About Victoria
Once upon a time, in the very small town of Pine Beach, New Jersey, Bob and Jennifer Baxter had their first child. This little nugget came in two weeks early on the First Day of Spring — March 20, 1990. Although to their dismay, it was still snowing outside. After tossing the name Adam around, they trashed it once they saw the bouncing baby girl and Victoria Ashley was welcomed into the world!
Victoria grew up doing many things. She wanted to be part of anything and everything, which is still true to this day. Her mother often commented on how, “Victoria hates a party to end”. She participated in Girl Scouts, enjoyed sleepovers and “craft night” with friends, sang her heart out and stole the stage in school and church musicals, went to Pine Bush Bible Camp every single summer (15 summers total to be exact), and most important to her–competing in gymnastics! She diligently trained 6 days a week, had gymnastic meets almost every weekend, and had a few opportunities to go to “Gator Camp” at the magical place called The University of Florida. One fateful summer came when she had to make a choice between Summer Camp and Gymnastics. She chose camp and never looked back. Due to this decision God opened the doors for many opportunities to try new things like, cheerleading, softball, running and leadership roles during middle and high school (and of course, more summers at camp).
One summer, when Victoria was the wee age of 7 years old, she attended Vacation Bible School, where she finally made the connection between who this Jesus-character was that her parents were always talking about and the Savior they kept mentioning in church. After the speaker shared his message, he asked if anyone wanted to stay after to learn more. This is when she made the most important decision of her life (although, she may not have truly realized it at the time) to be in relationship with Christ and has been walking with Him since. He has been her solid foundation throughout all the ups and downs of life and to this day she is still challenged, awestruck and changed by her Savior.
Since middle school, Victoria has always had a love for children. Once moving to Florida in 2000, she volunteered at her new church to teach a K-1 Sunday School class. From there, she had a passion that could not be ignored. It turned into teaching the large group and participating in dramas and worship for the church’s Children’s Ministry. Then high school hit, and Victoria was old enough to be a CIT, then Jr. Counselor, a Sr. Counselor for the kids at Pine Bush Bible Camp and an Area Head at Muskoka Woods (her Canadian summer camp). These summer camp experiences continued to change her life. (Funny how you get excited to change kids/teens lives for Christ and He uses them to change yours, huh?)
Upon the arrival to University of Central Florida in 2008, she chose to major in Elementary Education, but due to trouble making decisions she also “tried out” six other majors ranging from Biology to Theatre. Eventually she went back to Elementary Ed because she knew that her life needed to be dedicated to working with kids in some way. She also added Hospitality Management as a minor because knowing how to throw a good party and run a theme park are good life skills, you know. Upon graduation, Victoria pursued a teaching career with some acting work on the side, that is, until the Lord changed the trajectory of her life when bringing her on the World Race in September 2015 (alongside the lovely, X-Squad, Best Squad!)
Currently, Victoria is 26 years young and continuing to follow the Lord’s call into furthering His Kingdom through the CGA program (and hopefully onto squad leading with World Race, or working full-time at Adventures in Missions). Victoria loves being surrounded by family and friends, creating healthy food concoctions (and Instagramming it, duh), making amateur videos on iMovie, and crushing people in handstand competitions. Throw in the great outdoors, a lot of iced coffee, and some animals and she is SET. The story doesn’t end here just yet. God is still working in magnificent ways and Victoria can’t wait to see how else He uses her for His Kingdom and serving His people!
The End.
Congrats, you made it!
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your reasonable (or spiritual) act of worship.”
—Romans 12:1
