Tag: News

What Do You Do When Your New Truck Tells You No?

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a computer sensor

What happens when your new truck decides you’re not allowed to drive it? Modern trucks and SUVs are becoming rolling computers, packed with driver monitoring systems, advanced driver assistance technology, software-controlled features, and electronic systems that can influence how a vehicle operates. From GM Super Cruise and Ford BlueCruise to emerging vehicle patents involving driver impairment detection, advertising, and electronic controls, the future of driving raises some serious questions about vehicle ownership, personal freedom, and the right to repair.

Could your next $80,000 pickup truck eventually decide when you can drive, where you can go, or whether you’re fit to get behind the wheel? And what happens when the technology gets it wrong? In this episode of American Outdoors, we examine the future of trucks and SUVs, the growing role of artificial intelligence and vehicle software, Ford’s automotive technology patents, driver monitoring systems, and the potential consequences of giving computers more control over the vehicles we own. We’ll look at the difference between safety technology that helps drivers and software that could restrict their choices, along with concerns about privacy, medical emergencies, repair costs, and manufacturer control.

This isn’t about rejecting every modern safety feature or returning to the days of carburetors and drum brakes. It’s about asking an important question before the next generation of vehicles reaches our driveways: *When you buy a truck, do you really own it if a computer can decide what you’re allowed to do with it?

Source: (135) What Do You Do When Your New Truck Tells You No? – YouTube

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:6

Hunted for Following Jesus

In some communities, Muslims who leave Islam to follow Christ face rejection, threats, violence, and even death because of their faith. For Muslim-background believers, choosing to follow Jesus…

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Burmese Military Occupying Two Churches in Kachin State

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According to civil society sources, militias associated with the Burmese military dictatorship operating in Kachin state are using church grounds for military purposes. The U.S.-based Burma Research Institute (BRI) verified reports of a militia graduation ceremony at Nant Mun Baptist Church in Mohnyin Township.  A building of St. Joseph’s Catholic church was also being used as a militia headquarters, and militia troops ransacked another building in the same complex. The Kachin ethnic community is made up mostly of Christians, and Kachin State stands out in Myanmar for its unusually strong Christian demography. 

The Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) conducted the ceremony in September. Sources familiar with the situation told BRI that militia members danced and drank alcohol inside the sanctuary during the event.  The incident is part of a broader pattern of military occupation and mistreatment of Christian religious sites in Kachin State, where fighting has displaced much of the local population.  According to UCA News, joint forces of the SNA and Burma’s military have occupied both Nant Mun Baptist Church and the compound of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. The SNA has also used the Baptist church as a military training site; sources report that six batches of recruits have trained there. The SNA, which represents the predominantly Buddhist Shanni ethnic group, is aligned with the military junta and has fought against other ethnic armed organizations, including the Kachin Independence Army.

Joint military-SNA forces advanced into Nantmun in late 2024, forcing hundreds of Christian households to flee. Residents now report that only about 80 Kachin Christian households remain in the town, many unable to relocate because of financial constraints and restrictions on movement.  Kachin Christian leaders in the United States have condemned the occupation of the church and urged the Trump administration to respond.  “I extend my prayers and solidarity to Nant Mun Baptist Church and the Kachin Baptist Convention. I also condemn, in the strongest terms, the Burmese military’s ongoing and severe violations of religious freedom in Burma,” said Zo Tum Hmung, president and CEO of BRI.  Rev. Dr. La Seng Labya, president of the Kachin American Baptist Association, urged the Trump administration to protect Christians in Burma.

Rev. Lakang Dau Qae, general secretary of Kachin Baptist Churches USA, called on the White House to redesignate Burma as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), the U.S. government’s designation for governments responsible for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.  The church desecration comes amid other reported restrictions on Kachin Christians. On June 9, Burma’s military-controlled Supreme Court issued an order revoking the licenses of three Baptist pastors to solemnize Christian marriages.   Christian leaders have faced personal persecution for speaking out against the junta. Rev. Dr. Hkalam Samson, former head of the Kachin Baptist Convention, met with President Donald Trump at the White House in July 2019 to discuss the persecution of Christians in Burma. He was later arrested and sentenced by a military-regime court to six years in prison, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). He has since been released. 

Burma was designated a CPC from 1999 through 2023 because of severe religious freedom violations but has not been redesignated since. In its 2026 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the State Department restore the designation.  A CPC designation could provide a basis for further U.S. diplomatic and economic measures against the military regime, including targeted sanctions and restrictions on assistance.  For Kachin Christians displaced from their homes and unable to return, the occupation of their churches represents another blow to communities already struggling to preserve their religious life amid years of conflict. Their leaders are now asking Washington to respond not only to the desecration of a sanctuary but also to the wider pattern of persecution that continues to threaten religious freedom in Burma. 

Source: Burmese Military Occupying Two Churches in Kachin State – International Christian Concern

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:17

Powerful earthquake shakes Panama

A major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 has struck Panama, according to the US Geological Survey. Local media are reporting structural damage in some parts of the…

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Plague in Russia?

Russian authorities have sought to allay global worries over the death of a young woman who worked at a Siberian anti-plague laboratory. But moves to isolate her contacts and…

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Bears out of Middlebury tree

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A mama bear and her two cubs are out of a tree after being stuck for 2 days. The Middlebury Police Department says a mama bear and her two cubs are stuck in a tree at the intersection of Main St. and N. Pleasant St. Police and Vermont Fish and Game asked people to avoid the area to give the bears more space. “These are wild animals that do not want to interact with people and will tend to stay in a tree longer if people are gathering in the area,” said police.

Source: Bears out of Middlebury tree

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
Matthew 18:15

Christian Persecution September 25-October 2 2026

Recent reporting (roughly September 25–October 2, 2026) on Christian persecution centers on continued lethal violence in Nigeria, house-church detentions in China, and related pressures elsewhere. Nigeria Attacks attributed to Fulani militants…

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For God so Loved the World

“God loved you enough to send His Son, Jesus loved you enough to give His life, and through faith, you are offered a hope this world can never take away.” “For God…

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Expedition to find Amelia Earhart’s missing plane comes up empty

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A mysterious object discovered near a remote Pacific island is not the wreckage of Amelia Earhart’s missing plane, researchers said after an expedition to the site, dealing another setback to efforts to solve one of aviation’s greatest mysteries nearly 90 years after the pilot disappeared. “Evidence gathered at the Taraia Peninsula on Nikumaroro confirmed that the visual anomaly first seen in satellite imagery in 2020 was likely a collection of large trees deposited along the peninsula’s sandspit,” the researchers said. “By the time the team arrived at the site, a good portion of the debris had fragmented and washed away, leaving only a single Y-shaped segment,” which they said is what they had initially hoped was the plane.

The researchers said the reflective surface of the anomaly, which had led them to believe it could be metal, was the result of a carbonate veneer, noting other items found nearby were “similarly coated with a shiny concretized amalgam of coral sand.” On Oct. 14, a 17-member expedition team led by Purdue University’s Steve Schultz and the Archaeological Legacy Institute’s Richard Pettigrew launched an expedition to investigate a mysterious object that in aerial photos appeared to resemble possible wreckage of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10-E plane. Severe weather kept the research team aboard their ship for three of the five days allotted for the search, while limited fuel and supplies prevented them from extending the expedition.

The search area was so remote, it took the team five days at sea to reach it. The expedition focused on a lagoon off Nikumaroro, where researchers examined the Taraia Object, an anomaly spotted by a Navy veteran in satellite imagery during the COVID pandemic. Although visible in aerial photos dating back to 1938, the object went unnoticed until 2020. Pettigrew said before reaching it that they believed it could be metal rather than a tree, but further investigation was needed to confirm its identity. “Amelia Earhart’s spirit of courage and curiosity drove every step of the search,” Pettigrew said Sunday. “We accomplished our goal to determine what the Taraia Object was, and we’re deeply grateful to the private donors who shared our vision and made this journey possible. Our team remains in great spirits and proud of what was accomplished.” The team had developed plans to photograph and film the lagoon and Taraia Object before using magnetometers and sonar equipment to survey the area.

