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Healthcare costs are back in the House.

On Tuesday, four House Democrats joined 212 Republicans to pass the “Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.” 

The GOP-proposed package—which does not extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire on December 31—includes: 

The bill now faces a turbulent future in the Senate, where it needs at least seven Democratic  “yays” to pass. 

Meanwhile, some Republicans are hopping the aisle to keep ACA subsidies from totally sunsetting and raising insurance premiums for millions of Americans. Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, four red representatives signed a Democratic-led petition to force a separate vote to extend the expiring tax credits. 

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE 
Whether or not your insurance premiums will be affected next year, Christians are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. That means celebrating with those who benefit from these votes and showing love and compassion to those who don’t. 

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another… Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.” 
Romans 12:9-10, 15-16 (CSB) (read full passage) 

President Trump addressed the nation from the White House on Wednesday night.

The 18-minute address sharply contrasted his administration with his predecessor’s and touted #47’s first-year accomplishments (watch here). Trump sought to win back voter confidence as recent national polling shows his disapproval rate rising alongside prices and unemployment. 

Here’s a roundup of the President’s main points:

Critics say Trump’s “misleading statistics” painted an overly rosy economic picture. DNC Chair Ken Martin said Trump is “terrified” of the 2026 midterms and “scrambling to clean up his mess.”

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Verse to consider whether the Oval Office lets you down or delivers the win… “My days are like a lengthening shadow, and I wither away like grass. But you, LORD, are enthroned forever; your fame endures to all generations.”
Psalm 102:11–12 (CSB) (read full passage)

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The Trump admin is turning up the pressure on Venezuela.

On Tuesday, President Trump ordered a “total and complete” blockade of U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela and designated the Maduro government a “foreign terrorist organization” as part of an ongoing pressure campaign targeting Caracas.

The U.S. military will enforce the blockade, which the administration says will choke off oil revenue, funding drug trafficking and other crimes. The Pentagon currently has its largest U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. 

Venezuela condemned the move as “warmongering” and a violation of international law, vowing to defend its sovereignty and continue trading oil. Caracas asked the U.N. Security Council to address what it calls “ongoing U.S. aggression.” 

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
Christians should be committed to praying for world leaders to be wise and to work toward peaceful resolutions, while simultaneously placing our hope in God, not government.

“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (CSB) (read full passage)

Nick Reiner made his first courtroom appearance on Wednesday since his parents’ deaths. Reiner faces two counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner. He did not enter a plea and waived a speedy arraignment. If convicted, he faces a maximum life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Dan Bongino is signing off as deputy FBI director. The departure of the former Secret Service agent and podcaster has been expected since summer, when he publicly criticized AG Bondi’s handling of the Epstein case and Missouri AG Andrew Bailey was hired to share his job. President Trump said, “Dan did a great job,” and “wants to go back to his show.”

And the Oscars are going to… YouTube. Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will leave ABC—its broadcast home since 1976—to stream free on YouTube. The shift follows years of declining TV ratings for what has long been the most-watched awards telecast. YouTube offers global reach and Google-backed resources for film preservation and other less-glitzy Academy projects.

The suspect in the Brown University shooting was found dead by suicide in New Hampshire last night. Authorities are investigating a possible link between the mass shooting at Brown University on Saturday and the targeted killing of an MIT physics professor on Monday. The 48-year-old suspect, a former Brown student, reportedly attended school with the MIT professor in Lisbon, Portugal.

Cannabis = rescheduled. On Thursday, President Trump federally downgraded cannabis from Schedule I (no medical use and very addictive, like heroin) to Schedule III, recognizing some medical value and lower abuse risk. While the move doesn’t make marijuana federally legal, it allows research to bud; critics warn it sends youths the wrong message and creates higher hazards on the roads.

Woodworking... with LEGO.

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How We’re Keeping Our Kids Focused on Jesus
With Minno’s Christmas Special*

If December feels like one long sprint of class parties, cookie swaps, and “Can I open just one?”... you’re not alone. It’s hard to keep kids centered on Jesus when everything else is louder.

That’s why we love letting them watch Minno. 

Their Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids Christmas Special teaches kids the true story of Jesus’s birth—told in a way that’s fun, age-appropriate, and actually holds their attention. Minno’s the #1 source of kids’ Christian content this Christmas—and every day. Every show is screened by parents, pastors, and educators… and it’s completely ad free. 

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