Sunday Writing... "DESERT STREAMS" ... 8/6/17

Good morning!

Today's author is Jan Andersen.  She writes about "DESERT STREAMS" this morning.  Just like in the desert there are streams that bring life, we have our own deserts of difficulties in our lives, and we search for the living water in the desert to help us through.

May you be blessed by God's living water today and throughout this week!

Blessings,
Jan and Corinne

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Today's Devotional

Written by

Jan Andersen

"DESERT STREAMS"

"Desert streams" may seam like an oxymoron to most people, but there are rivers and streams in the Arizona desert where I live.  Sometimes they are just washes that fill only when there are rain storms at certain times of year.  Others are flowing all the time, just more abundantly when the monsoons come.  Rivers and streams are generally filled with fresh water, but there is one near where I live that is salty.  In fact it is called the Salt River.  This is a very rare occurrence in the world.  This river begins as fresh water upstream, but becomes salty further downstream where Salt Cedar/Tamarisk trees have taken over the river banks.  They are an invasive plant, brought in initially to stabilize the shorelines by decreasing erosion and to cut down on wind damage to homes and crops.  There is a debate as to whether this tree species pushes out all other vegetation or just grows where nothing else will.  Their roots take in the salt from the earth and store it in their leaves.  When the leaves fall into the water it makes the river salty.  Too much salt in the earth can make it barren of the plant life that would naturally grow there.  So what was brought in to help initially, may be damaging in other ways.

There are times in our lives where we feel we are in the desert.  We go through difficulties, some of our own making and some inflicted by others, or perhaps from unknown sources.  We start searching for streams of relief.  Sometimes we search in the wrong places or put our trust in people instead of God.  It is ok to rely on people for help, but we must remember that God is the source of our strength.  People, like Salt Cedars, can be his helpful instruments, but they are not the origin of power for healing.  If we don't turn to God and trust him, our faith will wither like a bush in the desert without rain.  If the desert stream nourishment we do find is too salty and dehydrates us, it will make us ill.  Our faith will not thrive if we only chase after human reasoning and what we feel is right by the world's standards.

But when we put our whole confidence in God, we are filled with the living water of the Holy Spirit.  We are like trees planted right on the river bank, with roots deep under the waters.  Even if there is a long period of drought, the river never completely dries out.  Such is our faith that is rooted deeply in God.  When we go through times of troubles, we are still nourished from the inside by God.  Even if our leaves get sunburned or wilted, we are still alive within.  In time the nourishment reaches the branches again, and we bear good fruit in season.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NIV)  This is what the Lord says:  "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.  That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes.  They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.  But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.   They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Dear Father God, thank you for creating this vast and wonderful world.  Help us to turn to you for our strength and to trust you in our times of trouble.  Though we live in this world and use its resources, remind us that you are the forgiver and rescuer, the source of everlasting life in Jesus and faith through your Spirit.  Thank you for being our desert stream of living water.  Keep us rooted in you and nourished in faith so that we may bear good and abundant fruit to witness to others of your merciful goodness and forgiveness for all.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

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"Streams in the Desert"

by Abigail Miller

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Here is an uplifting graphic

for you:

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you 

by the Staff Writers of 

Women's Focus Ministry

  Jan Andersen,  Cathy Friberg,  Sandy Billingham, Beverley Napier, Shelly Keith, 

Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  Karen Bennett, 

Carol Steficek, Amie Spruiell, and  Corinne Mustafa

Occasional Contributors
Kathy Bireley,  Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,

Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns

Glenna Williamson, Lisabeth  Lipp, Nandita Bhatnagar.