Crack the Window

The north Georgia mountains in October are beautiful.  Red, yellow, orange splashes everywhere.  Lovely, cool temperatures.  I love it.

Then I go inside—a delightful country lodge, with a great fireplace.  Cozy and welcoming.

Alas, as is true in most cold climates I have visited, the inside heat is just too high.  Since I’m almost always hot and my sweet hubby is mostly cold, we once again had to compromise:  too hot for me and too cold for him.—a toasty (to me) middle ground.

But I have a secret trick to cool it off a little.  I crack the window just a bit—enough to let some cool air in and dissipate the heat.

Then, when my honey heads out to walk, or meet someone, or get my coffee, I open that window just a little more.  Comfort.

That’s kind of what it’s been like over years of seeking to open doors for women to be trained and prepared to use their gifts and strengths to contribute significantly to building God’s Kingdom.

First I crack the window.

I let some fresh air into the hearts and minds of God’s daughters:  God made you who you are, the way you are, as a strong warrior in the battle, for His intentional purposes.  He created you in His image, to be in relationship with him, to reflect Him to all creation.  He blessed you to work with your brothers in Kingdom assignments. He designed you specifically for the good works He has already prepared for you to do.

I love seeing eyes brighten, the light of hope click on, as women grasp the reality that they were created to be full participants in God’s great mission on earth.  Throw the window open wide.  Give them a bigger vision than they thought was possible.Proclaim the truth of Acts 2:17-18 as Peter preached at Pentecost: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”

As the Spirit was given, to sons and daughters, God announced his desire from the beginning:  For men and women to work together, employing their gifts, with power and anointing from above, to reconcile the world to our loving Father.

And then we need to crack the window for our brothers, so they can rejoice with us in this great good news of help in the formidable assignment we have been given!

What about you?  Have you opened your window?

C 2014 Judy Douglass