QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Law breaking is one way to run from God. Law-keeping is another way. Christianity is coming to God through Jesus’ obedience.”
Ray Ortlund
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U.S. NEWS
Oxford Shooter's Parents
The parents of the 15-year-old who killed four and injured seven during last Tuesday's high school shooting in Oxford Township, Michigan, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
After purchasing a gun in a Black Friday sale, they planned to gift it to their son for Christmas. The prosecution alleges that they stored the gun “improperly” in an unlocked bedroom drawer and ignored warnings from school officials the day of the shooting about disturbing images their son had drawn.
The parents failed to show up to their arraignment on Friday and were found Saturday in a Detroit warehouse after an hours-long search. The pair’s lawyers insisted they weren’t fleeing law enforcement, and the couple pleaded “not guilty” from separate jail cells.
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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
As Christians, we must embrace the difficult tension of desiring justice without developing hate for those participating in evil. Our desire as Christians must be for justice and restoration.
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Matthew 5:44-45 (CSB)
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SPORTS
Championship Weekend
College Football Championship weekend was wild. Underdogs pulled upsets, history was made, and homage was paid.
Conference champions now crowned (see all the results here), the stage is set for the College Football Playoffs. We’ll give you the good news and the bad news.
The good: two teams are making history!
- #2 Michigan is the first team to make it to the playoffs after starting the season unranked
- #4 Cincinnati is the first non-Power 5 team to compete in the playoffs
The bad: they’re baaaack.
- #1 is Bama… again. The Tide will take on Cincinnati in Dallas.
- #3 Georgia will battle Michigan in Miami. It’s the second time the SEC has had two teams in the final 4.
The Bahamas Bowl kicks off bowl season on December 17th. Check the full slate here.
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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Too often we let eternally insignificant things, like sports, control our mood and behavior. It’s not wrong to enjoy these things, but remember that whether your team wins or falls apart as badly as the Iowa Hawkeyes did, nothing of true importance has changed.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ”
Colossians 3:2-3 (CSB)
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SPONSORED
No Longer Skeptics
We’ll be honest, we were skeptical about the entire Christian Health Care Sharing industry… but after digging in, we’ve realized Medi-Share is a great option for many people.
People like an unnamed member of the TPO staff who hasn’t been to a doctor since their pediatrician cut them off (yikes), but loves the idea of Medi-Share’s free 24/7 tele-health option.
Medi-Share allows Christians to share one another's medical bills, and the typical family saves $500/month by switching from traditional health insurance. So… it’s well worth a look. See if it’s right for you!*
*Editor's Note: Health Care Sharing is not the best option for everyone, but is an excellent option for many. Take the time to research if it’s right for you & your family.
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INTERNATIONAL
Pending Invasions
Russia and China’s Christmas lists have one thing in common: another country.
According to U.S. intelligence, Russia is planning to launch an offensive against Ukraine by February. Though Russia denies the allegations, more and more Russian troops continue to show up at the Ukrainian border. President Biden is unenthusiastic about Russia’s rumored New Year’s resolution and dropped a Zoom invite on President Putin’s calendar for tomorrow, promising to make any invasion of Ukraine “ very, very difficult.”
Elsewhere in the Eastern Hemisphere, China has been ramping up its military flyovers in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin says this is indicative of a “rehearsal” of China’s future intentions to use their military to “reunify” the island country of Taiwan with Communist China.
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News you trust and enjoy is hard to find. If that's us, will you...
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Choose to pay just $4.99/month.
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CNN fired Chris Cuomo, the network’s top-rated anchor, after a brief investigation by an outside firm confirmed he played a bigger role in his brother’s political affairs than previously known. Cuomo said he was “disappointed” and was always transparent with “why and how I helped my brother.”
Tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets of Vienna, Austria, to protest a new lockdown and vaccine mandate implemented to curb their latest COVID surge. Meanwhile, protests against COVID passes in Brussels, Belgium, turned violent; police responded to rocks being thrown at them with water cannons and tear gas.
Bob Dole, an “American statesman like few in our history,” died yesterday at 98. Dole was injured during WWII before entering into politics where he became known for his wit and willingness to work across the aisle. He was a senator for 27 years and the 1996 Republican Presidential nominee (he lost to President Clinton).
Kanye, Facebook, and now Square… name changes are trending. The payment processing company Square changed its name to “Block” to reflect its growing portfolio, including the likes of Cash App and music-streaming service Tidal, and new initiatives related to blockchain and crypto.
A high school basketball team made the best mistake ever. While creating a team group chat, they incorrectly typed one digit of a phone number, adding Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. To prove who he was, Sean video chatted them from the Bucs’ locker room… with Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady.
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What We’re Using
I (like most every other Christian I’ve met) wish that I:
- Read the Bible more often
- Prayed more frequently
That’s why I love the Psalms in 30 Days prayer guide our partners at CSB have released!
It was compiled by author and teacher Trevin Wax and helps guide me through the centuries-old practice of praying the Psalms throughout the day. It’s extremely well done and has helped me slow down and dive deeper in my devotions.
It’s amazingly beautiful and one of the nicest stocking stuffers I could find for around $10. Give the gift of a deep devotional life!
Anthony Pierri | Writer, Podcast Host
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What We’re Using
I’ve completely redone my morning coffee routine after being introduced to Don Pablo. They’re family-owned, roast specialty grade (top 2%) coffee that tastes amazing, and are absolutely wonderful to work with.
And now, they’ve even let me handpick my favorites for this special Christmas deal:
- Their sleek matte black pour over set (duh)
- A sampler pack of their best coffees
Usually $65… now under $39.99 with code TPO. Get the perfect gift for any coffee drinker!
Matt Whipple | Writer
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