Lilia Says "Thank you/Farewell/What’s Next"
A year ago on
a stage, I closed my eyes, looked down and took a deep breath. “And your Miss
Pre Teen ND International winner is… Lilia Rexin” was simply thrilling for me
to hear. I couldn’t believe it! As I look back at that magical moment, the
crowning moment, it will forever be a special time that majorly changed my life
and created so many precious memories.
The
International Pageants system focuses on having and sharing your platform. It
is finding and developing your passion and where you want to make a difference
and finding your best self. Love Always has become my platform and how I
want to live for the rest of my life. I Corinthians 16:14 says: “Let all that
you do be done in love.” This has taken me many places to volunteer and created
ways to share my platform.
My many hours
of volunteering began with a chance meeting with a pastor who had a chance
meeting with a Cass County deputy. This led to making blankets to help bring
comfort to those that need it. The Lord was directing my path. Some other
volunteering or bringing attention to world causes and needs or just trying to Love
Always included: helping pack meals for Feed My Starving Children,
supporting Down Home which helps transition families into homes, Lego Drive for
Do It Well, the Peyton Heart Project, Project Ignite, Cookies for Cops, baking mints and cookies for others,
decorating for Fraser’s festival of trees, ringing bells for the Salvation
Army, helping decorate cupcakes and delivering them for Addie’s Cupcake Stand,
serving iced mochas at YWCA Chocolate Fantasy, arranging lovely repurposed
flower arrangements for Hope Blooms, helping at vacation bible school and
sharing my platform, delivering Meals on Wheels, promoting Girl Scouts and
selecting a gift for a Christmas Giving Tree.
I had some
phenomenal experiences with selling beverages at Thrivefest, welcoming veterans
home for the Veteran’s Honor Flight, riding in local parades and handing out
candy, serving up meals at the New Life Center, giving a teddy bear mascot to
the CEO of my dad’s work that was autographed by Tobymac and being on the ND
Today Show. I had an amazing mission excursion in Nassau, Bahamas where I packed
meals for the hungry and served hot lunch to those who could not travel.
The Backpack
Program through Great Plains Food Bank was very important to me. I volunteered
several times and packed meals and organized over 40 people to volunteer. I had
my school film team video the backpack program and show how all ages can help
fight hunger. This video educated my entire school of over 600 people.
I spoke to
classes about my platform and encouraged others to Love Always. I also
painted over 150 watercolor hearts with my platform on and wrote out 1
Corinthians 16:14 and attached them to a heart bag and gave them out to remind
people to Love Always.
Sharing my
platform with Governor Doug Burgum was amazing and I got to sit on the House of
Representatives floor, see where bills get discussed and voted on and actually
get to vote myself! What a fun way to represent the great state of North
Dakota. Being recognized at the Medora Musical was also exciting because it
showcases our great state.
It was a
privilege to be an American Heart Association ambassador. I got to encourage
and promote heart health, attend heart walks and Streets Alive because we all
need to be heart healthy.
As I think
back on my year … I learned so much,
gained so many skills like confidence and poise, made wonderful friends and had
countless positive experiences. I am thankful to everyone who has been
wonderfully supportive of my journey and dreams.
Dad: thank
you for always supporting me and for making me laugh. You always have the humor
in my life. You have been my technical expert for pictures, graphics and files.
And, you safely drove almost the entire way to and from nationals in
Charleston, West Virginia. I couldn’t have done all that without your
incredible love.
Mom: thank
you for helping and supporting me to be the best I can be. Without you, I would
not have had this amazing time. I have grown mentally so much because of you.
You are an amazing woman, friend, mom and beautiful both inside and out. You
have been my awesome personal photographer, prayer partner and wardrobe
specialist.
My brothers,
Andrew and Gabe: thank you for being understanding throughout this year and
being flexible so that I could do all that I wanted with my pageant
appearances. Andrew, you made some hilarious memories when you were having fun
with my pageant life. Gabe, thanks for coming along with on some appearances. I
love you both so much!
To the judges
who gave me the chance to be in this amazing role, thank you from the bottom of
my heart for believing in me. You gave me the confidence to do my best and it
makes me want to strive for greater things and to keep making a difference.
Meg and
Janelle: thank you for being available to guide me as I learned all the details
of the pageant world and for giving me this opportunity because the risk was so
worth it. I am so richly blessed by all that I have learned and experienced.
The crown truly changes a girl for the better.
Ashley: thank you so much for your inspiration,
direction and encouragement so that I could do my best. You were always willing
to provide support.
I had the
privilege of being blessed by pageant sponsors. I am so thankful for all that I
received. You have been generous and talented and I gained friendships along
the way.
Wanda,
Jessie, Ava and MacKenzie: It was God’s timing and a blessing that I became a
queen with all of you. I am in incredible company with women who are beyond
amazing and have made such a difference. I’m so thankful for each of you and
will treasure our friendships forever. You are my lovely sister queens
always.
To my
successor…. Make the most of every
moment and cherish it because it will go by so fast. I pray that you change
many lives with your platform message. Always remember that I am here if you
need anything because we are family.
I had an
incredible year and I look forward to where the Lord will lead me to next!
Honored to
forever be your…..
Miss Pre Teen
North Dakota International 2019
Love Always,
Lilia Rexin
