A beauty queen from Florida revealed God is the secret to her current successes in life, which include two prestigious pageants.
The Christian Post reported that 26-year-old Ashley Ann Cariño, who was crowned Miss Florida USA 2021 last July 18 and earned third placer in Miss USA 2021 last November 29, acknowledged God for her accomplishments despite not praying to win the pageantries she was a part of.
"I had already signed up for Miss Florida USA. But instead of asking, 'God, I want to win Miss Florida USA,' I was just asking for opportunities," Cariño said.
"(I prayed) for God to give me new opportunities and this year, I actually asked that. He delivered an abundance of that. God has opened doors to so many opportunities. It's just been a whirlwind," she added.
Being the first time she joined a beauty pageant in July, Cariño admitted that she never thought she could actually win Miss Florida. She finds it as something she didn't think she could do. But winning the Miss Florida crown has changed not only her mind but her perception on how "powerful" women really are. She now believes that "every woman can accomplish whatever it is they set their mind to."
Cariño, who is an aerospace engineering student at the University of Central Florida, have always dreamt of becoming an astronaut and of being crowned in a beauty pageant. In her Instagram account, Cariño publicly praised God for all her blessings this year that included the fulfillment of her dreams. She divulged that God has been a part of her every step in life, for she walks "by faith."
"I look back on my life and this past year and I can't believe how incredibly blessed I have been. Not only have I had the great fortune to share my life with my amazing family and friends, but I have been able to see this year turn my dreams into reality, and I know the best is yet to come!" Cariño proclaimed in August.
"I want to thank God for all He has done for me, for His unconditional love and outpour of blessings. (B)ecause of Him wherever I go my steps are sure; I don't need sight because I walk by faith," she reiterated.
Cariño revealed in an interview with CBN News on Monday the importance of her Christian faith being a Puerto Rican native who moved to Florida at an early age of five. She said her faith has made her better understand the mysteries of life that Science can not fully explain.
"I was raised in the Church. For me, God has always been my stepping stone. Religion and faith have been an important part of my life, and I know I am not where I am today if it wasn't for Him," Cariño revealed.
"Science is man-made. It's an explanation that we've created for natural phenomenons. For me, science is there to test our faith. It's definitely not there to dispute the existence of God. That is something that I always tell people...to remember that science is something that man has created for explanations as to what's going on in the world," she emphasized.
In her CBN interview, Cariño also said that her faith is also the secret behind her overcoming Scoliosis and the ordeal she experienced because of it. Cariño shared that she was diagnosed with Scoliosis in high school and had to wear a back brace because of it.
