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Psst… We have exciting news!
TPO is hosting our first ever live event! Think: honest conversation on loving your political enemy, a room full of people who want peace > anxiety, and snacks (obviously). We can’t wait!

Early birds pay $25 through August 14, or come with a group and get a discount… plus extra goodies.

Join us on October 8 at Christ Church in Lake Forest, Illinois!

10 Downing Street has (another) new tenant. 

On Monday, former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham became Britain’s seventh Prime Minister in a decade (read about him). After outgoing PM Starmer resigned, King Charles III invited Burnham to form a new government (royal translation: asked him to be the next Prime Minister). 

In his first remarks, the “King of the North” pledged a “circuit breaker for Britain,” promising Westminster’s “biggest changes of the past 40 years.” Burnham has a 10-year plan for stability, including easing cost of living (an issue that stymied Starmer), decentralizing political power, and ending street sleeping by people experiencing homelessness. 

Burnham’s arrival has already shaken up the cabinet, with now-booted Starmer-era members calling their tenure a “privilege.” President Trump said he had a “very good” conversation with the new PM Monday. 

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Like many Americans, you may view the outcomes of foreign elections with a certain level of detachment, but it’s a good reminder that Christians should view all earthly political outcomes as secondary to the campaign of our eternal home, where we hold our truest citizenship. 

“From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective.… in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us.” 
2 Corinthians 5:16, 19-20 (CSB) (read full passage)

The U.S.-Canada tariff table tennis match continued Monday as President Trump imposed 50% taxes on ~$20B in Canadian goods, including wine, hockey sticks, and cement.

Unable to use emergency-power tariffs (struck down in February), Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which empowers POTUS to tax countries up to 50% for engaging in trade discrimination. Three discrimination claims against America’s second biggest trade partner have been filed, citing the Maple Leaf’s counter-tariffs on autos and dairy, plus provincial boycotts of U.S. alcohol.

The move, set to take effect August 19, overrides trade protections on Canadian goods under the neighbors’ free trade pact (USMCA, which Trump declined to renew) and is expected to face legal battles. Canadian PM Mark Carney said tariffs hurt North American families, and he’s “ready to engage intensively.”

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Verse to consider when you’re navigating fraying relationships with trade partners, colleagues, or loved ones… “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… Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
Romans 12:9-11, 13-14 (CSB) (read full passage)

In parts of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, the orphan crisis is growing, and food is running out.

In some places (like Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo), violence and unrest are only making food scarcer. Children’s homes are struggling to survive in these fragile communities.

Serving Orphans Worldwide is combating the crisis, and you can help. 100% of your gift will provide hungry children and babies with nutritious meals, emergency groceries, life-saving formula, and long-term food security.

BE DOERS
Join Serving Orphans Worldwide in feeding as many hungry orphans as possible. Just $12 feeds a child and teaches children the gospel. Plus, TPO is matching the first $4K given through our link!

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40 (CSB) (read full passage)

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The death toll from Venezuela’s back-to-back earthquakes has surpassed 5,200. 

Twin tremors struck the coastal region west of Caracas on June 24 (see map). Efforts are ongoing to clear 190 collapsed buildings and repair 850+ damaged ones, while 20,000 now-homeless people gather in makeshift camps. President Delcy Rodríguez’s interim government has reported 16,740 injured and 1,331 aftershocks.  

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bertha is skirting along the Gulf Coast today, expected to make landfall near New Orleans this afternoon (keep an eye on the path).

The second storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, Bertha’s on track to bring 2-8 inches of rainfall, storm surge, and gusty winds from Florida’s panhandle to the Middle Texas Coast through tomorrow. Forecasters issued tropical storm watches and warnings throughout the region yesterday, alerting Southerners to the danger of flash floods.

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PRAY WITH US
Father, King of Creation, call Your rebellious elements back to order. Jesus, Stiller of Raging Storms, bring peace and freedom from fear. Spirit, Giver of Life, fill us again. For those who are lost, search relentlessly and bring them home. For those who will rescue, grant courage and strength. For those who have lost everything, richly provide. To those who grieve, be near with comfort. To those who will rebuild, give fortitude, endurance, and hope. For Your people, a light in darkness, open doors for bold love.

Grow our longing for the arrival of the indestructible world, where the seas will rest like glass and the mountains will never again be moved. Prepare us for it, even in our weakness and mortality, growing our reverence and awe by the power of Your Spirit, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A wave of mass shootings left nine dead and 60 injured over the weekend. The overnight shootings included incidents during a party at an Oklahoma City restaurant, outside a Minneapolis event center, in a Denver nightclub parking lot, in a Jackson, TN, park, and in a busy Tucson, AZ, entertainment district. No arrests had been made as of writing. 

Movie theaters are so back. AMC’s stock soared ~27% Monday after posting record Q2 revenue ($1.6B) and a 106-year best EBITDA (a fancy-schmancy profit metric). The big screen revival has been boosted by epic opening weekends from The Odyssey and other 2026 blockbusters. Still, AMC remains in the red, with $3.85B in COVID-era debt still eating its popcorn profits.

Well… it turns out Taco Bell might not be causing (parasitic) diarrhea. The FDA snip-snapped and re-reviewed Taylor Farms samples (TBell’s lettuce supplier) that tested positive for the cyclospora parasite sickening thousands, concluding it was a false positive. Still, the agency said all suspicions of Taylor Farms aren’t flushed, and it’s still investigating the lettuce’s link to the outbreak.

The U.S. struck Iran for a 10th straight night Monday, with President Trump vowing Iran will pay “many times over” for American soldiers’ deaths. Iran retaliated against U.S. Gulf assets. Meanwhile, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (see map), threatening 7% of global energy supply. Saudi Arabia promised to respond “firmly.”

Go ahead, pour yourself another cup. The American Heart Association said Monday that five cups o’ joe a day (~400mg caffeine) is safe for most adults and may actually lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes. Benefits apply to black, filtered coffee, not so much to drinks with sugary add-ins or energy drinks.

Backing away from the political extremes like...

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