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U.S. NEWS

Swearing In

It’s soon-to-be-President Trump’s second first week on the job. 

Today’s inauguration ceremony was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, with D.C. bundled up for its coldest presidential swear-in since Reagan’s second inauguration (also the last time the ceremony was inside). The day will feature performances from Carrie Underwood, the Y.M.C.A. Village People, Lee Greenwood, Kid Rock, and others (see the full schedule).

First up on the Trump admin’s to-do list: a major immigration raid in Chicago—the operation will reportedly begin tomorrow and target 300+ people, most with violent crime histories.

In other new-job news, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R-OH) will temporarily fill Vice President JD Vance’s senate seat until a November 2026 special election, and Vivek Ramaswamy, co-leader of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, is rumored to be planning an Ohio gubernatorial bid.

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RADIATE HOPE
Whether the change of power has you stoked or unsettled, remember that the King of kings reigns unshaken. Leadership changes on earth are temporary, but the Lord’s authority is eternal. Believers have the opportunity to reflect the peace and hope found in his unchanging rule.

“God ascends among shouts of joy, the Lord, with the sound of a ram’s horn. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our King, sing praise! Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of the whole earth. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.”
Psalm 47:5–8 (CSB) (read full passage)

U.S. NEWS

No Scroll for U.(S.)

Millions of TikTok-trained fingers were left with only muscle memory this weekend as the app temporarily went dark.

TikTok, owned by the China-based ByteDance, has been racing against the clock to avoid a U.S. ban over concerns about the foreign-owned app’s access to Americans’ data. Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld a "sell-or-farewell" law requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or be banned.

Despite last-minute offers—including a $20 billion cash bid from Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and a merger proposal from Perplexity AI—ByteDance refused to sell, and users were locked out Saturday night.

On Sunday, less than 24 hours into the ‘Tok timeout, TikTok’s CEO announced the app would resume operations after President-elect Trump promised he’d sign an executive order giving the app an extension once he’s sworn in today. 

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Verse to consider when you’re weighing a tough decision against the clock… “If you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:3-6 (CSB) (read full passage)

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Lacking Daily Food

Somalia is caught in the crosshairs of natural disasters, global conflicts, widespread poverty, and disease outbreaks.   

East Africa is coming off its worst drought in 40 years, which has left tens of millions of people without access to clean water, killed millions of livestock, and decimated crops. They became very reliant on imported food, and 90% of Somalia’s wheat came from Russia and Ukraine… which stopped coming.

Now, two in five children in Somalia suffer from acute malnutrition, and a cholera outbreak is spreading in some areas. The food shortage, coupled with humanitarian aid being focused on Europe and the Middle East, has been the perfect storm and led to an alarming increase in child malnutrition. 

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BE DOERS
We’re asking the TPO Community to join us in partnering with World Concern to help get emergency nutrition packs (a peanut paste fortified with nutrients), water, and hygiene products to those with the most need. 

Every $12 feeds a child for a month. We’re matching the first $5,000; just give through this link.

“If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?”
James 2:15-16 (CSB) (read full passage)

WORLD NEWS

Going Home

The first of 33 Hamas-held hostages—three young women—were reunited with their families yesterday (watch their reunions).

Fifteen months of conflict paused Sunday morning, three hours later than expected. Over the next 41 days, women, children, elderly, and sick hostages will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners every seven days.

A surge of humanitarian aid—up to 600 trucks daily—will flow into Gaza under the deal. Gaza’s displaced population (over 2 million people) will return to war-ravaged homes, their movement managed by Hamas police as Israeli forces withdraw. The governance (and rebuilding) of Gaza wasn’t detailed in the agreement.

On his last day in office, President Biden celebrated that “the guns in Gaza have gone silent.” Israeli PM Netanyahu thanked Presidents Trump and Biden for backing “Israel’s return to fighting” if “second stage negotiations are ineffectual.”

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
As you pray for the restoration of hostages, and prisoners, and refugees, remember that our God is a Shepherd who relentlessly searches for lost sheep. He will never tire or give up until the last one comes home to him.

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.” 
John 10:14-16 (CSB) (read full passage)

President Biden set a new record for presidential commutations and pardons before passing the torch Oval Office pen. Over the weekend, he shortened the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, focusing on offenders whose sentences were longer than they would have been under current laws, and pardoned five activists and public servants.
 

Keep those pipes dripping—the polar vortex is passing through America. Dangerously cold air (wind chills -30 to -55 degrees) dove out of the Arctic to chill… most of the U.S. Below freezing temps are expected from the Rockies to the Atlantic and as far south as San Antonio and the Florida panhandle. Over 30 states are under extreme cold alerts.
 

And then there were four… The NFL Playoffs are in full swing, and on Saturday, the Chiefs kept their three-peat chances alive with a 23-14 W over the Texans; the Commanders followed up by topping the top-seeded Lions 45-31. Yesterday, the Eagles soared past the Rams 28-22, and the Bills beat the Ravens 27–25. Conference Championships kick off Sunday.
 

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Walgreens Friday for reportedly filling millions of unlawful opioid prescriptions over the last 13 years. In the suit—similar to one filed against CVS last month—the DOJ claims that pharmacists were “systematically pressured” to fill prescriptions and ignore red flags on suspicious scripts. In response, Walgreens defended “the professionalism and integrity” of its pharmacists.
 

Riots broke out across Seoul after South Korea’s impeached President Yoon was formally arrested yesterday. Yoon was detained for questioning about his short-lived imposition of martial law last month; so far, he’s refused to talk. While Yoon's presidential fate still resides with Seoul's Constitutional Court, he now faces months of detainment and possible imprisonment.

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

An Oscar-worthy performance…

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