Researchers then planned to retrieve the object for identification. The Archaeology Channel documented the expedition through short video updates on its Heritage Broadcasting Service streaming platform. The research team previously said in a news release that there was “very strong” evidence that the object is Earhart’s lost plane. Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared on July 2, 1937, roughly 22,000 miles into their trip. Earhart was attempting to become the first female pilot to circle the world, and the first pilot to do so around the equator, Earth’s widest point.  Recently, President Trump ordered the declassification of records related to Earhart. Nikumaroro is part of the archipelago country of Kiribati, located roughly halfway between Australia and Hawaii. The island lies about 400 miles southeast of Howland Island, where Earhart and Noonan were headed when they disappeared during their attempted flight around the world. Pettigrew believes Earhart and Noonan landed on Nikumaroro and survived there for some time.

He points to relics dating to the 1930s and to human remains discovered on the island, which were later lost as possible evidence. However, several competing theories about the aviator’s disappearance have emerged over the decades, many of which lack conclusive evidence. Researchers have spent decades searching for Earhart’s plane, hoping its discovery could shed light on her disappearance. In 2024, an expedition team captured a sonar image of what appeared to be an aircraft on the ocean floor, but the object was later identified as a rock formation.

Source: Expedition to find Amelia Earhart’s missing plane comes up empty – CBS Detroit

In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?
Psalm 56:4

2 Timothy 3:12 

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted Paul was reminding Timothy that following Christ does not guarantee an easy life. When we choose…

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John 15:18–20

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but…

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Galatians 1:6-10

“When truth becomes negotiable, faith becomes vulnerable so know the Gospel, stand on God’s Word, and seek His approval above the world’s applause.” “I am astonished that you are…

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Isaiah 45:2

“I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, This verse reminds…

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Man says monkey threw his cat into pond before attacking him in Yamaguchi

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close up photo of a monkey

After several months of bears dominating reports of startling wildlife encounters in Japan, it seems as though the nation’s monkeys have decided to take that notoriety as a challenge. We’ve recently been talking about the dreaded Troop T1, a group of monkeys that’s been running amuck in the town of Yugawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, where they recently surrounded and attacked a man who was out for a morning stroll on the city streets. Now comes an incident on the opposite side of the country, in Yamaguchi Prefecture, where a monkey not only attacked a man, but also reportedly decided to maybe drown a cat.

The man in question is a 49-year-old resident of the town of Shunan. He isn’t necessarily a pet owner, but he says there’s a stray cat that’s made its home in his garden, which has a pond. While the man was at home on Tuesday, at around 3:40 in the afternoon, he heard the sound of a loud splash coming from the pond, which he says was caused when a monkey came into the garden and threw the cat into the water. While the man was rescuing the cat, the monkey, an adult roughly 50 centimeters in height, scampered up onto his roof and stared down menacingly at him. It then jumped back down to ground level, and when he turned away from it, leapt onto his back and clawed at him, leaving long scratches on his skin through the thick work clothes he was wearing. The monkey then ran off, and the cat seems to have survived the encounter without suffering any severe injuries. The Tokuyama neighborhood of Shunan, where the man lives, isn’t a major urban area, but it’s far from undeveloped countryside, and his home borders a fairly sizable road.

This isn’t the only startling monkey incident the town has had recently, either. On September 8, in a separate part of Shunan, a monkey grabbed and tore the clothing of a local woman. Police have been stepping up patrols in the area and calling on residents to be cautious. Experts warn that should anyone run into a wild monkey, they should avoid provoking the animal, and also avoid making eye contact (as monkeys can perceive that as threatening behavior) while calmly leaving the area.

Source: Man says monkey threw his cat into pond before attacking him in Yamaguchi – Japan Today

No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2

Proverbs 21:23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. This verse emphasizes that people who carefully watch what they say will protect themselves from serious trouble. “Guarding…

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Slow to Speak: The Secret to Wise Reactions

Talk less, listen more, because wisdom speaks after it understands, not before. If you want stronger relationships and real influence, master this: control your tongue, calm your anger, and lead…

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Psalm 5:8

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. In the verse David is praying in the morning while people who hate…

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Hunted for Following Jesus

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In some communities, Muslims who leave Islam to follow Christ face rejection, threats, violence, and even death because of their faith. For Muslim-background believers, choosing to follow Jesus can place their lives at serious risk. This is what happened to Mugambo Ismail, a Muslim-background believer in Bundibugyo, Western Uganda, who survived a violent attack after choosing to follow Jesus Christ.  On Sept. 22, Ismail narrowly escaped death after a group of Muslim men seized him. “They tied me up and ordered me to deny Jesus,” Ismail said. “When I saw them holding swords, ready to slaughter me, I knew I was about to die.” 

Ismail said the incident occurred at around 8:30 p.m. as he returned home from evening prayers. He said the assault was a planned operation involving individuals associated with a local mosque.  “I was carrying a Bible; they tore it into pieces,” he said. “They held me tight, took me to a cocoa plantation, tied my hands, and told me to deny Jesus, or else I will die. They were holding swords, wanting to slaughter me alive. I knew that my life was finished. They were shouting, ‘Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!’ I pushed one of them and started running helplessly.”  With his hands restrained, he ran for his life, screaming desperately for help until his cries eventually attracted the attention of neighboring Christians, who intervened and rescued him from the attackers.  Increased Threats Rev. Job Thema, the overseer of Berea Pentecostal Church, has expressed grave concern over the reported threats facing Christian converts in the region.  

He indicated that the growing number of Muslims embracing Christianity has created heightened tensions, with converts reportedly becoming targets of intimidation and violence.  “Every convert is now in danger,” Rev. Thema said. “We are bringing people to Jesus Christ, but some of them are facing threats simply because they have chosen to follow him. There are plans to terminate the lives of those who have accepted Christ, and this is deeply worrying.”  After the attack, Ismail reportedly took refuge in another village. He remains concerned for his safety and fears that those responsible for the attack may attempt to locate him again.  “I cannot go back home,” he said. “These people are still looking for me. I survived because Christians came to rescue me, but I do not know what will happen if they find me again.” 

Source: Hunted for Following Jesus – International Christian Concern

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18

A study of the Mesha Stele

The Mesha Stele, also famously known as the Moabite Stone, is a 3-foot-tall black basalt monument dating back to circa 840 BCE. It is one of the most vital archaeological discoveries connecting…

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Alberta heads to polls to decide whether to hold vote on separation from Canada

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Rural mailbox overlooking rolling prairie fields at sunset

People in the province of Alberta head to the polls on Monday to decide whether to hold a referendum at a later date on separating from Canada. The vote was called earlier this year by the leader of the province, Danielle Smith, after a grassroots group gathered about 300,000 signatures on a petition that asked for a binding referendum on separation. Many of those who support separation say the oil-rich province’s economic growth has been stifled by the environmental policies of Canada’s central government in Ottawa. But those who want Alberta to remain part of Canada – who include Prime Minister Mark Carney – have called for the country to show unity in the face of external pressures.

Polls have suggested that the majority of Albertans would vote to remain in Canada, though the pre-vote debate alone has proven divisive. Another group collected signatures for its own petition that opposed separation, which was signed by more than 400,000 people. The province’s population is about five million people. If Albertans do vote on Monday to move ahead with a binding referendum, that could happen as soon as 2027, Smith has said. Smith’s decision to allow Monday’s vote came in spite of the fact that a court blocked the pro-separation petition, saying it failed to consult indigenous First Nations whose land would be affected if the province separated from Canada. Following the judge’s ruling, First Nations groups have branded Smith’s decision to allow the voting process to play out as “undemocratic” and “authoritarian”.

Smith, the leader of the United Conservative Party of Alberta (UCP), has defended her decision to put the issue to voters. She opposes separation herself, but says the process gives the province’s residents a chance to have their say on the issue. The key question on the voting paper will ask: “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?” Why is Alberta voting to separate from Canada, and how likely is it to happen? The separatist movement is led by Mitch Sylvestre, a gun shop owner from the town of Bonnyville, and Jeffrey Rath, a lawyer based in Calgary. They are both members of a group called the Alberta Prosperity Project, which argues that the province’s economic growth has been hindered by years of Liberal party rule in Ottawa.

Successive Liberal governments of the last 10 years have put environmental policies above helping Alberta develop its oil and gas sector, they argue. They say Alberta would get to keep more of its wealth if it splits from Canada. Chris Scott, founder of pro-separatist group Let’s Talk Alberta, told BBC News on the eve of the poll that the campaign had already achieved some of its goals, regardless of what happened on Monday. “The key is the conversation has started and it needs to continue,” he said. “What’s started can’t be stopped now,” he added. Those who oppose separation say a newly independent Alberta would be left responsible for billions of dollars in debt. They warn that the uncertainty – which they liken to the UK’s Brexit vote to leave the European Union in 2016 – would drive thousands of jobs and investment out of the province.

Carney has called on voters to deliver a decisive vote against separation. Speaking at a rally on Thursday, he warned that the stakes were high. “The world has become more dangerous and divided. Some outside our borders are working to break us so they can own us,” Carney said, echoing warnings he has made in the past about his country’s ongoing trade war with the United States. Alongside the separation question, Albertans will vote on nine other issues – a number of which focus on whether the province should have more control over its immigration system. Hundreds of thousands of people had voted early by post ahead of Monday, and early figures suggested a strong voter turnout.

The province’s election officials will count the ballots by hand, and have 48 hours to complete the task – starting from no earlier than 20:00 local time on Monday (02:00 GMT on Tuesday). The key question, on separation, will be counted in its entirety first. Officials have said results should be available in the early hours of Tuesday.

Source: Alberta heads to polls to decide whether to hold vote on separation from Canada

And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
Luke 6:33

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Christian’s Death Sentence Upheld in Pakistan

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In 2018, two Christian brothers were sentenced to death over allegations of blasphemy. After about a decade of fighting for their freedom, one brother was acquitted by Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Oct. 7. The other brother, however, is still on death row.  According to Section 295-C of the country’s penal code in Section 295-C, blasphemy against Muhammad is a crime punishable by death: “Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.” 

Qaisar Ayub, 49, had run a website that spoke out against Islam. He said he had stopped publishing in 2009, but another individual continued running the account under his name. The content caused conflicts between Qaisar and his coworkers, leading to the blasphemy allegations and eventually to charges.  Qaisar was arrested and sentenced to death in 2018. His brother, Amoon Ayub, 46, was given the same sentence for his alleged involvement in his brother’s affairs.  Seeking Mercy CLAAS, an organization that supports victims of religious persecution, has represented their case since the beginning, fighting to appeal before a higher court. “Because of threats from hardliners, lower courts pass their responsibility to the higher court, and then it takes years to prove the accused innocent,” CLAAS-UK director Nasir Saeed said at the time. 

They appealed to the Lahore High Court in 2022, and the court upheld their sentence. Since last year, they have been appearing before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Earlier this month, the court upheld Ayub’s conviction but found insufficient evidence to continue punishing his brother.  He has been acquitted, but Qaisar’s wife and three children still hold their breath and pray for his release. CLAA-UK said the ruling is “deeply distressing” and it will continue to support him for as long as it takes.  “We welcome the acquittal of Amoon Ayub after so many years of imprisonment, but our relief is overshadowed by the devastating news that his brother Qaiser continues to face the death penalty,” Saeed said. “No family should have to live for so many years under the shadow of a possible execution.” 

Source: Christian’s Death Sentence Upheld in Pakistan – International Christian Concern

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
John 14:21

Finding Truth and Life in Jesus

In a world filled with competing voices, confusing paths, and endless distractions, Jesus doesn’t simply show us the way He declares, ‘I am the way.’ When everything around…

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24 South Korean Christians Arrested at Nepalese Bible College

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Nepalese Police have arrested 24 South Korean Christians after complaints were lodged against them for “illegal religious teaching, training, and promotion.” Sources in Nepal and South Korea state that the Koreans were arrested at a gathering at the Nepal New Covenant College (NNCC) in Morang District on Oct. 9. NNCC Principal Sarad KC told UCA News that “the visitors were interacting with believers inside a local bible college and not preaching or sharing the gospel in public with the intention of proselytization. The arrest raises fears over targeted hostility towards Christians by the state.”

The NNCC has been teaching theological courses for Nepalese Christians since 2013.  A Negative Trend This incident is yet another example of the growing hostilities toward active Christianity in Nepal. Nepal is more than 80% Hindu and has a relatively small yet fast-growing Christian population of about 1.5 million people (5% of the total population).   Unlike Christians in the neighboring state of India, believers in Nepal have, until recently, been more protected from state-sanctioned discrimination and violence. However, the tide is turning as the persecution that Indian Christians have known for some time slowly bleeds across the border. Several reports have suggested that proximity to India is not the only reason for this shift.

Some evidence suggests that funds have been sent directly from the pro-Hindu nationalists who control India into Nepal, resulting in increased violence toward religious minorities. Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists have seen their sacred buildings, holy ceremonies, and specific individuals targeted by the Hindu majority.  Additionally, there have been increasing reports of South Korean Christians and missionaries being arrested, detained, and discriminated against in Nepal, Russia, and other nations. 

Source: 24 South Korean Christians Arrested at Nepalese Bible College – International Christian Concern

Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.
Proverbs 13:11

Hope in the dark

Pip: A mountain village, a wandering stranger, a mother weaving a basket by the river — Drink of Jesus has been building a world where ancient scripture lands…

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Trump says “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration in Greenland is “getting ready to begin”

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President Trump said Wednesday that “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration is preparing to begin in Greenland. In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump said “Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland,” but did not give more details. The president added that “there are Experts that are saying that the amount of easily available Oil is far greater than that of almost any land, anywhere in the World.”

Mr. Trump also touted Greenland’s role in the defense of the United States in Europe, saying that “any future attack” on the U.S. would have to come across the semi-autonomous island, “where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet conceived.” “It gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World!” Mr. Trump added. The announcement comes more than four weeks after the U.S., Greenland and Denmark, which oversees the territory, signed a new security agreement to bolster American military and security presence on the island. That agreement, which gives the U.S. broad access to the island’s airspace and territory, largely focuses on using Greenland for military purposes, but also mentions resource extraction and “minerals cooperation” between the two countries, without specifying any details.

The plan allows the U.S. to expand the existing Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost U.S. military installation which serves as an early-warning system for incoming missiles. The agreement also says the U.S. can establish additional bases at the sites known as Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, which are roughly 950 miles apart. Any of the three parties can propose more “defense areas” as needed, subject to approval by the others. The deal, which has no expiration date, also blocks non-NATO countries from establishing bases on the island without agreement from the parties. Since his first term, Mr. Trump had cited Greenland’s strategic location as one of the reasons for greater U.S. control over the semi-autonomous island, and even suggested purchasing the island from Denmark or using military force. Some industry experts believe mineral resources in Greenland have only been lightly explored and up until now the cost of extraction has not made economic sense for private companies.

Source: Trump says “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration in Greenland is “getting ready to begin” – CBS Los Angeles

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Matthew 18:15

The Distraction of Fear

Fear has a way of making tomorrow feel more real than today. But you were never meant to live inside a future that hasn’t happened yet, you were…

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Too Busy to Hear God

You can be so busy doing things for God that you never stop long enough to hear from God. Sometimes the biggest distraction in your life isn’t rebellion,…

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Who Has Your Attention?

Your attention is one of the most valuable things you own, and everyone wants a piece of it. The question isn’t whether something is getting your attention—the question…

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UN Special Rapporteur calls for end to ‘coerced’ abortion

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Christian legal advocacy group the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has welcomed moves by the UN to recognise “coerced” abortion as a form of violence against mothers. Earlier this year the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, presented a report which stated, “Despite the fundamental role and contributions of mothers, no UN organization or mechanism, at least none that I am aware of, has produced a global stand alone report on mothers as a distinct category of persons whose lives and experiences including experiences of violence are profoundly shaped by this intersection of being both female and mothers.”

The ECLJ said the report was “unprecedented” in that it was the first time coerced abortion was “condemned under international law”. In her report, Alsalem also described motherhood as a “public good” as opposed to a “private choice” and that, as such, mothers required “recognition and support from society and institutions”. Alsalem’s report also distinguished between “forced” and “coerced” abortion, with the former being brought about by the use or threat of physical force, and the latter being driven by societal pressures, economic realities and a host of other factors. She urged all UN member states to “promote the social significance of motherhood and the shared responsibility to support mothers within sex, family, civic and other relevant education curricula and through public awareness-raising campaigns”, and to ensure that women who wish to become mothers could “do so in conditions of dignity and safety”.

The report called for a legal ban on coerced or forced abortion, including for sex or disability selective reasons. The ECLJ said it was “pleased that a nuanced and realistic perspective is now included in a UN document”. “This demonstrates that the view promoted by so many so-called ‘feminists’ – which presents abortion solely as synonymous with women’s right to autonomy and control over their own bodies – is ideological,” it said. “This amounts to nothing less than denying the suffering of all those women who would like to give birth to the child they are carrying but are pushed into having an abortion due to the pressures of the circumstances surrounding their pregnancy. “For them, this act is not synonymous with freedom, choice, rights, or autonomy: it is an act of violence perpetrated against them – a fact that this report finally and explicitly acknowledges.”

Source: UN Special Rapporteur calls for end to ‘coerced’ abortion – Christian Today

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.
Ephesians 4:4

Finding Strength in God

You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need.  Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and…

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Faith Under Pressure

Pip: Drink of Jesus is a site that treats ancient Scripture the way a good contractor treats load-bearing walls — you don’t move them just because…

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Trump pardons diesel mechanics for Clean Air Act violations at Alaska rally

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Mechanic repairing a white Ford truck with its hood open

President Donald Trump issued pardons at a campaign rally in Alaska on Tuesday for two diesel mechanics who were previously charged with and pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act.  The president signed the pardons for Zachary Czubak and Patrick Fleming on stage at the campaign event in Wasilla after he invited them up on stage. “They wanted to put them in jail for 10 years because they fixed an engine, how sick,” Trump said.  “The concept is that if you allow people to fix the engines, they’re going to take all of the environmental crap that makes it bad, makes it expensive, that they’re going to do undo that.

And when you undo that, you therefore send fumes into the air, so we’re going to put them in jail for ten years,” he continued.  Czubak and Fleming each pleaded guilty in 2022 to federal charges that they violated the Clean Air Act by illegally tampering with equipment and removing equipment meant to control air pollution. According to the Anchorage Daily News, federal prosecutors said the two men, along with Michael Wayne Hanzuk, tampered with and removed emission controls from at least 37 vehicles between July 2019 and September 2020. “This means the world to me,” Fleming said on stage. “We’re not criminals. We’re not trying to hurt anybody. We want to help Alaskans.

We want to help people with diesel trucks, with vehicles across the world.”  Trump previously pardoned nine convicted of similar Clean Air Act violations in July for what a White House official described as overzealous enforcement by previous administrations.

Source: Trump pardons diesel mechanics for Clean Air Act violations at Alaska rally

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 43:2

The Weight of Leadership

“A church can survive criticism, but it cannot thrive without integrity. When spiritual leaders forget they answer first to God, the flock always bears the wounds.” “Not many…

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Heaven is for Real Movie

“Heaven is for Real” is a faith-based family drama inspired by a Nebraska Pastor Tood Burpo’s best-selling book about his 4 years old son (Colton Burpo) who had…

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God’s Here

After losing his wife and son in a tragic accident, a firefighter wrestles with grief and forgiveness. Starring Kevin Sorbo (God’s Not Dead), Sarah Elizabeth Reeves Director: Bill…

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Cecil County neighbors demand action after nearly 11,000 fish killed in Basin Run – CBS Baltimore

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Neighbors in Cecil County say they are fed up with a local farm owner they blame for contaminating nearby waterways. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) says manure runoff from Kilby Farm on Firetower Road in Colora caused a massive fish kill in Basin Run, killing nearly 11,000 fish across 25 species. The state says the farm’s owners were ordered by a court to clean up the property but have failed to comply. Now, MDE is asking a judge to hold the farm’s owner and operator, Hartland Holdings LLC, in contempt. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) says manure runoff from Kilby Farm on Firetower Road in Colora caused a massive fish kill in Basin Run, killing nearly 11,000 fish across 25 species.

Prior problems with Kilby Farm

The state says the owners took over the property in 2017 and dramatically increased the number of cattle by 2021. As the cattle population grew, so did the amount of waste, which MDE says was improperly managed. The state says excess manure polluted nearby Basin Run. During multiple on-site investigations and water quality tests, officials documented a fish kill that affected nearly 11,000 fish across 25 species. The incident followed a smaller fish kill in 2025. “These violations are unacceptable. We are taking this issue very seriously and have already obtained a preliminary injunction from the court barring this facility from discharging pollution into the waterway.

We are now asking the judge to hold the operator in contempt of that ruling,” MDE said in a statement. This is not the first time the state has taken the farm’s owners to court over the issue. MDE says it has issued several notices and previously sought court intervention to address the pollution. “Unfortunately, he’s not following the rules, and the stream, and importantly, the community is paying the price,” Adam Ortiz, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, told WJZ. The state says the farm’s owner has failed to comply with a court order to clean up the property and has not implemented a solution to control manure and waste runoff.

MDE is now asking the judge to hold the farm’s operator in contempt. “The count is 0-2. You got to get it right this time. Otherwise, more punitive actions can take place,” Ortiz said. MDE also expressed concern that continued runoff could affect other nearby rivers and streams, as well as larger waterways, including the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay. The farm’s owners declined to comment when approached by WJZ. The station also contacted attorneys representing the owner and operator and is awaiting a response. The case is scheduled for a settlement conference in Cecil County Circuit Court in April 2027.

Neighbors frustrated with farm owners

Neighbors say they have seen dead fish washing ashore and have endured what they describe as a putrid manure stench. “Everybody knows why it’s happening. Everybody knows, but greed makes it keep on going,” John Woodrow, who has lived along Basin Run for 70 years, told WJZ. “[It’s] heartbreaking. I spent all my childhood, most of my adult life enjoying the stream. Now my grandson is being told he can’t get in there,” Woodrow said. WJZ spoke with several neighbors who said they were frustrated by the situation and felt disrespected by the farm’s owners. “It hurt to see that happen.

You shouldn’t have to live near Basin Run or be drinking the well water to care about this,” nearby resident Ashley Bowley told WJZ. Woodrow said neighbors began noticing changes in the water about five years ago. “Next thing you know, you start seeing increased weeds on the side of the stream, less fish, more algae growing on the rocks, water less clear,” he said. Despite their frustration, neighbors say they believe the farm can continue operating without harming the surrounding community. “He can still have his business, keep the stream clean for generations to come. Let’s work together on this.

