Meeting Rich

By C J Kruse

- R I C H   M U L L I N S -

A Liturgy. A Legacy. A Man With A Guitar In My Living Room.

        In 1997, the world was rocked with the news of Rich Mullins' passing. Christians everywhere paused their lives to mourn the loss. Radio stations paid tributes. Newspapers dedicated articles. Friends, family members, fans and fellow musicians came together to remember this man that had impacted their lives.

        I was with my family when I heard. I was standing in our driveway. It seemed strange, because just a few hours prior, I saw Rich Mullins alive, leaving our house. My last conversation with him took place the night before in our living room. I still hadn't yet wrapped my mind around the fact that this legend had somehow come to stay at our house. Now... he was gone?

        The world listened in sad silence, trying to find out what they could. We listened too, and knew there were details to the story the world wouldn't hear.

        Many years later, I have finally written down this story of Rich, staying in our home for the last three weeks of his life as our guest. I know how good things can be forgotten, and I haven't wanted to forget how this has impacted me.

        Not long ago I picked up a pen. I knew that I probably never would if I didn't simply make a move. I began to write down what I remembered. Now, I want to share with you what this story has meant to me.

        Welcome to Meeting Rich. A liturgy. A legacy. A man with a guitar in my living room.

                - R E V I E W S - 

"It is a beautiful description of the great and complex man Rich was". 
        - Michael Aukofer

"Very inspirational. I felt closer to Rich Mullins reading the book."  
        - Amazon Customer

"This was an awesome and enjoyable read. I would recommend it all day."  
        - Amazon Customer

• Language: English
• Publisher: C J Kruse
• Release date: Jun 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393884736

Book preview

Meeting Rich

by Caleb J Kruse

Table of Contents

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1. Introduction

2. Absurd Predictions

3. My Intro To Music

4. A Surprise Phone Call

5. Rich At Our House

6. Pancakes And Bacon

7. Rich's Last Concert

8. Leaving

9. Another Surprise Phone Call

10. Last Album

11. Moving On

12. Sidenote

13. Absurd Predictions Come True

14. Conclusion

15. Other Information

1. Introduction

Homeless man.  Ragamuffin.  Some knew him as Wayne. Others, simply as Rich. Who was he?  To some, an icon.  To hitchhikers, a man with a vehicle who was willing to stop.  Rich was a son, a brother,  an uncle, and a friend.  He was known to many, but all those who knew him also knew one other thing... that he was extraordinary, and that they had to share him with the rest of the world. 

Rich Mullins was born in 1955, and lived until 1997.  His hometown was Richmond, Indiana. He was a Christian contemporary artist.  The songs he is best known for include Sometimes By Step and Awesome God. These songs were chart-topping hits at their time, and they are still sung all throughout the world in churches today. 

Rich was a master on the piano. He was excellent at guitar.  He played mandolin and sang, and was also well-known for incorporating a stringed percussion instrument, the hammered dulcimer, into his music.  But, just as Rich was known for his musical accomplishments, he was also known for his devotion to his faith. He was known for saying whatever was on his heart, and it made some people uneasy that he wasn’t afraid to rock the boat. 

To me, Rich was an inspiration.  To my family, he was a surprise guest who unexpectedly came to be our friend. This great man... the one whose face was on book covers, magazine covers, albums and cassettes... the one whose name was mentioned in so many articles, interviews and radio broadcasts. Who would have ever guessed that the last three weeks of his life would be spent at our house?  Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever guessed that.

Many people have asked me what it was like to have Rich living at our house. And usually, I don't really have much to say. Not because there isn’t much to say, but because... how do you possibly give an answer that sums up the deep, vast spectrum of feelings that the story invokes?  The simple answer: you can't.

So, I decided that maybe it might be better to answer that question a different way... by writing it out in the form of a story.  So here it is.  Welcome to Meeting Rich.  A liturgy.  A legacy.  A man with a guitar in my living

Reviews for Meeting Rich

[Clambake Jenkins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow... If you know who Rich Mullins was (is), then you will be intrigued with this gem of a story that takes you into the unknown last 3 weeks of his life, living with a family in northern Illinois. I have read 2 other of Kruse's books, as I support his cause, but this one really jumped out - being a big Rich fan nearly since I was a kid. 5 stars easy.