In early 2019, I felt God calling me to leave my previous church. I had been pretty involved there, leading an adult Sunday school class and serving on the media team for the contemporary worship service. But something in my spirit was telling me it was time to move on. As a Cincinnati native, I had been aware of Crossroads for many years. One night a men’s group from Crossroads reserved a meeting room at the library where I work to plan an upcoming GO Trip to Bolivia. My interaction with them that night was brief – I just popped into the room to let them know when the library was closing. Still, I could feel a joy, peace, and a welcoming spirit emanating from them. Plus, they offered me their leftover pizza – a surefire way to my heart.
I started visiting Crossroads periodically on Saturday nights. I was continually blown away by the energy and the power of the messages and how involved the church is in the community. The Lord had given me a heart for small groups ministry, and I was impressed by how strong Crossroads is in this area. Small groups are so important for building community and helping people to feel connected in such a huge place, and this is what led me to Crossroads.
I also have a passion for reading and studying the Word. I had been following a Bible reading plan called She Reads Truth. My vision was to start a women’s Bible study group where we read and discussed the She Reads Truth readings and devotions.
I left my previous church for good in January 2020. My plan was to attend Crossroads for a while, get to know people, and eventually either find a small group or start my own. Then, of course, COVID-19 happened. I felt discouraged because I had taken these steps toward what I felt the Lord was calling me to – getting involved in small groups ministry – and then we couldn’t even meet in person anymore.
Still, I was strengthened and encouraged by the many ways that Crossroads kept the community engaged and connected during this time including daily live worship on Facebook Live. It was in a comment on one of these Facebook Live posts that a member of Crossroads Oakley posted about her online group where they met every morning via Zoom to read and discuss the She Reads Truth readings! I messaged her immediately and joined her group.
Many months later, we are still going strong. There are about five of us who meet every morning to read scripture and pray together. This has been such a godsend to me. As a single person who lives alone, this connection was so important during quarantine. Over the past year we have shared our trials and joys with each other. The group has prayed for me during a tumultuous year of three eye surgeries, losing my aunt, and my stepfather’s cancer diagnosis. I am so thankful to the Lord for bringing us together. Even during a pandemic, the Lord will make a way. -Alisa S.