Quit fighting each other in this courthouse, and work together on this and make it work,” Woodrow said. Bowley said the farm has had ample opportunity to address the state’s concerns. “I think they’ve been given ample opportunity to comply with the request from the department,” she said. “They either need to reduce their capacity greatly, or they do need to be shut down.

Source: Cecil County neighbors demand action after nearly 11,000 fish killed in Basin Run – CBS Baltimore

It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows.
Proverbs 20:25

Feeling Alone? God Sees You

Even when you feel invisible in your struggle, God sees every tear, every burden, and every silent prayer. Your exhaustion has not escaped His attention. “The…

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Texas trooper rescues injured owl along I-10 near Van Horn

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A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper helped rescue an injured owl found in the center median of Interstate 10 near Van Horn, highlighting the role law enforcement can play in protecting wildlife. According to a post shared by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Trooper Raymond Torres discovered the injured owl while on patrol. Torres stayed with the bird until Texas Parks and Wildlife officials arrived to transport it to the El Paso Zoo, where it is receiving medical care. DPS shared the rescue on social media, noting that its mission to protect and serve sometimes extends beyond people to include wildlife in need of assistance.

Source: Texas trooper rescues injured owl along I-10 near Van Horn

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

Jesus Revolution

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War Room

Pharmaceutical salesman Tony Jordan and his wife, realtor Elizabeth Jordan, appear outwardly successful; they have a large house, plenty of money, and a beautiful daughter named Danielle. Behind…

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Climbing Your Mountain

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Arkansas alligator hunters fill 197 tags | Outdoors | magnoliareporter.com

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The climbing alligator harvest in Arkansas has led to decreases in nuisance calls involving the reptile. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission members heard last week a presentation from AGFC herpetologist Amanda Bryant on the 2026 alligator harvest. She also reported on an alligator research project with Clemson University. According to Bryant, 197 of the 212 alligator tags available were filled this year. While private land hunters exceeded their quota by a single alligator, public land hunters maintained a 64 percent harvest rate.

Twenty-eight alligators were taken on public land, leaving 16 tags unfilled. Private land hunters harvested 169 alligators. “We also continue to see a reduction in the number of nuisance alligator calls as the harvest has climbed,” Bryant said. Bryant also spoke about an alligator tagging and recapture study that’s in its second year with Clemson. AGFC staff assisted researchers in catching, tagging and recording data on 76 alligators before the 2026 hunting season.

“The information will help verify spotlight surveys as well as information on growth in our alligators through reports of harvested alligator tags and alligators we recapture in the future,” Bryant said. “It also was a great opportunity to have staff training on alligator handling, and we had staff from every fisheries division section engaged.”

Source: Arkansas alligator hunters fill 197 tags | Outdoors | magnoliareporter.com

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12

Peace in the Storm

God does not always remove the storm immediately, but He promises peace in the middle of it. His presence calms fearful hearts.  Bible Verse: “Peace I leave with you;…

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Oregon’s Tiny Pygmy Owls: Our Adorable Murder Machines

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Oregon’s northern pygmy owls may look adorable, but these tiny birds are fierce predators. They stand roughly 6 to 7 inches tall and weigh between 2.1 and 2.5 ounces. In Siuslaw National Forest, an owl was photographed carrying a northern alligator lizard. These daytime hunters eat mice, insects and birds, sometimes killing prey far heavier than themselves. Dark markings on the backs of their heads resemble a second pair of eyes. They nest in existing tree cavities, often excavated by woodpeckers.

Source: Oregon’s Tiny Pygmy Owls: Our Adorable Murder Machines

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Isaiah 52:7

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Family of barn owls on the Upper West Side captivates New York City birders

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A family of barn owls has been spotted on the Upper West Side.  Birders are heading uptown after dark to get a look.  The owls have become the talk of the Upper West Side.  “Residents of the surrounding block began hearing loud noises at night, loud raspy screeching noises. And that alerted them there’s something going on,” birder David Barrett said.  Barrett runs the Manhattan Bird Alert account on X. He photographed two adult barn owls, and up to six adolescents.

They’ve nested in the hole of a water tower near 76th Street and Central Park West.  Owls are nocturnal, so birders have been flocking up to the site at night, hoping to catch a glimpse.  “It’s amazing. Five owls. Nobody’s seen five owls before in New York City,” birder Po Mang said.  “It’s a truly special experience … that people can come out to a public space like this and look at these owls at night,” Barrett said.  According to New York City’s Parks Department, barn owls are an extremely rare sight. Experts say it’s the first time barn owls are known to have nested in Manhattan.  “The presence of a nest right in the middle of the country’s biggest city is really exciting,” Jessica Wilson of the New York City Bird Alliance said. 

Wilson said owls eat mice and rats, which exposes them to risk.  “Rats in New York City are often poisoned by rodenticide, meant to kill the rats. But actually what it does is kill the predators that feed on those rats. And if barn owls are eating several rats a day, they are likely to fall prey to this horrible death,” Wilson said.  The young owls have started taking test flights around the water tower at night as the parents hunt for food. For now, that gives New Yorkers one more reason to stop, look up, and be amazed. 

Source: Family of barn owls on the Upper West Side captivates New York City birders – CBS New York

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.
1 Peter 2:2

The Story of America: John Adams

The White House Salute to America 250 Task Force has partnered with Hillsdale College to provide a history series that tells the remarkable story of American Independence.…

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How Does A Murderer Get Lifesaving Care But Babies Are Left To Die?

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Let the contrast sink in: when the state’s attempt to kill a convicted murderer fails, doctors rush to save her life. When a mother’s attempt to kill an innocent child fails, Congress still argues over whether the law should explicitly require appropriate care. Christa Pike was convicted of the brutal murder of her classmate and sentenced to death. Tennessee’s execution attempt Thursday failed. Now she is in critical condition and receiving lifesaving care, according to her lawyer. The rationale is that even a person guilty of murder must not suffer needlessly. Many forms of executions are no longer used because they’re considered cruel.

But what about the barbaric executions we still routinely perform on children? What about the baby who survives an abortion attempt? What kind of society believes that even the people who commit the worst, most detestably evil crimes deserve humane treatment, but children can be viciously murdered at whim by tearing them apart limb from limb in the womb? That child has committed no crime. There was no due process, no trial, no conviction, no sentence—only a tiny, helpless human being who is alive and entirely dependent on adults to protect him or her. Yet abortion is the leading cause of death in the United States. The procedures can only be described as excessively and senselessly cruel.

Reported cases on babies that survived abortion show that some have been left without life-saving treatment. Minnesota recorded three infants born alive after abortions in 2017; none survived. One received “comfort care” and another received no specific care. A former labor-and-delivery nurse testified that she cradled a baby born alive after an abortion at a Chicago hospital while the infant died. Let the contrast sink in: when the state’s attempt to kill a convicted murderer fails, doctors rush to save her life. When a mother’s attempt to kill an innocent child fails, Congress still argues over whether the law should explicitly require appropriate care. The House passed such a bill in 2025.

It has not become law.  An innocent baby deserves protection—without political hesitation and without exceptions based on how that child came to be conceived or born. If we can insist on compassion and competent care for the rightly condemned, we have no excuse for withholding it from the innocent who rightly deserve life.

Source: How Does A Murderer Get Lifesaving Care But Babies Are Left To Die? – Harbinger’s Daily

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:17

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China expands ultra-deep oil and gas drilling efforts

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crane bird on a meadow

China is expanding its efforts to drill ultra-deep oil and gas wells — defined as more than three-and-a-half miles deep — as the world’s largest crude importer steps up domestic exploration. Like the US, China also broke oil and gas production records in 2025, though it has hastened its efforts this year in a bid to shield itself from war-related vicissitudes in global energy markets, The South China Morning Post reported, reflecting one prong of Beijing’s variegated energy approach. China’s “enormous oil stockpiles, overland pipelines, new technologies to convert coal to chemicals, and embrace of green technologies have given Beijing strategic leverage” over its island neighbors, which remain cripplingly dependent on imported energy, Semafor’s China columnist argued.

