In 1925, the devotional book Streams in the Desert by Lettie Burd Cowman was published. Since then, the book has never been out of print. Today, it is estimated that over six million copies in multiple languages have been sold. You can read a physical copy or have the devotional for each day delivered to your email.
So what makes this such a classic book?
Why Should You Read Streams in the Desert Today?
Today, you can find devotional books designed for any specific age group—children, teens, and adults. But Streams in the Desert resonates with readers regardless of age. Here is a recommendation from a recent Millennial reader:
“If I could only have one devotional book for the rest of my life, it would be Streams in the Desert. I’ve been using the morning and evening version for over ten years. It always seems to be exactly what I need to read. I like the poems and excerpts from many of the older authors. There is a lot of depth within this book. The heart of the daily reading often focuses on trials and suffering, bringing comfort and encouragement to the reader.
Also, I love to search the shelves of thrift stores for this treasured book; purchase and give as gifts, especially for those going through difficult circumstances.”
Based on the book’s continued printing over nearly a century, it is safe to say that many readers have had the same opinion. It provides insights from authors and poets such as Charles Hadden Spurgeon, F. B. Myer, George Mueller, Christina Rossetti, and Samuel Rutherford. A voracious reader, Lettie B. Cowman had the unique ability to discern which poem or quote should be placed with the daily Scripture, challenging the reader to ponder and mediate further.
Streams in the Desert even sold phenomenally during tumultuous periods like the Great Depression and World War II. Perhaps, the best explanation comes from the publisher’s foreword in the 1965 edition. “For the readers of more than two million copies now in print, Streams in the Desert is more than a book—it is a living word of confidence and assurance, God’s message for the day.”
However, Lettie Burd Cowman’s writing and ministry career wasn’t limited to penning this book.
What Do We Know about the Author of Streams in the Desert?
Lettie was born to Isaac and Margaret Burd on March 3, 1870, in Afton, Iowa. During her early years as a teenager, she met Charles Cowman, a young telegraph operator.
The wedding bells were ringing on June 8, 1889. The newlyweds moved to Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
The high altitude was not conducive for Lettie; her health began to suffer. The couple decided to made to move back to Chicago. It was here that both of them placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
In 1894, Moody Church in Chicago held a missions convention. Lettie and Charles attended and heard keynote speaker A. B. Simpson. He was the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. They listened to the appeal for new missionaries and surrendered to the call. One aspect of the preparation meant Charles enrolling and taking classes at the Moody Bible Institute.
After training, they traveled to their new mission field, Japan. After years of intense mission service, Charles’ health began to suffer. The decision was made to return to the United States. They made their new home in California, but it wasn’t long before Charles had a heart attack.
For the next six years, Lettie was by his side. She sought ways to help him find strength and encouragement throughout the day as his health declined. During this time, Lettie began to create and write a daily devotional based on Scripture and excerpts from books and poems.
When Was Streams in the Desert Published?
Sadly, Charles did not get better; he died in September 1924. Shortly after that, Streams in the Desert was birthed.
The original printing was for family and friends, but the demand quickly grew into something Lettie could not have anticipated. We can learn about the book’s beginning from The Story Behind Streams in the Desert, written by Lettie and Ed Erny, including materials from her diary. The book states that only 500 copies of Streams in the Desert were printed initially. The printer told Lettie, “This will more than meet the demand of friends, family, and acquaintances.” It did not!
The first edition was released on April 4, 1925. Cowman Publications, Inc. released new editions in 1953 and 1965. Jim Reimann, an editor, was contacted by Zondervan Publishing to do an updated edition. This version was released in 1997.
Today Streams in the Desert ranks next to My Utmost for His Highest as one of the most popular devotional books. The book has been published in multiple languages—a Chinese bilingual edition, a Hungarian edition, and a Portuguese Brazilian edition, to name a few.
The title for the book was selected from Isaiah 35:6, “Then the lame shall leap like deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing, for waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert” (NKJV).
What Else Do We Know about Lettie Cowman?
