Do you have daily quiet time for prayer and reflection? Time to get away from distractions and draw close to God? Maybe you want to have quiet time but haven’t made it a habit.
Now is a good time to start.
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Make Time for God
How would you describe Christianity? Adrian Rogers (1931-2005) was an American pastor and founder of Love Worth Finding. Here is how he described Christianity:
“Christianity is not a legal relationship; it is a LOVE relationship.”
Adrian Rogers
To develop a relationship with God, we must spend time with Him. He longs for this. A daily quiet time helps us “hear” from God and strengthens our relationship with Him.
To have a meaningful quiet time, you need the right tools – a Bible, journal, notepad. I use pen and paper for note-taking, but there are many free digital tools for your desktop, phone, or tablet.
Streams in the Desert
A good devotional can also make your quiet times more meaningful. I like Streams in the Desert by Lettie Cowman. My mother gave me her copy to read as a child, and I’ve been reading it ever since.
Cowman published her devotional in 1925. She took inspiration for the title from Isaiah 35:6. The words are so encouraging!
“Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”
Isaiah 35:6
Cowman’s devotions offer “timely insight and timeless wisdom.” I love that phrase! Streams in the Desert offers such encouragement when you’re facing setbacks and struggles.
Here’s a little background on the author and her book.
Who Was Lettie Cowman?
Lettie Burd Cowman (1870-1960) was an American writer and missionary. She is best known for Streams in the Desert and the companion volume, Springs in the Valley.
Charles Elmer Cowman was Lettie’s childhood sweetheart. The two married in 1889. Soon after, they left America to serve as missionaries in Japan.
There they founded the Oriental Mission Society, later known as OMS International. Today, it bears the name of One Mission Society, with the motto “One Lord. One life. One calling.”
One person comes to Christ every 31 seconds through the work of One Mission Society, says the website. Their mission statement summarizes their calling:
“By God’s grace, One Mission Society unites, inspires, and equips Christians to make disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Ambitious Plans for Japan
The Cowmans enlisted help from two friends, Earnest Kilbourne and Juji Nakada. Together, they opened two Bible institutes and launched a Great Village Campaign – later called the Every Creature Crusade. It was an ambitious plan to share the Word of God with every Japanese home.
The Cowmans managed to reach 60 million people before Charles became ill. A heart condition forced the couple to return to the United States. In 1924, Charles had a stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body. He died two months later.
A Legacy of Wisdom and Faith
After her husband’s death, Cowman continued the work they started in Japan. Later, she expanded their outreach to Africa, South America, Cuba, and Eastern Europe. She also poured herself into writing books. Before her death in 1960, she wrote five more devotionals as well as her husband’s biography.
Streams in the Desert remains her most popular work, but no one expected success at the time of publication. In fact, the publisher planned to print only 3,000 copies. But God had other plans!
“No one really knows how many copies have sold,” said One Mission Society. But Streams in the Desert is now available in several editions and languages. It’s considered one of the finest devotionals ever written, and the author gave all credit to God.
According to One Mission Society, Cowman was fond of saying, “I did not write Streams. God gave me Streams.” And He continues to encourage people around the world through her words.
Streams in the Desert is a true legacy of wisdom and faith.
Related Posts
- 7 Reasons Why You Need Quiet Time With God
- Devotions for Women: Words That Will Grow Your Faith
- Scripture and Encouragement for Every Day of the Year
Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. Do you make time for prayer, reflection, and fellowship with God? What is your favorite devotional?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or just say hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
NOTE – You are reading “Streams in the Desert: A Legacy of Wisdom and Faith.” A version of this post appeared on Blogger in August 2015. It has been updated for the Savoring Home community.
Photo Sources
- Wiki Images | Pixabay | CC0
- Gero Birkenmaier | Pixabay
Reference Sources
