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VERSE OF THE DAY
“But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
James 1:22 (CSB) (read full passage)

Russia and Ukraine’s 4-year war attempted a 3-day pause this weekend.

President Trump announced Friday that both countries had agreed to pause “all kinetic activity” Saturday-Monday and exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, one of the largest prisoner exchanges of the war. Trump said he hopes this ceasefire marks “the beginning of the end.”

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for Uncle Sam’s “productive diplomatic involvement,” but later accused Russia of violating the ceasefire; Moscow also accused Kyiv of violations. 

The ceasefire coincided with Russia’s Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union's victory in WWII. Saturday’s parade through Moscow’s Red Square lacked its typical display of tanks and missiles due to fears of an attack. Speaking after the event, Russian President Putin said he thinks Russia’s war with Ukraine “is coming to an end.”

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PRAY WITH US
King Who Holds All Things Together, hold together this agreement. Grow in the hearts of all parties a true desire for lasting peace. Multiply the work of peacemakers to grow and bear fruit across the region and around the world.

Bring justice and freedom for prisoners of war, healing deep wounds, and rebuilding upended lives. Resolve tension about territories and resources; open twisted, blocked lines of communication; and grow buy-in and confidence so that peace endures. Revive the people, lands, governments, and economies that this war has devastated.

Want to bring more hard headlines to God in prayer? Join us on Saturdays in our Praying the News newsletter. Subscribe for free here.

America’s redistricting frenzy hit the Southern stage this week.

Thursday, Tennessee’s legislature voted in a special-called session to split Memphis into three districts, potentially eliminating the state’s only Democratic congressional seat. 

Friday, Alabama’s attorney general appealed to the Supreme Court, asking them to lift an injunction on the state’s current court-drawn map and to use a previously-rejected 2023 map. The appeal came after Alabama Governor Ivey signed legislation allowing for new U.S. House primaries if the courts approve the request. Also Friday, Virginia’s high court voted 4-3 to strike down a voter-approved redistricting amendment that might’ve given Democrats four extra seats, ruling lawmakers had violated the constitutional procedure.

Meanwhile, Louisiana and South Carolina are also considering new maps to reduce the number of Democratic-majority districts, prompting outcries from Democrats and voting rights groups.

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Verse to consider when election season and conversations around redistricting stir up fear, misplaced hope, anxiety, or anger… “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” 
Matthew 5:14-16 (CSB) (read full passage)

Three-year-old Nimco was too weak to get out of bed… Her arm measured just 11cm—she was in the dangerous “red” zone of hunger.

Today, she’s running and playing again. The only difference? Nutrient-dense pouches of peanut paste called Nutripackets.

After just two months of these pouches, Nimco was finally getting healthy and measuring in the “green.”  

Millions of children in East Africa are facing acute malnutrition right now. As severe drought leaves villages and families like Nimco’s with almost nothing, World Concern is there.

BE DOERS
Just $12 gives a child like Nimco a month’s supply of Nutripackets and a real chance to get healthy. It’s a simple, powerful way to respond to East Africa’s hunger crisis. Join TPO and World Concern and change lives today. TPO is matching the first $10K given!

“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)

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The Pentagon beamed down decades of UFO sightings on Friday.

The files, which President Trump promised to declassify in February after former President Obama expressed a personal openness to alien existence, were posted to a retro government website (check it out) and include:

Uncle Sam didn’t phone home with any answers, and Trump urged the public to draw their own conclusions. Some experts, including former Pentagon officials, warn the files could fuel “speculation, conspiracy, and armchair pseudoscience” without proper analysis. More releases are expected.

We’re covering UFOs at a 7th-grade reading level with biblical reflection and action steps in Decaf: The Pour Over for Families. Sign up free to get it in your inbox Thursday!

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Outer space can spark great intrigue, fear, and mystery. Regardless of what the cosmos contains, Christians can rest knowing none of it changes what we know to be true: God created this world, loves it, and is committed to renewing it. 

“For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.” 
Colossians 1:16-17 (CSB) (read full passage)

A Frontier Airlines plane struck and killed a person who had jumped the fence and ran onto the runway at Denver International Airport late Friday night. The collision sparked an engine fire, filling the cabin with smoke and forcing all 231 passengers and crewmembers to evacuate via runway slides. Twelve passengers reported minor injuries, and five were hospitalized.

The U.S. is flying 17 Americans home from the hantavirus-infected cruise ship after it docked in the Canary Islands yesterday. CDC staff will escort the passengers—none of whom have tested positive or have symptoms—to a specialized medical facility in Nebraska for further evaluation. Acting CDC Director Bhattacharya predicted they’ll then self-isolate for 42 days, with support from local health departments.

The U.S. and Iran are trading fire and peace proposals. Uncle Sam fired on two Iranian oil tankers trying to evade Uncle Sam’s Hormuz blockade Friday, and Iran attacked (but didn’t damage) three U.S. warships. Yesterday, President Trump rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal, calling it “totally unacceptable,” but negotiations through mediators in Pakistan are expected to continue.

The job market’s spirits are up. American consumers? Not so much… The Labor Department reported Friday that the economy added 115k jobs in April—nearly double what economists forecasted—with unemployment holding steady at 4.3%, giving analysts hope for a warming market. In early May, consumer sentiment hit an all-time low, driven in part by gas prices over $4.50/gallon.

A cyberattack turned students' Canvas blank with finals looming. Hacking group ShinyHunters breached Instructure—the parent company of the learning platform Canvas used by 8,000+ universities and K-12 schools globally. The hackers flooded students’ screens with ransom notes and claimed to have accessed data from 275 million users. Canvas was restored Friday, and postponed exams are back on.

Ah... to be young and carefree.

How We’re Browsing The Internet
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Remember when "pop-ups" were just baby books, not annoying ads? Back when the only thing tracking you was your nosy friendly neighbor? 

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