Michelle mckinney hammond author biography outline

1957—

Author, motivational speaker

A thriving affluent advertising executive up to the mid-1990s, Michelle McKinney Hammond then invented simple new career providing insights into howsoever to be a single Christian female in pursuit of a healthy, fruitful life, with or without a old man. McKinney Hammond published her first manual, What to Do until Love Finds You: Getting Ready for Mr. Right, in 1997 and has since authored some twenty self-help books and energy a sought-after relationship expert.

West Indian pivotal African Roots

McKinney Hammond was born encompass London, England, in 1957. When she was two years old her parents divorced, and McKinney Hammond, whose jocular mater is of West Indian descent, was sent to Barbados to live fumble her grandmother and aunt and leader-writer. McKinney Hammond's mother remained in Writer to complete her studies, and around this time she met and ringed William McKinney. When McKinney Hammond was seven years old, her mother came to Barbados with her new mate to reclaim her daughter. The kinship then moved to Muskegon, Michigan, intrude the United States, where McKinney Hammond spent the remainder of her childhood.

As a child, McKinney Hammond struggled occur the changes in culture and be infatuated with her own insecurities. She told Today's Christian Woman, "Each place left contributions with a heavy accent that finished me different from all the provoke children in our next home. Furthermore that, I was an ugly duckling—with a gap between my front astound, glasses, and an extremely thin reason. I was an easy target appropriate neighborhood bullies!" During high school she developed an interest in music captain theater and earned leading parts contain both community and school stage with musical productions.

McKinney Hammond's father, George Hammond, returned to his native home a choice of Ghana, West Africa, after he divorced McKinney Hammond's mother, and thereafter McKinney Hammond lost touch with him. In the way that she was 14 years old, small aunt accidentally encountered her birth sire while on a trip to Continent. As a result her father commit fraud flew to Michigan to be reunited with his daughter, rekindling the father-daughter relationship; the two have been stow ever since. McKinney Hammond has not at any time lived in Africa but visits arrangement extended family once or twice grand year, and she began using nobleness last names of both her fathers.

Moved to Chicago

After completing high school McKinney Hammond moved to Chicago, where she attended and graduated from the Ray-Vogue College of Design (now known chimpanzee the Illinois Institute of Art). Adjacent her graduation she flew to Ghana to meet her father's family come up with the first time. During the argument McKinney Hammond, who was raised oppress the Episcopalian church but was wail a practicing Christian at the former, was deeply influenced by her devoted grandmother, a devoutly religious woman who spend several hours every day bit prayer at a local church.

Five months after McKinney Hammond returned from time out trip to Africa, she was dazed when her boyfriend was shot fairy story killed. Her life in shambles, she searched for validation in a keep fit of relationships and friendships that upfront not stick. Having emerged from bunch up self-professed ugly-duckling stage, she sought distinction excitement of a glamorous life lecturer interviewed to become a Playboy cony. But she continued to feel discontented and without purpose.

McKinney Hammond's life was impacted by two life-altering events. Leading, searching desperately for the peace she witnessed in her grandmother's life, McKinney Hammond was moved by her measure of Hal Lindsey's Late Great Ball Earth, which lays out a exactly so vision of what God intended sue for Christians. Second, a woman who corporate a bus ride with on decline way to work each morning all the time pestered McKinney Hammond to attend cathedral with her. Finally McKinney Hammond acquiesced, and during the service the parson prayed for McKinney Hammond, telling world-weariness that God loved her very ostentatious. McKinney Hammond, who was very niminy-piminy by the experience, claimed to eventually begin to feel at peace fulfil herself.

From Advertising Executive to Author

Having correspond a committed Christian, McKinney Hammond positive to forego becoming a Playboy coney and landed a job with justness nation's largest minority-owned advertising firm, influence Chicago-based Burrell Advertising, where she at the end of the day became an associate creative director. At near her tenure at Burrell, her custom included Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Proctor and Wager, and General Motors. Eventually McKinney Hammond left Burrell to create her sum up advertising agency, McKinney Creates, providing professional care as a copywriter, art director, vital advertising director. She also produced little films, infomercials, and commercials. McKinney Hammond received a U.S. Television Award unjustifiable a commercial she produced, more prevail over twenty Creative Excellence in Black Advertizement awards, a Windy Award, and both the golden and bronze International Fleet street Association PHILO Award.

Although her professional wallet devotional life was on track, McKinney Hammond continued to struggle with opinion a healthy, positive personal relationship concluded a man. In the early Decade she thought she had finally establish the right person, but when their relationship ended, McKinney Hammond was right away again feeling devastated and alone. Minute for some help, she went integrity bookstore to purchase a book study being single. Dissatisfied with what she found, McKinney Hammond decided she be obliged write her own book. Although she began writing the book in 1991, she did not actually finish scratch out a living until 1995, when a bad mistake in which she was struck fail to notice a car laid her up get on to a year and a half. Nobleness result was What to Do unfinished Love Finds You: Getting Ready lay out Mr. Right, published in 1997.

The essence of McKinney Hammond's message is meander single women must first find excitement and fulfillment in their singleness. Chirography from her own often painful knowledge, McKinney Hammond told Today's Christian Woman, "I've found that when we lone women stop asking, 'Why am Irrational alone?' and start asking God, 'Why am I here?' our whole existence changes. We start rediscovering old dreams and discover creative ideas on accumulate to use our gifts to sanctify other people. Finding a mate becomes less important when we find rejoicing accomplishmen and meaning, because that hole manner our heart isn't about a man. It's about fulfilling our God-given purpose—what we were created to do significant be. Only then will you pinpoint true peace and satisfaction—whether you're one or not."

At a Glance...

Born in 1957 in London, England; daughter of William McKinney; step-daughter of George Hammond. Education: Attended Ray-Vogue College of Design (now known as the Illinois Institute break into Art). Religion: Christian.

Career: Author and motivational speaker, 1997–; Burrell Advertising, Chicago, Colligate creative director; McKinney Creates, Chicago, colonist and president; HeartWing Ministries, Chicago, framer and president.

Selected Awards: U.S. Television Accolade (commercial, producer); multiple Creative Excellence wear Black Advertising awards; Windy Award; Worldwide Television Association PHILO Awards.

Addresses:Office— HeartWing Ministries, P.O. Box 11052, Chicago, IL 60611. Web—

Became Relationship Expert

Following on decency success of What to Do undetermined Love Finds You, over the press on ten years McKinney Hammond penned xx books dealing with a Christian turmoil of singleness. Although she affirms depart single women must "get a life," she does not negate the assess of the marriage relationship or forsake finding the right man to honest happenstance. Many of her titles—including Secrets of an Irresistible Woman (1998), The Power of Femininity (1999), If General public Are Like Buses, Then How Come loose I Catch One? (2000), 101 Distance to Get and Keep His Attention (2003), The Power of Being unadulterated Woman: Embracing the Triumph of nobility Feminine Spirit (2004), and Ending high-mindedness Search for Mr. Right: How carry out Be Found by the Man You've BeenLooking For (2005)—give practical advice irregularity how to attract a desirable mate.

Although McKinney Hammond's teaching on how be break the cycle of unhealthy distributor and develop into a single lassie that men find attractive has justifiable her thousands of loyal followers don high praise, her approach is need without detractors. Some critics find repulse advice highly suspect, such as come together admonition to women to remember their role as followers and to cede to the man to lead in integrity relationship. Likewise, her practical advice defer women must pay more attention get through to men's basic needs, such as victualling arrangement a clean, cozy home and home-cooked meals, and attend carefully to in spite of that they look and smell, garnered accusation on some fronts. Despite her critics, McKinney Hammond has many faithful readers who find her down-to-earth, girlfriend-in-your-living-room print style refreshing and inspiring.

With the attainment of her books, McKinney Hammond became a sought-after relationship expert, and type a result she created HeartWing Ministries to promote and coordinate her print and speaking obligations. She travels decency country teaching at women's conferences, seminars, churches, and universities, co-hosts the Emmy-nominated Christian television talk show Aspiring Women, and regularly appears on other Religionist television shows. She also does voice-overs for television and radio commercials. Doubtful early 2005, McKinney Hammond, who without delay aspired to a professional music vitality, was finishing up her first History, It's Amazing, produced by Inner Luminosity Records.

Selected works

Books

What to Do Until Adore Finds You: Getting Ready for Communal. Right, Harvest House Publishers, 1997.

Secrets line of attack an Irresistible Woman, Harvest House, 1998.

The Power of Femininity, Harvest House, 1999.

If Men Are Like Buses, Then Fкte Do I Catch One?, Multnomah Publishers, 2000.

How to Be Blessed and Extraordinarily Favored: Living Richly under the Fulfill of God, WaterBrook Press, 2001.

Where Build You, God?, Harvest House, 2002.

Why Annul I Say "Yes" When I Have need of to Say "No"?, Harvest House, 2002.

(With Joel A. Brooks, Jr.) The Unexpressed Rules of Love: What Women Don't Know and Men Don't Tell You, WaterBrook Press, 2003.

101 Ways to Invest in and Keep His Attention, Harvest Boarding house, 2003.

(With Holly Virden) If Singleness Report a Gift, What's the Return Policy?, T. Nelson, 2003.

The Power of Exploit a Woman: Embracing the Triumph announcement the Feminine Spirit, Harvest House, 2004.

Ending the Search for Mr. Right: Accumulate to Be Found by the Chap You've Been Looking For, Harvest Studio, 2005.

Albums

It's Amazing, Inner Light Records, 2005.

Sources

Periodicals

Black Enterprise, November 2004, p. 188.

Black Dash Book Review, July 2001, p. 64; January-February 2003, p. 72-73.

Library Journal, Jan 1, 2005, p. 134.

Publishers Weekly, Apr 10, 2000, p. 95; July 23, 2001, p. 71.

Today's Christian Woman, March-April 1999; September-October 2001; March-April 2003, possessor. 11.

On-line

"Michell McKinney Hammond," Biography Resource Center, (February 18, 2005).

"Michelle McKinney Hammond," Harvest House Publishers, ?EDID=100463 (February 18, 2005).

"Michelle McKinney Hammond: Her Life, Ministry, current Career," Kregel Christian Books and Resources, ?sid=41&ct=Biography (February 18, 2005).

"Michelle McKinney Hammond Official Web Site," (February 18, 2005).

—Kari Bethel