janiemehaffey

Team Pursuit at Relay

Team Pursuit had about 20 members at Friday's "Relay for Life." We raised almost $1,000 for the American
Cancer Society. Thanks so much to all of you who contributed, prayed and came out to cheer on cancer survivors.

In Pursuit of a Cure

This has been an amazing year for my family. We've watched my dad go from being diagnosed with lung cancer in September to now being in full remission. I love how God uses the big brains of doctors and researchers to find treatments that cure this disease ... and I want to see more people cured.

That's why I'm "Relaying for Life" with the American Cancer Society this Friday and Saturday!

Please help me support this important cause by making a donation. It's fast and easy to make a secure, tax-deductible donation online. If you would prefer, you can send your contribution to the mailing address listed below.

Whatever you can give will help - it all adds up!

I greatly appreciate your support and prayers for my dad.

P.S. To send a donation, make all checks payable to: American Cancer Society
RFL of Pembroke Pines, 3407 NW 9th Avenue Suite 100
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33309

The View from My iPhone

My life cracks me up. I was stopped at a red light today and killed time by flipping through the photos on my iPhone. I actually laughed out loud at the adventures God has exposed me to. In the past month I have (scroll down for evidence):

-Been attacked by birds while enjoying my desert day at Del Ray Beach.
-Dodged South Florida traffic every Friday afternoon as I've dropped Matt off to post Pursuit road signs.
-Helped my man dress as an Ogre.
-Served as a judge at the Pines Days "Little Miss Sweetheart" pageant.
-Hosted 50 missionaries for breakfast before sending them out to infiltrate the community with Pursuit invitations.
-Worked on improving my Spanish with my new friends Raul, Jaharis and Emelia.
-Teamed up with my friend and former co-worker Kathy to work on projects where, yes, someone really could have lost their salvation over it.
-Worked with a designer to create The Pursuit's signage.
-Enjoyed hearing my realtor friend, Donna, sing at launch.
-Caught up with long-time friend Danielle and new friend Sheri before sending them back to Indiana.
-Watched the sun rise over Lauderdale by the Sea after dropping my inlaws off at the airport at 5 a.m.
-Gorged on fried stuff at the Smoot's "Indiana Food/Groundhog Day" celebration.
-Introduced Jeter to his new friend, Carter.
-Enjoyed a rainbow on the way to U2 in 3-D at the IMAX.
-Celebrated with the Smoots as they were awarded "Jeeves" at the Leadership Huddle.
-Volunteered in Kids City ... and liked it!
-Bought a load of Play-dough to help my man with a very cool sermon illustration.
-Watched a $10 creamer destroy a $300 ceramic-top stove ... and the creamer remained intact (and left a giant bump on my head in route.)

It's a Grind

It's a Grind has become my favorite "Third Place." (First place = home; second place = work (which, for me is at home); third place = someplace you hang other than work or home.)

We have staff meeting here every Tuesday; Steve and Marilyn, the owners, treat us like family; and I always meet the nicest people here ... like genuinely nice.

Tonight, JeanMark and Ismale came in with their 1 month old baby, Matthew. It was a date night for them, getting out of the house after their first month of parenthood. Since I was hogging the four wing-backs to myself, I invited them to sit down and tried to get out of their way by wearing my iBuds and doing some work.

When I took a break, they were kind enough to let me barge in on their visit to get to know them a little. AMAZINGLY sweet couple who love God and each other and are especially in love with this new baby God has given them. In fact they taught me that their son's name, Matthew, (same as my husband) means "gift from God." Both "Matthews" suit their names well!

Recap and Update

So my trip to Indy/Chicago was exactly what I needed to get in the Christmas spirit. The highlights:

-An ice storm kept me an extra night in Chicago, so I was treated to a load of Christmas cheer sitting next to the fireplace at Sam, Renee and Catie Cole's house while watching "Elf." (What are the four major food groups?)

-Hated that I didn't make it to the Tooley's but loved getting a quick hug from Danielle and gang in the hall at church on Sunday.

-Speaking of Sunday, double bonus ... 1) Got to hear Aaron Brocket, Traders Point's new Senior Minister. Despite his making fun of Kentuckians, I think Aaron is a humble and gifted speaker who's the perfect guy to take the ministry momentum spurred on by Howard and explode it throughout Indiana and the world. 2) Got to say hi to the 20 or so Traders Point people planning to take a short-term mission trip down to South Florida for launch weekend. THRILLED to have their help on the way!

-I hung with my amazingly hospitable inlaws and got addicted to "The Biggest Loser."

