Whats Does Halloween, Oral Roberts University, and Richard Pryor have to do with anything?
**As ORU's Veterans Experience Director, I send out a weekly update to our student veteran and family member population, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends of the program/University. We are an academic institution which is fully committed to our mission of developing Spirit-Empowered leaders through Whole Person Educate to impact the world. I wanted to share here as well.....
BOOOOO!? It’s that time of year, and the Halloween season is upon us.? Let me first start by saying I do not want to enter into the discussion of whether Spirit-Empowered believers should/should not acknowledge this secular holiday.? I would offer that it is definitely a discourse you should have with your tribe, your Professors, friends, family, and others.?
I should pause a second to let this "concept" sink in for the more secular audience that may have felt the urge to click on/read this. As wildly popular and fun Halloween is for everyday folks, Christ-followers don't simply follow the masses and engage in "trick or treat" without having some important conversations. Although it may be hard to believe, it really is a "thing".
???? Maybe not this week, but as a matter of course when time allows.? You can used this 10 minute read from our friends at Focus on the Family as preparatory info for that discussion: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/should-christians-celebrate-halloween/.? There are no doubt demonic forces are at play today, just as they were in the time of Jesus.? But as I said, that dialogue can wait.
?????Halloween is a time where folks like to scare each other, or there are all types of media produced to put a fright into us.? For me growing up, my biggest “scare” was watching The Exorcist when I was eight or nine.? I don’t’ think I have recovered. And yes, Alex, that explains a lot about why I am the way I am!!!!? Luckily I saw an early SNL skit with Richard Pryor as the guest host performing an exorcism, and was able to find humor in the whole thing.? I am not recommending either to you, but sharing my experience growing up.? You have yours, I’m sure!
???? That word fear does resonate with me, however.? With over 500 mentions in His Word, fear is real.? In my position, I have seen members of our population experience events that would shake the rest of us to our foundations.?
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???? This semester alone, we have a doctoral student who lost her son in a motorcycle accident and is grieving this loss with her husband as she continues school. ?Another lost her brother earlier this summer and has had physical challenges of her own as she navigates her graduate program. Another, an Army Reservist made the leap of faith to drive from Michigan to Tulsa last December to attend ORU only to be let go from his needed job and have to withdraw this semester as he seeks the right path and find his next steps.? Then there is the Army Veteran, who fought and won his three-year battle with cancer only to be medically retired (Why does the Army do things like that?!?!?). ?After a few years, he was ready to start his ORU journey online but simply got in his car and drove to Tulsa from the east coast because he KNOWS this is where God wants him to be right now.
???? All of these experiences can bring fear to the foreground in each of their lives.? As I share these stories with you, I am amazed by their faith in Him, how they engage with fear each and every day, and keep their eyes focused on the Lord.? I am encouraged by the psalmist who writes “The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalms 27:1).
???? What fear do you face TODAY?? Can I encourage you to bring it to Him and allow the stronghold of your life to work in you?? After that, share that fear with your tribe, or me, and like the others mentioned above, take one more step on the road to Him.
???? And give some candy to the kids on Thursday night……