Source: China expands ultra-deep oil and gas drilling efforts | Semafor

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:11

States That Allow Bible in the Classroom

Texas public schools will now require students to read Bible passages and stories as part of the latest conservative push to expand the role of religion in public education—a move bound to escalate wrangling over…

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Mountain lion sighting reported in southwest Kansas

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Mountain lion crossing a forest trail through pine trees

A mountain lion has been spotted again in southwest Kansas, marking the latest of several sightings across the state. The Haskell County Sheriff’s Office said the animal was seen Monday morning on the east side of Satanta, crossing U.S. Highway 56 and heading south. Satanta is about 30 miles north of Liberal. New evidence offers an answer Deputies notified Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks game wardens, who are monitoring for more reports. The sighting follows similar reports in August near Liberal and just outside Inman. Wildlife officials say mountain lion sightings have increased in recent years as the animals occasionally pass through Kansas.

Once common in the state, mountain lions were pushed out by settlers and hunting. KDWP investigates every report and notes that one transient animal moving across large distances can be the source of multiple sightings. While a few cases have involved repeated sightings in the same general area, officials say there’s no evidence of a resident or breeding population in Kansas. They also report no confirmed attacks on livestock. Wildlife experts emphasize that mountain lions are elusive and avoid people, making encounters extremely rare. To help you distinguish a mountain lion from other animals, KDWP offers these identification tips: Size: Mountain lions can reach up to 8 feet from nose to tail and stand about 30 inches at the shoulder. Bobcats are much smaller — around 3 feet long and 24 inches tall.

Color: Adults are typically one color, ranging from yellowish to tan, with black markings on the muzzle and tail tip. Only kittens have spots. Tail: Mountain lions have long, slender tails; bobcats have short, stubby ones. Facial features: Mountain lions lack the facial tufts and white ear markings seen on bobcats. Tracks: Mountain lion tracks usually do not show claw marks, unlike dogs or coyotes. KDWP encourages anyone who believes they’ve seen a mountain lion to report it, especially if photos or video are available. Sightings can be submitted through the department’s online reporting system.

Source: Mountain lion sighting reported in southwest Kansas

And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
Acts 22:7

Judge PROTECTS ILLEGAL Immigrant Voting

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Matthew 4:7; It is Written

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Boil water advisory issued for southwest Atlanta, South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City

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Stainless-steel pot of boiling water on a gas stove

Residents and businesses in parts of southwest Atlanta, South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City are being told to boil tap water before using it or use bottled water following a water supply interruption. Atlanta Watershed Management issued the boil water advisory Sunday, Oct. 11, after an interruption affecting the Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant.

People in the affected area should bring tap water to a rolling boil for one minute, then let it cool before drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing their teeth. Bottled water can be used instead. Officials also advised people not to drink from public water fountains in the affected area.

Source: Boil water advisory issued for southwest Atlanta, South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City – CBS Atlanta

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

A Father Who Loves Like God

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Not Meant For the Government

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What is the Pentateuch?

At times, another person’s insight can help us see God’s Word in a fresh and meaningful way. In this article, we share content designed to…

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US agents search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home as part of criminal probe

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Investigators carry evidence cases outside a government building near police vehicles

Federal agents searched Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home on Monday as part of a criminal investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter. The search was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents, said the people, who were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. More details about the investigation and its focus were not immediately clear, though Vice President JD Vance last May signaled that the Trump administration would investigate Omar for immigration fraud allegations, which she has denied. An email seeking comment was sent Monday to a representative for Omar.

The Justice Department said in a statement Monday that HSI agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the department in the Washington, D.C., area but provided no other details. “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation,” the department said. A message left with the Department of Homeland Security, of which Homeland Security Investigations is part, was not immediately returned. Omar, 44, represents Minnesota’s 5th District, including Minneapolis. She was first elected to the House in 2018 and has been known as a member of what’s called The Squad of female lawmakers known for their progressive views and pointed opposition to the Republican president. Republicans have raised questions about Omar’s past since before she was even elected, including asserting that she had married her brother and committed immigration fraud.

Omar has broadly denied the allegations as “disgusting lies.” “It certainly seems like something fishy is there, but everybody’s entitled to equal justice under the laws,” Vance told reporters in May. “So we’re going to investigate it. We’re going to take a look at it. If we think there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime.”

Source: US agents search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home as part of criminal probe: AP sources | AP News

The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 22:4

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Great Value and Trader Joe Fruit Recall

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October 02, 2026. Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., San Carlos, Chile expands its previously initiated recalls on July 3, 2026 and September 3,2026 recall of frozen organic IQF blueberries and berry blends to include additional lots of Great Value frozen Organic Triple Berry Blend 10 OZ, Great Value frozen Organic Blueberries 10 OZ and one Lot of Trader Joe’s frozen Organic Mixed Berry Blend because of potential contamination with Escherichia coli O145:H28 (E. coli O145). E. coli O145 is a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) that can cause illness characterized by severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which may be bloody), and vomiting. While most healthy individuals recover within a week, some infections may result in a serious complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), particularly in young children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

The recalled Great Value product was shipped to select Walmart stores in 30 states including:

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia, along with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Consumers should check their freezers for the affected product.

The recalled Trader Joe’s product was shipped to select Trader Joe’s stores in 26 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin, along with the District of Columbia.

The affected products are:

Product: Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend 10 OZ (Including Strawberries, Blackberries and Blueberries), with UPC: 7874211226 Package Size: 10 oz Lot Code: 6 031 01, 6 041 01 (in front of the package) Best If Used By Date: January 31, 2028 and February 10, 2028

Product: Great Value Organic Blueberries 10 OZ, with UPC: 7874211213 Package Size: 10 oz Lot Code: 6 019 01, 6 040 01 and 6 163 01 (in front of the package) Best If Used By Date: January 19, 2028; February 9, 2028 and June 12, 2028.

Product: Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend 12 OZ with UPC: 00977654 Package Size: 12 oz Lot Code: 6 051 01 (in back of the package) Best Before Date: February 20, 2028

Consumers who have:

  • Great Value Organic Triple Berry 10 OZ with lot code 6 031 01, 6 041 01,
  • Great Value Organic Blueberries 10 OZ with lot code 6 019 01, 6 040 01 and 6 163 01
  • Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend 12 OZ with lot code 6 051 01
  • Consumers should not consume those products.

The product should be discarded or returned to Walmart or Trader Joe’s for a full refund. This market action is taken as a precautionary measure following traceback information linked to frozen blueberries which were the subject of the first recall on July 3, 2026. Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. is working closely with the appropriate regulatory authorities and its customers regarding this recall.

Source: Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. Expands Recalls to Include Additional Lots of Great Value Frozen Organic Triple Berry Blend 10 OZ, Great Value Frozen Organic Blueberries 10 OZ and One Lot of Trader Joe’s Frozen Organic Mixed Berry Blend 12 OZ Because of Potential Contamination with E. coli O145 | FDA

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James 1:3

1 Peter 1:6–7

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold…

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1 Timothy 1:13-15

Though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith…

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Psalm 1:1–3

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;  but his delight is in the law…

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James 1:14–15

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is…

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Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. This reminds us that our choices have consequences. God is not…

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Proverbs 13:20

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. This reminds us that the people we spend time with have a…

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1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals. We can see here that Paul gives a powerful warning: the people and influences we allow into our lives…

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Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to…

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Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. This verse reminds us that our words carry…

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Proverbs 23:7

For he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. This verse reminds us that…

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Matthew 6:22

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, In this verse Jesus teaches…

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Luke 6:45

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance…

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Litter of mountain lion kittens discovered in Southern California hills

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Three blue-eyed mountain lion kittens have been discovered in the hills of Southern California, offering a hopeful glimpse into the future of a cougar population threatened by habitat loss and urban development. National Park Service biologists recently located the roughly 3-week-old kittens in a den in the Simi Hills, north of the 101 Freeway, according to the Ventura County Star. The litter includes one male and two females, all of which appeared healthy during brief examinations, wildlife biologist Jeff Sikich told the newspaper.

