In August, 2003, a dear friend of mine, Pastor Dick Christensen, passed away. Pastor Christensen was an incredible individual who touched many lives over the years. He was also an author who wrote stories and songs, and I have included more information about him at the bottom of this page. He released an amazing CD titled "Lost And Found" which talks about the seven qualities of character. Read more about his CD by clicking here

I want to share with you 4 of the incredible short stories that Pastor Christensen wrote. I'm sure they will touch your heart as much as they touched mine. Here they are:

He sat on one of the lower steps of a stairway that led to a level area near the entrance of the Temple. Leaning back on one of the huge columns the hungry twelve year old took a piece of bread and a morsel of fish from his leather pouch and ate. His mother thought he would get hungry playing with the other children on the long journey home to Nazareth from Jerusalem.  Shadows of the coming night were cast through the temple entrance. His eyes were heavy with tiredness from the excitement of Passover and soon he slumped in sleep.

His introduction to a new day came with voices exchanging strong convictions of thought.  He blinked his eyes open to see sun rays streak through the Temple entrance. He stretched and focused on six old bearded men taking turns stating their strong viewpoints about their favorite Prophet, interpreting verses speculating about the Messiah who was to come. Two of the old men then argued in heated debate, "He will be like Moses with great power,"said one. "No, he will be like David and lead mighty armies and throw off the Roman yoke," said the other. The young boy listened for hours until it was evening again.

Then one of the old men looked up and asked, "Do you find this interesting lad?" "Very much, may I speak sir?"  "Certainly" replied the man.  The boy asked, "What if Messiah comes to lift the sin from the souls of all mankind, and what if he exchanges rules the of laws with the sacrifice of himself as payment to God for all sin, and what if he looks only into every person's heart seeking faith and love for that which he does and teaches.?" The old men stood silently glaring at the boy for his offensive words. One spoke with  bitterness, "Today's youth are impudent and lack knowledge!" Just then a woman's voice echoed out from the entrance, "Jesus, Jesus, son are you here?" The boy stood, smiled, then left the old men stunned as they watched him walk away. One old man punctuated the boy's parting with questioning words, " How would such a young one know such profound thoughts?" The old men with troubled expressions on their faces could only offer silence to his question.

He found a place for a few moments alone to rest in the shade of an orchard where a cool breeze caressed His face refreshing him from the clamor of from the massive crowds that filled the air with dust fog from their commotion so that the torrid sun was nearly dimmed. Gently He wiped away the dust that mingled with sweat on his brow. He heard voices; not crowd voices but only a few giggles and laughter came ever closer to where he was. Finally, a small band of children came into view playing tag.  He smiled in such a way as to seem more refreshed from their laughter than from the shade he so much enjoyed. He watched them as they came closer then spoke to them with his beautiful resonant voice tempered with tender tone.

"Come to me little ones". With eyes wide the children fell silent as they approached him with
reverent slow steps sensing this Man who sat upon a rock as though it were a throne was truly different from anyone they had ever met before. "Who are you?" a young boy asked.  "I know" blurted out a small framed bright faced little girl with a beaming smile, because she knew. All of the children shouted an eager response, "Who?"  "He's a friend of my Grandpa Peter. I was there when he came to grandpa's house and my grandma was really sick and dying, said the girl. She continued,  "And he just went into her room and touched her and she was all well again and she got right up and fixed us all the best supper I have ever had". "They call him Jesus." He lifted the little girl to his lap. They looked deep into each others eyes as if they could see all of the stars in the heavens. She spoke softly, "You know what? "What?" "He answered. "I believe you're God's little boy". Peter's voice was heard as he came into sight looking for the children. He spoke to Peter with yearning expression, "If only grown ups would believe as these do."

It felt as though storm clouds driven by winds of doubt and fear created agony in His breast. Such torment never before visited him. For the past three years He had been so distracted by His strength-draining service to cripples of every kind.  They came relentlessly in droves at all hours possessed by creatures of mad darkness. Massive numbers came with diseased frames seeking His healing. Then came those saturated with sorrow because their loved one had breathed life's last breath. His deep compassion moved him with Love Power and He restored life to those who were mourned. All those who saw were amazed and stared in awe at the one who was dead but now was alive again.

So amazed by this sight the crowd took no notice of His tears following one another down his cheeks. Why tears in this moment when there should be great joy?  Because he envisioned what was to come to Him in but a few short days.  He found a few moments alone, kneeling He looked up and said, "Are you sure that I must do this?". A voice from the skies that only he could hear answered, "My Son, I ask it of you for Our sakes and theirs lest we lose them all to hopelessness and despair forever". His lips quivered out his response… his head dropped forward in submission…. I know…. What he thought was sweat falling from his brow was indeed droplets of blood falling on his prayer folded hands confirming a prophecy of what lay ahead for him.

Never on this earth or in any time had there been such deep darkness as here. The hewn stone that surrounded the darkness offered a penetrating chill to any living thing. A small light began to form casting just enough glow to make out the form of a linen covered person laying on a linen covered stone table. From the light came a voice, "It is time my Son.  He lay there in the sleep of absolute death but at the sound of the voice he began to feel a slow warming from blood that began to flow ever so gently.  First His feet and hands began to feel the life giving fluid then the sensation crept into his legs, arms then to his breast and finally to his head. Slowly his eyes opened and his head turned toward the light.

As if arising from a deep sleep he stood up and wrapped himself with the linen that covered him and fashioned it into a robe.  He picked up the linen upon which he laid, studied it for a moment then crumbled it up at the foot of the table. He watched as the light moved to where a huge stone sealed his tomb. With a grinding roar the stone rolled away. He smiled and spoke out loud, "Blessed be My Father because His Holy Word and Promises are all true." He felt somehow his body was more alive than He ever felt before. He went to the tomb opening and stood there straining to see in the just before dawn dark. The light that was in the tomb streaked like lightning high into the sky. In a moment the light multiplied into thousands of lights that transformed in a flash into a magnificent choir of thousands of angels who sang for only his ears and eyes to hear and see. He uttered a joy chuckle of profound thankfulness for what he beheld. The angels repeatedly sang with great harmonics, "Halleluja, the Lamb is risen. There shall be no more death for all who believe."

Pastor Dick's seminary training included pastoral care (counseling) training in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska.  He was the first Chaplain of the Seattle Police Department and also served as Chaplain for the North Hollywood and Helicopter Division of the Los Angeles Police Department.

While performing his pastoral duties all day, he spent 5 nights a week for eight months with the Seattle Juvenile Narcotics Squad studying the impact of drugs on youth. From that learning he started a program called "Teedrunar" (Teen drug and narcotic rehabilitation) which grew to 9 chapters on the West Coast with an average of 300 kids participating at any given time. Pastor Dick has counseled on TV for 4 years in Canada and 2 years in Alaska, and on radio in Seattle, Achorage, and most recently in Bellingham, WA with his own weekly radio program.

He trained counselors and wrote a text called "The Doper's World- A Way Out" Throughout his ministry Pastor Dick received the blessings of the total strength of God to counsel and pray with people in terms that were based on Christian beliefs and common sense. The result was human beings who commanded their lives instead of life's challenges commanding them. During all of his parish experiences he employed the power of Christ to do family and individual counseling for parents and children. Pastor Christensen has also been a candidate for both the US Senate and Governor in Washington State.