A little back story before I get into this whole thing. I got to be a backpacking guide in Colorado for the past two summer for Wilderness Ranch, the Younglife Camp- seriously best job ever and could talk about this for a while but I’m sparing y’all. This past summer started off with a friend of mine reciting Psalm 23 in a prayer over her and I as we just felt so uncertain about why the Lord had brought us back again. So obviously after I found out she had Psalm 23 memorized I wanted to memorize it too. I would go on to think about it all summer and had the idea of the Psalm down just didn’t know the order, that’s so not needed information but whatever. This month the Lord has just been showing up left and right like he’s my ride from the airport just holding up a huge sign that says Psalm 23 and I just immediately know it’s for me. So, I memorized it this month. Insanely long intro but let’s chat about my month.
It’s easy to realize that the Lord is your Shepherd, He makes you lie down in green pastures, leads you beside still waters and is the restorer of your soul when you are literally in the act of doing all of that. While on my last trip this past summer, we were walking and suddenly we were in this wide-open green valley called the Ute Creek Valley. I heard a camper behind me say “scripture is right in front of my face” and I was like okkkkk Lord yes, I’m reading them Psalm 23 right now. So, I did. And these campers seriously were in awe of how they profoundly and practically could relate to scripture in a very visual way. And that’s been the topic of thought of my month. How will I, so profoundly and practically, notice that Psalm 23 is just as cool to relate to even when physically I’m not laying in a wide-open green valley with a river running through. Newsflash Hailey- He’s the restorer of your soul, just be with Him. So, while the schedule of being a fellow has been a good challenge for me, and hasn’t slowed down and won’t for a while, I have found rest in the midst of it, and these are ways I’ve found it!
Being with my mentor! I could sit and chat with Emily for a crazy amount of time. She is so kind, wise, easy to laugh with and a person I’ve noticed myself wanting to be like in a friend towards others.
Prayer partners! Prayer partners is when you get paired up with another fellow every week. I love this time I get to have one-on-one with the fellows. I made Maddie Grace come paint pottery with me for our PP week and now I think everyone should have a passion for painting pottery.
Girls’ nights and more hot tub visits. These girls are so good. I could write forever bragging about them, but I’ll save that for another time. Hot tubs, as we know from my last blog, could never let me down.
Took my off weekend to go hiking with my friend Madison! Mega needed weekend.
Rapid fire awesome things: The weather, state fair (no sausage on a stick didn’t sit well with me), Zach Top concert, thrifting, making some good coffee at home, riding the electric bull at the fair, peanut butter and banana toast, DWTS, Ashley giving me the worst wedgie of my life, roundtable and laughing with Ashley, Sam, and all the fellows and Halloween.
Songs of October (my last 5 are still heavily in the mix)
Runaway Love- Justin Bieber (speaks for itself)
Close Up- Olivia Dean (passionate about this song like never seen in myself before)
Like I Want You- Zach Top (country music is alive and well. Amen)
Johnson Song- Mt. Joy (nostalgic and crave this constantly)
The entire Lake Street Dive & Lawrence: The City Winery Sessions EP (the air to my lungs)
He restores my soul. Over and over! November, be lit to me. Ok bye.
-Hailey Cook
Psalm 23 then!
Psalm 23 now!