Holly Michael's Writing Straight

~ Connecting and Inspiring Along Life's Crooked Lines by Author Holly Michael

Holly Michael's Writing Straight

Tag Archives: Richard Maffeo

Back on the Wagon and Learning to Lean

30 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Books, Christianity, Family, Football, Inspiration, Jake Byrne, Travel

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

Betsy Byrne, Bible, Bishop Leo Michael, Blog, Catholicism, Contemplation, Doris Stutley, Holly Michael, Hope, Jake Byrne, Learning to Lean, Nick Byrne, Peace, Prayer, Rich Maffeo, Richard Maffeo, Scripture, Stutley Tales, why do bad things happen to good people, www.writingstraight.com

My days of wine whine are over. I am truly blessed and humbled by the many caring comments on my last post: Throwing Mountains into the Sea.

Back atcha dear friends with all that love, support, and prayers you showered me with. Now, prepare for a positive post after my previous pessimistic pondering. (I love alliteration).

My new attitude has nothing to do with any fantastic news. Still waiting for that call from my agent that my novel has been sold. Met with Jake. He returned home after being cut from the New Orleans Saints roster when the team acquired a veteran tight-end. We’re waiting to see what’s next for him. Nick is still wondering where he’s going to attend college in a few months. Betsy Boo left us to study in England for a semester. Here she is at 5:15 am at the Kansas City Airport. She Facebook messaged me today that she’s arrived and is enjoying lovely Bath, England.

And my husband and I are still coming and going between Kansas City and Northern Colorado, taking care of churches in both places. So, instead of whining, waiting, and worrying as we watch our wayfaring Prius’ reflection from the back of this semi…somewhere in Kansas…

…I chose to open Rich Maffeo’s: Learning to Lean, Volume 1. Within the pages of this contemplative companion,  Maffeo beautifully and faithfully reflects on the storms of life, the travails of faith, and the relationship Jesus wants to have with each of us through it all.

What a book! I give Learning to Lean two full thumbs up.  (Thanks for letting me use your thumbs, Betsy)

The author of Learning to Lean, Richard Maffeo, says he was raised in a Jewish home and careened into a life of careless living. Then, he read the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. The ancient Jewish prophet spoke of Jesus’ sacrificial death which paid the penalty for our sins. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (NASB).

Maffeo, after delving deep into Scripture, committed himself to the Lord and joined the Evangelical Protestant church before his journey into Catholicism.

Learning to Lean (short meditations mixed with beautiful prose poems) answers the most profound life questions. What might it be like to meet our God on that first day in Heaven? Does Jesus walk with me along my journey? What might the Centurion have felt as he hammered the placard above Jesus’ head? Why do people of faith suffer? What can wash away my sins? What if it had been me lashed to the whipping post, instead of Christ? What does obedience to Jesus look like?

Maffeo’s humbleness in sharing his faith journey, his reverence to God, his knowledge of Scripture, and his well-crafted contemplations will lead readers to the throne of the Almighty, to discover a God of relationships who offers salvation for all through our Lord Jesus’ death on the cross.

I also enjoyed Maffeo’s method for contemplative prayers at the end of the book. He admits it’s more of a relationship than a method, though, and he explains how his maturing in that relationship translates into his prayer process.

I’ve been filled with hope, peace, and joy after reading Richard Maffeo’s Learning to Lean. Also, on my last post, I received many words of wisdom, including these from Doris… “I challenge you to shift the focus of your prayer. Don’t spend a lot of time describing your mountain to the Lord. He knows what it is. Instead, focus your attention on the mountain-mover: his glory, power and faithfulness. Then start walking in faith, following his leading, and watch that mountain step aside.”

Gotta love this support and inspiration we get from one another and from wonderful books, such as Learning to Lean.

So, after all the great advice, and miles of hope and humbling from the pages of Learning to Lean, my husband and I made our way to Northern Colorado, where I decided to quit whining, and you guessed it, learn to lean.

