Read Time: 5 min 51 sec | Listen to Podcast

Two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela less than a minute apart Wednesday evening, killing at least 188 people.

First, a 7.2-magnitude quake struck ~100 miles west of Venezuela's capital, Caracas. Just 39 seconds later, a 7.5-magnitude tremor hit ~10 miles from the first.

The earthquakes are among the strongest to hit the country in over a century. Over 1,500 people were injured, 150+ remain missing, and collapsed buildings left the region a “disaster zone” according to Venezuela's Acting President Rodriguez, who declared a state of emergency yesterday.

Rural Northern California also experienced an earthquake Wednesday morning; the 5.6-magnitude quake was the region's strongest since 1940, causing mild shaking and some injuries but no major damage. Meanwhile, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan during rush hour Thursday, injuring eight with no reported deaths.

__

BE DOERS
Times of great tragedy can open doors for hope, and Convoy of Hope is on the ground in Venezuela. In the midst of the rubble, they're providing life-sustaining relief, including food and water from mobile kitchens. You can be a part of that response, and TPO is matching the first $5,000 given to COH's Crisis Relief Fund.

“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)

With its term ending in early July, SCOTUS began emptying its desk.

Yesterday, the court ruled 6-3 to:

It also sided with Roundup-maker Bayer in a 7-2 decision to block state lawsuits over failure to warn of glyphosate's alleged cancer risks because the EPA never required such a label.

__

Verse to consider when the need for discernment arrives, even if your decisions don't ultimately make the headlines… “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.”
James 1:5-6 (CSB) (read full passage)

If you've ever felt like you just need more dieting willpower, here's the truth: cravings aren't a discipline problem…

Believe it or not, cravings start in your gut. And when you support your gut, everything changes.

Metabolic Daily is a multi-strain probiotic that helps curb cravings and reduce appetite—without changing your diet overnight. Users report…

Read: living their best lives.

When 29,000+ medical professionals are recommending Pendulum's Metabolic Daily to their patients, that's saying something… Try it today (and use your HSA/FSA funds) and get up to 48% off your first membership order!

*based on a consumer survey of 274 participants using a product containing three strains found in Pendulum Metabolic Daily for 6 weeks
**based on a consumer survey of 50 participants using a product containing three strains found in Pendulum Metabolic Daily for 8 weeks

Curious how we choose sponsors?  Learn more  |  Advertise with us

Move over GameStop; Reddit has a new favorite underdog.

Retail investors have piled onto the frosty train after a WallStreetBets Reddit thread implored members to “save Wendy's before it's too late.” Shares jumped 25.7% Wednesday (the redhead's biggest leap since June 2021) after Wendy's announced a new CFO, but gave up some of the gains yesterday. Analysts say the surge mimics GameStop's 2021 meme stock moment, when shares shot up because of social media hype rather than a change in company fundamentals.

In other Wall Street wins, tech stock Micron soared 15% Thursday. The memory maker reported that it quadrupled Q3 revenue, driven by an insatiable demand for memory chips.

Bitcoin missed the memo, sliding below $60k Wednesday to its lowest level since October 2024 as AI, IPOs, and prediction markets come for investors' capital.

__

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Too often we let eternally insignificant things like the ups and downs of the market control us. Seeking to steward money well is a good thing, but keep your focus on the Giver rather than the gifts.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
2 Corinthians 8:9 (CSB) (read full passage)

Congress's hyped-up housing bill is in limbo. A bipartisan bill passed the Senate (85-5) and the House (358-32) with flying colors, but has stalled at the White House. President Trump says he won't sign until the SAVE America Act (a voter ID bill) is passed, calling election integrity a “national emergency.”


America's 16-day birthday bash has officially started. President Trump kicked off the Great American State Fair Wednesday with a campaign-style rally at the National Mall, declaring “America is back.” Trump's remarks replaced musical headliners who backed out over partisan concerns. The 250th celebration will feature state exhibits (though several refused to officially attend), a rodeo, and a 110-foot ferris wheel.


Let next year's NBA Rookie of the Year race begin. The 2026 NBA Draft finished Wednesday with a talented top-four: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson (see results). The musical lockers game isn't finished: Wednesday, the Charlotte Hornets sent star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid and picks.


The air conditioning debate is heating up in France. A dangerous heatwave prompted conservative leader Marine Le Pen to call for a mass subsidized rollout of AC (only ~25% of French households have a unit). Green Party leader Marine Tondelier conceded that some places (schools, hospitals) “just can't do without it,” but opposes mass adoption due to concerns for le climat.


GTA fans: clear your November. After two delays and over a decade of waiting, pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI went live yesterday. Its $80 price tag is the highest base price for a console game ever. It drops on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S November 19 and is projected to become the single highest-grossing entertainment property of all time.

Who else wanted to blow the saw dust off...?

What We're Approaching Confidently
Our churches' finances, thanks to this free report*

Every church budget tells a bigger story—about generosity, stewardship, and how ministries adapt in a changing world.

Ministry Brands' 2026 Annual Giving Report gives church leaders like you a clear road on what's actually happening across the sector: giving trends across generations, the digital tools moving the needle, and the strategic shifts reshaping how churches fund their mission today.

Whether you're setting next year's budget, rethinking your giving strategy, or preparing your team for harder conversations ahead, this free ebook hands you the data and clarity you need to steward your church's finances with confidence, not guesswork.

Download it today!

What's Saving My Grocery Runs
ButcherBox*

With a newborn in tow, grocery runs have gotten more complicated… I barely have time to use the bathroom, let alone stand in store aisles reading chicken labels like textbooks.

Needless to say, ButcherBox has been a lifesaver. When dinner rolls around, I don't have to worry about trying to fit in (another) Walmart run; I have protein I can trust already in my freezer. They do all the sourcing (with no antibiotics or hormones), and all the delivering, so all that's left for me to do is the enjoying!

Use code TPO60, and you'll get $60 off your first 3 boxes ($20/box)!

Elly Hamby | Partnerships Manager