Once upon a time I got an error message saying that I needed to press and hold the power button on my computer, therefore turning it off. Perhaps the previous story occurred multiple times today. I was baffled. Macs aren't supposed to crash like that. Especially when everything was working fine up until that point. I was able to eliminate the problem... it was my wireless keyboard that I use during recording in the studio. (Not like the 88 key kind... the computer kind, similar to the one I'm using to type this). I was quite discouraged seeing how I had just installed the brand new keyboard only a couple days ago (pretty sure that is the nerdiest sentence I have ever written). But alas, I was at a loss.

I mentioned the problem to my dad, who was working on his own project: installing new speakers in the Tahoe. He said he would look at it later. Quite suddenly, I realized that I had ignored an excellent help source: google. When the opportunity presented itself, I sat down and tried to put my problem into words. (I am going somewhere with this) There it was... the second option "wireless keyboard crashes Snow Leopard" where I promptly found 9 easy clicks to fixing the problem. Elation ensued. I went and told my dad that I had fixed the problem with a little help from whoever else had entered the problem on Apple Support... to which he said, "Funny you should say that... I couldn't figure out how to get the panel off the door in the truck... second thing to come up on youtube was this guy showing how to take a panel off the door of a tahoe"

Who does that? Some angel of a person, apparently. There I was with my problem. I look for help, and what do you know? Tons of other people have the same crisis... and some generous soul offers a solution. For free. My dad has an issue come up with the car, and with hardly any effort, finds that someone else has experienced the same scenario, and learned how to overcome. It's a mundane illustration, but now do you see where I'm going with this?

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" - 1 Corinthians 10:13

No matter how diverse or obscure or even shameful the situation is, SOMEONE and probably MANY people have experienced it, and those with faith and a will strengthened by the Holy Spirit have made it to the other side. As helpless as a situation may seem, or as difficult as a trial may appear, it has not reached you or me without the Lord allowing it... and with it comes a way of escape. Be encouraged, God is truly faithful.