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The U.S. and Israel say they’re “setting the stage for dramatically advancing peace in the Middle East,” starting in Gaza.

After a meeting with President Trump at the White House on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accepted Uncle Sam’s 20-point plan that ends fighting between Israel and Hamas, releases hostages and prisoners, increases humanitarian aid, demilitarizes Gaza, and sets up an international “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump (read the full plan here).

The proposal—approved by European and Middle Eastern leaders as well—now awaits a response from Hamas; the group has promised a “good faith” review.

Yesterday, Trump said Hamas has “three or four days” to respond to his take-it-or-leave-it olive branch and that Israel will have the U.S.’s “full backing” to finish the war militarily should Hamas reject the proposal.

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Verse to consider when you’re afraid to get your hopes up about the end of a long, hard conflict… “Our Lord is great, vast in power; his understanding is infinite… He is not impressed by the strength of a horse; he does not value the power of a warrior. The LORD values those who fear him, those who put their hope in his faithful love.” 
Psalm 147:5, 10-11 (CSB) (read full passage)

Uncle Sam hung up the closed sign overnight, shutting down for the first time since 2018 after Congress failed to agree on the country’s budget.* 

The dividing issue? Healthcare spending. 

Democrats want to extend expiring healthcare provisions for low-income individuals. Republicans want a “clean” continuing resolution without healthcare extensions—a measure House Minority Leader Jeffries (D-NY) argued would “assault and gut healthcare for Americans.” House Speaker Johnson (R-LA) said Dems’ efforts to add on to a funding bill are forcing a shutdown over “unrelated policies.” 

It came down to two eleventh-hour Senate votes, both of which fell short.  

Several federal agencies have braced for the shuttering with shutdown plans. Now, with “nonessential” employees and agencies clocked out, the Senate will reconvene this morning to vote on three options to get the lights back on. 

*Want to learn a little more about the ins and outs of government shutdowns? Check out the shallow dive we took recently.

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PRAY WITH US
It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of political stalemates. Today and this week, there’s something “powerful and effective” you can do: pray for your leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 5:16).

God, our Governor and Lawgiver, these lawmakers are only in their seats on your appointment. Would you straighten their steering to lead us from trouble? Would you make them wise in their management, humble in their discussions, and clever in their compromises so that they might promote the peace and prosperity of all? May their management effect the common good, for your glory. Amen.

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Three people were killed and five others injured at a packed North Carolina waterfront bar late Saturday. 

A 40-year-old gunman was detained by the Coast Guard and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities described it as a “highly premeditated attack” from a boat in the waterway outside the bar; the suspect is a veteran who says he was “wounded in combat” and has PTSD.

Meanwhile, in Michigan, investigators are probing the motive behind Sunday's shooting and fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc; the FBI deemed it a “targeted act of violence.” The attacker was an Iraq War veteran who made disparaging comments about the LDS faith in recent weeks.

(We’re also covering this story tomorrow in Decaf, The Pour Over for Families. Sign up—for free—here.)

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
God doesn’t promise a world without troubles (actually, Jesus said just the opposite), but He does promise peace and victory over sin for all who trust in Jesus. During times dominated by uncertainty and fear, our eternity is secure, and we can cling to His promises. 

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” 
John 16:33 (CSB) (read full passage)

Defense War Secretary Hegseth gathered top U.S. military brass from across the world at Quantico to discuss “warrior ethos” yesterday, focusing on physical fitness standards and eliminating political correctness; critics argue gathering generals is costly and unsafe and say the meeting “could have been an email.” President Trump joined the meeting and suggested using America’s “dangerous cities” as military “training grounds.”

Electronic Arts is topping the private-sale leaderboard. In the largest ever leveraged buyout, the maker of video games like Madden NFL and The Sims announced it’ll be acquired for $55B by a group that includes Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and an equity firm founded by President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Stockholders will receive $210/share once the deal’s sealed.

The White House is prescribing a new, cheaper way for Americans to buy pharmaceuticals. A direct-to-consumer website dubbed TrumpRx—expected to launch in 2026—will allow people to pay cash for certain drugs from Pfizer at government-negotiated lower prices. It comes alongside Pfizer’s announcement of a plan to lower drug costs in the U.S. following a push from President Trump.

Catch Bad Bunny hopping onto the field for the Super Bowl LX halftime show. The Puerto Rican artist and three-time Grammy winner was confirmed as The Big Game’s entertainment Sunday night during the Packers-Cowboys game. Reportedly, Taylor Swift was also a name on the table field, but she walked away over terms regarding ownership of the performance’s footage.

YouTube and President Trump are settlin’ up. The video giant will pay $24.5M after Trump sued over his account’s suspension following the January 6 Capitol riots. The settlement—$22M of which will go to a nonprofit called Trust for the National Mall—ends the last of Trump’s three suits against social media platforms that banned him (YouTube, Meta, and X).

Some iconic bridge views...

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