My last two weeks before heading back to college.

The month of January has been filled with many great appearances, and while it's been a little stressful having 6+ hours of homework everyday, I've managed to complete my online January-term class and pack in work and appearances on top of that.

Two weeks ago, I attended the Miss Rochester and Miss Olmsted County pageant with my sister queens Molly and Lauren J! My grandma lives nearby, so it was nice it be so close to the pageant and not have to drive home late at night. Plus it's always nice to reunited to other titleholders :)

Last week, Molly and I spoke to two service clubs in the Brainerd Lakes Area. The first was the Nisswa American Legion and the second was the Brainerd Noon Sertoma. I am so incredibly grateful for the support of my community and how willing people are to give generously. Molly and I talked about the Miss Brainerd Lakes Scholarship Program and the Children's Miracle Network and how instrumental these organizations have been in our lives.

Saturday, Molly and I braved the cold and volunteered as security for the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza! We were on the ice by 7:30AM sharp :) I'm always amazed at the people that are crazy enough to fish in such cold temperatures but envy them because I'm such a baby when it comes to the cold :) Thanks to my Mom and my boyfriend, Will, for accompanying us!

Two days ago, Molly and I spoke to the Nisswa Lions Club, which is always one of my favorite groups to speak to because they are such a lively bunch and I know quite a few of them. There were many laughs and good conversations, and I'm happy that they allowed us to speak. I spoke to them last year around this time but as Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2012. From there, I received their scholarship for high school seniors, which has been such a help in paying for college! Because of them and the Miss America Organization, I'm able to say I'm debt and loan free and have my next year of college almost completely paid for.

I have to say thank you to all of those who have made my year what it has been. My heart overflows with joy every time I think about those that have helped me in this crazy journey. As many of you know, I had no intention on running in the 2013 Miss Brainerd Lakes pageant (in fact, I had my paperwork ready to turn in to a different local pageant!), but lack of numbers forced me to run and for my Mom to step down as a committee member quite literally a week before paperwork was due! I did not feel ready in the least bit, but pulled myself together enough and walked away as the new Miss Brainerd Lakes. I fully believe that God guides you down a certain path for a reason. I had no idea why God was wanting me to venture down the Miss Brainerd Lakes path, but relied on Him to carry me through, and it ended up winning me the title! Clearly God had a different plan for my life than I had for my own, which has given me peace as I tried to balance moving away from home for the first time, taking 17 college credits, and volunteering 8 hours a week.

So thank you from the bottom of my heart so all of your support and love. I'll never be able to thank everyone for impacting my life the way they have.

All my love,
Bailey
Miss Brainerd Lakes 2013

January Festivities!

It has been such a great week to be Miss Brainerd Lakes! Since I'll be home the entire month of January (because I have an online J-term class), this month will be filled with many appearances and preparing for Miss Minnesota.

As a Christmas present, our director, Cyndi, gave us our official jackets with our names and titles! All of us were really excited as we had been waiting for these jackets since we won back in August. I've been wearing it everywhere! I'm so proud to represent such an incredible program.

That same day, we rang the Salvation Army bell at Cub Foods in Baxter. I was so happy we were inside that day because it was below zero outside. Plus we had Andi, a Northern Lights Princess, join us. She always bring energy and spunk to our appearances!

Last Saturday was the Miss Minneapolis and Miss St. Paul pageants in Maplewood. It was so fun to see everyone again! Local pageants are always one of my favorite appearances because it's one of the few times all of the local and state titleholders come together. We had not seen each other since November, so it was great catching up! Congratulations to the new titleholders, Julia and Rachel! There are only three more local pageants before the Miss Minnesota Class of 2014 is complete!!

The day after, my little sister queen and I had our annual Miss Brainerd Lakes Princess Party at Cragun's Resort! Though it was a cold day, it was fun getting to know some of the princesses a little better. The princess program has been such a great addition to the Miss Brainerd Lakes family.

Be watching for some big news I'll be sharing within the next couple of weeks! I'm so excited as I've been working on this for months.

As always,
Bailey
Miss Brainerd Lakes 2013

Things I've learned while being away at college.

In light of finals week, I thought I'd share a couple of things I've learned about life while being away from home and completing my first semester of college.

