When Our Souls Are Thirsty
Jesus Still Meets Women at Wells
Every woman eventually discovers that the wells of this world cannot satisfy. The good news is that Jesus is still waiting at the well.
There are seasons in life when we are busy, faithful, and still quietly running on empty.
Many of the women who gather with us at Trees of Hope are serving, parenting, leading, volunteering, and showing up for others every day. They love Jesus deeply. They are committed to their families and their communities. And yet, many of us still find ourselves tired and thirsty without even realizing how dry our souls have become.
That reality is what led us to create The Watering.
The Watering is a monthly gathering designed to provide ongoing refreshment and encouragement for women who want to stay rooted in Christ while navigating real life. It isn’t a class or a program. It’s simply a space to slow down, worship together, hear from God’s Word, and reconnect with one another.
Healing doesn’t happen in isolation.
And it rarely happens in a hurry.
So The Watering exists as a place where women can return again and again to be refreshed.
A Space Where You Can Come As You Are
Many of us have learned how to carry life well.
We show up.
We handle responsibility.
We keep things moving.
From the outside, everything looks steady. But inside, we may be exhausted.
Sometimes that exhaustion comes from the sheer weight of life. Sometimes it comes from self-reliance or carrying responsibilities God never asked us to carry. Either way, the result is the same.
We end up thirsty.
And when we are thirsty, what we need most is not more information. We need to be refreshed.
The Watering was created to be a place where women can come as they are. Not the version of themselves that feels impressive or put together, but the real version.
It’s a place where no one has to prove their healing, perform their faith, or hide behind a mask.
Because ultimately, safety in a room doesn’t come from perfect people.
It comes from keeping our eyes on Jesus together.
The Woman at the Well
During our most recent gathering, we spent time in John chapter 4, the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well.
This is a familiar passage for many Christians, but there is one detail that stands out every time we read it.
Scripture says that Jesus had to go through Samaria.
This wasn’t the typical route Jewish teachers would take. In fact, most avoided Samaria entirely because of deep cultural and religious tensions between Jews and Samaritans.
Yet Jesus intentionally traveled there.
Why?
Because there was a woman waiting at a well.
When she arrives, she comes alone in the heat of the day. Most women would have drawn water in the early morning or evening together, but she comes at noon.
The implication is clear. She is isolated.
And yet, before she says anything, Jesus sees her.
He sees her story.
He sees her thirst.
And He meets her exactly where she is.
Then Jesus offers her something completely different than what she came for.
Living Water.
The Wells We Return To
In the story, it becomes clear that the woman’s thirst is not just about water.
Her story reveals a deeper longing for love, belonging, and security. She has been married five times and is now living with a man who is not her husband. Her life has been marked by loss and repeated disappointment.
She keeps returning to relationships hoping that they will finally satisfy the deep longing inside her.
But they never do.
And that is where this story meets us.
Because every one of us has wells we are tempted to draw from.
For some women, it might be relationships.
For others, it may be motherhood, ministry, competence, or being needed.
Sometimes our well looks like productivity or capability. We become the strong one, the dependable one, the person who keeps everything moving forward.
And if we’re honest, there can be a quiet belief underneath that says: “If I keep everything together, then I will feel secure.” But even good things were never meant to carry the full weight of our identity.
They were never meant to replace the Living Water.
And Jesus gently reveals this to the Samaritan woman, not to shame her, but to free her.
When Jesus Reveals Himself
One of the most remarkable moments in the story happens when Jesus plainly tells her that He is the Messiah.
In fact, this is one of the few places in Scripture where Jesus clearly reveals His identity in this way.
And who does He reveal it to?
A Samaritan.
A woman.
Someone carrying wounds and complicated history.
Her story is not the end of her identity.
When she realizes who Jesus is, she leaves her water jar behind and runs back to the town telling others: “Come and see the man who told me everything I ever did.”
Notice something important.
She doesn’t center her story on the details of her past. She centers it on Jesus.
Jesus Still Meets Women at Wells
This story reminds us of something powerful. Jesus still meets thirsty women at wells. He still meets us in the middle of ordinary routines and quiet survival. He meets us when we are tired, discouraged, or wondering if the things we keep returning to will ever truly satisfy.
And His invitation remains the same.
Come and drink.
Not once.
Not occasionally.
But daily.
Because when we draw from Him, the water does not run dry.
Join Us at The Watering
Each month at Trees of Hope, women gather for worship, teaching, and meaningful conversation around tables.
We call it The Watering because that is exactly what we need.
Refreshment.
Encouragement.
Living Water.
If you are longing for a place to slow down, reconnect with God, and build community with other women, we would love to see you at the next gathering.
The Watering takes place on the last Saturday of every month at 9:30 AM at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale in the Community Room. It is a simple space for worship, encouragement, and honest conversation where women can come as they are and be refreshed by God’s Word and by one another. To register for the next one, please click here.
You don’t have to have everything figured out.
You just have to be willing to show up thirsty.