I’m also learning to let go and to not look back. And if I do, the Creator of the Universe, our God, who knows how to create, as well as move mountains, has it all covered.

 

rmaffeo@comcast.net

www.richmaffeobooks.com

http://tinyurl.com/mmbtr3 (Rich’s blog)

http://tinyurl.com/6mp9pu9 (Rich Maffeo’s Bible Study in Acts)

http://prayerstrategies.blogspot.com

 

Share this:

  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn

Like this:

Like Loading...

Scan to purchase Crooked Lines

QR Code
Get your e-book signed by Holly Michael

Pages

  • About
  • CROOKED LINES, A NOVEL by Holly Michael
  • SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER. WHY NOT?

Holly Michael

Top Posts & Pages

  • NYT Best Selling Author Don Piper is coming to speak to us! "90 Minutes in Heaven" is an Amazing Story!

Categories

  • 16 Chapters to Christmas
  • A to Z Challenge
  • Advent
  • Award
  • Best Web Sites for Writers
  • Betsy Byrne
  • Blank Pages
  • Book Marketing
  • Books
  • Christianity
  • Christmas
  • Crooked Lines
  • Diabetes
  • Family
  • First and Goal
  • Football
  • Guest Author
  • Guest Blogger
  • Guest Blogging
  • Holly Michael's New Releases
  • Holy Catholic Church – Anglican Rite
  • India
  • India's Crown
  • Inspiration
  • Jake Byrne
  • Journeys: In Writing and Life
  • kim moore
  • Kyani
  • Monday's Connections
  • Nick Byrne
  • Photography
  • Prayer Request
  • Prayers Needed
  • Social Media Information
  • To His Glory
  • Travel
  • tsunami 2004
  • type 1 diabetes
  • type one
  • type one diabetes
  • type won
  • Weekly Book Review
  • Writing

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,557 other followers

Facebook Author Page

Facebook Author Page

Subscribe

RSS Feed RSS - Posts

RSS Feed RSS - Comments

Facebook

Holly Michael

Create Your Badge

Holly Michael

  • instagram.com/p/B5yyz4env2q/… facebook.com/story.php?stor… 1 day ago
  • facebook.com/story.php?stor… 3 days ago
  • facebook.com/story.php?stor… 3 days ago
  • Photos with Santa! Reception for Clients! Snacks and beverages! Plaza Lights! Fun fun! Join us 12/6 -Friday, 4-7!!! facebook.com/story.php?stor… 3 days ago
  • facebook.com/story.php?stor… 5 days ago
Follow @hollymichael


Get Follow Me Buttons

Me

Holly Michael

Holly Michael

Done this: Regular freelance ghostwriter and online editor for Guideposts for Teens/Sweet 16 Magazine, creator/editor of a magazine for Wal-Mart Corp., journalist, newspaper features writer, published in a variety of national magazines and local newspapers, script writing/editing for corporations. Doing this now: author of fiction and nonfiction, blogger, and editor of Koinonia Magazine. I’m the wife of Rt. Rev. Leo Michael, an Anglican Bishop in the Holy Catholic Church-Anglican Rite. Mom to three great kids: Nick (#81 Rajin Cajuns), Betsy (Super cute professor) and Jake (T1D & NFL player) Also, enjoy my travels extensively across the United States and internationally.

View Full Profile →

Reviews from Goodreads.com

Goodreads

Blogroll

  • Discuss
  • Get Inspired
  • Get Polling
  • Get Support
  • Kristen Lamb's Blog
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • Rasana Atreya
  • Rich Maffeo
  • The Bookshelf Muse
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News
December 2019
S M T W T F S
« Dec    
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  

Blog Stats

  • 71,368 hits

ACFW


American Christian Fiction Writers

Contact by email

hjmichael at sbcglobal dot net

Pinterest

Follow Me on Pinterest

Autographed Copy of First and Goal By Jake Byrne

https://en.support.wordpress.com/paypal/

NaNoWriMo 2012 Winner!

