HOMECOMING 2006

The Southern University Division for Student Affairs started off Homecoming week with a message of hope, destiny, confidence and self-control at the Ecumenical Service in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union Cotillion Ballroom on Monday.
“To be able to start Homecoming with worship service is exciting,” said Student Government Association President Niiobli Armah. “We’d be remiss if we didn’t start Homecoming this way.”
The service was composed of melodious tunes, harmonious songs of praise and worship and inspirational dance.
The keynote speaker was Bishop Lester Love of Antioch Full Gospel Baptist Church, New Orleans.
“Keep on riding” was the prime statement of his message, as he continuously gestured riding a horse. He centered his message on Matthew 21 of the Bible, and explained how in this chapter people were trying to distract Jesus, but he kept his focus and continued to ride his donkey towards his destination.
“Jesus came in Jerusalem riding on a donkey,” Love said. “The people tried to get his attention but he kept riding.”
He discussed how people should continue towards their destiny in the midst of negativity.
“The closer you are to your destiny, the more you are going to get attacked,” Love said. “But you can’t let anyone deter you away from the promise that God has for you.”
His profound message brought confidence to the students.
“Students, your goal right now is to achieve your degree, so the devil is going to attack you at different levels,” Love said. “See, when you’re a freshman, the attack isn’t as great as when you’re a sophomore.”
“When you’re a sophomore the attack isn’t as great as when you’re a junior. When you’re a junior the attack isn’t as great as when you’re a senior. When you’re a senior the attack is greater than ever, but you have to keep on riding until you reach your destiny.”
He continued using various examples of how to have self-control when a person purposely tries to infuriate someone.
“I don’t know about you but sometimes I feel like going off,” Love said. “God knows how difficult it is not to go off on someone who is belittling you. But I get a certain degree of pleasure when I know that someone is expecting me to go off and I don’t say anything at all. Right then and there I know that I have won. And I keep on riding. Never fret to the point where you will lose control.”
Cheers, laughter and applause filled the ballroom as the audience listened to Bishop Love’s encouraging message.
“People are going to talk about you. Bad things are going to happen. But continue to ride through the bad and the good days,” Love said. “The happy, the sad days… and don’t ever stop riding no matter what you’re going through, because there are things that the devil just can’t stop from happening, so continue to ride towards your destiny.”
After Bishop Love’s message, the audience was elated and thankful that he had come.
“This was definitely a good way to start Homecoming,” said senior psychology major Jasmine Lynch from Dallas. “I most definitely want to attend Bishop Love’s church. His message was great.”
Chancellor Edward Jackson, too, was excited about the speech Bishop Love conveyed.
“All I have to say is that I will keep on riding,” Jackson said.