1.) God will place you where ever he feels you could best utilize the talents He has given you. Throughout my journey in choosing a college, I depended on the Lord to help me decide where I was supposed to be. I couldn't be more thrilled that he placed me here at Bethel University. I can't imagine spending the next four years of my life anywhere else.

2.) Grades do not define who you are as a person. One bad grade on an assignment or test does not make me any less of a person. I'm thankful for professors who remind me of that everyday.

3.) The friends you meet in college are the friends you will have your entire life. I never believed people when they tried to tell me this is high school, but it's so true. I've met some pretty incredible people while here at Bethel. I'm blessed to have awesome girls on my floor who I get along with so well.

4.) Volunteering each week makes you a better person. Plus it's an awesome study break! I've been volunteering at Young Life, which is a Christian youth mentoring program, since school started and although there have been weeks where I feel like I don't want to go because I have too much homework or I don't feel like it, I do anyways and I never regret it.

5.) Coffee becomes one of your friends. And it's perfectly acceptable to drink it at any time of the day.

6.) It may seem like a really great thing to be an adult and live away from home, but it's hard. You learn to appreciate being at home with your family with home-cooked meals and your own bed.

7.) It's perfectly normal to nap at any time of the day. Even if it's at 10pm at night.

8.) Being an active presence at college is important. Merely being a student and going back to your room is not enough. I've learned to go to as many football games, school dances, events, town-hall meetings, and school-sponsored festivals that I can possibly do. It makes me feel more connected to the Bethel-community.

9.) Making time for yourself is essential. It's easy to get caught up in school work and your social life, but you have to make time for yourself to better your emotional and physical health.

10.) Things like dusting, vacuuming, doing laundry, and washing dishes become a means for procrastination.

11.) Pray about everything

12.) Look at everything as a blessing.

13.) Don't study too much. It's okay to enjoy a night of no studying!

Merry Christmas!
Bailey
Miss Brainerd Lakes 2013

Blessings.

I'm been thinking a lot lately about life and how blessed I am.

Things that I'm grateful for:

Jesus. He is so awesome. I only hope that others can experience His love and mercy, for my life is not my own, but His.

My parents. They have been two of the biggest blessings in my life. Their love is unfailing and I'm so incredibly grateful.

Bethel University. I've grown closer to God than I ever thought possible. I love being surround by such faith-driven people.

Piano. Such a beautiful way that I get to relive stress. God has given me a gift and so thankful.

My family. Their support means the world to me.

My friends. I have such an amazing group of girl friends who always know how to cheer me up.

My boyfriend. He is such a loving and supportive guy who has never ONCE put a dream of mine down.

The title of Miss Brainerd Lakes 2013. It gives me an avenue to make a difference in my community, plus my first two years of college are paid for through Miss America Scholarships. I'm so lucky.

My morning cup of coffee. I'm not sure I would be able to function without it. Many thanks to college for getting me addicted again.

Even moment I've broken down in tears because I felt that life was to much to handle. They are good reminders that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. He doesn't give me anything I can't handle.

Fall. It's my favorite season. The leaves remind me that we can all be made new in the image of Christ. That even if we fall, we have the ability to be made new.

The ability to love. Sure, I've had my heart broken and I've broken hearts but I'm grateful that God has given me the ability to feel what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Past relationships. They've showed me what I deserve in life.

The Christmas music that is playing right now as I write this.

The ability to be sitting in a big, comfy chair in a nice, warm building. Some people don't get that privilege.

The finals week that is coming up. It reminds me that I'm lucky enough to be able to get an education at such an amazing school.

YoungLife, the Christian youth program I volunteer at each week with my boyfriend. I think it gives some sanity. Taking 17 credits as a freshman is extremely stressful and trying to balance a social life, piano lessons, and the volunteer work that comes with being Miss Brainerd Lakes can be hard. YoungLife gives me a way to relieve some stress while connecting with middle-schoolers in the Richfield area. I get to share God's love... Incredible!

I hope that, as the holiday season comes in full force, that you take a minute to remind yourself of the things in your life that you are grateful for.

Your sister in Christ,
Bailey

My week at a glance.

