Tuesday Tunes: Window To His Love by Julie de Azevedo
STORY Behind the song "Window To His Love"
I was in tears after giving a musical fireside to a youth group one Sunday night about 20 years ago. "Why am I doing this?" I asked myself. Why was I putting myself through the stress of giving up my Sunday nights, leaving my little baby, and singing for people? From my point of view the fireside had been a complete failure, void of the spirit, and not worth the effort for me or for the congregation. "Why am I doing this music thing? What went wrong?" I asked myself and God as I prayed through my tears.Rarely have my prayers been answered immediately, but this prayer was different. If I'm remembering correctly, it was that very same night an image of a window with the Savior standing behind it flooded my mind and soon after, most of the words poured out on paper through my tears as I plunked the melody out on our little upright piano. This was truly a gift of mercy given to a young wife and mother in her early 20's who for years had been plagued with insecurities and self-doubt, but also arm with strong desire to do God's will and to follow Jesus Christ.Heavenly Father taught me what went wrong at the fireside as he gently showed me that I was in way. I was so worried about myself, how I was doing, sounding, and how I looked, that he couldn't work with me. He couldn't use me as an instrument. I needed to get out of the way so he could work through me. The lyrics to "Window To His Love" have become a motto for over 2 decades and the truths in this song were and are my only hope for making a difference in the world. I want to be a window to His love.
LISTEN To "Window To His Love"
[powerpress]
Download "Window To His Love" on iTunes
State of the Heart CD (reprise - piano/vocal)State of the Heart CD (pop version)Pray For Rain Live Concert CD / EFY Window to His Love: Intimate Renditions of Inspirational Favorites CD
LYRICS
Window to His Love (Reprise)From the album State of the Heart Words & Music: Julie de Azevedo© 1992 Mohrgud Music (BMI)I want to be a window to His loveSo when you look at me you will see HimI want to be so pure and clearThat you won't even know I'm here'Cause His love will shine brightly through meI want to be a doorway to the truthSo when you walk beyond you will find HimI want to stand so straight and tallThat you won't notice me at allBut through my open door He will be seenChorusA window to His loveA doorway to the truthA bearer of the messageHe'd have me bring to youAnd with each passing dayI want to fade away'Til only He can be seenAnd I become a window to His loveI want to be a window to His loveSo you can look through me and you'll see HimAnd someday shining through the glassYou'll see His loving countenance'Cause I will have become like He isChorusA doorway to the truthA bearer of the messageHe'd have me bring to youAnd with each passing yearI want to disappear'Til He's become everythingAnd I've become a window to His love
FUN FACTS ABOUT "Window To His Love"
- The only hate mail I ever received was about this song.
- I've recorded this song more times than any other song I've written.
- This song is the most recorded songs that I've written, recorded numerous times by many other artists.
- The words original words "And someday shining through my face" were recorded on the first recording were changed to "And someday shining through the glass you'll see His loving countenance."
- The first recording of Window to His Love appeared on the CD "Charity Never Faileth."
- It's been recorded in many different languages.
- This is the most widely performed song I've written (probably because it's one of the few "chapel appropriate" songs in my collection).
- People who know this song usually don't know who wrote it (and I love it).
- When I polled my Julie de Azevedo Facebook friends which song introduced them to my music "Window To His Love" had the most votes by a long shot.
- Google search turns up about 45 pages when you search the song title. Try it.
- There are several YouTube videos/slideshows about the song (none of which I was involved in)
- The little baby crawling around when I wrote this song is now serving a full-time LDS mission in England and is listening to the CD "Window To His Love" and sharing it with converts and companions.
- I continued to be overwhelmed and humbled when I perform this song and the majority of the audience can sing a long on the chorus. It still blows me away after 20 + years that a little song that came through a desperate twenty-something has reached so many people. God is good.