What.

theguardian.com/us-news/2025/m… “I had a Canadian passport, lawyers, resources, media attention, friends, family and even politicians advocating for me. Yet, I was still detained for nearly two weeks. Imagine what this system is like for every other person in there.”

One of the most important habits of a church community is healthy lament. Healthy lament is not masking suffering with trite sayings, nor is it surrendering to uncontrolled despair. It is to intentionally and uncomfortably sit in the pain with God by your side.

“Hope is the belief in the probability of the possible rather than the necessity of the probable.” - Marshall Ganz

I feel all of this.

The majority of Americans did not vote for Trump, and they should not be held guilty for the actions of the Trump administration. And in the same vein, the majority of Gazans did not vote for Hamas, and they should not be held guilty for the actions of Hamas.

“Marriage requires a radical commitment to love our spouses as they are, while longing for them to become what they are not yet.” - Dan Allender and Tremper Longman, Intimate Allies

The way Americans sometimes treat government employees is similar to the way church folks sometimes treat A/V volunteers. They don’t know what these employees actually do. But they have a lot of opinions. And when things don’t work properly, these employees are to blame.

In the midst of these federal cuts, Trump just announced that we will have a record-breaking $1 trillion defense budget. In other words, Trump is not downsizing the government. He is just allocating funds.

In the midst of these federal cuts, Trump just announced that we will have a record-breaking $1 trillion defense budget. In other words, Trump is not downsizing the government. He is just reallocating funds.

“Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present.” - N. T. Wright, Surprised By Hope

Rep. McIver “assaulted” two federal agents, resulting in 0 injuries, 0 hospitalizations, and 0 deaths. Jan 6 insurrectionists “assaulted” hundreds of federal agents, resulting in 140 injuries, 15 hospitalizations, and 1 death. Who should be charged? Who should be pardoned?

So far in the 21st century, the U.S. has bombed Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. But that wasn’t enough. And so today, the U.S. bombed Iran. And still we wonder why so many people around the world dislike America.

Okay so, 1) an American citizen exercises his First Amendment right to peaceably assemble and his Second Amendment right to bear arms, out of apparent concern that a tyrannical federal government is violating basic protections afforded under the Constitution 2) after coming to