"O Israel, hope in the Lord! For the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem." 

In the midst of apparently hopeless situations, we hold two realities: God's faithful love; and God's power to redeem.  Though we are faithless, God is faithful.  Though we are powerless, God can make all things new.  We are held to God's heart by God's love and held in God's care by the divine intention to make our lives good - to "redeem."  These twin focuses give us hope.  They are the real helps that can see us through anything.