Read Time: 5 min 45 sec | Listen to Podcast

OLYMPICS

Sacré Red, White, and Blue

With over 100 medals now, Uncle Sam continues to dominate.

On the track, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set a 400m hurdles world record, winning gold by 1.5 seconds. Tara Davis-Woodhall (long jump) and Grant Holloway (110m hurdles) also took gold; Quincy Hall came from behind to win the men’s 400m by 0.04 seconds; and Kenny Bednarek got silver in the 200m (COVID-positive Noah Lyles got bronze).

Meanwhile, women’s synchronized artistic swimming won its first medal in twenty years—a silver—with an underwater moonwalk; and Steph Curry & Co. survived Serbia, advancing to play gold medal hoops against France tomorrow. 

Winter Olympians crashed the soiree to resolve some mis-medalling. Russia’s 2022 figure skating team had its gold medals revoked due to doping, bumping Team USA up to gold in an Eiffel Tower ceremony. 

Paris’s closing ceremonies are Sunday night.

__

Verse to consider whether your country wins, loses… or you’re just not an Olympics kinda person…“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (CSB) (read full passage)

WORLD

Mean

Three sold-out Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna were canceled following a foiled terror attack on the venue.

Authorities arrested two male Austrian citizens, ages 17 and 19, who were “radicalized” online and had specifics on how to carry out an attack. The younger suspect had Islamic State/Al-Qaeda material and was recently hired by a company providing services at the concert venue; the older allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS recently and has confessed plans to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.”

Officials said the men had been under surveillance, with the tip leading to the arrests coming from abroad.

Bejeweled Swifties gathered to sing in Vienna’s streets in the wake of the cancellations. The Eras Tour is set to conclude its European leg with five shows in London starting next Thursday.

__

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
God doesn’t promise a world without troubles (actually, Jesus straight up said the opposite), but He does promise peace and victory over sin for all who trust in Jesus. During times dominated by uncertainty and fear, our eternity is secure, and we can cling to His promises. 

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
John 16:33 (CSB) (read full passage)

SPONSORED

Non-sticky Situation

Most nonstick pots and pans sold today still contain Teflon, the original “forever chemical,” but there are other ways to keep your omelet sliding around; the Always Pan is a toxin-free ceramic nonstick pan.

And honestly, its toxin-free nonstick is only the beginning of why we love the Always Pan.

In addition to not taking up cabinet space (because a pan this pretty lives out on the stovetop), the Always Pan’s patented 10-in-1 design means it’s shallow enough to flip an egg, deep enough to roast an entire chicken and goes from stovetop right into the oven. Its (toxin-free) nonstick also makes it super easy to clean (just water and wipe).

Use code POUROVER for 10% off!

WORLD

Off Guard

Ukraine launched a surprise invasion into western Russia this week.

On Tuesday, several army brigades exploited a gap in Russia’s defenses along the northern Russia-Ukraine border. By Wednesday, support from artillery, drones, and air defenses enabled hundreds of Ukrainian troops to press nearly 10 miles into southern Russia and capture several villages. 

Ukraine has been very tight-lipped about the invasion—its first major cross-border offensive operation. Its possible that Kyiv hopes to divert Russian troops, shifting them away from Ukraine’s east, into defense on their own home front, and creating a safe “buffer zone.”

Putin called the incursion “a large-scale provocation,” and some military analysts are questioning Ukraine’s decision to move its forces away from the frontlines, where Russia has more manpower and airpower, and to break from Western desires to use Western arms defensively.

__

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
As nations fight over temporary borders, followers of Christ can rejoice in our eternal inheritance: the entire world, made completely new, where we will live and reign with our Savior forever. 

“Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:5 (CSB) (read full passage)

The VP candidates’ newest mud to sling is calling each other “weird.” Walz (D-MN) is also being accused of timing his retirement from the military to avoid deployment in Iraq, then lying about it. Meanwhile, Vance (R-OH) is being criticized for endorsing a book that calls progressives “unhumans” and saying women need kids to have a stake in America’s future.
 

Hamas has a new leader. Following last week’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the terrorist organization has named Yahya Sinwar—the reported “architect” of the October 7th attack on Israel—as its new global leader. Sinar is believed to have been in Gaza, avoiding a multitude of assassination attempts, since the start of the war.
 

Mortgage rates are dropping, and homeowner hopefuls are pouncing. Last week, the average 30-year mortgage rate dropped to 6.55%—down from last October’s peak of nearly 8%—prompting a surge in mortgage (and refinance) applications. Economists hope that declining rates will thaw the chilly housing market; “New House” Pinterest boards surged on the news (probably).
 

Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), a member of a progressive group of Congressional Democrats nicknamed “the Squad,” lost her primary. It proved to be the second most expensive Democratic primary race in history after a pro-Israel group spent $8 million to boost her opponent, Wesley Bell. The same group spent $15 million to help oust another “Squad” member, Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), last month.
 

Boeing and NASA are feuding. Boeing maintains its Starliner Spacecraft is safe to leave the International Space Station, but NASA is concerned about potential helium leaks and thruster control. Boeing’s two-person crew originally planned to be home from their 8-day trip by National Fudge Day (June 16th); NASA is now thinking they’ll return aboard a SpaceX craft closer to Valentine's Day.

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

A chipmunk’s first almond…

What We’re Signing
The AND Campaign’s Pledge against Political Violence*

With the exception of that enthusiastic youth pastor who chugs a Mountain Dew and then runs a marathon without training… most good things take practice.

The AND Campaign believes that Christians responding to a fraught political climate with grace and wisdom is something we should train for. With a little discipline to prepare our hearts and minds, the church can be a beacon of clarity—so the AND campaign is training believers in Christian Civic Disciplines.

Take the AND Campaign’s pledge against political violence, and you’ll be signed up to receive a discipline and a devotional straight to your inbox each month. Let’s do election season together.

How We’re Leveling the Pricing Field
With a VPN from Surfshark*

Easy there Cookie Monster… before you click “accept all” did you know that some travel sites increase flight and hotel prices based on info (ZIP Code, browser history, etc.) captured in your cookies?

Surfshark’s VPN can help you save money and avoid unfair pricing by changing your IP address, blocking cookies, and keeping your personal info safe. Plus, you can connect unlimited devices, so the whole family is protected.

Become invisible online with Surfshark’s VPN. Try it for less than $3/month and get an extra three months!