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The Iran war* is more than a month in, and President Trump says its end is near.

Addressing the nation in a primetime speech Wednesday, Trump said the U.S. will hit Iran “extremely hard” over the next two to three weeks; further strategy details were minimal. He declared that Iran’s navy is “gone,” its air force “in ruins,” and its missile capabilities “functionally destroyed.” Critics note the administration has not fully explained how the operation addresses Iran’s nuclear ambitions. 

Markets didn’t take the news well. With the Strait of Hormuz still closed and hopes for a quick resolution fading, the Nasdaq fell 1.6% and the S&P 500 dropped 1.2%. Meanwhile, crude oil prices surged nearly 11% yesterday as fears of further escalation grew.

*not technically a war. Curious what makes a war… a war? Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss Kathleen, Jason, and special guest Jonathan Pokluda taking a shallow dive in TPO Explains tomorrow!

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
Whether you’re critical of your government or think it’s unfairly criticized, the command for Christians is to love neighbors and enemies alike. That requires speaking about others with dignity and respect, even when we feel like they haven’t earned it.

“With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way… Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.”
James 3:9–10, 13 (CSB) (read full passage)

SpaceX is preparing for a historic mission: destination Mars Wall Street.

Wednesday, the Elon Musk-owned rocket maker filed initial paperwork to go public this summer, reportedly targeting a record-breaking valuation of $1.75T and aiming to raise $50-$75B from shares (more than the entire U.S. IPO market raised in 2025). 

Investors seem hungry to get in on the action, with Musk reserving 3x the norm (30%) of the offering for retail traders. Still, the confidential filing keeps financials private until closer to the debut. A successful launch could pave the way for other mega-IPOs from Anthropic and OpenAI later this year and make Musk the galaxy’s first trillionaire. 

In other launches, the Artemis II is moonbound (watch liftoff), and, after some toilet-related troubleshooting, the crew told Houston they’re “in great spirits.”

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Verse to consider when the vastness of space or of other people’s bank accounts starts to weigh… “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all.” 
1 Chronicles 29:11 (CSB) (read full passage)

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India started counting to 1.4B on Wednesday.

The South Asian nation kicked off the first phase of its first census in 15 years. The largest headcount in the world is expected to take one year and need the help of 3M officials to complete. It’s also India’s first digital census, giving residents the option to provide deets via mobile app. 

Census-takers will play 33 questions in phase one, covering housing, amenities, and household assets (think: car, motorbike, cellphone). Phase two, starting for most in February 2027, will count the population and, for the first time since 1931, the number of castes in the country (current estimates: ~3,000). 

Critics argue that tallying the ancient Hindu-based social hierarchy (learn more here) goes against laws prohibiting caste discrimination. Advocates say the info will improve the country’s welfare system.

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Counting 1.4B people is a massive undertaking, but no amount of data we collect can compare with what God already knows: the number of stars in the sky, grains of sand on every beach, and hairs on each of our heads. He knows all these details, and He cares about them deeply. 

“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” 
Luke 12:6-7 (CSB) (read full passage)

President Trump fired U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi yesterday. Sources say Trump had grown “more frustrated” with the longtime loyalist’s performance, though #47 lauded Bondi as a “great American patriot” who served faithfully and “will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector.” Her deputy, Todd Blanche, will replace Bondi as acting AG.

A legal battle is brewing over mail-in voting. President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday introducing “additional measures" (think: more secure ballot envelopes, federally created eligible voter lists) to “protect the integrity of” elections. Voting rights’ groups and several Democrats sued Trump—who cast his own mail-in ballot this week—arguing the order excludes “potentially millions of eligible U.S. citizens” from voting.

Reese’s is tossing its bad eggs recipes. The Hershey Company announced Wednesday it will return to “classic milk and dark chocolate recipes” in its Reese’s lineup by 2027. The change comes after the grandson of Reese's founder called Hershey out for swapping the good stuff with a cheaper coating. The chocolate maker cited consumer demand and rising cocoa prices for the original shift.

The Masters will tee off without Tiger Woods. The golf legend said Tuesday he will be stepping away from the sport “for a period of time” to “seek treatment” after being involved in a rollover crash and arrested for driving under the influence. Woods pleaded not guilty to the charges and plans to recover at a facility outside the U.S.

Anthropic accidentally exposed its robot’s DNA. The AI giant mistakenly leaked part of the internal source code for Claude Code (think: the blueprint for how it’s built), calling it “a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach.” The code spread rapidly across GitHub, a popular platform for developers, prompting Anthropic to issue 8,000+ copyright takedowns.

Meet the Oregon Zoo's...tetherball champ.

What We’re Supporting
Safe House Project*

Most of us picture human trafficking ending in a dramatic rescue with doors being kicked in and victims being pulled to safety. But that’s rarely how it works. More often, it ends in a single moment of courage—a decision to run or walk away. And in that moment, everything hangs on one question: “Where will I go?”

Leaving doesn’t guarantee freedom. Without a safe place to land, many survivors are pulled right back into the situation they risked everything to escape from. Safe House Project exists for exactly that moment—connecting survivors with trusted safe homes, counseling, medical support, and a real path forward. 

Learn more by watching this short video!

What I’m Still Thinking About Days Later
This inspiring movie*

My parents always had to drag me out of museums… yeah, I was that kid. So when I heard the premise of “A Great Awakening,” I was hooked. 

Until I watched this movie, I’d never connected the First Great Awakening with America’s founding identity, but they’re intertwined. Something else I never knew? Benjamin Franklin and Rev. George Whitefield—a skeptic and a preacher—were friends. It was a powerful reminder: God can work through unlikely people to shape history. 

Don’t miss your chance to see “A Great Awakening!” Watch it in theaters (and only in theaters) on April 3.

Michala Cox | Administrative Assistant