To Be Crowned By Christ

Art created by Robert Barrett - Thank you so much for collaborating Robert. 

Psalms 21:3 - 

"For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness:

 thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head."

As a little girl, it was all I could dream about to become a Princess. I imagined what it would be like to have a closet full of clothes only royalty would wear, living in a huge castle where there was a guard at every corner, and of course a gorgeous gold plated crown that showed a declaration of nobility would be placed on the crown of my head.

Since my princess dream didn't come true at my young age, despite wishing upon a star. So I decided to take matters into my own hands; I made the choice I would compete in a pageant to earn a title and a crown myself. I knew it would be hard work, but I had no idea nine pageants later with such great sacrifice and dedication I still wouldn't have the crown my heart had been yearning for. 

But one day it hit me, what if I had been seeking the wrong crown all along? What if I had been working so hard for a corruptible crown and Heavenly Father was saying "I want to give you an incorruptible one". (1 Corinthians 9:25)

I gave blood, sweat, and tears to that dream; literally. I gave it my all! I pleaded my heart out in prayer to Heavenly Father, and all along He had a different plan for my life.

"When life is cut too deep and left you hurting. The future you had hoped for is now burning. The dreams you held so tight left their meaning and you don't know if you will ever find the healing. You're going to make it! If your heart is breaking, there is a promise for the ones who just hold on. The sun is rising." - Britt Nicole

It's so easy to become distracted in this world by jewels and titles. We think what makes someone popular, beautiful, or of importance comes from what the world deems as success, but the world has it so wrong. This painting means everything in the world to me, when I first saw it, my eyes filled with tears. It's a picture of Christ putting a crown on my head. I didn't need a worldly crown to be deemed worthy or accepted; Christ already paid that price for me. 

I want you to picture yourself in this painting, picture Christ putting a crown on your head. The beautiful thing about crowns is most of the time when someone is crowned, it is a declaration of acceptance and self-worth. What do people do with their heads when they are insecure? They look down to the ground, their body language displays they are not happy, they are not confident, they don't feel secure. What would happen if an insecure person looks down with the crown on their head? It would fall off! We have to know who we are and that our individual worth and divine nature is found in Christ for the crown to stay on that Christ places on each one of our heads. And how do we know this? By coming unto Him an by following in His ways. 

When we aren't living with an open heart, we can't feel the love of our Savior. That love, that acceptance that Christ has for every single one of His children can only be felt as we are accepting and using the atonement in our lives. It is for EVERYONE. Inviting the atonement of Jesus Christ into my life is the greatest crown I could have ever imagined being placed on my head. Without Christ, I am nothing. Christ has all the answers and He is the only way to light and good things to come. 

The love my Savior has for me is everything to me. I love in the Book of Mormon where it says "After ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches." (Jacob 2:18) A hope in Christ literally feels as if you are rich. That hope in Christ is something I have to work on every single day of my life. 

That crown Christ puts on your head is a symbol of his

 love for you. Every day he crowns your head saying,   

 "You are worth it!"

Opposition & making an impact

You Never Know - 

A Mormon Message inspired by words of President Hinckley

I watched this video today, don't ask how I'm just barely seeing it. 
However, I do believe that God's timing is always perfect 
and it was TODAY that this video touched my heart. 

The message was beautiful and made me cry. 
It's about the small and simple things you do that make a huge difference.
It's about loving others in the kindest and most simplest ways.
It's about following the promptings we have been given, 
even if it means putting our needs on hold for just a little while 
because what we are asked to sacrifice will always be compensated
with so much more than we are asked to give up.
It's about knowing there is still light even when our plans fall through.

I'm not a mom yet, but I hope to be one, one day soon.
In 9th grade, all I could think about was being a mom.
I would clean my house from top to bottom every single day, with every intention
of preparing to be a good homemaker.
I was the one helping my mom to get organized so our house could run more smoothly.
I was the girl that loved to make to-do lists and would race to see how fast I could get them done, because I wanted to be prepared for the busy life I would lead when I was a mom.
I was the girl that made a file cabinet full of files on every gospel topic you could think of, 
I would prepare Family Home Evening lessons to be ready for when I was a mom.
Growing up to be a mom was my greatest desire at the young age of 14.

As I was watching this video, my heart ached for this mom.
Her life was crazy and she just wanted a minute to herself as well as a minute to complete
the daily tasks that lied ahead of her.
I saw strength shining through her eyes as this mom kept pushing forward.
She had such an open heart as she was willing to serve those that needed her most.
When she was sacrificing her own needs for the needs of others, 
the Lord always stepped in and made up the difference.
At the end of the day she may not have achieved what she had planned out for the day,
but she got done what He needed her to do and THAT'S WHAT MATTERED!

I know being a mom is such hard work.
I know that days are never, ever going to be perfect
and will never go as planned.
But I also know that it will be the most important and most
rewarding thing I will ever do in my life.
This video reminded me of that.

I was going through the comments of this video on YouTube, 
There was so much opposition about this video.
I'm still confused as to how that can be.
Why is this world so quick to critique something? 
Why does this world try so hard to find something 
negative in everything that has SO much GOOD?