-Stopped by the new Fishhook digs and visited with Evan, JD and Jenn just like we would if I worked in the office all the time. I love these people and thank goodness for Skype so my distance doesn't get in the way of my feeling like part of the team. They blew my hair back with a wildly generous and creative Christmas gift. More to come on that one.

-When I returned, Matt had already left for his Boston trip, so it was especially exciting to know my new neighbors, Bob and Linda, were settling into their new condo across the street. Wow! I introduced them to Joey the Baker and we OD'd on garlic.

-Since then, life has been non-stop ... new Pursuit website, food drive, continued work with Good Shepherd Lutheran and Church at the Crossing, community group, and now we're heading toward Fantasy Football playoffs. Wew! What a blast!

Church-a-palooza

From this past Sunday to next Sunday, I will have attended worship services or had meetings with leaders at ...

-Common Ground Christian Church, Tampa, FL
-Northview Christian Life Church, Carmel & West Lafayette, IN
-First Assembly of God, Ft. Wayne, IN
-Church at the Crossing, Indianapolis, IN
-Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Naperville, IL
-Traders Point Christian Church, Whitestown, IN

I was meeting with a new friend today who was asking about my work at Fishhook. I felt a little bragadocious as I explained that my work at Fishhook allows me to be incredibly nosey, eavesdropping on God and how amazingly He uses all kinds of churches to teach His word and change lives.

It's also no accident that He would have me connecting with a long list of fantastic churches exactly two months prior to The Pursuit's launch Sunday. Many ideas to glean and implement!

For those keeping score . . .

Matt enjoyed a decisive victory over me in the Facebook competition. (Hint: never go head-to-head in a "friend" competition with a former youth minister . . . he destroyed me.)

That said, this week the Mehaffeys go head-to-head in Fantasy Football. At the risk of sounding cocky, The Fighting Peezers are 5 and 1, racking up the most total points in the league by at least 50 points. (Yes, LT is on my team.)

I'll keep you posted.

A Double Family Reunion

While I’m loving the new adventures of Miami, I very much look forward to a taste of “home” as I head to two great “reunions” this week:

MINISTRYCOM

MinistryCom brings together the biggest brains in church communications. Fishhook is loading up a bus of Indianapolis church communications directors for the trip to Nashville. I’m flying into Louisville, where they’ll pick me up along the way.

Some highlights I anticipate:

• Connecting with old friends from the Indy Church Communications Roundtable. I miss meeting with these folks once a month to get creative inspiration and enjoy the “therapy” of venting. These people understand sermon series promotion, marketing on a tight budget and Youth Ministers who don’t meet deadlines (gross generalization).

• The Fishhook team together in full force. Evan, Jenn, Leah, JD and I are excited to introduce our “Hook Me Up” booth where we’ll connect ministry communicators from around the country. Evan’s emceeing the whole gig. He makes any gathering a party.

• Rooming with Kirsten. Kirsten is Wonder Woman. She balances family, work and ministry seamlessly. Can’t wait to spend time with her and find out what’s been going on at Traders Point lately.

• A fresh hunger for ideas. Although I’ve been in church communications for almost 10 years, marketing a brand new church is a whole new world. I look forward to soaking in ways to tell Miami all about The Pursuit Christian Church.

MY OLD KY HOME
I’ll wrap up the week with a short visit with the Price family. God timed this trip perfectly. My fam is experiencing tough stuff right now. I need to see their faces and hug their necks . . . and eat cheese eggs – my dad’s specialty.

The Wisdom of Matt Mehaffey

Matt is so good for me. If left on my own, I would work all the time . . . feeling guilty whenever I enjoy fun or relaxation while there are still items on the “to-do” list.

Matt makes me vacate. He sees the stressed-out, “How am I going to get all this stuff done” look in my eye, and he just says, “Stop. Let’s go.”

A few weeks ago, the “let’s go” was a 30 minute drive north to have a nostalgic meal at the only Skyline Chili in the area. Yum! Last week, during a business trip to Orlando (and one of the longest to-do list weeks ever), he said, “OK, we’re taking the day off to go to Disney’s MGM Theme Park.” No lines; we rode the Tower of Terror twice!

What a blast! It’s amazing how much more fun that “to do” list is to tackle after spending a day with Mickey Mouse.

My Office Window

This was the view from my "office" today. Whoever came up with the idea of free Wi-Fi on the beach is a super genius. Be thankful I don't have a panoramic camera. I spared you the view of the lady to my right who was sunbathing topless. We're definitely not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!