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WORLD NEWS

Northern (Hemisphere) Lights

The northern lights moved south… for a weekend anyway. 

Officially known as the aurora borealis (or aurora australis in the southern hemisphere), this phenomenon occurs when molecules collide in the upper level of the earth’s atmosphere, releasing bursts of energy in the form of light. It’s similar to how neon lights work.

When heated, the gases at different layers of the earth’s atmosphere give off different colors: oxygen produces brilliant greens, and nitrogen produces purples, blues, and pinks. 

The expanded aurora was courtesy of strong solar flares emitting from the sun since Wednesday morning. These flares resulted in a rare Severe (G5) Geomagnetic Storm — the first since 2003. 

Facebook feeds were filled with neon skies as people as far south as Florida and worldwide across Europe and China saw the phenomenon. Check out some of the most stunning photos of the weekend.
 
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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Beauty in the skies can make us feel really small… and that’s not a bad thing. The universe God created and operates is enormous, and we are small in comparison. It’s good to be humble in the face of our Creator’s incredible power. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge.”
Psalm 19:1-2 (CSB) (read full passage)

U.S. NEWS

Senator on Trial

The trial of Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) begins today in a Manhattan courtroom (a trendy location).

Menendez, who led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee up until his indictment last September, is accused of accepting bribes of $480,000 in cash and 22 gold bars from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for aiding the governments of Egypt and Qatar. He’s also accused of using his political influence to stop criminal investigations into two New Jersey businessmen in return for a Mercedes convertible.

The Senator has maintained his innocence. Court documents suggest he may argue that his wife, who was also charged in the bribery scheme, made deals without his knowledge.

Menendez has refused calls to resign from Democratic colleagues and may run for re-election as an independent in November.

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Our goal is to keep the big things big and the small things small. It’s not that a trial of a sitting Senator isn’t important… it’s just not God-of-the-Universe important. Stay focused on eternity; it changes everything.

“Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 3:20 (CSB) (read full passage)

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On Friday, the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution (143-9) saying Palestinians qualify for full U.N. membership. After the vote, Israel’s ambassador shredded the U.N.’s charter and said “terrorists” don’t belong among “peace-loving states.” Full membership requires Security Council approval, where Uncle Sam has veto power (and used it last month to prevent Palestinian membership).
 

Michael Cohen will testify against former President Trump today. Cohen, who facilitated the payment to Stormy Daniels, is expected to say that Trump falsified reimbursements to him as a legal expense. On Friday, Judge Merchan advised Cohen to “refrain from” public comments about the trial but stopped short of the formal gag order requested by Trump’s team.
 

The world’s largest carbon capture facility, dubbed “Mammoth,” has begun operations in Iceland. The facility aims to pull 36,000 metric tons of CO2 from the air per year (roughly equivalent to 7,800 gas-powered cars) and bury it underground. Advocates say the technology is crucial to the globe becoming carbon neutral; critics say it’s too inefficient and expensive.
 

Your forgotten gym membership is getting more expensive. For the first time since 1998, Planet Fitness is raising the price of its “classic” $10/month membership to $15/month. Some things aren’t changing; the Black Card membership will remain $25/month, and the no-frills gym remains unwelcoming to “lunks.”
 

Much like soccer (sorry, “football”), the Eurovision singing competition is huge everywhere but in the States. This year, Swiss singer Nemo found the winner’s trophy with the song “The Code,” besting 24 other countries’ entries, although Croatia’s Baby Lasagna ate up the “unofficial” popular vote. To see all of the finalists’ performances, visit Eurovision’s YouTube page.

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Where We’re Donating
Prison Fellowship*

Crime shatters victims… but it also shatters perpetrators and their families.

Studies show that 15-30% of prisoners suffer from a major depressive disorder, and they often leave family members in desperate situations.

Prison Fellowship is reaching into jail cells and broken homes to bring the good news of forgiveness to those who bear the burden of punishment every day. They serve all those affected by incarceration, aiming to see lives and communities healed by Christ.

The demand for hope is massive. Help Prison Fellowship maintain its supply of Bibles and Christian content by donating today. The Pour Over will match the first $1,000 given.

How We’re Studying the Bible
With Bible Gateway Plus*

There are… a lot of Bible study tools out there. Where should you start when you’re ready to pursue greater biblical understanding?

Bible Gateway Plus is the missing link. It grants you access to study Bibles, commentaries, encyclopedias, dictionaries (Hebrew and Greek), and more. It’s a library of resources worth over $2,600, available wherever you are as long as your phone is charged. 

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