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Streams in the Desert for Kids: 366 Devotions to Bring Comfort
Streams in the Desert for Kids is a year-long devotional that speaks to kids where they are today, providing the same kind of wisdom and comfort for life found in the classic Streams in the Desert by Oswald Chambers, but with a modern and relatable twist kids eight to twelve will relate to. No one has to tell you life is sometimes hard. And for your kids, navigating the confusing, everyday feelings of sadness, fear, loneliness, and anxiety can be difficult. To help your child through those times, Streams in the Desert for Kids contains 365 daily devotions that provide comfort and advice centered on God’s promises to protect us and always stay near. It also contains sports information, scientific facts, and interesting stories to keep your kids engaged, with timeless wisdom and biblical facts that provide a strong spiritual foundation as they grow. Streams in the Desert for Kids :
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2009
About the author
Lettie B. Cowman
39 books32 followersalso published under the name: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman & L.B. Cowman
"A lot of people who use the perennially popular devotional book Streams in the Desert think it is by somebody named Charles, because the title page is signed “Mrs. Charles Cowman.” As an author, she successfully concealed herself under her married name, her late husband’s name. Her full name was Lettie Burd Cowman (1870-1960). And the 1925 book she is famous for is itself another stunt of self-concealment: Streams in the Desert is mostly a pastiche of Lettie Cowman’s favorite passages from her own wide devotional reading, assembled on the grid of 365 daily doses.
The authors she cites are a who’s who of the late nineteenth century evangelical movement, especially the missionary, holiness, and Keswick side of the tradition: A. C. Dixon, A. T. Pierson, F. B. Meyer, Andrew Murray, A. B. Simpson, Charles Trumbull, etc. There are many paragraphs written by Cowman herself, but they tend to flow in and out of the quotations seamlessly.
Her work in Streams is mainly a cut-and-paste job, yet Cowman’s compilation of sources has outlived and out-sold most of the authors she quotes. Streams is still in print in a major way.The secret of her editorial success is probably that she wasn’t trying to succeed. Cowman really did produce the book for her own benefit. She wasn’t trying to reach a large audience; she was going through a difficult phase of life, and learning how to commune with God through the suffering.
Lettie had married Charles Cowman in 1889, and five years into their marriage they responded to a call to world missions issued by A. B. Simpson in the Moody Church in Chicago. The couple served in Japan from 1901 to 1917, leading a remarkable evangelistic campaign that focused on distributing literature to every household and training indigenous Christian workers. Charles was a visionary, a gifted administrator, and an inspiring leader. Overwhelmed with the evangelistic success of his mission, Charles worked himself to a complete physical collapse. He and Lettie returned to the USA, settling in Los Angeles, where Charles died after a six-year period of sickness and decline. His biography, Charles E. Cowman: Missionary Warrior, was written by Lettie the year after his death.
It was during these six years that Lettie experienced the suffering that every reader of Streams in the Desert recognizes. For one thing, there was the great physical pain Charles endured in his decline, but equally difficult was the enforced retirement that both Charles and Lettie were subjected to: The Cowmans were habitually busy people, with a lot of energy and a love for accomplishments. Holding still for six years was unimaginably hard and absolutely necessary.
As they crept together through these six years, Lettie read through the Bible and a library of Christian books, gathering the bits and pieces that helped her the most. Lettie knew what she and Charles needed in these years: that is what provides the strong thematic unity holding together the cut-and-paste work of Streams. That’s why Christians in affliction will continue to find this book a word that speaks directly to their situation, in small daily doses.
Lettie lived for many busy decades after Charles’ death. By 1928 she took charge of the Oriental Missions Society, and she developed a ministry as a public speaker. Her labors as missionary stateswoman included travel to Wales, Ethiopia, Finland, Colombia. And she kept writing. Though none of her books ever reached the classic status of Streams, there was always a substantial reading public for anything she wrote. The follow-up volume, Springs in the Valley, is in some ways even better than Streams, reflecting wider reading and a more comprehensive outlook. But it lacks the focus and intensity that somehow reaches out to readers in Streams. Her last book, Handfuls of Purpose, came out when she was 85.
Lettie Cowman died on April 1
"A lot of people who use the perennially popular devotional book Streams in the Desert think it is by somebody named Charles, because the title page is signed “Mrs. Charles Cowman.” As an author, she successfully concealed herself under her married name, her late husband’s name. Her full name was Lettie Burd Cowman (1870-1960). And the 1925 book she is famous for is itself another stunt of self-concealment: Streams in the Desert is mostly a pastiche of Lettie Cowman’s favorite passages from her own wide devotional reading, assembled on the grid of 365 daily doses.
The authors she cites are a who’s who of the late nineteenth century evangelical movement, especially the missionary, holiness, and Keswick side of the tradition: A. C. Dixon, A. T. Pierson, F. B. Meyer, Andrew Murray, A. B. Simpson, Charles Trumbull, etc. There are many paragraphs written by Cowman herself, but they tend to flow in and out of the quotations seamlessly.
Her work in Streams is mainly a cut-and-paste job, yet Cowman’s compilation of sources has outlived and out-sold most of the authors she quotes. Streams is still in print in a major way.The secret of her editorial success is probably that she wasn’t trying to succeed. Cowman really did produce the book for her own benefit. She wasn’t trying to reach a large audience; she was going through a difficult phase of life, and learning how to commune with God through the suffering.
