All Four Episodes Available Now

Words at the Well

Phil Wickham Preaches to His Own Soul on “This Is Our God”

Music Blog - "This Is Our God" Phil Wickham Masthead (Feb. 1)

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate declined for the fourth week in a row, a sign of relative stability that could potentially open the door for some prospective homebuyers to get back in the market.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate fell to 6.09% from 6.13% last week. That's the lowest level since September. The average rate a year ago was 3.55%.The average long-term rate reached a two-decade high of 7.08% in late October and early November as the Federal Reserve continued to raise its key lending rate in a bid to cool the economy and tame inflation.At its first meeting of 2023 Wednesday, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark lending rate 0.25 percentage points, its eighth increase in less than a year. That pushed the central bank’s key rate to a range of 4.5% to 4.75%, its highest level in 15 years.While acknowledging that some measures of inflation have eased, Fed Chair Jerome Powell appeared to suggest Wednesday that he foresees two additional quarter-point rate hikes this year.Though those rate hikes do impact borrowing rates across the board for businesses and families, rates on 30-year mortgages usually track the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans. Investors’ expectations for future inflation, global demand for U.S. Treasurys and what the Federal Reserve does with interest rates can also influence the cost of borrowing for a home.The big rise in mortgage rates during the past year has throttled the housing market, with sales of existing homes falling for 11 straight months to the lowest level in more than a decade. Higher rates can add hundreds of a dollars a month in costs for homebuyers, on top of already high home prices.The National Association of Realtors reported earlier this month that existing U.S. home sales totaled 5.03 million last year, a 17.8% decline from 2021. That is the weakest year for home sales since 2014 and the biggest annual decline since 2008, during the housing crisis of the late 2000s.Though home prices have retreated as demand has declined, they are still more than 10% higher than a year ago.The rate for a 15-year mortgage, popular with those refinancing their homes, fell this week to 5.14% from 5.17% last week. It was 2.77% one year ago.

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A sign announces a home for sale on Munjoy Hill in Portland, Maine.

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Though home prices have retreated as demand has declined, they are still more than 10% higher than a year ago.

Fed Ups Rates, But Average Long-Term Mortgage Rate Drops 4th Straight Week

On a couple of occasions, Tania Nix helped her father, Hody, do what she thought was a small kindness project. He shared with her, “I’ve been carrying a hundred-dollar bill to the drug store at the first of the month and giving it to the pharmacist, Brooke there, and just telling her to use it how she felt it was needed.” Hody Childress knew that some families in Geraldine, Alabama, struggled to afford medicine and he wanted to bless them, but made it clear he also wanted to remain anonymous. He asked the pharmacist to just tell the person that was helped, “It was a blessing from the Lord.”&nbsp;Sadly, Hody passed away recently at age 80, and only then did the extent of his personal blessing project become known. Pharmacist Brooke explained she had been sworn to secrecy, but “she had felt like the door was open (now) and that she could share what had been going on.” What Tania learned about her father was pleasantly surprising. “I had no clue until I read Brooke’s story that this had been happening…for almost ten years!” Thousands and thousands of dollars given secretly to help others.&nbsp;“It was not for recognition,” shares Tania, “it was freely from his heart wanting to help people.”&nbsp;Tania recalls her dad once told her, “The bible says don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing.” [Matthew 6:3-4]Because of that, Tania explains that she and her brother Doug “had a really hard time whether to allow this story out (to the public) or not, but I feel like a small deed can turn into a big deed – or it can turn into something that gives people hope, that it helps people that otherwise would have no help. So, I felt like that if it encouraged anyone to be a better person and want to help the world – and want to help other people – it is worth it!&nbsp;It has changed me. It has made me want to be more giving and more compassionate and to encourage people that there’s people out there that do love you and care about you.”&nbsp;Thinking about reasons for her father’s kindness, “The Lord was very real in his life. He was daily reading his bible and praying. And he really tried to live a life that the Lord would be pleased with. He was very kind and a very positive person.”&nbsp;“If there were more people in the world like him, you would be so happy to pass one another in the streets, because you could feel that he cared about you and that he was truly concerned about you.”&nbsp;In our complete podcast interview just below Tania shares more on this formerly secret story that’s now encouraging people nationwide.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://soundcloud.com/emf-public-affairs-audio/for-10-years-hody-childress-secretly-paid-peoples-pharmacy-bills?si=ae12cfbb50b448c295432d3fd075a172&amp;utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing"></oembed></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://emfservices.azureedge.net/news/41643.jpg" alt="Hody loved his family "><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Provided] Hody loved his family&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://emfservices.azureedge.net/news/41644.jpg" alt="“If there were more people in the world like him, you would be so happy…”"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Provided] “If there were more people in the world like him, you would be so happy…”</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;

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Hody Childress (center), daughter Tania (r), son Doug (l)

He asked the pharmacist to just tell the person helped, “It was a blessing from the Lord.”  

For 10 Years Hody Childress Secretly Paid Peoples’ Pharmacy Bills (+podcast)

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 National Gathering of Prayer and Repentance

“We have lost our way,” Congresswoman Miller admitted, “because we have rejected you as Creator, Lord, and Savior. Now we are adrift and foolish, calling evil good and good evil. …We most humbly ask you to intervene."

