Steven Potaczek - piano & vocals

I’ve always dreamed of writing and performing music. I remember as a kid singing ‘Beatles’ songs when I was supposed to be napping. When I was about 8, my Dad bought me a killer Casio keyboard and taught me how to play my first song with him, “La Bamba” (the next song was “Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds” and then “Hey Jude”).

I grew up in a Catholic home. I went to a Catholic school and attended mass every Sunday, but it wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I began to take the Christian faith seriously. There, I got involved in a Bible study at school (reluctantly at first, but there was free food involved) and quickly found that I wanted to know more. It was in that time and with those friends that I made the choice to yield my life to Christ. It was the best thing I’ve ever done.

I’ve been through my share of tough times. For a while, my family was monitored by the Department of Children and Family Services, and sadly my parents ended up divorcing when I was in school. During college, I developed a form of tendonitis in my arms and as a result, was forced to drop out for a time (some days I couldn’t even type a paper). When I eventually did go back, I started suffering from an anxiety disorder.

In spite of all this, God has taken hold of me and I have seen Him work good into these situations. I still ended up graduating from college in four years (which was kind of a miracle in and of itself), was healed from the tendonitis, now have more peace with my beloved family than I ever have, and am working through my anxiety. Most importantly, I am growing with God and others in ways that I never knew were possible. That’s not to say that my life is perfect now, but knowing that Father God is with me has made all the difference.

I really desire for others to experience God. It is the foundational reason Amanda and I started 1000 Generations. Jesus said, “Keep open house! By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:15-16). Music is the conduit through which I find intense beauty and honesty, so we all might be able to open up and experience God together. It’s also incredibly fun.

I don’t use my Casio keyboard much anymore, but I still play Beatles songs quite a bit with my Dad. Not so much “La Bamba,” but definitely the Beatles.

-Steven