Lettie had married Charles Cowman in 1889, and five years into their marriage they responded to a call to world missions issued by A. B. Simpson in the Moody Church in Chicago. The couple served in Japan from 1901 to 1917, leading a remarkable evangelistic campaign that focused on distributing literature to every household and training indigenous Christian workers. Charles was a visionary, a gifted administrator, and an inspiring leader. Overwhelmed with the evangelistic success of his mission, Charles worked himself to a complete physical collapse. He and Lettie returned to the USA, settling in Los Angeles, where Charles died after a six-year period of sickness and decline. His biography, Charles E. Cowman: Missionary Warrior, was written by Lettie the year after his death.
It was during these six years that Lettie experienced the suffering that every reader of Streams in the Desert recognizes. For one thing, there was the great physical pain Charles endured in his decline, but equally difficult was the enforced retirement that both Charles and Lettie were subjected to: The Cowmans were habitually busy people, with a lot of energy and a love for accomplishments. Holding still for six years was unimaginably hard and absolutely necessary.
As they crept together through these six years, Lettie read through the Bible and a library of Christian books, gathering the bits and pieces that helped her the most. Lettie knew what she and Charles needed in these years: that is what provides the strong thematic unity holding together the cut-and-paste work of Streams. That’s why Christians in affliction will continue to find this book a word that speaks directly to their situation, in small daily doses.
Lettie lived for many busy decades after Charles’ death. By 1928 she took charge of the Oriental Missions Society, and she developed a ministry as a public speaker. Her labors as missionary stateswoman included travel to Wales, Ethiopia, Finland, Colombia. And she kept writing. Though none of her books ever reached the classic status of Streams, there was always a substantial reading public for anything she wrote. The follow-up volume, Springs in the Valley, is in some ways even better than Streams, reflecting wider reading and a more comprehensive outlook. But it lacks the focus and intensity that somehow reaches out to readers in Streams. Her last book, Handfuls of Purpose, came out when she was 85.
Lettie Cowman died on April 1
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 22, 2017
STREAMS IN THE DESERT FOR KIDS is a devotional that my girls enjoyed. It starts with a verse, a story related to the verse in some way and ends with a prayer. A perfect way for a young child (preschool through early elementary) to start the day with devotions. It is rather simplistic, but it is designed and written for children and not for adults.
If you are looking for a good devotional to read with your young child or grandchild, then STREAMS IN THE DESERT FOR KIDS would be good to consider.
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.
If you are looking for a good devotional to read with your young child or grandchild, then STREAMS IN THE DESERT FOR KIDS would be good to consider.
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
September 30, 2024quit after 10%
December 21, 2014
From the back of the book:
Life Isn’t Easy, Just Because you’re a Kid.
“You know how tough it can be! Bad things happen that make you feel sad, afraid, lonely, or confused. In those times, you need encouragement, wise advice, and help trusting in God. Streams in the Desert for Kids is a year-long book of devotions to help you when things seem hard. Based on a famous book written many years ago, this book combines timeless wisdom with modern stories, sports info, cool scientific facts, and more.
Best of all, it shares amazing insights into God's Word from the classic Streams in the Desert in ways you can relate to, and it helps you apply those insights to your life. All it takes is a couple of minutes reading each day to help you deal with life’s difficult issues and be refreshed, like drinking a cold glass of water on a hot day.”
My Review:
With life’s busy schedule parents often find it hard to help their children with their daily devotions. These devotions, which vary in length from one-half page to a full page, make it easy to find the time.
All scripture quoted, unless otherwise stated, is taken from the NIV. Each of the devotions begins with scripture, followed by the discussion of a topic that correlates with the scripture and ends with a prayer.
This is a wonderful way to help your tween become rooted in God’s Word. It can be used to either start or end your day in God’s Word and many of the topics covered in the devotions could easily be used to initiate discussions on situations at school or daily stresses. Yes even children have stressful events in their lives.
I loved these devotions. They are perfect for ages 8-12. I would highly recommend them.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book, by the publisher, ZonderKidz, for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
Life Isn’t Easy, Just Because you’re a Kid.
“You know how tough it can be! Bad things happen that make you feel sad, afraid, lonely, or confused. In those times, you need encouragement, wise advice, and help trusting in God. Streams in the Desert for Kids is a year-long book of devotions to help you when things seem hard. Based on a famous book written many years ago, this book combines timeless wisdom with modern stories, sports info, cool scientific facts, and more.
Best of all, it shares amazing insights into God's Word from the classic Streams in the Desert in ways you can relate to, and it helps you apply those insights to your life. All it takes is a couple of minutes reading each day to help you deal with life’s difficult issues and be refreshed, like drinking a cold glass of water on a hot day.”
My Review:
With life’s busy schedule parents often find it hard to help their children with their daily devotions. These devotions, which vary in length from one-half page to a full page, make it easy to find the time.
All scripture quoted, unless otherwise stated, is taken from the NIV. Each of the devotions begins with scripture, followed by the discussion of a topic that correlates with the scripture and ends with a prayer.
This is a wonderful way to help your tween become rooted in God’s Word. It can be used to either start or end your day in God’s Word and many of the topics covered in the devotions could easily be used to initiate discussions on situations at school or daily stresses. Yes even children have stressful events in their lives.
I loved these devotions. They are perfect for ages 8-12. I would highly recommend them.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book, by the publisher, ZonderKidz, for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews