To The One

¹⁷ My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.

This was my prayer in a season of brokenness for me. I was very ill and not sure how things would work out. I felt like I’d had to let go of everything that had previously given me esteem.
So I remember sitting at my piano at home and singing the refrain which forms the first part of the the song, over and over, feeling like the only offering I could bring was a song from a broken heart and spirit.

Then a few years later, at a songwriting retreat, Nadine and I were sitting at a piano in a barn in the Sussex countryside. This in itself was already a beautiful picture of restoration, I was in community and in much better health. We talked about the kindness of God and how he draws close in times of difficulty and how the Holy Spirit prays through us the prayers that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to articulate and how the Holy Spirit inspires worship in us rather than through striving.

Romans 8: 26
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

And so the whole song was formed.
The song began at a time of isolation, ill health and brokenness, and it came to life with a beautiful friend and in a community of worshippers.
So ultimately this song carries a lot of hope. It carries the story of the love of God and the healing power of community. It carries the story of a God who draws close in every season of the soul, and calls the offerings of our hearts beautiful. He gives word to the things we are not even able to express, but which he knows already. This is our God, a faithful father and friend.

To The One
Written By: Ayozie Pollendine and Nadine Furer
Lead Vocals: Ayozie Pollendine
Production: Joe Watt
Mix: Rich Titchener