This book attempts to look more at the wisdom than at the facts of a life. While it contains many stories about Rich’s life, it contains more of Rich Mullins’s own words, which are provocative and profound. What he had to say, combined with how he lived his life, is what is most challenging. My hope is that by letting his insights come forth, you will find yourself reflecting on your own life.
— James Bryan Smith
Rich Mullins: an Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Bryan Smith — In this devotional biography, James Bryan Smith, who was a close friend of Rich Mullins for many years, weaves together insights from Rich’s own words, stories from his life, interviews with his family and friends, and quotes from figures of faith who inspired him, using all of these elements to create a book that reflects the essence of Rich’s life and faith.
This unique book is filled with lessons on faith, all centered on one of ten main themes. It’s inspiring, thought-provoking, and challenging. If the world was a cathedral, this book would be part of a stained glass window letting in shards of light found in glimpses of prodigal grace.
In Rich’s apparent disregard for his own reputation, we get the sense that he is not trying to protect anything. He isn’t wearing any armor. There is a reckless generosity in the way Rich throws himself under the bus so that we can catch a glimpse of what the unfailing love of God looks like in the honest-to-God life of a broken, beloved, sinful child of God. Rich’s transparency about his messiness helps me believe that I might be loved in my mess, too.
— Jason Gray
Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth by Andrew Greer and Randy Cox — Written to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Rich’s entrance into heaven, this compilation features short essays written by a diverse collection of contributors, each of whom has been impacted in some way by Rich’s life. The devotionals cover themes like loving people who are different from you, dealing with grief, daring to be vulnerable, witnessing the beauty of creation, and longing for home. Several reminiscent reflections from those who knew Rich personally are also included.
I enjoyed getting to hear from so many different perspectives. This book reads like a canvas covered with strokes of contrasting yet complementary colors, each contributor adding another shade of insight.
It is always important that a fiddle should remember (and, who would guess that it could forget?) that it is a fiddle—that it is wood and wire and polish and glue and not much more than that—except, of course, in the caress of a fiddler. There, in that hand, on that shoulder under that chin—all of its lightness delicately balanced and its strings skillfully bowed—it becomes a voice. There, out of the hollow body and thin skin of this little peculiarly-shaped box, the fiddler forges his music. There, in a sense, the word becomes flesh, the fiddler’s idea becomes concrete, shimmering concrete reality. And this, of course, is what a fiddle dreams of at night in the dark of its closet, in the stifling closeness of its case.
— Rich Mullins
The World as I Remember It: Through the Eyes of a Ragamuffin by Rich Mullins — Truly a treasure, this book is a collection of twenty-five articles Rich wrote for Release magazine. Poetic and profound, with lines to make you laugh and lines to make you cry, this book is sure to make you think deeply.
There are wheat fields so big back home, you can’t imagine. Their size hardly has any meaning, you know? They just cover the earth. So you’ve walked for hours up to your waist in the wheat, deep in your own thoughts. You’ve made your way to the center of this dry ocean of living plants, not paying attention to where you are or where you’re going. In all directions the horizon vanishes. Then you hear it. It’s a rushing, like a million little ocean waves. It sounds like gold looks. It’s the quietest power you can ever hear. It’s not a tame sound at all. It’s like the sound of God breathing.
— Reed Arvin
The Wind in the Wheat by Reed Arvin — This book isn’t technically about Rich Mullins; however, the main character bears a remarkable resemblance to him, and it was written by his producer. Rich endorsed this book by saying that “[t]his book should be read by everyone who loves integrity, music, or just great writing.” I agree.
There’s a lot in The Wind in the Wheat, which tells the story of a young man from Kansas named Andrew Miracle who has an incredible music gift that he longs to use for God. After being discovered by an industry insider, he heads to Nashville to begin his ascent to fame. Much of the book describes Andrew’s experiences as a rising star. As he slowly realizes that the life of a Nashville artist isn’t what he thought it would be, he discovers that he has a choice to make.
The main goal of this book is to explore what it truly means to serve God, and it achieves this goal masterfully. This story prompted me to ponder the choices I make in pursuit of the dreams God has placed on my heart.
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