Feb. 15, 2007

Hello everyone- I'm back: ) Miss America aired live on CMT on January 29, and you're new Miss America is Lauren Nelson, Miss Oklahoma. It was really an amazing experience and I met some of the most accomplished and driven women from across our great country. Although I didn't end up making the top ten, I can honestly say that I did the best that I could do. I brought the best game I had, and I can look back with no regrets. I wasn’t supposed to be Miss America 2007, but I know that the Lord has another plan for me. I want to send out a VERY BIG thank you to all of the people that gave me so much support on the road to Miss America- my family, my friends, my directors, and really, the whole state of Kansas. I could not have stood on that stage were it not for the many people that stood behind me, gave me that extra piece of advice, or said those extra prayers when I needed them most. I count it such an honor to have represented our great state, and I am excited about the next three months that I have left to continue to. Please pray for Lauren as she has a fun, but very full year ahead of her. I know that she will represent all of us well.

I was thinking again these last few weeks about finding God’s will for your life. One of my judges asked me in interview if I believed that our lives were planned out for us by God, or if He gave us free will, or if I believed in a combination of the two. I told him I believed in a combination of the two; we serve a sovereign God, but in His sovereignty, He gives us free will. It’s so easy to say, but learning to live it is another thing. I guess that’s why Jesus never promised that being a Christian would be a walk in the park. This experience has taught me that ultimately, God has a bigger, better master plan than we’ll ever be able set up for ourselves, sometimes you learn the most from the road you wouldn’t have taken, and most importantly, God never leaves you- even when you feel liked you’ve failed. I’ve kind of been leaning on Deuteronomy 31:8 lately- “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

Well that’s about it for this week- oh yeah, I was going to tell you all one more thing: When I got home from Vegas, I found an article about me floating around on the web claiming that, “Miss Kansas Worships the Devil!” Although I’m pretty sure that it was a satirical article, just to put any fears to rest, I am NOT a card-carrying Satanist, nor a member of the occult in any way : )

Have a great weekend, and I’ll catch you later : )