The kittens have been designated P-141, P-142 and P-143. The discovery came after GPS tracking data suggested P-113, who wears a monitoring collar, had been spending an extended period in one location. Researchers hiked into the area and found the kittens. According to the Ventura County Star, P-113 had been seen traveling with a male mountain lion, P-124, several months earlier. Mountain lions typically have a gestation period of about 90 days. Now, researchers are watching her raise her first litter. The kittens could eventually play an important role in the survival of Southern California’s mountain lions. The cougar population in the Santa Monica Mountains has become increasingly isolated by freeways and development, contributing to inbreeding, low genetic diversity and deadly conflicts between mountain lions.

Researchers hope the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway, expected to open later this year, will help reconnect the isolated populations. If any of the newly discovered kittens eventually cross into the Santa Monica Mountains, they could help introduce much-needed genetic diversity, Sikich told the Ventura County Star. For now, the kittens are expected to remain with their mother for approximately 18 months before venturing out on their own.

Source: Litter of mountain lion kittens discovered in Southern California hills | KTLA

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

God Sees Your Unseen Efforts

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Hurricane slams South, leaving outages, 4 deaths

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Hurricane Damage

Post-Tropical Cyclone Isaias was moving northeast through central Alabama near Birmingham on Saturday after roaring ashore as a Category 2 hurricane late Friday evening near Destin, Florida, with winds of about 105 mph, causing at least four deaths. Trees and power lines were down in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, creating dangerous conditions and forcing road closures late Friday, officials said. Power outages are in the hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across much of Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and western Georgia. At least four people have been reported killed in the storm, two each in Alabama and Florida, authorities said Saturday.

The storm broke a two-year drought of U.S. hurricane landfalls, with the most recent being Hurricane Milton in October 2024, two years to the day before Isaias made landfall. The center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Isaias was moving north over Alabama on Saturday and is expected to reach the Tennessee Valley later in the day and into Sunday, when it will make a northeastward turn. As of 5 p.m. ET Saturday, the center of Isaias was about 5 miles west of Birmingham, Alabama, moving northeast at 15 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is forecast to continue inland and weaken further.

Source: Hurricane slams South, leaving outages, 4 deaths

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
Philippians 1:29

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Hurricane Simon strengthens into Category 4 storm as it takes aim at Mexico’s Pacific coast

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Simon has strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it barrels toward Mexico’s Pacific coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Saturday that Simon’s maximum sustained winds increased to 155 miles per hour. The hurricane center said it expects Simon to approach Mexico’s west-central coast on Sunday as a major hurricane, which is defined as a Category 3 storm or stronger, with winds of at least 111 mph. Simon on Saturday night was just below a Category 5 classification, which requires maximum sustained winds of 157 mph.

Forecasters said that Simon could weaken rapidly if its core moves fully onshore once it makes landfall. The hurricane could bring as much as 10 to 20 inches of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco receiving up to 30 inches. “This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” the center warned in a bulletin that also urged residents to take immediate action to prepare as tropical storm conditions arrived Saturday afternoon. According to the hurricane center, Simon was about 65 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, on Saturday and moving slowly northward at 5 mph. “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion in the hurricane warning area before conditions deteriorate later tonight,” the hurricane center warned. Jalisco state suspended classes on Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating dozens of people from at-risk areas.

It also asked the tourism sector in Puerto Vallarta, a popular destination for U.S. tourists, to ensure that both workers and visitors were fully accommodated in shelters or safe zones by Friday afternoon. Convenience stores, hotels and other businesses in Puerto Vallarta were boarding up their windows Saturday morning, when few were walking the streets under overcast skies. “Let’s hope it doesn’t hit us, right? That it doesn’t affect us,” Jesús Gómez said as he stood outside a shop and handed out free samples of candied peanuts to passersby. “We’ll be working as usual throughout the day, but when Civil Protection officials come and tell us we need to close, then we’ll close and take shelter until the storm passes.” The hurricane center expected a dangerous storm surge “along the immediate coast near and to the east of where the center makes landfall.” The agency warned that near the coast, large and destructive waves will accompany the surge.

Meanwhile, Canadian tourist Ed Currie, who along with his wife still has five more days to enjoy Puerto Vallarta, said the hurricane had not yet affected his plans. “Just stay in the hotel and look out the window hopefully,” he said of what the couple would do Saturday. “I just don’t know what to expect.”  Unlike the Atlantic, which saw just its first named hurricane of the season this week with Isaias, the Pacific season has been very active. Simon’s arrival comes on the heels of Polo, which slammed Mexico last week as a Category 2 hurricane before reaching the southwestern U.S. and bringing heavy flooding to the region. 

Source: Hurricane Simon strengthens into Category 4 storm as it takes aim at Mexico’s Pacific coast – CBS Miami

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

Hosea 4:6

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Northeast Philadelphia residents frustrated by ongoing rat problem: “You can’t live like this”

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Tree-lined residential street with row houses and parked cars

Residents in several lower Northeast Philadelphia neighborhoods say a growing rat problem is disrupting daily life, damaging property and raising health concerns. Now, City Council is calling for a more aggressive response. Residents in Oxford Circle, Castor Gardens and Summerdale said rats have become difficult to control in recent months, despite efforts to keep the rodents away. “They’re pretty big. They’re not small rats,” Eugene Rivers, an Oxford Circle resident, said.

“They’re pretty big.” Rivers said rats tear open trash bags, scatter garbage and startle residents walking outside at night. “They’re everywhere,” he said. Although the rats have been a longstanding problem, residents said the infestation has worsened in recent months. Their attempts to control it have brought little relief. “I’m ready to relocate,” Gail Burris, another Oxford Circle resident, said. Burris said neighbors have tried poison, peppermint spray, mothballs and even freezing their trash until collection day. She said rats continue to damage cars and burrow in yards. “You can’t live like this,” Burris said.

“My grandkids get in my car, and they’re like, ‘Why do we smell mothballs, Mom-Mom?’ It’s just a lot. It’s a lot.” Philadelphia City Council member Dr. Anthony Phillips, who represents the 9th District, said the city needs to take stronger action to address the infestation. “I feel like the city has not responded in a way that is arduous,” Phillips said. Phillips recently proposed a resolution urging the city’s sanitation, public health and licenses and inspections departments to coordinate their efforts to combat the problem. The resolution calls for a targeted response that addresses vacant properties, improperly stored trash and repeat offenders, including the use of hefty fines.

City Council unanimously approved the resolution, recognizing the rat infestation as a public health emergency. Phillips said residents who properly maintain their properties are also suffering because of the actions of others. “There’s a lot of good neighbors in this community that are suffering because there are individuals that are not necessarily cleaning up after themselves,” he said. City officials are urging residents to store trash in hard-sided containers and limit the amount of time garbage sits on the curb before collection. Residents can report rat activity by calling 215-685-9000.

Source: Northeast Philadelphia residents frustrated by ongoing rat problem: “You can’t live like this” – CBS Philadelphia

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Hebrews 8:6

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Isaiah 11:2

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Black bear attacks man, dog in northern Minnesota

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A man and a his dog were attacked by a black bear outside their northern Minnesota home on Monday. The Minnesota DNR tells Bring Me The News that the incident happened in the early hours of Monday at a home in Solway Township when a man let his dogs out of the house. A short time later, a bear had attacked and pinned one of the dogs to the ground, with the man running up to the bear and kicking it to get it off the dog.

