Oral Roberts, Evangelist
Oral Roberts died today in Newport Beach, California. Thanks to Erin Amos for letting me know.
The following news outlets have the story:
According to this TulsaWorld article, he took a fall on Saturday and suffered some broken bones.
I’m deeply moved and still experiencing gratitude for the education I received at ORU. More thoughts will follow later.
UPDATE: The thoughts I have are echoed by fellow alum, Sarah, over at Emerging Mummy. Key quote:
“I loved Oral’s bigness. There was nothing small about the man. He was huge – even his ears were enormous.”
I like that Sarah also says, “His faith was enormous.” It’s so true. My mother and I were talking about him yesterday. The legacy that my mother and I discussed was Oral’s courage. And Sarah mentions how his final years were spent telling us all to be obedient. Let’s put it together.
Be courageously obedient to God.
That’s a good treasure to leave behind.
Club Fritch 
I’ll never forget the first time I heard him speak. In person, I mean. (I heard him often on the radio and on my father’s reel-to-reel tapes when I was a little girl.) It was at my first Word Explosion in 1988. He talked about being first a Christian, then a “whatever”. I went to the service because he was a celebrity; I left knowing I had been in the presence of a courageous Jesus follower.
I am touched that my article in the Good Tidings, which I received today, mentions him. (Don’t know why that would feel significant to me, but it does!)
Thanks for the link, Gillian. It’s been nice to get to know you again. The Internet is amazing thing!
Yay internets!! 🙂
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog Sarah! You have a delightful way with words, thoughts and ideas. And your tinies are too cute!