Becoming a Stream in the Desert
My father-in-law Charlie Flowers loved to tell the story of how a friend came to his rescue on Black Tuesday in 1929, the day Wall Street crashed and banks closed for good. Charlie had planned to withdraw some cash from his bank account the day before but he got busy doing chores and didn’t make it before closing. When the Crash hit he was devastated.
Hours later he ran into his friend Miles in the street. Charlie told Miles what had happened. On the spot, Miles reached into his pants pocket and pulled out $700 in cash. “It’s all I’ve got in the world,” he said. “But you’ve got nothing, Charlie. Here, half is yours,” he said, peeling off $350, “and you don’t owe me a penny.”
Miles had truly been a stream in the desert for Charlie and his family.
Some sixty years later a Ms. Butler stepped up to the customer service counter at Nordstrom department store to pay her bill. My husband, who worked there at the time, commented on her last name. “Butler. I haven’t heard that name in years. Miles Butler was my dad’s best friend in Kentucky,” Charles continued, making small talk as he processed the woman’s paperwork. Ms. Butler appeared interested.
Charles proceeded to tell her the story of his dad, Charlie, and his friend, Miles, on that fateful day when Miles had been such a good friend to Charles’s father. Two days later Ms. Butler returned to the store with a message for my husband who was off that day. When Charles read the note the following morning, he called me on the spot. “Listen to this,” he said, knowing I’d be interested in the follow-up to the incident with Ms. Butler.
“James Miles Butler was my paternal grandfather’s brother,” her note read, adding a few more details that she had gleaned from a conversation with a relative.
What an amazing discovery! A moment of spontaneous generosity between two men who are now gone, gave birth to another moment of joy between two of their family members who had a chance meeting decades later.
Like my father-in-law, millions of people are caught at times in the desert of life, limping across the burning sand without resources, without hope. Maybe you’ve been there. I know I have. I’m now more aware than ever that when I meet men and women in this place, it’s an opportunity to be a refreshing stream for them. God will show me what and where and how much to do. Even a small stream makes a big difference to a person who is materially and emotionally dry.
My stream, like Miles’s can continue watering others for decades to come–even after I’ve died. I can refresh the children at a homeless shelter when I volunteer to read to them, tutor them or help serve meals to their desperate families.
My stream can revive a single parent who is parched to the bone from the stress of rearing young children alone. I can take her kids for an hour or so. Go to the park or out for ice cream.
Combine my stream with others and I can flood an entire desert: a crisis center for unwed mothers, an orphanage in Mexico, a nursing home, a children’s hospital, all in need of the water of love and service and practical help I can provide–if I put my mind and heart to it.
How have you been a stream in the desert of another’s life or how has someone been a stream in yours?
“I will instruct you,” says the Lord, “and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with my eye” (Psalms 32:8 NIV).
Wonderful, Karen. What a difference it would make if more people felt that way. Thank you.
Thanks, Marie. I always enjoy seeing your comments.
The needs these days seem to be overwhelming at times and certainly there’s not enough time in a day to try to meet even some of them. If you have a heart to serve (as I do) it’s easy to get burned out. That’s when it’s important to inquire of the LORD -as to what His direction might be. His plan is always perfect when we submit ourselves to His will and His way!
I entirely agree, Glenda. You have always inspired me with your gift of service. I’m glad you know when to rest, as well, especially as we get older.
I love this story, Karen. I can picture Charles’ dad and then Charles talking to the relative years later. What a connection. I love that we can be that stream in the desert at just the right moment for someone in need. We have to be aware and notice when God is leading us to be there with help just in time…and then actually do it. What a blessing it is to have that happen.
I so agree. It’s really special when we feel that prompting and know the timing is right.
WOW! I got goosebumps and chills too when reading this! Thank you for sharing this. I do remember something not that dramatic but something that happened to me when my minister husband and I moved to Northside Methodist Church in Paducah, Ky. We had a lovely new parsonage ( the minister’s houses were furnished by the church) with lots of new furniture. We had a utility room but no washer nor dryer so I had to go to the laundrymat to do my laundry. We had two children so we had a lot of laundry. One of the members of the church was named Fergerson. He learned that I was the daughter of the pastor he had when his family lived at Reidland. I was three years old when we had moved to Reidland and eleven when we moved from there. Mr Fergerson was so excited to see me after all these years, and remembered me as a little girl. He went right out and bought a washer and dryer for “me” – of course for the Parsonage! What a wonderful gift! I felt so blessed knowing him and his wife ‘again’ and they were so happy my husband was their pastor.
God does work in mysterious ways His wonders to preform, even if they are in the form of a washer and dryer! I believe in His ways and am thankful.
Thanks for another heart warming story from the Flowers Family!
Love and some hugs too, Margaret
Oh Margaret, what an inspiring personal story of someone being a stream in your desert when you were a young mom and needed a washer and dryer in your parsonage. That man’s generosity continued to give to you over the years. Beautiful example.
What a beautiful story, Karen. How lovely that Charles and the Butler descendant met in Nordstrom many years later. Truly a God-moment and precious!
When I left an inner city ministry where I had experienced a lot of grief and confusion, I wanted to hibernate. Not ready to be social or interact with others. But I was in church with my parents and they, and I, were invited to the home of friends for lunch. I wasn’t happy.
But as I walked in the door and met Eileen, my chaotic spirit lay down and went to sleep. Despite my anxiety, she was a stream in the desert to my heart that day and I’ve never forgotten it – or her!
Thanks for sharing this, Carol. How blessed you were to feel the cooling water of your new friend at a time when you were burned out. I can surely relate to this.
This so touched me!! I pray I can always be a stream and that I will be wise enough to go to the living water and have my stream filled and filled again! I love your posts and your wisdom!
Thanks, Patti. So good to hear from you. I appreciate your comment and your heart.