rich mullins, 9 years later

two posts in one night! unbelievable!

i didnt realize it until by sheer happenstance (yeah yeah..) i went searching for lyrics to a rich mullins song, and saw that it was nine years ago today that he was killed.
if you arent familiar with mullins' music, or only attach "awesome god" to his name, do yourself a favor and get some of his music, especially his last recording called "the jesus record".
the music on that album is unbelievable. he was killed before he was able to get into the studio to record them professionally, but to hear just his voice singing those lyrics with a beat up guitar and an almost-in-tune piano in an old church is inspiring. he truly was a gifted man.

the lyrics i was looking for were to the song "hold me jesus" (from the album series "songs" and songs 2" , both are must have's) . this song has ministered to me in several ways throughout the years. most poignantly on september 11, 2001.
i had no access to television when that happened, and had only heard by a panic stricken phone call from a girl i barely knew, and a brief conversation with my dad what was going on.
i listened to the radio while getting ready for class. as i drove to class, the d.j.'s on the radio were crying and reading scripture. though i hadn't yet seen the destruction, the preliminary numbers of probable casualties was staggering. that mixed with the uncertainty if more attacks were coming or not.
i remember the sky was the bluest i had ever, and probably still have ever seen. so peaceful. so serene. it was hard to imagine that just minutes before there were people much closer to that cloudless deep blue sky who knew that they were going to die, but could look out of their windows and see such beauty in a moment of such repulsive ugliness.
and on the radio came this rich mullins song:

Well, sometimes my life Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big And my faith just seems so small

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It's so hot inside my soul I swear there mus
t be blisters on my heart

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees
And this Salvation Army band Is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep It makes my
resistance seem so thin

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

thanks rich.

-stephen