Delayed, But Never Denied: My Ms. Corporate America Experience

Have you ever prayed for an opportunity, finally received it, and then everything that could go wrong...did?

That was my Ms. Corporate America experience.

When Farra Worrell, aka "Grace Girl," invited me to attend the Ms. Corporate America competition, I was honored. There wasn't even a second thought; I wanted to say yes, but there I was again saying yes to another commitment, but this was different. Sometimes, being invited into the room is a reminder that God is opening doors you didn't have to force open yourself.

We were asked to wear purple, symbolizing royalty, and we were each allowed to bring a plus one (Hey Jam- pictured below!) Now, let me be honest. Fear showed up. The questions started racing through my mind. Was I ready? Would I fit in? Was I really supposed to be there?

Then someone very dear to me reminded me to walk in boldness. Right after that, the Scripture from 2 Timothy 1:7 settled in my spirit: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

That's all I needed.

Before the event, someone asked me what I was looking forward to the most. My answer surprised them. "The experience." Not the celebrities. Not the photos. Not who might be in attendance. I simply wanted to be in the room. I had already prayed that the Lord would go before me and be present in every room I walked into. I wasn't chasing a moment of recognition. I wanted to experience whatever He had prepared for me. I was content. I was grateful. I was ready.

Or so I thought. Life had other plans. I had another event earlier that day, where I shared my testimony in front of a crowd for the first time, and that was hard, but I made it through with the reminder to "walk in boldness". Feeling exhausted, I knew I needed to get a little rest before heading to the competition. After my quick reset, I left the house...only to realize I had forgotten a few important things. So I turned around. Then I drove to the wrong hotel. Then traffic. Then my GPS decided to send me to someone's house because the address was almost identical to the venue's. By the time I finally made it, the Florida skies had opened up, and it was pouring. The show had already started. I had completely missed the opportunity to meet and interview the contestants before the competition.

I cried! Not one of those dramatic cries...just one of those quiet moments where you ask God, "Really? Why me? Why now? I had one job!" I was disappointed. Frustrated. Drained. Nothing had gone the way I had imagined. But God...

Although I was somewhat focused on everything I had missed, I snapped out of it and decided to enjoy what I hadn't. I settled into my seat, watched the competition, and reminded myself why I came in the first place. During intermission, something shifted.

I stopped having my little pity party, gathered myself, and chose boldness.

I interviewed Ms. Mompreneur 2021, Kiara J Mason (instagram.com/kiarajmason), and what an incredible conversation it was. Then came the VIP Meet & Greet. By that point, my phone battery had completely died. Of course it did. That was the phone I planned to use for interviews. But God...

Watching Farra do what she does best was inspiring. Even after a long day, she showed up with excellence. She interviewed ambassadors, kept the conversations flowing, and then graciously handed me the opportunity to interview one of the ambassadors as well.

I smiled as I watched her interview LisaRaye McCoy (First "She Reigns" National Ambassador) and Anissa King-Paul (Founder & President of MCA). Honestly, that alone was worth being there.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/36f125_b555c25e0fd94d52a8ad197458ff711f/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

One thing I've learned is that support isn't always about being the person in front of the camera. Sometimes it's celebrating someone else's moment while knowing yours is coming.

One of my favorite moments of the evening was connecting with Ms. New York Metro 2026 (Kanika Beaulieu), who is from Brooklyn and originally from Trinidad. If you know...you know.

That conversation reminded me that God is always working behind the scenes. Sometimes we become so focused on the opportunity we missed that we overlook the divine connection He intentionally placed in front of us. As I drove home, I kept replaying the day.

Everything had gone left. Yet somehow, I left feeling full. I realized God never promised there wouldn't be delays. He never promised perfect timing according to my schedule.

But He has always been faithful.

People often say, "Delay is not denial," and after this experience, those words carry even more meaning for me. I watched phenomenal women confidently walk across that stage—women building businesses, leading organizations, raising families, serving communities, and showing up despite whatever fears they may have carried with them. Watching them reminded me that courage isn't the absence of fear. Courage is deciding to show up anyway.

I know I was supposed to be there, not because everything went according to plan.

But because God had already ordered my steps.

If you know me well...I've been praying, "Lord, I'm ready." Ready for whatever You have next.

Ready for the rooms You choose. Ready for the conversations You ordain. Ready to walk boldly, even when the journey there isn't perfect, because I firmly believe we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart. And sometimes being chosen doesn't mean everything will be easy; it simply means God is with you every step of the way.

Looking back, yes, I remembered the delays, but I also remembered God's faithfulness through them.

I am CHOSEN for such a time as this!

Clavia Allen, xoxo