The author of this book, Lettie Cowman, often stated, "I did not write Streams. God gave me Streams." The book was created when I's author and her husband, Charles Cowman, went through the hard times of his illness that forced the couple to return from their mission in Japan. Seeing the everyday sufferings of her husband and thus, suffering herself, Letty found relief in reading Bible and recording everything her recollections daily. Through time, her notes made a whole book. The book is split into daily sections. Each section starts with a passage from Bible and a quote from another book and contains the author's reflections on patience, suffering, and obedience to the will of God. In the beginning, no one believed that this book could be a success, even its publisher. Yet, Lettie's recollections on pain and suffering were mirrored by thousands of other people coming through hard times and helped them find peace and relief.