#acts 26:5

[scripture-pictures]

[jklpopcorn]

crying and sobbing i was supposed to draw doodles of my ocs but instead all there is is Siffrin

they're so shaped i have to draw them

also

100% :)

[femaletobitch]

Don't demand me for nudes and then proceed to call them ugly and insult me when i send them?? Literally what is wrong with you??

[sunrizef1]

“He’s so baby!!” That’s a grown man pls be so fucking fr

[fated-normal-767]

Sometimes a family is just two insane programmers with weird homosexual connections to several people and their terrifying pacifist daughter .

iris is not a programmer but this is otherwise entirely true. I don’t think anyone actually knows what iris’ job is. I certainly don’t remember. He’s definitely sold drugs before but I don’t remember if that’s actually his job. I don’t think iris knows how computers work at all.

[greenscreen-dress]

I wish all Precure seasons that attempt to force a reciprocated romance between young teen magical girls and animal-fairy mascots that turn into Ambiguously Adult Hot Guys™ a very Stop That Immediately Dear Gourd Why. 🫠

[cloudbattrolls]

Wasn't It A Lovely Night

Guardian Artifice | 463.5 sweeps prior | Civitrecce

The artifice jumped down into the maintenance tunnel, then walked as quickly as it could without breaking into a run. It still wasn’t quite used to its second body yet, the lack of a heavy tail both freeing and disorienting.

It looked left and right. No trolls, it thought. It couldn’t hear any. Torvah promised that one night it would have all sorts of sensors and detection.

Torvah promised a lot of things.

It walked along and found its current favorite hiding place in a treatment room, quiet and cool and above all, away from prying eyes. It closed the door behind it.

Trolls were…fine. But they were a lot. They were so curious. They were so…expectant.

Each of them wanted different things. Felt different things. Acted on those feelings and wants differently, or not at all, or in a sideways sort of way where they didn’t want to say what they really meant.

It sat down on a chair, hands clenched by its sides.

It didn’t need to breathe. Its ‘lungs’ were mostly for speaking. Its cells were all tiny pieces of machinery, interlocking chains in a grand design fueled by sunlight and psiionic power. 

But it needed some way to steady itself, and it didn’t want to break the chair, so it still drew in shaky breaths.

It would go back out. It had to try again. It couldn’t protect people without understanding them properly…

But they wanted to understand it too, and that’s where the trouble started.

Are you a troll?

Do you want to be a troll?

Are you like, a child, because you’re so young, or more like an adult?

How much of you is programming? Are you really alive?

Just let it do its job! Agh! What did they need all this information for? It was supposed to the one collecting information! 

Unfortunately, it had to learn to bear it.

They need to be able to trust their security system, Arty, Torvah had said gently. You can’t just observe from a distance and hope to do your best that way. 

If you don’t understand what truly drives trolls, you won’t be able to respect them and shield them from the dangers of the world.

“Do you understand trolls?” It muttered. 

Torvah was smart, but it’d come to realize that sometimes the yellowblood didn’t have much common sense. 

They meant well. Torvah had enough good intent to make almost everyone smile at them, enough willingness to see things through that their city was well underway after a few short sweeps. This maintenance tunnel hasn’t existed six perigees ago. 

This room had been finished four perigees and two weeks prior. Arty traced idle patterns on the very new metal floor with the tip of its sandal.

Maybe it should establish some sort of queue for questions or something. That would be less overwhelming.

It refused to ask Torvah for help. It needed to handle this itself.

“Arty?” Came a voice from outside the closed door.

“Leeson.” It groaned.

“So you are in there.” Said an amused, Eirish-accented voice they knew very well.

“No, this is a recording. I actually jumped into the sea.” It said, sarcastic.

“That’s too bad. And here I had a new stuffed animal for you.”

It sat bolt upright, attentive.

“I can basically feel the eagerness.” He said, still amused. “Can I come in?”

“It’s not even locked.” They muttered, as the door gently swung inward and the skinny blueblood walked in. “Torvah doesn’t like it when I lock things.”

He winced in sympathy.

“Well…the last time you did…”

It looked away. Ghosts of broken objects and past screaming stretched between them.

