On July 3rd, Skyler went to bed in her cabin with her bunkmates and counselors nearby. After falling asleep, it started raining, but she probably didn't even hear it. Around 2AM, she was awoken by loud voices instructing the campers to get in the back of a pickup truck so that they could be taken to higher ground. She was able to make it to safety, but 27 others at the camp did not. They were washed away by the flooded Guadalupe River. The loss of life is tragic. There are many who have questioned whether the camp did all it could to prepare for and respond to the flood, and others that think the camp should have never been built there. But in the midst of her fear and sadness, Skyler took another position. She rewrote the words of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and posted a video of her singing the song online. The video was watched by over 100,000 people and the media took notice. Fox News invited her to sing the song on their show. They had also learned that Skyler's favorite singer is Lauren Daigle and invited Lauren to surprise Skyler in person on live television. Skyler was overcome with emotion.
It is interesting to note that while Leonard Cohen was not a Christian, spirituality was often a theme in his writing. He was raised in a Jewish family and his lyrics to Hallelujah included lines about King David from the Old Testament. He writes about a "broken Hallelujah" which I believe is praise that rises from difficult circumstances. He closes "Hallelujah" with these words:
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
I sing Hallelujah to the God who inspired Leornard and Skyler to use their God-given gifts to honor Him, and pray for everyone affected by the tragic loss of life.
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