I keep on learning over and over that there is opposition IN ALL THINGS!
No matter what it is, it's impossible to please everyone.
Oh how I wish this would change, but it's not going to and I'm learning to love it.
Beautiful things come from opposition and things always work out.

Regarding the Miss Murray's Outstanding Teen Pageant
a project I worked so hard on for the past year,
there was opposition from the very beginning.
I had much support but also many stumbling blocks.
I kept proceeding because I knew that's what Heavenly Father would have me do.
After much thought and prayer I felt like it was finally going to come to reality.
At the very last minute I had girls drop out, leaving only two girls left.
This peace washed over me that I had had the influence I needed to have and 
it wasn't meant to go any further than that at this time.
In that moment, I knew that the pageant wasn't supposed to happen.
I learned that Heavenly Father had me pursue it as it would all fall into place as a test of faith.
Also I know each one of the girls that were going to compete left a hand print on my heart.
One story sticks out so strongly, I will never forget.

I received some opposition today about the pageant not going through.
It broke my heart because I knew without a doubt the steps I was taking were correct.
In fact, the way this opposition was worded made me worry about something else instead,
it shed some light onto a different story.

I had the opportunity to sacrifice my needs for one of the girls
and in the end, I was compensated for the sacrifice I made.
Heavenly Father always blesses us when we choose to serve Him instead.
This opposition from today showed me that I'm not done serving.
There's a girl who needs more love than I ever even realized,
and just maybe I don't know what I've done for her up to this point.

YOU NEVER KNOW THE IMPACT YOU HAVE 

ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS!

Often the little things you sacrifice mean SO much more to those you serve!

"You are doing the best you can, and that best results in good to yourself and to others. Do not nag yourself with a sense of failure. Get on your knees and ask for the blessings of the Lord; then stand on your feet and do what you are asked to do. Then leave the matter in the hands of the Lord. You will discover that you have accomplished something beyond price."

- President Gordon B. Hinckley

Dear Girls, Your story isn't over

This morning I came across this post I wrote two years ago, which then led me to become overwhelmed with God's love for me personally. I competed in 9 different pageants and didn't win one. No not one. I used to hate telling people this. I saw myself as a failure and was so afraid others would see me that way too. I remember the pain of rejection so vividly. While I can remember these negative thoughts and feelings like it was yesterday, I can honestly say in this very moment, the pain is GONE! My heart is 100% healed. I am able to see courage and so much great strength in myself. Today God opened my eyes to how He has seen me the entire time, whether dreams were coming true or not.

If I could tell girls anything, I would look every single girl directly in the eye and help them understand that they are loved, SO loved. So much potential lies within every single one of God's daughters. You have a divine mission and purpose! I never, ever want a girl to go a second without this knowledge.


At the end of that post, I wrote: 
"It hurts so deeply as I have been dreaming about this goal for the last 9 years and I put everything I had into this organization. For now I will trust my Heavenly Father with all my heart. I need to let go and let God step in and take me to where I need to be. My courage, self-esteem and faith is one blessing that has been given to me through pageants and I would not trade my participation in pageants for the world. I am so grateful I have been able to compete and I have been able to make a difference in so many capacities. I will keep dreaming, believing and searching."

God has taken me to incredible and amazing places, since that day. I'm so grateful for challenges in life that break my heart because that's what leads me closest to God. I would do anything and everything for him!!!

I realize that this was something simple, worldly and even silly to be heartbroken over, but you know what? It mattered to me SO MUCH at that moment. And because it mattered to me, it mattered to God. Whatever is breaking your heart today, just hang on! Heavenly Father loves you so much, I am confident He is catching your every tear. The pain won't last forever and it will get better! Let your heartbreak carry you to come closer to Jesus Christ so He can help you see what Heaven sees in you. Heavenly Father has so many great plans for you. Don't lose your faith that you are His daughter and all He wants is for you to be happy.

We often go through experiences to shape us into the individual God had pictured all along. He loves you. He has so many great plans for you. Strength is having the courage to trust His plan for you. It doesn't matter if your dreams come true or something that is so dear to your heart was never meant to be yours forever. Because when you trust Him, it works out and you become the girl that conquered heartache through trust. If you feel heartbreak in your life, just know this isn't how your story ends. You are going to triumph in the end. You have so much goodness and divine qualities inside of you. When you hang onto to the light of Christ and truly come to know Him, that light will shine through.


Life is meant to make us bend and twist, but you will never break! 


No matter what your going through, believe. Believe with all your heart that Christ has the ability to heal you. And no matter how many times you think you are failing, it's the opposite. You're actually growing and changing in ways you might not be able to see just yet. Chase your dreams without hesitation, they are placed in your heart for a great purpose. That purpose may come right away and it may take great faith and patience for you to see it. But no matter what, at the end of this book, you will end up happy! You end up living Happily Ever After when your heart is always turned to Christ. His light is always in there, even when you can't see it. 

I'm so grateful for the journey I have traveled. What I thought was failure, was really strength. Just because you try at something and don't succeed in the way you hoped, doesn't mean God doesn't love you or you are a failure. It's so much the opposite! 