“Anyway.” He said, trying to lighten the mood as it looked somewhat towards him, though its green-slitted black eyes still flicked off toward the side. “Here.”

He took out a small stuffed fish. It wasn’t even all that well made, not like the Guinea pig one Torvah had given it, a keepsake from the region its creator come from.

Arty snatched it from his hands so quickly a breeze wafted over the pair, cradling it gently in its metallic, segmented fingers.

“One of these nights you’re going to take my wrist with you.” The kookaburra troll said, shaking his head.

The artifice ignored him, examining the plush from every angle, to the uneven button eyes, the gaping, slack-jawed mouth with clumsily sewn felt teeth, and the slightly droopy fins.

“It’s perfect.” It breathed. “Thank you.” It remembered to add, before tucking it away in its own sylladex.

He smiled, his pointy ears flicking.

“Well…I can say I didn’t see you for another hour or so, but then we really do need you up there.” The blueblood said, a bit sheepish. “Torvah assigned you to one of the construction crews; everyone will be too busy pushing and lifting to ask you much.”

“Fine.” It said dismissively.

It was, actually, but it wished the yellowblood had asked. What if it had wanted to do some other sort of work?

No, it was only supposed to make choices when it was convenient for the Machinat.

It looked at Leeson.

“What if I ever wanted to leave?”

He blinked, his two-colored blue eyes surprised behind his glasses.

“I…why would you want to leave, Arty? Where would you go?”

It paused.

“I don’t know. But what if I ever wanted to? Has Torvah thought about that? Do they even care?”

He sighed and scratched his freckled neck, looking awkward.

“They do care, Arty, they’re just…busy. It would be dangerous for most of us to leave anyway. You’re one of the few people who could. Well. If you had a way to somehow trick the empire into thinking you were a troll.”

“Am I really that different from you?” They demanded. “I mean! I am. But in some ways, I’m not. If people didn’t know what I was already…”

It looked at the ceiling, ears flicking as it sighed happily at the thought.

“If no one knew who I was, I could blend in…trolls aren’t so hard to mimic. It’s a question of pretending to not know a lot of things.” They murmured. “Of following all these unwritten and unsaid rules. I could learn to do it perfectly, just give me a little time.”

Leeson looked uncomfortable.

Arty frowned in annoyance, but then it sighed, raising its hands in surrender. 

“Okay, okay, how high was that on the scale?”

“Maybe a 7.” Said Leeson with the barest hint of humor.

“It was more like a 6.” They argued. “It wasn’t that creepy!”

“Arty.” He said, fondly but with a bit of weariness. “You look like us, but you aren’t one of us. Trolls are hardwired to fear anything too close to us that’s still very different on the inside.”

“I know.” It muttered.

Leeson had been nervous around it at first; he has always been honest about that. He had, slowly, come to understand the artifice despite his wariness. 

Better than Torvah understood it, Arty thought, though it would never say it out loud. Such words would crush its creator’s heart.

He stretched out a slender hand to the system.

Arty sighed, but took it.

“Let’s go see Process first.” Leeson said, trying to be cheerful as they walked back out into the tunnel.

“What does Pro want?” Arty said with a snort.

“Nothing, I just thought it would be nice if we visited.”

“Pro doesn’t care if we visit.” Retorted the artifice. “Pro’s even busier than Torvah.”

“Arty…” said Leeson chidingly.

“Fiiiiine.”

It dutifully followed without further complaint as the two climbed a ladder back up to the surface, instead taking this time to enjoy being back within signal range of its extensions.

Now it could see the city properly again, from multiple perspectives and angles. The moons shown down, half full and crescent, and unlike the cool dryness of the tunnels a warm wind blew through the Santai Claria valley and the fledgling settlement quickly rising up within it.

As it walked with its friend, it flew one of its bugs around to bother Process, darting around its helms as they repaired clothing and dodging their attempts to swat it.

Unfortunately, its primary body’s mouth giggled involuntarily. 

A few passing trolls on the street looked at it, but they looked away and went about their business.

Leeson raised his eyebrows.

It attempted to look innocent.

“What did you do.”

“I’m not discussing anything without my lawyer.” It said placidly.

He snorted. “You stole that from Yathin.”

“I will only consent to be prosecuted for theft in court.” It replied, chipper.

