Sometimes it’s small things and sometimes it’s big things that can change the course of a life.
For Katy Weirich, singer, songwriter and worship leader, both have helped her find God’s plan and carry it through. And both have led to leaning on Him.
Small things
It was one of those “small things” that changed the direction of Weirich’s life from marketing and communications to music.
“I had a dear friend of mine who basically [said] flat out, ‘What are you doing? I mean, you need to do music.’ It rattled me and I just remember going home and really thinking about it and … telling my parents about it. I ended up switching to studying music.”
God’s confirmation for the shift came when Weirich was allowed to audition for her school’s music program after auditions concluded. One of the heads of the program had recently moved across the street and allowed her to audition at her home.
This provision was one of the ways Weirich began building a foundation of trusting in God’s plan, even when life didn’t work out so easily.
Big things
During college one of those “big things” shaped her future in a more drastic way.
She began having unusual symptoms she couldn’t explain, including extreme dizziness. She assumed it was an inner ear problem.
After working with doctors Weirich got a diagnosis, depression and anxiety that resulted in unusual panic attacks.
With God’s help, medical treatment and the support of family, friends and her church, Weirich overcame the worst of the anxiety and depression.
God continued to provide through her early attempts at using music for both ministry and income. She taught music for a while and then started a business that provided music for weddings, either through contracting other groups or playing and singing herself.
After Weirich’s first pregnancy, she had severe postpartum depression, living again through the nightmare she’d experienced in college. She also dealt with postpartum depression following two subsequent pregnancies.
“The second time was really, really, really bad. I almost was hospitalized,” she admitted. “I was collapsing, like panic attacks. I wasn’t going unconscious, but my body was literally just giving out, and I would just fall. That’s pretty dangerous when you’re the primary caregiver of an infant that you are holding all of the time.”
Her husband ended up taking six weeks off work to care for her and their children.
“It was very, very dark,” Weirich remembered. “I didn’t want to be awake. I really felt like I was fighting for my life.”
Turning to scripture
When Weirich experienced her first major bout of depression and anxiety during college, 2 Corinthians 12:9 became her life verse, and she leaned on it during this time.
“I felt the presence of the Lord the most strongly of my entire life that entire time because I was so desperate and so needy,” Weirich recalled. “I’m thankful for the relationship between me and the Father that grew so much out of that time and for the songs that came out of it.
“I’m seeing a lot now — a lot of purpose to that pain … in that season.”
Most of the songs for an upcoming EP, “Out of the Blue,” stemmed from those difficult days.
“A lot of my music has been autobiographical, speaking to personal experiences that I’ve dealt with,” Weirich said. “This album that’s coming out is mostly just stemming from those times. It’s been an outlet, it’s been a way to put to paper just the good, the bad, the ugly, but also the hope.
“It’s been a really beautiful way of getting to express those struggles and hopefully a way to help other people and encourage other people walking through the same things to know that they’re not alone.
“I think music is one of God’s amazing gifts to mankind.”
The release date for Weirich’s debut EP is June 17. Find the songs on any streaming service. To learn more about Weirich and her ministry visit www.katyweirich.com.
