This Sunday, Andy shared a story about kayaking out of the Chetco River in Brookings. The ocean report looked perfect. The swells were calm, the wind was light, and the water was glassy. The paddle out to sea was smooth and easy. It felt like one of those days where everything just works. But when it was time to head back in, he hit something he wasn’t expecting. Right at the bar, where the river and ocean meet, it felt like running into a wall. The surface still looked calm, but heavy rains upstream had strengthened the current beneath. No matter how hard he pedaled or paddled, he wasn’t moving. Eventually, he had to hug the jetty and literally pull himself along the rocks just to make progress.Andy shared that story because it feels familiar. Many of us start following Jesus with joy and energy. Things feel alive. But at some point, we run into currents we didn’t see coming. We experience pain, disappointment, pressure, suffering. And suddenly, it’s not smooth sailing anymore. What he reminded us is that we’re always being formed. The question isn’t whether currents exists. Because we know they do. The question is what’s shaping us. Will we be carried along by the tides and currents of culture and circumstances, or will we intentionally step into the slow, steady formation of Jesus?

What if following Jesus isn’t about hitting an easy button or waiting for the next big breakthrough?

In this message, we have an honest conversation about formation, about how real growth usually happens in the slow, ordinary, and sometimes painful parts of life. What God doesn’t remove, He redeems. And often, the deepest transformation comes as we abide with Him right in the middle of it. Join us as we lean into practicing the way of Jesus together.

In this special gathering, we took time to honor and thank everyone who contributes to Living Waters—whether through time, talent, or treasure. It was a morning full of gratitude, celebration, and vision for the year ahead!

What does it mean to live from our inheritance as sons and daughters of a good Father?

In this message, we explore Philippians 4:6–7 and how God’s peace is not something we have to manufacture or protect, but something we receive. This peace doesn’t come from ignoring the world’s pain or controlling our circumstances—it comes from trusting our Father enough to bring Him everything we’re carrying.

We talk about how prayer shapes us as sons and daughters, how God’s peace guards our hearts and minds, and how living from our inheritance allows us to step back into the world with compassion, courage, and hope. This is an invitation to rest, to trust, and to learn what it looks like to be held by a good Father—even in uncertain times.

In this message, we continue our journey through Intimacy, Identity, and Inheritance, focusing on how true identity is formed—not by what we do, what we have, or what others think of us—but by living from the Father’s love. We explore the difference between managing an image and resting in our identity as beloved sons and daughters.

Looking at Jesus’ baptism and wilderness experience in Luke 3–4, we’re reminded that identity comes before activity. Before Jesus performed a single miracle, the Father declared, “You are my Son, whom I love.” This message invites you to bring your whole self before God, release the pressure to perform, and discover the freedom of living from who He says you are.

Whether you’re feeling weary, searching for clarity, or simply longing to live more fully from intimacy with God, this message is an invitation to rest, receive, and be formed by the Father’s love.

True identity forms as we bring our full, unfiltered selves before God: the good, the bad, and the parts we’d rather hide. Not because He doesn’t already see them, but because we don’t always trust that He loves all of it. Scripture reminds us that our core identity is this: beloved sons and daughters, adopted into family through Christ and that isn’t a side message, it is the Good News.

Yet many of us live chasing identity instead of living from it. We look for worth in what we do, what we have, or what others think, managing our image while hiding our mess—even from God. When love has felt conditional or earned, shame quietly takes root, and questions like Am I enough? Am I lovable? begin to shape our inner world.

To survive, we form a false self—a version of us designed to protect, impress, or fit in. It’s understandable, but it fragments us, pulling us into different versions of ourselves depending on the moment. Healing doesn’t come from fighting or destroying this self, but from understanding it and bringing all of us into the presence of a Father who says, “You’re safe now. You don’t have to hide.”

Intimacy is the inception and culmination of Scripture, woven throughout its entirety—from creation, to covenant, to the cross (the veil torn), to the Upper Room, and the Gospel of the early church. It reflects God’s unchanging desire to love us and make Himself known to us. He is the God who walks with us in the Garden, longing for communion with His creation.As we reflect on this marker in our year, let us be reminded of God’s passionate pursuit of us and His constant invitation to our hearts to be safe, set free, and fully satisfied in Him.In His pursuit, God—through Jesus—removed every obstacle, broke every chain, defeated every enemy, and forgave every sin so that, at the end of His victory, nothing would remain that could separate us from Him.

As we step into 2026, we look to Joshua 3 and the moment God’s people stood at the edge of the Jordan River—facing an unknown future and learning to move forward by following His presence together. This message invites us to shift from individual faith journeys to a shared one, rooted in trust, unity, and obedience.

God forms His people not in isolation, but in community. Like a grove of trees sharing one root system, our strength comes from being deeply connected beneath the surface. This teaching calls us to deepen our roots with God and with one another, trusting Him to lead us where we have never been before.