Weekly Roundup: Sunday, May 11, 2025
Motherhood is full of beautiful contradictions. It's fierce and tender, exhausting and energizing, ordinary and holy. It's full of days when you feel like a superhero and nights when you wonder if you're failing at everything. It's also full of a deep, aching fear—the kind only a parent can understand.
In referring to his disciples, Jesus said, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one" (John 10: 28 - 30).
Snatch.
It's the word behind every parent's nightmare: the fear that something could take your child, your peace, and your faith.
But Jesus says, "No one will snatch them out of my hand."
Not depression. Not failure. Not doubt. Not grief. Not death.
You're not safe because life is easy. You're safe because the Shepherd is strong.
The Good Shepherd doesn't promise an easy life, but He promises a secure grip.
That's the kind of promise a mother can hold onto. Because life as a mom isn't easy. You face the unknown with a heart that walks around outside your body. You pray when you don't know what else to do. You love when it's not returned. You give when you're running on empty. And yet, even in all that vulnerability, you are never out of His hand.
On this Mother's Day, let the strength of your Shepherd be your peace. Whether you're a mom of littles, a mom with empty arms, a grandmother, a spiritual mother, or simply a woman carrying the heart of one, know this:
You are seen.
You are held.
You are not alone.
And nothing—not even your fears—can snatch you from His care.
Pastor Jamey
(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)
Weekend Prayer
Good Shepherd, on this Mother’s Day, we lift every mother, grandmother, and woman who carries the heart of a mother. You see their quiet sacrifices, daily courage, deep fears, and fierce love.
Remind them today that they are not alone. Not one tear, not one prayer, not one sleepless night is unseen by You. When life feels uncertain, let them rest in the security of Your grip.
Hold their hearts close today. Fill them with Your peace, Your strength, and Your joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Wisdom Nugget: Moms, you don’t have to hold it all together—because the Good Shepherd holds you. Your peace doesn’t come from control, but from His unshakable grip.
A Question to Consider: What would it look like this week to rest more fully in God’s care—for yourself, your children, or those you nurture?
Meme of the week
Dad Jokes
What kind of flowers are best for Mother’s Day? Mums!
What kind of candy do moms love for Mother’s Day? Her-she’s Kisses!
Leadership Reflection:
Parenting is one of the most demanding forms of leadership. You guide, nurture, protect, and shape lives, knowing you can’t guarantee how things will turn out. That tension between responsibility and helplessness is what makes parenting so humbling.
Parents lead well when they:
Create trust, not control
Offer presence, not just protection
Point to the strength of God’s hand, not their own
Your strength as a parent doesn’t come from knowing all the answers or solving every problem. It comes from your willingness to lead with love, stay steady in storms, and entrust your children to the hands of the Shepherd.
You don’t have to be a perfect parent. You have to be faithful, anchored in the truth that the Shepherd’s grip is firmer than anything life can throw at you or your child.
Pastor Jamey
Photo Taken By Me
Podcast Worth Listening to:
What I Am Reading This Week
Stranger God: Meeting Jesus in Disguise by Richard Beck
Articles that caught my eye (focus articles on learning about the new Catholic Pope - Pope Leo XIV)
Pope Leo XIV's previously unknown Creole roots are a most American story
Five things to know about Pope Leo XIV
Leo XIV Pledges to Lift Up ‘Ordinary People’
The Pope’s Most Revealing Choice So Far
The Conclave Just Did the Unthinkable
Pope Leo's stance on key issues, from climate change to LGBTQ+ rights to U.S. politics
In first homily as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV calls for missionary church in a secular age
What We Know About Pope Leo XIV’s Southern Roots
You Don’t Have to Believe in God to Find Hope in Pope Leo
Found Interesting on Social Media
(Posted Jan. 30, 2023)
Happening at Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia
May 17 / 10am / Linwood Nature Preserve, Gainesville, GA
GFUMC's accessible hiking ministry, The Wilder Way, is ready to hit the trails for another season of adventuring in God's creation with individuals impacted by disabilities. If you are interested in hiking with The Wilder Way or supporting it in any capacity come to the interest hike on Saturday, May 17th at 10am at Linwood Nature Preserve in Gainesville, Ga.
Sunday, May 18 / 4pm / Sanctuary
Our next Sounds of Faith concert for 2025 is Gainesville’s own Chuck Nation Band at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 18. The Chuck Nation Band has performed at Carnegie Hall, Ryman Auditorium, and has toured across the country and around the world. They have a distinctive sound and repertoire that includes original songs, traditional gospel, and bluegrass. Join us for an afternoon of heartfelt mountain melodies, where the timeless spirit of bluegrass fills the room with toe-tapping rhythms, close harmonies, and stories that echo from the hills to the heart. Experience the music rooted in tradition that brings people together. Admission is free.
North Georgia NonProfit Highlight
Through June 6
On Friday, June 6th, Center Point will bring the fundraising event Over the Edge to downtown Gainesville, Georgia, with a unique adventure experience of safely rappelling down the Main Street Parking Garage.
From its beginning over 50 years ago, Gainesville First United Methodist Church has been a mission partner with Center Point. We believe in its mission to meet the mental health and personal development needs of young people and their families.
Our goal is to raise $5,000.00 for Center Point.
John Barbour-Hoffman, the Lighting Director for GFUMC, will repel down the Main Street Parking Garage wearing a costume that we’ll vote on.
About Center Point:
Center Point's mission is partnering with schools and community organizations to meet the mental health and personal development needs of young people and their families. Center Point has served the citizens of Gainesville City and Hall County for over 50 years. The Center has slowly transformed into arguably Hall County’s most successful and diverse student-and-family-centered non-profit. Our purpose is simple: enhance, strengthen, and change lives. This is what we are doing and what we will continue to do for years to come.
Click Here to Vote On John's Costume
Weekly Blessing and/or Quotes
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” — Corrie ten Boom
“If at first you don’t succeed, try doing it the way mom told you to in the beginning.” — Unknown
To those who are mothers, we honor and bless you.
To those who long to be mothers, may you know you are not forgotten.
To those who grieve the loss of a mother or a child, may comfort find you.
To those with complicated stories, may grace surround your memories.
And to all, may the nurturing heart of God remind you:
You are seen, you are loved, and you are never alone.
