How Faith is Writing the Story of Author and ORU Senior Reychelle Moira
Reychelle Moira
Hometown: Davao City, Philippines
Acting on faith looks different for everyone. For some, it’s facing a fear. For others,
it’s trying something new. For ORU senior Reychelle Moira, it was publishing two books
in college. During her junior year, Reychelle acted on faith and published her first
book, Puzzled Without You, a discovery of our incompleteness without God.
“When we keep feeding ourselves with any words we see or hear thrown at us, or when we degrade ourselves every time we look in the mirror, we push down the perfect and very good creation God made and bring out the not-so-very-good-self in us. The first thing we must know about our identity is that it rests in Him.” —Puzzled Without You
After publishing her first book, Reychelle wasn’t finished putting her faith into action. A year later, she published her second book, Rested in You, a collection of poems and stories she wrote over several years. While taking ORU’s Spirit Empowered Living course, she spent time talking to her professor and classmates about the topic of rest, and it inspired her to make “rest” the theme of her book.
“I sometimes find it hard to give myself a break because I always think that something will be asked of me, expected of me, or given of me, which requires my full attention. And then I realized and understood that rest does not mean being lazy or sitting idle. I can still be productive from rest if I find rest in Jesus and let Him fill me with His rest.” — Rested in You
"As a writer, I see too many stories that negatively influence people’s emotions and spirit. My stories are different. I want to write stories that include God and bring light and hope to people.”
The Community Impact of ORU on Reychelle: Another ‘Puzzle-Piece’ That Came Together
While living in the Philippines, Reychelle started as an online student at ORU, and although she was 8,409 miles away from the University, Reychelle felt a connection to the campus. As this connection grew, Reychelle wanted to be closer to ORU and its diverse community. So, acting on faith, Reychelle left the Philippines and became a residential student.
"Faith overpowers fear, strengthens one through failure, is a fragile, precious part of life, and a building block for the foundation we build our relationships on. Faith is what brings us as people, into something higher and better. It is a result of our passion but also a fuel for it.” – Puzzled Without You
“Last year,” Reychelle said, “I was watching Chapel from another country and now, I get to see, feel, and hear the campus worshiping and praising God. There's a culture here of people being so intentional, genuine, and nice. This campus is full of people on fire for God, and I get to walk with them and learn with them. It's amazing. . . it's like walking in miracles.”
Writing to Empower Her Peers in Light and Hope
As a senior majoring in psychology, Reychelle plans to further her studies once she graduates. Currently, Reychelle is working on her third book, and she wants to continue writing as a published author. Inspiring others, Reychelle says, is what fuels her ongoing passion for storytelling.
“Sharing stories,” Reychelle said, “has helped me grow and develop my passion for writing. “As a writer, I see too many stories that negatively influence people’s emotions and spirit. My stories are different. I want to write stories that include God and bring light and hope to people.”
ABOUT ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY
ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with over a decade of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor’s level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 142 nations (from 2019 to 2022) to be whole leaders for the whole world.
The Wall Street Journal ranked ORU as the #4 university in the nation for student engagement. This ranking is based upon faculty interactions, collaborative learning, critical thinking, real-world applications of student learning, the extent to which classes challenge students, and whether students would recommend a university to others. Niche recognizes ORU as one of the most diverse colleges in America.
ORU has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as:
#1 in Undergraduate Teaching
#2 in Most International Students
#3 in Best Value
#6 in Best College for Veterans
#7 in Best Regional Colleges in the West
For more information, visit www.oru.edu.