The Providence of Loss by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman “It came to pass . . . that the brook dried up” (1 Kings 17:7). The education of our faith is incomplete if we have not learned that there is a providence of loss, a ministry of failing and of fading things, a gift of emptiness. …
Hitherto by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (I Sam. 7:12). The word “hitherto” seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past. Twenty years or seventy, and yet “hitherto hath the Lord helped us!” Through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health; at home, abroad, on the land, …
Ordering The Stops | Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman “In waiting, I waited, for the Lord” (Ps. 40:1, margin). Waiting is much more difficult than walking. Waiting requires patience, and patience is a rare virtue. It is fine to know that God builds hedges around His people–when the hedge is looked …
Pruned To Yield Fruit by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman “And every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” John 15:2 A child of God was dazed by the variety of afflictions which seemed to make her their target. Walking past a vineyard in the rich autumnal glow she …
Trust Amid the Silence by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman “He answered her not a word” (Matt. 15:23) “He will be silent in his love” (Zeph. 3:17) It may be a child of God is reading these words who has had some great crushing sorrow, some bitter disappointment, some heart-breaking blow from a totally unexpected quarter. …
Open Our Eyes, That We May See by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman “Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). This is the prayer we need to pray for ourselves and for one another, “Lord, open our eyes that we may see”; for the world …
Belief, Not Understanding by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? (John 11:40). Mary and Martha could not understand what their Lord was doing. Both of them said to Him, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” …
We Know Not What We Should Pray For (Rom. 8:26) by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman “We know not what we should pray for as we ought” (Rom. 8:26). Much that perplexes us in our Christian experience is but the answer to our prayers. We pray for patience, and our Father sends those who tax us …