This past week was filled with many fun and memorable appearances! On top of Thanksgiving, I managed to pack some appearances in.

Last Tuesday, I spoke to students at my alma mater, Nisswa Elementary School, about Alzheimer's and dementia. I spoke to students in kindergarten through 4th grade. It was so fun to be back and see the teachers that I had when I was in elementary school and reminisce memories of my time at Nisswa Elementary. I'm so grateful God has given an avenue to speak about a cause that's close to my heart while making a difference in my community. I'm even more blessed to be able to speak about Alzheimer's while wearing a crown on my head. I really felt that the students understood what I was talking about, even the kindergarteners, whose random questions like "Does your Dad know how to use a fork?" make me laugh. All-in-all, it was a fantastic day and I feel blessed God gave me the opportunity to speak to those students.

Friday was the City of Lights celebration in downtown Nisswa. This is Nisswa's kickoff to Christmas celebration in which they start a countdown at 5:29pm until 5:30pm and the whole city turns their Christmas lights on at the same time. This is always one of my favorite celebrations in my little hometown. The people truly make this celebration. They are always so energetic, even when it's freezing outside. I'm so blessed to live in such a great community!

Saturday my parents and I headed down to the Mall of America because my sister queens and I performed Christmas carols in the Rotunda. Glitz Gowns, a sponsor of the Miss Minnesota Scholarship Program, was gracious enough to let us borrow gowns to wear for our performance, which was extremely generous of them! The performance was short, but it went fairly smoothly and I was able to meet a lot of people, including the cutest little girls who were so starstruck by our crowns and sashes. We signed many autograph cards and posed for lots of pictures. I was exhausted by the end, but it was fun and really put me in mood for Christmas!

This next weekend I'll be ringing bells for the Salvation Army.
Hope you have a blessed week!
Bailey
Miss Brainerd Lakes 2013

Kids Against Hunger and a Christmas photo shoot!

Last week, I was in Nisswa volunteering at Kids Against Hunger. Kids Against Hunger is an organization that packages meals for people locally and for places in need outside the United States. My sister queens and I plus a dear friend and Miss Nisswa 2013, Carissa, packaged over 1,700 meals for children in Haiti and Syria. It was such a rewarding morning!

Then this past weekend, we had our Christmas photo shoot with John Nelson of Photographycs! John is such a great photographer and we are so lucky that he is willing to work with the Miss Brainerd Lakes Scholarship Program :) Our shoot was a Christmas Point in Baxter, which is basically all things Christmas packed into one store! Especially this time of year :) I think the picture will turn out pretty great! Many thanks to John for all of his creativity and work.

Blessings,
Bailey
Miss Brainerd Lakes 2013

A Trip to Bemidji, a Style Show, and a Weekend at Bethel.

Last week, I traveled to Bemidji for the Miss Northern Lakes, Miss Bemidji, and Miss Northern Lakes' Outstanding Teen pageants. It's crazy to think that there are just four titleholders to be crowned and the Miss Minnesota Class of 2014 is complete! Congratulations to Jade, Hope, and Lizzy :)

Last Tuesday I made the drive to Nisswa for the night for the Nisswa Women of Today Style Show at Grandview! This was my third year modeling, but this year I modeled for a new store called Catherine's located in downtown Nisswa. If you haven't been there I highly recommend you visit because it's one of the cutest stores in Nisswa. I spent way to much money there :)

This weekend was so much fun because I was able to pick up my little sister queen, Molly, and she was  able to spend the weekend here at Bethel with me. Friday, we went to a dance party and went bowling at a bowling alley close to Bethel. I walked away with score of 46. I like to think I'm a good bowler, but really I'm not. At least it was fun!

Saturday was such an exciting day as Bethel football was playing the University of St. Thomas! I knew it was going to be an exciting game as both teams were pretty good teams. Bethel was undefeated, so this was an especially important game as we wanted to keep the undefeated streak going. In a close game with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Bethel comes up from behind and scores a touchdown! Bethel walked away with the win. Sweet victory :) I know God was on that field playing with those guys! Our God is such an incredible God :)

This coming weekend, I'll be in Nisswa packaging meals for starving children in Haiti at Kids Against Hunger.

Blessings,
Bailey