Can I share with you my Mitch story? It begins with Rich.
~  by Kelli Paslawski

A couple of days after Rich went to be with the Lord, the station here did a tribute. They played music and re-aired a interview that was taped only a few weeks prior. I had not heard of Rich.  I knew Awesome God (of course) but had no idea who sang it.  As I listened to the interview I became intrigued by him.  They played many songs but "Elijah" was the one that really stuck out.

For NO spiritual reason at all that song spoke to me. I don't even know what God said to me through that song (and still don't but it's a favorite) but the Spirit was working. My husband came home from work and I just couldn't stop talking about the music and about Rich and what he said.  Shortly afterwards I tried to get the tape with Awesome God on it but had no luck.  All of a sudden the world found out about Rich after he died and his music was in demand.

That's something that bothered me.  I didn't know about him until he was gone.  This made me soooo sad at times.  But thankfully through many people over the internet and other sources, I have come to know the man behind the music.  So I asked my mom to buy me the tape for christmas.  So life went on... I guess I kinda forgot about Rich Mullins.  I was in a great bible study about God's faithfulness and His sufficient grace.  I was spiritually strong- life was good.

Then my brother Steve suddenly passed away on Dec 12 97.  He was 32 a bit older then me. He wasn't sick.  We found out later that he had a blood clot that he didn't know about.  It busted and killed him.  So that was so sad and hurtful for our family.  But the Lord proved Himself faithful to get me through this time.  I clung to the Lord and I knew His presence was close to me.  I felt peace about my brother's salvation.  I believed that he was with God.

Here enters Christmas and the tape that my mother so dearly didn't give up trying to purchase for me.  The Lord must of known how dear it would become to me because six weeks after Steve died, I allowed the enemy to put doubt into my mind about my brother's salvation.  To avoid doctrine issues lets just say I started to think that maybe my brother wasn't in heaven.  This was a very unpeaceful place to be let me say.  I allowed the enemy to get a hold of my thought life.  Are you familiar with the passage of scripture that Paul says to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ Jesus?  Well I did NOT do that.  I allowed my mind to make my heart doubt.  Not only did I begin to doubt my brother's salvation, but everything I believed to be true about God.  Let me say.. I have two children and a husband and many situations come up in our life that are unpleasant at times but doubting my faith was by far the scariest and most unpeaceful place I have ever been.

So at a time that I did not know how to pray or what to pray or if God even cared, I saturated myself in this one little tape that I had of Rich.  I firmly believe that the songs on that tape "winds of heaven stuff of earth" helped me on my journey.  I was not in some rebellion or out right sin but I knew that my faith had been shaken.  I was also in a great bible study and with a great group of ladies.  I figured I may as well pray honestly to God since He knew my heart anyways!!  Then Rich's songs began to make me feel so much better about Steve and where I knew he was!  I love the song "Glory"..!

So enters Mitch.... I got the Jesus Record and was so blown away.  I just cried.  My heart was joyful over the lyrics and the way that God has allowed us to be able to hear these precious songs but so sadden also that I would not personally ever hear Rich in person (not on earth anyways) - the songs that had so ministered to me would not be sung to me in person. That may sound silly but it was true.

So I was listening to the radio one day and I hear the announcer of the program say "Mitch McVicker joins us next.... Mitch was in the car that took Rich Mullins life. etc.." I listened to Mitch talk and couldn't believe his humbleness and gentle spirit.  I found out then that Mitch and the Ragamuffins would be in concert THAT weekend performing the Jesus Record songs and other favorites!!  I could not believe it.

God again was so kind - answering my prayers and giving me my heart's desires.  Mitch then got up there to sing in the middle.  It was like God's Spirit was just flowing off of him, do you know what I mean???  Him just standing there, alive, talking, walking, was enough for someone to see God's goodness - but then he sang.  I just don't know what it was in particular but God was using Mitch to speak to me (Again).  Humbleness is something that is rare and I see that in him.  It makes the music even more enjoyable.  It's like when your pastor stands up there on Sunday morning to talk about something and he has a arrogance about him.  It's sometimes hard to hear.  But if your pastor has a humbleness about him you can hear him a little more.  I don't know if that's the way it should be or not but I know when I was a new believer I felt that way a lot.

I got his CD on line and could not believe the words this guy could write.  It's like they were prayers from me to God.  When I saw him this last time (March) I got to tell him that his music really ministers to me.  He seemed sincerely interested which was so neat.  This time I want to tell him I am following his steps through the list and liking the song discussion but I am too shy.  I am afraid of sounding to much like a fan - which I am.   I want to tell him so much.   So that is  my story.  I am devoted to the Lord, I love GOOD meaty music.  I almost don't care for any of the other artists.   I like to reflect on my history with God -isn't that fun??  Your sister in Christ Kelli Paslawski
 

 Editors Note:  Ok in Osceola we had grandma's in the front row by the picnic table I'm talking 80's..go wow.. that's good music.  They wished for more solid rock hymns though.. and now this note came from Kelli, who brought her daughter and friends last night.. well you guys turned 80 year olds and those little 12 year old heads too!  She wrote this:

"I didn't tell one friend anything about Brad and Mitch other then that they were "cool and young".  So when she saw them she sucked her breath in and gasped. It was funny!  I said "Oh I forget to tell you they were cute". 

Then Kelli's daughter got in the writing mode and cranked out her impressions of the concert her mom took her to.  Enjoy!

I went to the Mitch McVicker concert on Aug. 6th with my mom, her friend, and my two friends.  It was at Troy Baptist Church in Troy Michigan. Mitch's concert was one of the best I have seen this year!  My friends were surprised about how cute Brad and Mitch were! I like Mitch's music because:

1.  The words are nice.

2.  His music is about our Holy God.

3.  It's entertaining.

At the concert I liked the song that Brad sang about the Wizard Of Oz.

After the concert Mitch and Brad gladly signed the picture I bought, that made me feel special.

My favorite song Mitch sang was the Lemonade Song because of the tune of the song, the words and Mitch's voice.

I liked how at the end of the concert Mitch had us sing with him praise songs to God - that way when we left we were thinking about God. I enjoyed this concert and am looking forward to the next one.

If Mitch comes to your city you should go and see him.

more pictures from this concert are at: