Weekly Roundup: Sunday, May 4, 2025
You’ve probably heard this before: “Be true to yourself.” “Find your truth.” “Just do you.”
Sounds empowering. But let’s be honest — it can also be exhausting. Trying to figure out who you are all on your own? It’s a lot.
So here’s the deeper question: What if we weren’t meant to invent ourselves, but discover who we already are?
The Christian story says something radical: You’re made in the image of God, with built-in worth. “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).
And your identity? It’s not something you have to hustle for. It’s something you receive as a gift. “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are” (1 John 3:1a).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “Real community is built on what Jesus has done for us, not what we do for ourselves.”
So, maybe the identity we’re all chasing starts when we stop trying to prove ourselves and start trusting the One who already knows. “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life” (Ephesians 2:10).
Pastor Jamey
(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)
Weekend Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for making us in your image and calling us your beloved children. Remind us that our worth is not something we earn, but a gift we receive from you.
Help us to live not in constant striving, but in the freedom of your love.
Teach us to build a community not on what we can prove, but on what Christ has already done for us. Make us a people who reflect your grace to one another and the world. Amen.
Wisdom Nugget: Lasting connection comes from shared grace, not personal performance.
A Question to Consider: Where am I still trying to “prove” my worth instead of receiving God’s love as a gift?
Meme of the week (Two memes in honor of Star Wars Day - May the Fourth)
Dad Jokes
What’s a Jedi’s favorite dessert? Obi-Wan Cannoli!
How does Darth Vader like his toast? On the dark side!
Leadership Reflection:
When leaders really understand that their identity is a gift from God, everything changes. You stop leading to prove you’re smart enough, strong enough, or impressive enough and start leading from a place of security and grace.
You become a better listener because you’re not always trying to defend your image. You serve more freely because you’re not worried about who gets the credit. You’re not afraid to admit mistakes or show vulnerability because your worth doesn’t rise or fall with your performance.
And maybe most importantly, you help build a team culture where people don’t have to perform to earn approval. They can show up as they are, bring their whole selves to the table, and grow into who they’re meant to be. That kind of leadership doesn’t just get results — it changes people.
Pastor Jamey
Photo Taken By Me
Podcast Worth Listening to:
Articles that caught my eye
Jeremy Renner and the Science of Extraordinary Near-Death Experiences
‘The Worst Internet-Research Ethics Violation I Have Ever Seen’
Stop Spending Time on Things You Hate
Why Are Young People Everywhere So Unhappy?
The papal election could produce a surprise. Unless it doesn't.
The US island that speaks Elizabethan English
Christianity Sees a Resurgence Led by Gen Z
Found Interesting on Social Media
Happening at Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia
This summer, we are anticipate providing approximately 20-25 families with children in our Path Project (in Baker and Glover Trailer Park) with grocery supplies for lunches. During the school year, the children receive free lunches at school. During the summer, the children do not have access to this program, so GFUMC stands in the gap. Click Here to Sign-up to Volunteer.
Weekly Blessing and/or Quotes
May you rest in the love of the One who calls you his child, and may that love free you to lead, serve, and live with grace. Amen.
“Real community is not an ideal we have to realize, but rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” - Brennan Manning