“We need a better legal system than the one we have right now, that’s for sure.” Muttered the bird troll, running a hand through his messy shoulder-length curls.

Arty hummed in agreement. Civitrecce’s current one was…well, it’d admit it wasn’t Torvah’s fault. They only had so many hours in the night, and sometimes the day, sweating in their workshop or in extended meetings with the city council until Leeson made them go to bed.

So the system wasn’t great, nor was it finished aside from bare-bones provisions for basic crimes and registrations. The city trolls were still deep in debates about how to write better laws than the empire had, and everyone had a different opinion on what exactly ‘better’ meant.

I KNOW IT’S YOU, GUARDIAN.

“Tell it to the dirt!” Arty called back to the AI’s monotone voice now coming from a nearby speaker on a railing. 

I SUPPOSE THE DIRT MIGHT BE A BETTER LISTENER.

“Silly Pro, dirt doesn’t have ears.” Arty shot back breezily. “I think you’re getting old.”

YOU AGE ME PREMATURELY. I SOMETIMES FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE YOU WERE FASHIONED FROM MY CODE.

“Is it because I’m so much cuter?” Arty said, putting a hand to its chin.

WHO EXACTLY HAS EVER PUT FORTH THIS OPINION?

“I just know.” The artifice retorted, as they glared at Leeson for poorly containing his kookaburra-like laughter.

SOURCE: IT CAME TO ME IN A DREAM.

“Shuuut uuup.” Sang the system back at the AI, as it and Leeson finally came to the Spine it inhabited.

It was still very basic, the short tower that resembled the skeletal structure it was named for, and the helms who could easily slip in and out of its wires once they’d filled their shifts powering the AI. 

Torvah kept wanting to improve it, but Process insisted they focus on the city first, the needs of the trolls in it. They’d agreed, expression tight with remorse and restraint, but Arty knew they wished they had more time to help their friend. 

There was only one other helmstechnician in the place. While she was good, no one could match the Machinat, who could manipulate flesh and tech at will. It frustrated the yellowblood, their inability to share the immense benefits of their psiionics with others. 

Arty was the closest they had gotten. 

Process’s code. Torvah’s own modified flesh, a replacement for the altered corpse the artifice had first inhabited. Other constructed materials Leeson and some craftstrolls had helped with.

The AI’s flickering projection appeared, the quality still often marred by static, but at least their face and flat expression were clear enough to be made out.

WHAT DO YOU WISH OF ME, LEESON?

He shook his head, smiling. “Nothing. I’m just here to say hi, Process.”

YOU HAVE SAID IT. I HAVE MUCH TO ATTEND TO, AND THE GUARDIAN IS NOT HELPING.

Arty sighed and stopped its bugs from spelling ‘boring’ in the air around Process’s helms. The assembled trolls shook their heads and went back to their work. Process's expression became unfocused again, a sign it was devoting its computing power to doing analysis or other work to run the city.

Leeson reached out to squeeze Arty’s hand and it hmphed.

“Let’s just chat.” He said gently. “You deserve a break.”

I DO NOT NEED BREAKS.

“No, but isn’t there anything you want to do for yourself?”

I WOULD LIKE TO WORK.

He sighed dramatically. 

“Oh, and devoting some focus to hearing about my building plans is too much? I see how it is.” Lesson said faux-innocently, whistling as he put his hands in his pockets.

Arty snickered.

Process’s expression came back into focus and changed marginally. 

I SUPPOSE I CAN SPARE TWENTY MINUTES.

“Right-o.” Said the blueblood cheerfully, pulling out a blanket and a picnic basket from his sylladex.

Arty half threw itself on said blanket, landing with a thud and lifting the basket lid with two slim fingers even though it didn’t need to eat.

“Fried crickets again? You’re practically half made of those.” It said to Leeson, shaking its head.

He shrugged and took the bag of bugs out, opening it and popping a few into his mouth. “They’re good.” He said between loud, crunchy bites.

“Imagine having a digestive system. Couldn’t be me.” Arty chirped as it took its new stuffed fish out again and propped it up against the basket.

NOR ME.

“I guess I have to represent my species.” Said the blueblood with a chuckle, unscrewing the lid of his water bottle.

IF I HAD TO CHOOSE SOMEONE TO REPRESENT TROLLKIND, LEESON, I THINK YOU WOULD BE POTENTIALLY BE A GOOD OPTION.

He blinked. “Really? I thought you’d say Torvah.”

THE MACHINAT MIGHT NOT BE PERCEIVED AS ENTIRELY TROLL. 

He sighed. “My dear heart is…mostly troll.”

THE LINE IS THIN, FOR ONE WHO CAN BECOME COMPLETELY TECH AT WILL. REGARDLESS, YOU ARE ALSO A GOOD CANDIDATE ON YOUR OWN MERITS.

The kookaburra troll flushed slightly blue and adjusted his glasses. “Well. Thank you.”

YOU’RE WELCOME. NOW ABOUT THOSE BUILDING PLANS -

Arty listened, all its eyes only for its friends, all its ears tuned to the conversation between AI and troll, happy simply to be there under the stars.

[howcee777]

LESSON 5 June 30 Acts 26: 1-11 SUBJECT "Hope In God Transforms Us"

[mariacallous]

 Our Nation has made tremendous progress in advancing the cause of equality for LGBTQI+ Americans, including in the military.  Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Many of these patriotic Americans were subject to a court-martial.  While my Administration has taken meaningful action to remedy these problems, the impact of that historical injustice remains.  As Commander in Chief, I am committed to maintaining the finest fighting force in the world.  That means making sure that every member of our military feels safe and respected.

     Accordingly, acting pursuant to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to persons convicted of unaggravated offenses based on consensual, private conduct with persons age 18 and older under former Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), as previously codified at 10 U.S.C. 925, as well as attempts, conspiracies, and solicitations to commit such acts under Articles 80, 81, and 82, UCMJ, 10 U.S.C. 880, 881, 882.  This proclamation applies to convictions during the period from Article 125’s effective date of May 31, 1951, through the December 26, 2013, enactment of section 1707 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113-66).

     The purpose of this proclamation is to pardon only offenses based on consensual, private conduct between individuals 18 and older that do not involve any aggravating factor, including:  

     (1)  conduct that would violate 10 U.S.C. 893a, prohibiting activities with military recruits or trainees by a person in a position of special trust;      (2)  conduct that was committed with an individual who was coerced or, because of status, might not have felt able to refuse consent;      (3)  conduct on the part of the applicant constituting fraternization under Article 134 of the UCMJ;      (4)  conduct committed with the spouse of another military member; or      (5)  any factors other than those listed above that were identified by the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in United States v. Marcum as being outside the scope of Lawrence v. Texas as applied in the military context, 60 M.J. 198, 207–08 (2004).

     The Military Departments (Army, Navy, or Air Force), or in the case of the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall provide information about and publicize application procedures for certificates of pardon.  An applicant for a certificate of pardon under this proclamation is to submit an application to the Military Department (Army, Navy, or Air Force) that conducted the court-martial or, in the case of a Coast Guard court-martial, to the Department of Homeland Security.  If the relevant Department determines that the applicant satisfies the criteria under this proclamation, following a review of relevant military justice records, the Department shall submit that determination to the Attorney General, acting through the Pardon Attorney, who shall then issue a certificate of pardon along with information on the process to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  My Administration strongly encourages veterans who receive a certificate of pardon to apply for an upgrade of military discharge.  

     Although the pardon under this proclamation applies only to the convictions described above, there are other LGBTQI+ individuals who served our Nation and were convicted of other crimes because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  It is the policy of my Administration to expeditiously consider and to make final pardon determinations with respect to such individuals.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

[scholarhect]

senior week is coming. i will be ok senior week is coming

[jaguar726]

Go, stand in the temple courts

Daily Verse Reading – Acts 5:17-26 The Apostles Persecuted17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell…

[scripture-pictures]

[satanssquidgy]

In my balls gay pee era

[girlwithrituals]

101 ways to improve self esteem

1) Master a new skill.

2) List your accomplishments.

3) Do something creative.

4) Challenge your limiting beliefs.

5) Talk to a counselor.

6) Don't worry about what others think.

7) Read or watch something inspirational.

8) Stay true to your character.

9) Let go of negative people.

10) Set healthy boundaries with others.

11) Care about your appearance.

12) Welcome failure as part of growth.

13) Be a lifelong learner.

14) Face your fears.

15) Become a mentor.

16) Accept compliments.

17) Eliminate self-criticism.

18) Practice coping skills to manage stress and big emotions.

19) Notice negative thoughts and beliefs.

20) Challenge negative thinking.

21) Think about what you learned from negative experiences.

22) Practice gratitude.

23) Exercise.

24) Eat healthy and limit junk food.

25) Get good sleep.

26) Spend time with positive and supportive people.

27) Encourage yourself.

28) Write a list of your strengths.

29) Don't compare yourself to others.

30) Avoid perfectionism.

31) Do at least one positive, enjoyable activity every day.

32) Celebrate small victories.

33) Be helpful and considerate to others.

34) Be honest with yourself and others.

35) Accept your flaws.

36) Don't give up.

37) Practice self-care.

38) Go easy on yourself.

39) Practice being assertive.

40) Practice saying "No".

41) Practice relaxation techniques.

42) Take on challenges.

43) Volunteer to help others.

44) Forgive others and yourself.

45) Set goals and work toward them step by step.

46) Seek balance in all areas of your life.

47) Discover your passions and purpose

48) Groom yourself.

49) Dress nicely.

50) Be kind and generous to others.

51) Practice good posture.

52) Change a small habit.

53) Smile.

54) Don't procrastinate.

55) Don't take things personal.

56) Organize your personal space.

57) Challenge unkind thoughts about yourself.

58) Spend time outside.

59) Notice the good things.

60) Celebrate your successes

61) Write a list of things you like about yourself.

62) Don't take too much on.

63) Do something for yourself every day.

64) Develop daily habits.

65) Remind yourself it's okay if not everyone likes you.

66) Practice mindfulness.

67) Learn to tolerate discomfort.

68) Use problem-solving skills.

69) Take responsibility instead of blaming.

Tell Yourself Positive Affirmations Such As:

70) I am grateful for every day.

71) I am worthy of happiness and love.

72) I am in charge of my own happiness.

73) I love, respect, and believe in myself.

74) I deserve to be happy and successful.

75) I approve of myself, right here and now.

76) I am learning and changing for the better.

77) I accept 100% responsibility for my own life.

78) Every day in every way, I am getting better and better.

79) I can learn to accept the parts of myself that I don't like.

80) I am thankful for my challenges as they make me a stronger person.

81) Write down three positives about each day.

82) Make a collage with your talents, goals, and dreams.

83) Practice laughing.

84) Be proud of yourself.

85) Say mistakes are an opportunity to learn.

86) Show respect to yourself and others.

87) Resolve conflict peacefully.

88) Ask for help or support.

89) Complete a daily task list.

90) Have a growth mindset.

91) Be optimistic.

92) Treat yourself with kindness and compassion.

93) Focus on the things you have control over and can change.

94) Get started on tasks you have been putting off.

95) Practice good daily hygiene.

96) Focus on solutions not problems.

97) Talk about your feelings with someone you trust.

98) Drink plenty of water.

99) Start a new hobby or join a club/sport.

100) Do random acts of kindness.

101) Create a dreams list.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #26

July 5-12 2024

The IRS announced it had managed to collect $1 billion in back taxes from high-wealth tax cheats. The program focused on persons with more than $1 million in yearly income who owned more than $250,000 in unpaid taxes. Thanks to money in Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act the IRS is able to undertake more enforcement against rich tax cheats after years of Republicans cutting the agency's budget, which they hope to do again if they win power again.

The Biden administration announced a $244 million dollar investment in the federal government’s registered apprenticeship program. This marks the largest investment in the program's history with grants going out to 52 programs in 32 states. The President is focused on getting well paying blue collar opportunities to people and more people are taking part in the apprenticeship program than ever before. Republican pledge to cut it, even as employers struggle to find qualified workers.

The Department of Transportation announced the largest single project in the department's history, $11 billion dollars in grants for the The Hudson River Tunnel. Part of the $66 billion the Biden Administration has invested in our rail system the tunnel, the most complex Infrastructure project in the nation would link New York and New Jersey by rail under the Hudson. Once finished it's believed it'll impact 20% of the American economy by improving and speeding connection throughout the Northeast.

The Department of Energy announced $1.7 billion to save auto worker's jobs and convert factories to electronic vehicles. The Biden administration will used the money to save or reopen factories in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia and retool them to make electric cars. The project will save 15,000 skilled union worker jobs, and created 2,900 new high-quality jobs.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development reached a settlement with The Appraisal Foundation over racial discrimination. TAF is the organization responsible for setting standards and qualifications for real estate appraisers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics last year found that TAF was 94.7% White and 0.6% Black, making it the least racially diverse of the 800 occupations surveyed. Black and Latino home owners are far more likely to have their houses under valued than whites. Under the settlement with HUD TAF will have to take serious steps to increase diversity and remove structural barriers to diversity.

The Department of Justice disrupted an effort by the Russian government to influence public opinion through AI bots. The DoJ shut down nearly 1,000 twitter accounts that were linked to a Russian Bot farm. The bots used AI technology to not only generate tweets but also AI image faces for profile pictures. The effort seemed focused on boosting support for Russia's war against Ukraine and spread negative stories/impressions about Ukraine.

The Department of Transportation announces $1.5 billion to help local authorities buy made in America buses. 80% of the funding will go toward zero or low-emission technology, a part of the President's goal of reaching zero emissions by 2050. This is part of the $5 billion the DOT has spent over the last 3 years replacing aging buses with new cleaner technology.

President Biden with Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau and Finnish President Alexander Stubb signed a new agreement on the arctic. The new trilateral agreement between the 3 NATO partners, known as the ICE Pact, will boost production of ice breaking ships, the 3 plan to build as many as 90 between them in the coming years. The alliance hopes to be a counter weight to China's current dominance in the ice breaker market and help western allies respond to Russia's aggressive push into the arctic waters.

The Department of Transportation announced $1.1 billion for greater rail safety. The program seeks to, where ever possible, eliminate rail crossings, thus removing the dangers and inconvenience to communities divided by rail lines. It will also help update and improve safety measures at rail crossings.

The Department of the Interior announced $120 million to help tribal communities prepare for climate disasters. This funding is part of half a billion dollars the Biden administration has spent to help tribes build climate resilience, which itself is part of a $50 billion dollar effort to build climate resilience across the nation. This funding will help support drought measures, wildland fire mitigation, community-driven relocation, managed retreat, protect-in-place efforts, and ocean and coastal management.

The USDA announced $100 million in additional funds to help feed low income kids over the summer. Known as "SUN Bucks" or "Summer EBT" the new Biden program grants the families of kids who qualify for free meals at school $120 dollars pre-child for groceries. This comes on top of the traditional SUN Meals program which offers school meals to qualifying children over the summer, as well as the new under President Biden SUN Meals To-Go program which is now offering delivery of meals to low-income children in rural areas. This grant is meant to help local governments build up the Infrastructure to support and distribute SUN Bucks. If fully implemented SUN Bucks could help 30 million kids, but many Republican governors have refused the funding.

USAID announced its giving $100 million to the UN World Food Program to deliver urgently needed food assistance in Gaza. This will bring the total humanitarian aid given by the US to the Palestinian people since the war started in October 2023 to $774 million, the single largest donor nation. President Biden at his press conference last night said that Israel and Hamas have agreed in principle to a ceasefire deal that will end the war and release the hostages. US negotiators are working to close the final gaps between the two sides and end the war.

The Senate confirmed Nancy Maldonado to serve as a Judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Maldonado is the 202nd federal Judge appointed by President Biden to be confirmed. She will the first Latino judge to ever serve on the 7th Circuit which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Bonus: At the NATO summit in Washington DC President Biden joined 32 allies in the Ukraine compact. Allies from Japan to Iceland confirmed their support for Ukraine and deepening their commitments to building Ukraine's forces and keeping a free and Democratic Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. World leaders such as British Prime Minster Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, praised President Biden's experience and leadership during the NATO summit

[re4med]

The Morning Devotional: WCF 23.3 (Part One)

The Morning Devotional for August 9, 2023 The Westminster Confession of Faith 23.3 (Part One) III. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord,…