terrific Story

This was a great book...I couldn't put it down. The author is a master at weaving Scripture into her storyline without sounding preachy. I've never read a book by Michelle McKinney Hammond before, but I will make sure I look for her name when I'm looking for a new book to read.