The bear then “bit the man,” the DNR said, but neither man nor dog were seriously injured, with both suffering puncture wounds, with the bear fleeing into a nearby tree. The bear had left the property by the time a DNR conservation officer arrived at the home. The man declined medical care at the scene, and plans to bring the dog to a veterinarian for a check. “This appears to have been a defensive on the bear’s part,” the DNR said. “It may have been attracted to bird feeders on the property and startled when the dogs were let outside.”

The DNR said homeowners living around bears should remove potential food sources including bird feeders. It also suggests flipping an exterior light on and “making a little noise” before letting dogs out in the yard at night so a bear isn’t surprised by mistake.

Source: Black bear attacks man, dog in northern Minnesota – Bring Me The News

As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
Ecclesiastes 11:5

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Coyote decoys help keep geese out of Royal Athletic Park

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Huge flock of geese in Canadian park

The City of Victoria’s ­ongoing battle with large flocks of ­Canada geese damaging the field at Royal Athletic Park has gone to the dogs. In a bid to protect the playing surface, the city’s parks ­department has for the last few weeks been using a pair of coyote decoys to scare geese from the pitch. So far, it appears to be working. “Initially I’d say it’s been very effective, but time will tell,” said Brooke Stark, Victoria’s ­assistant director of parks and open spaces. “This is a tool that we thought we should give a try.

Royal Athletic Park is a premier sporting facility and we want to make sure the facility is maintained.” Stark said the geese have been a problem at the facility for years, but managing them in a humane way has been a challenge. The Capital Regional District in 2023 approved a Canada geese management strategy to reduce the impact of the birds’ rapidly growing population in the region. It included an egg-addling program — a technique that renders the embryo in an egg non-viable — and culling some birds. It also looked at modifying habitat to deter geese, including planting trees and hedges to prevent easy access to water from land, and using new grass seed mixes that are less palatable to the birds. The problem with large goose populations, according to the CRD, is that they can lead to high amounts of fecal matter in the water and on land, raising levels of fecal coliform and other pathogens, such as avian influenza and salmonella. In a report, the CRD said some playing fields have at times been rendered unusable because of the volume of goose droppings.

Stark said the experiment at Royal Athletic Park started with two stationary coyotes, which staff would move periodically based on the behaviour of the birds on the field. They have since ramped up their game, however, affixing one of the two stationary coyotes onto an autonomous grass mower. “It’s not actually mowing, but the coyote decoy is on top and moves around the field overnight.” Stark said the hope is that the geese will not be able to get used to having the decoys moving. “It’s like owl decoys on the roofs of buildings — sometimes birds get used to those, so here in the field we want to make sure the birds don’t get too used to it, and the mower changes direction, often in an ­unpredictable way.” Stark said the city is monitoring the decoy program and will be reporting back to the CRD on how effective it is, and how long it takes the geese to learn what the coyote mannequins are up to.

“Hopefully by changing up the location and how it moves, it will help extend the time that this is effective,” she said, adding the program could be expanded. “So far, two seems to be working, but again, geese are smart and they’ll figure it out. “It’s just one of a suite of tools and different things that we can do to help minimize their damage to the field.” She said there are no immediate plans to expand to other playing fields in the city, adding Royal Athletic Park is of particular concern, as it is enclosed and the geese feel quite safe there.

“So, we’re trialing at Royal Athletic Park, and being a secure facility, we can put things out like this overnight.” When the CRD adopted its goose management strategy, the region was experiencing ongoing problems with geese damaging farmers’ fields and sensitive ecosystems, as well as accumulations of feces on fields and playgrounds. At the time, the regional district said local goose numbers were doubling every four years. Many of the Canada geese on Vancouver Island today are descendants of those brought to B.C. starting in the 1950s and into the 1980s in part to offer more hunting opportunities.

Prior to that, the Island’s goose population had been relatively modest. Stark said she doesn’t know if the city has been getting calls from residents concerned about prowling coyotes in the North Park neighbourhood, but they have been fielding calls asking if dogs are now allowed in Royal Athletic Park. The answer to that remains no.

Source: Coyote decoys help keep geese out of Royal Athletic Park – Victoria Times Colonist

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Romans 12:1

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Monarch butterflies find a vital stopover at Gibbs Gardens during their 3,000-mile migration

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Every fall, one of nature’s most remarkable migrations passes through Georgia, carried on wings so delicate they seem hardly suited for the journey ahead. Generations of Monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles from their summer breeding grounds in Canada and the northern United States to the mountains of central Mexico, where they spend the winter. Along the way, they need somewhere to eat. At Gibbs Gardens in Cherokee County, a sprawling meadow of cosmos, zinnias and other wildflowers has become something of a roadside diner for butterflies on the move.

“The monarchs, they have to refuel every single day,” said Eric Johnson, a horticulturist and host of PBS’s GardenSmart.  “Every day they have to find a nectar source.” And finding those sources has become increasingly difficult.  “If they can’t refuel, those are butterflies that don’t make it,” Johnson said. Gibbs Gardens is the life’s work of landscape designer Jim Gibbs, who began developing his vision for a world-class garden north of Atlanta in the 1970s. Today, the 376-acre estate includes approximately 220 acres of landscaped gardens, many inspired by Gibbs’ travels in Japan.  Its celebrated daffodil festival was named the nation’s top flower festival in USA TODAY’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards.

But among the property’s carefully cultivated landscapes is a meadow with a purpose that extends well beyond its appearance.  Originally planted to support honeybees, the meadow was later adapted to help monarch butterflies. “It was in 2021, when the monarch populations were collapsing, [Gibbs] repurposed this garden significantly to have it focus largely on the monarch population,” Johnson said. The flowers provide nectar, giving migrating butterflies the energy they need to continue their journey south. 

And those stops can make the difference between completing the migration and falling short. The eastern migratory monarch population has declined by an estimated 80% since the mid-1990s, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Habitat loss, pesticide exposure and climate change are among the threats facing the species.  Although monarch populations fluctuate from year to year, their long-term decline has raised concerns about the survival of one of North America’s best-known migrations. For Johnson, the connection between conservation and gardening is direct.  “What we do as gardeners absolutely makes a difference,” he said. The nectar-producing flowers at Gibbs Gardens provide fuel for adult monarchs. But another plant is essential to producing the next generation:  milkweed.

Female monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants, and their caterpillars depend on milkweed leaves for food.  Without it, monarchs cannot successfully reproduce.  As native milkweed habitat has disappeared from roadsides, fields and other open spaces, the butterflies have lost critical breeding grounds.  That means even relatively small planting decisions can make a difference. “The most important thing that homeowners could do if you care about the survival of monarchs, even if you just have a little corner of your garden and you can plant some milkweed and then some good nectar-producing flowering plants,” Johnson said. Native milkweed varieties appropriate for Georgia, combined with flowers that bloom throughout the growing season, can help support monarchs and other pollinators.

Monarchs generally pass through north Georgia during their fall migration from late September into mid-October, with the timing and number of butterflies varying from year to year. Gibbs Gardens, in Ball Ground, is open to the public during its seasonal operating schedule.  Visitors can purchase admission to explore the gardens, including the flowering landscapes that attract migrating butterflies. A sighting is never guaranteed.  The butterflies are wild, and their movements depend on weather, migration conditions and the availability of nectar. 

On a recent visit to the gardens by CBS News, monarchs by the hundreds were observed in an almost dancing movement across the tops of the flowers. It is an extraordinary journey unfolding close to Metro Atlanta.  For the monarchs, the trip to Mexico can stretch as far as 3,000 miles.  Whether they complete it may depend, in part, on what is growing in places like Gibbs Gardens — or even in an ordinary Georgia backyard.

Source: Monarch butterflies find a vital stopover at Gibbs Gardens during their 3,000-mile migration – CBS Atlanta

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matthew 7:24

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