Kreativ Blogger Award

V B Award

versatileblogger11
ChristianBloggers.spruz.com Badge, This badge may be displayed on the blogs and websites that are listed in our directory.
Inspired Reads
NetworkedBlogs
Blog:
Holly Michael writing straight
Topics:
Novelist, Editor, Author
 
Follow my blog

MY COMMUNITY



Blogs I Follow

Blog at WordPress.com.

Madeline Scribes

Writing about the human condition and learning to laugh about it

Redwood's Medical Edge

Medical Fact for your Fiction

The Kingdom

Here Be Dragons, Here Be Dreams

Truth in Fiction

Meet the story behind the story

Prayerlogue

Prayers, Devotionals, Meditations, Bible Studies

ultimatemindsettoday

A great WordPress.com site

Attila Ovari

Loving Life and Inspiring Others

It's a Girl Thing.

I over-analyze. But hopefully it's endearing.

Making Time For Me

Mom and Wife just Trying to Make Time for Herself in this Crazy Life

Our Day's Encounter

Just another WordPress.com site

CopyGhosting

Copywriting, ghostwriting, editing, proofreading, script doctoring, digital marketing, crowdfunding, training & mentoring services

Josh Prather

God. Youth. Family. Life.

Kimberly Mungle

Learning and Development Professional

The Relentless Pursuit

One pilgrim's quest for authentic faith and some reflections on the journey.

The Deepest Love

Pastor Mak

A Pastor's Ponderings and Such

Servant Leader Life

Walking with Jesus, Leading like Jesus

Prayerfully Yours

Thoughts on Prayer

A Sacred Conspiracy

To conspire is to act in harmony towards an agreed upon goal. God wants to conspire with us in unconditional, reckless, surrendered love.

ombiaiinterijeri

All things nice

Hanna Caroline

Holder of my Heart.

Top of JC's Mind

eclectic, like me

Hugh's Views & News  

A man with dyslexia writing about this and that and everything else!

Japan Can(ada) Mix

food, photos and music sprinkled with cultural seasoning

Annie Rim

Leaning Into the Curiosity of Life and Faith

Reflections from My Lanai

Photography and Writing as Spiritual Practices

St. Andrews Oregon Hill

Welcoming people from far and near...

Seeing God At Work Every Day

David Dendy invites you to join the challenge of seeing God at work every day...

Interrupting the Silence

An Episcopal Priest's Sermons, Prayers, and Reflections on Life, Becoming Human, and Discovering Our Divinity

You're not getting any younger

A single Christian feminist woman trapped in a well-meaning family-orientated church system

dragonflydanele

Articles, Interviews, and Book Reviews by Danele Rotharmel the Author of The Time Counselor Chronicles

Melissa G. Henderson

Its Always A Story With The Hendersons

For the Love of His Truth

A Christian Blog about Fundamental Biblical Facts

OneReality1

Meeting my family

RESEARCHING MY FAMILY TREE

i dwell in possibilities

encouragement for the journey

Deeper Roots

"You will take root below and bear fruit above" 2 Kings 19:30

styledbyryn.wordpress.com/

Empowering those to be beautiful...

musings by melina

Walk with a Christian homeschooling mother of 11

Mere Whispers

These are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him . . .

A Glimpse of Starlight

finding the light beyond the clouds

MNBernard Books

Book Reviews & Literary Discussions

Spiritual Formation Center

AWAKENING TO THE DIVINE PRESENCE IN THE WORLD

Pushing a Feather

They say writing is just pushing a feather...

lionslair.wordpress.com/

Striving for holiness with a Catholic heart.

Daniel Ogle

Natalie D Wilson

Independent Author

raspberryman

theological reflection, musings on leadership

Elijah Stevens

Teacher, Mentor, Coach, Writer

the beautiful changes...

...in such kind ways...

Cancel
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: