by Stephen W. Houser (Author)

JESUS' HARD KNOCKS LIFE ON EARTH WAS THE BEGINNING OF TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF DISAGREEMENTS WITH HIS FATHER OVER HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BE A HUMAN BEING. GOD BELIEVES THAT HE WOULD HAVE A MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL LIFE THAN HIS SON DID, AND IN A CONFIDENT MOOD TELLS HIM TO PICK THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND HE'LL GIVE IT A TRY. OOPS.

SO BEGINS GOD'S LIFE AS A SINGLE PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN, STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, AND DOING IT AS A YOUNG BLACK FEMALE. IT WAS A BREEZE FOR JEHOVAH TO CREATE THE UNIVERSE, BUT AS CLARA HE IS OVERWHELMED WORKING FOR SLAVE WAGES IN A SWEATSHOP IN NEW YORK CITY, PROTECTING HER CHILDREN FROM THE DARK SIDE OF THE CITY, AND TRYING TO BALANCE GOD'S PASSION FOR POWER AND PUNISHMENT WITH HER FEMALE INSTINCTS OF KINDNESS, TENDERNESS, AND FORGIVENESS.

CLARA'S SALVATION COMES FROM HER FEARLESS BLACK FEMALE FRIENDS WHO SUFFER WITH HER, SURIVE WITH HER, AND HOPE WITH HER, ALLOWING CLARA TO EMBRACE THE LOVE AND SACRIFICE THAT HER WOMANHOOD DESIRES.

WELCOME TO CLARA' S LIFE, JEHOVAH. DONT' LET IT GET YOU DOWN.