In a profound testament to the redemptive power of art, Ryan Woodard, diagnosed with Autism at the tender age of three, discovered his voice through the transformative vehicle of music. Echoing the biblical verse, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16), Ryan’s journey to verbal communication stands as a luminous illustration of grace in action.
Despite his diagnosis, Ryan grappled with the challenges of Autism that made verbal expression a daunting task. A young boy who couldn’t utter a word until he reached the age of 10, Ryan found solace and a sort of divine speech therapy in the melodies and lyrics of The Beatles. As articulated by Ryan’s father, the lad found a unique key to unlock his voice by dedicating an entire year to saturate himself in Beatles music.
Ryan didn’t just stop at The Beatles. Continuing his journey through the world of music, he embraced the songs of Michael Jackson for another six months, soaking in rhythms and lyrics that further expanded his vocabulary and confidence. Just as King David soothed his own and Saul’s troubled spirits with the gentle strumming of the lyre, Ryan found in music a sanctuary, a haven, and an instrument of God’s peace.
Ryan’s tale challenges the notion that Autism is a barrier to connection. He discovered a lifeline in the words of John Mayer, his favorite musician, and joyfully sang the lyrics of Mayer’s song “Gravity” with uninhibited expression. Imagine the rapture of parents hearing their child, long silenced by a condition they could not control, articulate his world through song. It mirrors the joy of the biblical father whose prodigal son returned home, not in shame but in the redemptive grace of self-expression.
Today, Ryan embodies the heart of the apostle Paul’s teaching, illustrating how music can be a form of worship, a tool for teaching, and a way to admonish one another in wisdom. His life, like a well-crafted hymn, encourages us to find our voices through whatever means God provides, and to sing with grace in our hearts.
Watch the video below to witness this miraculous story unfold.