Raggamuffin- Rich Mullins

When I was in college I listened to a lot of Christian music.  My favorite Christian music to listen to when I wanted to feel really close to God or I was having a quiet time would always be Keith Green.  I remember when I was first introduced to Keith Green music my freshman year of college, I said to my friend, man he'd be great to go see in concert.  Only to find out he had died 10 years before.  It was tragic to me. I'd listened

to all his songs, and soaked them in, and would never get to see him perform live.  Bummer I bet he was amazing.  I then read his book No Compromise and it was life changing at the time.  Then came along Rich Mullins.  We saw him in concert at Ichthus one year, and it was almost as if I kind of got my wish, they were different people in different times, but seem to have the same heart to live out God's word, in an amazingly open kind of way.  They both wrote songs that allow us to feel and hear scripture the way God intended for us to feel it.  They both allow me still to this day feel God's presence when I need it the most. I can remember singing Create in Me a Clean heart, when I dealt with the usual life struggles any 20 something would deal with in the early 90, that seemed to allow God to speak to me as if to say, you got this, and I got you, life gets better.  

I remember Rich's concert well we were pretty close to the stage, and we were mesmerized when he spoke and sang.  I remember he was barefoot, and had on a white t-shirt and jeans, and it was one of the best most spirit filled concerts I had ever seen.  To this day when I feel lost or alone, Hold me Jesus is my song of choice.  My favorite Rich Mullins story of all time though is, when he was in Columbus, and he stopped at a Christian music store, the one my BFF worked at.  He asked to use the restroom, she was star struck.  She didn't clean the toilet seat for a long time.  

Just watched the Rich Mullins movie, it was good learned a lot of stuff I oddly didn't know about Rich, like he went to CBC-Cincinnati Bible College.......what?  How did I not know that?  That's almost like me not knowing Keith Green was dead.  So he got his start right here, how cool is that.  I also didn't know that he wrote many of the songs that made Amy Grant famous.  Did someone tell me this and I just forgot or maybe I wasn't listening.  No offense to the actor who played Rich but Rich was way better looking.  

My Favorite Rich Mullins Album