1. While Charles and Lettie Cowman served in Japan, they met minister Juji Nakada and telegraph operator Ernest Kilbourne. The group started the Oriental Missionary Society, now One Mission Society (OMS). The four work tirelessly to place a written gospel presentation in Japanese households. They were successful.
2. After Charles’ death, Lettie began a biography of her husband. Missionary Warrior: Charles E. Cowman was published in 1928.
3. Lettie became the third President of OMS in 1928, following Kilbourne’s death. Her work for the organization took her worldwide. She retired from OMS in 1949.
4. Cowman served as president of both Cowman Publications, Inc. and World Gospel Crusades, two organizations that spun off from OMS.
5. In her writing endeavors, she preferred to use the name Mrs. Charles Cowman. However, you will also find her books under the names of L. B. Cowman.
6. Cowman was 85 when she published her final book, Handfuls of Purpose. She passed away at 90 on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1960.
10 Inspiriting Quotes from Streams in the Desert
1. “We cannot tell what loss and sorrow and trial are doing. Trust only. The Father comes near to take our hand and lead us on our way today. It shall be a good, a blessed new year!” — January 1 entry
2. “You will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings. God gives us the promises in a quiet hour. God seals our covenants with great and gracious words, then He steps back and waits to see how much we believe; then He lets the tempter come, and the test seems to contradict all that He has spoken. It is then that faith wins its crown. That is the time to look up through the storm, and among the trembling, frightened seamen cry, “I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me.” — January 4 entry
3. “The morning watch is essential. You must not face the day until you have faced God, nor look into the face of others until you have looking into His.” — March 2 entry
4. “God provides resting places as well as working places. Rest, then, and be thankful when He brings you, wearied to a wayside well.” — April 13 entry
5. “It is no small thing to be on terms of friendship with God.” — May 9 entry
6. “We must keep on praying and waiting upon the Lord, until the sound of a mighty rain is heard. There is no reason why we should not ask for large things; and without doubt we shall get large things if we ask in faith, and have the courage to wait with patient perseverance upon Him, meantime doing those things which lie within our power to do.” — June 5 entry
7. “It was a storm that occasioned the discovery of the gold mines of India. Hath not a storm driven some of the discovery of the richer mines of the love of God in Christ?” — June 12 entry
8. “When the musician presses the black keys on the great organ, the music is as sweet as when he touches the white ones, but to get the capacity of the instrument he must touch them all.” — June 12 entry
9. “The best things of life come out of wounding. Wheat is crushed before it becomes bread, incense must be cast upon the fire before its odors are set free. The ground must be broken with the sharp plough before it is ready to receive the see. It is the broken. Heart that pleases God. The sweetest joys in the life are the fruits of sorrow. Human nature seems to need suffering to fit it for being a blessing to the world.” — August 15 entry
10. “If Joseph had not been Egypt’s prisoner, he never would have been Egypt’s governor. The iron chain about his feet ushered in the golden chain about his neck.” — October 1 entry
Other Great Books by Lettie Cowman
Along with volume 1 and 2 of Streams and the Desert, there are various repackagings of the material, like Streams in the Desert Morning and Evening. Cowman also wrote the following books.
1. Missionary Warrior: Charles E. Cowman
5. Mountain Trailways for Youth
6. Consolation (also published as Words of Comfort and Cheer)
Cowman’s last book was Handfuls of Purpose, also available under the title God—After All. While the Handfuls of Purpose edition is hard to find, you can read a sample from the book on WomenofChristianity.com.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Radu Bighian
Laura Lee Leathers is a writer and speaker. Imagine Lois Lane, over sixty-five, and living on a farm. Her metropolis is the area of freelance writing. Her primary love interest is the Word of God. She digs for information, interviews fascinating people, offers a cup of biblical hospitalit-tea, encourages, and helps others with the ‘how-to’s’ of life. To sign up for her newsletter, connect with her at http://lauraleeleathers.com - - - “Helping You Flourish in Faith & Finish Well by His Word”
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