You were born to become a queen. When you don't reach the goal you were hoping for, it just means your story isn't over, not yet! Hang on & believe. 

5 Reasons I support Pageants

I feel my mission in life is to empower girls to have strong self esteem and confidence. 

I have found many opportunities and avenues to fulfill this mission, but sometimes I get asked the question why I support pageants, if healthy self esteem is important to me.

That is why I am writing this post. 

1. Confidence - 

So much confidence can be gained through competing in a pageant. 

However, the misconception comes from thinking it is found in the outcome of the competition. 
THIS IS SO NOT TRUE!

Confidence is never gained automatically from winning a pageant, it comes from the preparation and the involvement beforehand. Whatever is put into the competition is what will be taken out of it. The more you push yourself, like anything in life, the more you realize how strong you are and that you are capable of just about anything you put your mind to. 

Confidence comes from doing something outside of your comfort zone. You will never know what you are capable of, until you try something new.

One other way you will gain confidence is by knowing that no matter what the outcome is, someone believes in you. This cheerleader could be a parent, sibling, friend, coach, grandma or you may even find out the person who believes in you the most is YOURSELF!! You may not believe in yourself now, but once you work hard at something, you will surely find that belief that was deep in your heart all along, shine through.

As I was I was competing in pageants, I noticed I would be thinking about what it would be like to represent a community in such an honorable way and it inspired me. So then I started to sit up straight, give out more compliments and act if I was already Miss Murray. The more I did this, the more that belief set in and I started to really believe I could actually be Miss Murray. I carried myself differently than ever before and this made my confidence grow immensely. You are what you believe you are! The more you believe, the more confidence you will gain.

2. Friends -

You will undoubtedly make so many friends through this pageant  process. You may even find mentors and role models along the journey. When you are competing in a pageant, you will find you are among girls that share common values and goals. You will meet people you never expected to be friends with and it will just click. 

There are so many misconceptions that just because this is a competition, it means you won't be friends, because of the competitive spirit. While I won't deny there are girls who get really caught up in the crown and this is the only thing that will matter to her, this is very uncommon.
For the most part, every pageant I have seen (which happens to be A LOT), friendships will be developed and these friendships I am talking about will last for life. It's like a sisterhood bond. 
Who wouldn't want that? 

The Miss Congeniality award is actually the most honorable recognition you could receive in the pageant, in my opinion. This is the award given to the girl who is the most friendly, helpful, loving and dependable girl. She is voted by her peers. It is amazing to me that this type of friendship is encouraged in pageants, as it should be.

3. Community Service - 

Community Service is the heart of a pageant. In the Miss America system, the contestant chooses a platform. This is a cause that the contestant chooses to volunteer time to, raise funds, implement a program or simply raise awareness of the issue that inspires her and usually hits close to home. 

When a girl is competing in a pageant, most people just think of a girl getting up onstage to parade in a swimsuit. It is SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS! A girl committing to compete in a pageant is a girl that has an endless passion for service. She is competing for a title that is going to allow her to raise awareness for causes that no one even thought of as issues.

My true belief is volunteerism and service is the strongest way a girl could build self esteem. Yes a girl can volunteer on her own without a pageant, and I encourage this strongly. But when she has more opportunities to serve or can use a crown or title as a way to open doors, this is truly inspiring. The contestant is going to have so many opportunities to serve her community in every way she sees fit. The Miss America program allows her to serve until her little giving heart will just soar. In fact, I believe a stronger passion for service will be born.

When I competed in pageants, I was able to hold a huge raffle for my platform, which at that time was Children's Miracle Network. To be honest, it was competing in a pageant that inspired me to do this. I don't think I would have had the idea or the motivation for all the work if I didn't have a second purpose behind it. I walked away feeling so accomplished and like I could do HARD things. All the organizing & planning that went into it also helped me gain communication skills that have been so beneficial to me.

4. Communication and Interview Skills -

It's always been a joke in the pageant world,  if you can handle a pageant interview with 5 judges who come from all walks of life, you can handle ANYTHING! Prepping for a pageant interview and answering on stage questions allows a contestant to gain skills that will benefit her for the rest of her life.
Communication skills develop, the more she works hard to prepare for what is to come.

I believe communication skills are very important for any girl looking to gain confidence. A pageant encourages her to get out of her shell and meet and talk to new people. A contestant will also be given several opportunities to public speak allowing her to feel comfortable in front of big and small groups of people.

The communication skills she will gain, will not only help her in the pageant world, it will also help her in all other aspects of her life; such as getting a job, public speaking, asking for connections, public relations and it will even enhance her normal every day conversations.

5. AND SCHOLARSHIPS - 

Scholarships provide an amazing opportunity for girls to carry on with her education when financial setbacks may not allow this. Scholarships are not just reserved for the winner, they are often given to several attendants as well as the winner of the Miss Congeniality award.

Scholarships encourage a contestant to take her education seriously. When a girl feels school is important, she does better in all areas of life. Education is so important for any girl wanting to develop strong self esteem and confidence.