From Ashes To Beauty - The Vine Band

Songwriter Tom Read shares about how this song was written:

"A couple of years ago we did a series at church based on Isaiah 61 that was talking about how, as Christians, we are called by God to be his hands and feet here on the earth. I was really struck by the words in Isaiah 61, especially where it talks about how God will bestow on those that grieve 'a crown of beauty, instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.'

Those verses of scripture really formed the basis of the song. I love the way that God takes broken lives and He transforms them into something beautiful. In each one of us is a testimony of how God has changed our lives, and in Him we find the hope that we need. But it doesn't stop with us - Isaiah 61 calls us to go and share that same hope with 'the captives, the brokenhearted, and the poor.' so I re-wrote the chorus with those lyrics.

Originally I had a different chorus to the song that I didn't feel was working so well with the rest of the song, so I put the song down for awhile and worked on some other songs that I was also writing at the time. In September 2007, our church did a creative arts teaching series called 'From Ashes To Beauty' that again was based on Isaiah 61. As I was preparing for the series, my prayer to God over and over was - 'would you take these hands of mine and use me, would you take these feet of mine and lead me'

At the same time, a friend sent me a link to a youtube clip of Bono speaking at the NAACP awards. In his profound speech Bono said: 'God, my friends, is with the poor. And God is with us if we are with them.' It moved me to tears and I knew that these were words that the church needed to hear and adhere to. With those words fresh in my mind I wrote the bridge to the song:

'You lead me to the poor, that's where You are
You lead me to the lost, that's where You are
You lead me to the weak, that's where You are
Lord I want to be where You are'

I think the two core messages of the song are that; no matter how bad a situation is, God can turn it around and make it into something beautiful. I've seen it happen over and over again in my life and in hundreds of other people's lives. And secondly, God has anointed us to minister His transforming power to the world, and especially the lost, broken, and poor.

Want more on this song?



D
The spirit of the sovereign Lord
Bm
Is on me now
G A Bm A/C#
To love, to speak, to heal, to preach
(To go, to free, to give, to feed)
D
The spirit of the sovereign Lord
Bm
Is on me now
G
Giving life
(Spreading Love)

G – A Bm – A
You turn ashes to beauty
G – A Bm – A
Mourning to dancing
G – A Bm D
Anguish to songs of praise

CHORUS:
D Bm – G
Pour Your spirit over me
A D
Let Your love rain down
D Bm G
Would You take these hands of mine
A
And use me


D Bm – G
Pour Your spirit over me
A D
Let Your love rain down
D Bm G
Would You take these feet of mine
A
And lead me

BRIDGE:
F#m Bm Em
You lead me to the poor
F#m
That’s where You are
Bm Em
You lead me to the weak
F#m
That’s where You are
Bm Em
You lead me to the lost
F#m
That’s where You are
Bm Em
Lord I want to be
Em
Where You are