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Crossover Kids Program
Pictured Above: Ms. Lydia with the Crossover Kids.
Our Afterschool and Summer Enrichment STEAM-based Program at Hawthorne Elementary School.
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Crossover Kids
Pictured Above: Ms. Lydia in action with the Crossover Kids.
When Helping Kids Helps You
by Lydia Ellis
“God, I love you but No! I am not working with kids!” These are the words I would soon regret after declaring them. Growing up I always knew that I would be in ministry, I thought about being an astronaut or a baker, but ministry was always my longterm pursuit. In the eighth grade, I was asked how I saw myself in the future, and without thinking, I said that I would be a minister and I was going to Oklahoma. To think, a 14-year-old girl from southern Illinois dreamt of going to Oklahoma and being a pastor …WHAT? It sounded crazy to everyone else, but to me, it made sense. With the guidance of my parents, I found a school in Oklahoma, and in 2018 I graduated high school and was set to attend the school I googled five years prior, Oral Roberts University.
-Isaiah 6: 8
At a young age, I made my life’s scripture Isaiah 6:8, “ And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ’Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ’Here I am! Send me.’” In 2019, my sophomore year, I struggled in my classes and purpose. I knew what God was calling me to be, but I did not know how to do it. I challenged God to reveal my purpose, or I would leave ORU. I heard God remind me of my life scripture, and I rededicated my life to being sent to where He wanted me. God told me that I would be used to reach the next generation through sports and recreation.
Pictured Above: Ms. Lydia with StreetLeaders.
Pictured Above: Ms. Lydia in action with the Crossover Kids.
Pictured Above: Ms. Lydia in action with the Crossover Kids.
In the fall of 2021, I needed a church and a practicum site. I talked to my professor, and she recommended Crossover Bible and the youth ministry, Vibe. On my first Sunday, I was immediately taken in, and I felt welcomed! Within twenty minutes, I knew that I would be coming to Crossover. I met Mrs. Rondalyn, and she introduced me to some of the church’s leadership. After hearing my story, she told me that I would be a good fit for the Crossover Kids Program; I did not like this idea. What’s the issue, you may ask? Two years ago, I was asked to go into children’s ministry, and I swore it off. I thought that working with children would not be beneficial for what I wanted to do in ministry. I only wanted ‘to be the cool youth leader and truly make a difference’, the irony! I never considered that the generation God had called me to was all generations, to all His children. Through volunteering and as staff, the time I have spent at Crossover Kids has been a reigniting of my child-like faith, and I have found a love for children. Working with kids has helped me simplify my theology; it is not big words or elaborate prayers, but a child going to their Father for guidance and love. I thought that working with Crossover Kids would only help fulfill class credit; but instead, it has helped me find my true purpose.
Lydia Ellis is a senior theology major at Oral Roberts University (ORU) with a concentration in sports ministry and a minor in youth and family ministry. Lydia is the only daughter to her parents Ed and Helen and the youngest to her brothers, Jared and Josh. Lydia has been attending Crossover Bible Church since September 2021 and started volunteering at Crossover Kids in the same month. This past January, Lydia became a fourth-grade college leader in the Crossover Kids Program and a mentor in the StreetLeader Program. In her free time, Lydia can be found watching anime, knitting, and attempting to learn Spanish. After graduating from ORU in the fall of 2022, Lydia will attend Dallas Baptist University to study Christian Ministry to be equipped to go into the field of Christian camping.
To learn more about our STEAM-based After-School and Summer Day Camp at Hawthorne Elementary School, please go to www.crossoverimpact.org/crossover-kids/.
