Courtney Porter is not your average beauty queen. Just ask Porter’s pastor, who has known her for more than 15 years.
“In a word, I would describe Courtney as tenacious,” said Ryan Whitley, pastor of CrossPoint Church, Trussville. “The kid perseveres in the most adverse of circumstances, and sometimes I think her sweet smile and beautiful demeanor are deceiving, because she knows how to accomplish goals and get things done.”
Porter, who was crowned Miss Alabama 2011 on June 11, certainly had challenges to overcome to earn her title.
She competed in the pageant a little more than a month after her mother, Michelle, lost a two-year battle with liver cancer.
“I’m blessed beyond belief and am looking forward to the doors the Lord opens for me,” the 24-year-old Auburn University graduate said. “After seeing my mom live two years when she was only given two months to live, how can I not believe that there’s something greater than us and that the Lord and His will are a part of our lives?”
Porter grew up in the Birmingham area, where she attended Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson and was an active participant in the youth group at CrossPoint.
In keeping with her passion for children and mentoring, Porter’s platform is the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. During her year as Miss Alabama, she plans to visit as many of the clubs as possible and share her testimony and journey.
“I know that Courtney is grounded in her faith,” her father, Denis Porter, said. “She’s always been one to read the Bible, and when her mother became ill, she started depending on the Lord even more.”
According to him, Porter is a wonderful example of what a strong, independent Christian woman looks like — traits he said his late wife displayed as well. Whitley agreed.
“Courtney has a healthy balance of understanding what she is and what she’s about,” he said. “For Courtney, this title is a platform for her to use what God has given her for His glory.”
As for Porter, she’s happy that the Miss Alabama organization is full of people with similar religious beliefs. Each night of the weeklong pageant, a participant led a devotional.
“Within Miss Alabama, ‘religion’ is not a taboo word,” Porter said. “We are sisters in Christ and build each other up when we need it. We know where we come from and help to remind each other of those strong roots.”
Hearing that she won the title of Miss Alabama was no surprise to the members of her church, Whitley said.
“She’s not your average 20-something — she really embodies Proverbs 31:30, which says, ‘Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised,’” he said. “Miss Alabama is just one of many things Courtney will go on to accomplish.”
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