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God used a Nikon


God works in mysterious ways. You've heard it said many times. Here is one of my experiences of God's faithfulness in my life.
Earlier this spring, my used (and very first) DSLR died following an afternoon of shooting in a state park. Cyclops, my Fuji, had been a surprise from my aunt and uncle 2 years ago. It took some of the most clear and crisp images I'd taken to date. I was reviewing images when the viewfinder froze and eventually went black.
I have a point-and-shoot with a crack in the lens. It really shows up in low light and on cloudy days. I was thinking, "Oh no. One of my cameras is dead, and the other is singing (or shooting) its swan song. I'm a disabled person on a fixed income. How will I take pictures with a camera that challenges my skill level?
I prayed about the loss and my disappointment. I thanked God for Cyclops and the lessons he taught me. I prayed that one day I could own another DSLR, perhaps used and in good condition.
About two months passed. I follow some photography blogs, and e-mailed an author regarding the subject and quality of the particular image. This person knows a bit about my love of photography and disability.
Not long after, I got a notification my comment had a reply. I couldn't believe what I was reading; this person had an old camera they wanted to send to me-free of charge.
I thanked this person, but I insisted on paying something, even if it was only fifty dollars in monthly installments. They refused. I finally had to demand to pay half the shipping.
On June 21, 2016-the start of a new season- a Nikon D7100 arrived in the mail, inside a brand new carrying bag. This person said that they wanted to give back for all that photography has done for them.
They asked me to send a picture taken on their "Old Faithful". That was his name out of the box-Old Faithful. Yes, I do assign gender to inanimate objects.
I can't express enough gratitude to someone I've never met and who lives halfway across the country.
I felt like a kid trying on adult shoes and hoping I could "measure up" to this rock star of cameras.
The clarity of Old Faithful is astounding-and I haven't taken it out of auto mode yet.
By God's grace, the journey continues. Old Faithful arrived in the wake of a major depressive episode. When I have succumbed to neurological war and am about to wave the white flag, that is usually when a breakthrough happens.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not allow us to go through more than we can bear. He promises to provide a way out of the trials we go through, to a place of escape. Photographing in nature helps me escape. Having a help person to drive me to locations aids in that escape. I couldn't do any of that and continue to do well if it weren't for those who God uses to help me.
Jesus says He knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew:7,8, Matthew 6:26,33), but He wants us to put forth the effort and ask Him. I have learned that sometimes the answer is no. I must wait,  exercise faith and trust in Him.
May the kindness this person sowed in donating Old Faithful be repaid tenfold.
There is a gift better than any camera. That's the free gift of salvation God gave to us when His Son, Jesus, died nailed to a cross and rose to life again. May God help you to discover His hope, the kind that doesn't disappoint. May He help you to  wait and trust in Him. May He bless you and help you to be a blessing. Amen.
Something for those who say "Why do bad things happen to good people" to think about. We are to be Christ's hands and feet. For to whom much is given, much is expected (Luke 12:48).
"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done." Proverbs 19:17 NIV
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