"Forgive Us, Jesus" - Watch: 'Gathering For Prayer & Repentance': Handful Of Lawmakers Cry Out To God

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House voted after raucous debate Thursday to oust Democrat Ilhan Omar from the chamber's Foreign Affairs Committee, citing her anti-Israel comments, in a dramatic escalation after Democrats last session booted far-right GOP lawmakers over unappreciated remarks.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was able to solidify Republican support against the Somali-born Muslim woman in the new Congress although some GOP lawmakers had expressed reservations. Removal of lawmakers from House committees was essentially unprecedented until the Democratic ousters two years ago of hard-right Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona.The 218-211 vote, along party lines, came after a heated, voices-raised debate in which Democrats accused the GOP of targeting Omar based on her race. Omar defended herself on the House floor, asking if anyone was surprised she was being targeted, “because when you push power, power pushes back." Democratic colleagues hugged and embraced their colleague during the vote.“My voice will get louder and stronger, and my leadership will be celebrated around the world,” Omar said in a closing speech.Republicans focused on six statements Omar has made that “under the totality of the circumstances, disqualify her from serving on the Committee of Foreign Affairs,” said Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss.“All members, both Republicans and Democrats alike who seek to serve on Foreign Affairs, should be held to the highest standard of conduct due to the international sensitivity and national security concerns under the jurisdiction of this committee,” Guest said.The resolution proposed by Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, a former official in the Trump administration, declared, “Omar’s comments have brought dishonor to the House of Representatives.”Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said Omar has at times “made mistakes" and used antisemitic tropes that were condemned by House Democrats four years ago. But that's not what Thursday's vote was about, he said.“It's not about accountability, it’s about political revenge," Jeffries said.Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, went took it one step further, saying that the GOP's action was one of the “disgusting legacies after 9/11," a reference to he Sept. 11, 2001, attack — "the targeting and racism against Muslim-Americans throughout the United States of America. And this is an extension of that legacy."She added, “This is about targeting women of color."Omar is one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. She is also the first to wear a hijab in the House chamber after floor rules were changed to allow members to wear head coverings for religious reasons.She quickly generated controversy after entering Congress in 2019 with a pair of tweets that suggested lawmakers who supported Israel were motivated by money.In the first, she criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” she wrote, invoking slang about $100 bills.Asked on Twitter who she though was paying members of Congress to support Israel, Omar responded, “AIPAC!”The comments sparked a public rebuke from then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats who made clear that Omar had overstepped.She soon apologized.“We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me about my identity,” Omar tweeted. “This is why I unequivocally apologize.”Democrats rallied in a fiery defense of Omar and the experiences she brings to the Congress.Black, Latino and progressive lawmakers in particular spoke of her unique voice in the House and criticized Republicans for what they called a racist attack.“Racist gaslighting,” said Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. A “revenge resolution,” said Rep. Primila Jayapal of Washington, the chair of the progressive caucus.“It’s so painful to watch,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who joined Congress with Omar in 2019 the first two female Muslims elected to the House.“To Congresswoman Omar, I am so sorry that our country is failing you today through this chamber,” Tlaib said through tears. “You belong on that committee.”Omar’s previous comments were among several remarks highlighted in the resolutions seeking her removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee.The chairman of the committee, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, argued for excluding Omar from the panel during a recent closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans.“It’s just that her worldview of Israel is so diametrically opposed to the committee’s,” McCaul told reporters in describing his stance. “I don’t mind having differences of opinion, but this goes beyond that.”McCarthy has already blocked Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell, both California Democrats, from rejoining the House Intelligence Committee once the GOP took control of the chamber in January. While appointments to the intelligence panel are the prerogative of the speaker, the action on Omar requires a House vote.Several Republicans skeptical of removing Omar wanted “due process” for lawmakers who face removal. McCarthy said he told them he would work with Democrats on creating a due process system, but acknowledged it’s still a work in progress. &nbsp;

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“My voice will get louder and stronger, and my leadership will be celebrated around the world,” Omar said

After Controversial Remarks About Israel, Rep. Omar Taken Off Foreign Affairs Committee 

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At first, Janelle Wooford thought she was having indigestion. When her pain got worse, she called 911. Then, moments after the EMTs arrived, Janelle says everything went white, and she experienced the afterlife.

'Jesus Is Real, God Is Real, Heaven Is Real': Woman Dies And Visits Heaven After Heart Attack

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A mess of ice, sleet and snow lingered across much of the southern U.S. as thousands in Texas endured freezing temperatures with no power, including many in the state capital of Austin, but a warming trend was forecast to bring relief from the deadly storm Thursday.However, an Arctic cold front is expected to move from Canada into the northern Plains and Upper Midwest and sweep into the Northeast by Friday, bringing snow and bitter cold with windchills of more than minus 50 in northern New England, according to the National Weather Service.More than 400,000 customers in Texas lacked power early Thursday, according to PowerOutage, a website tracking utility reports.Frustration mounted in Austin, where more than 150,000 residents remained without power early Thursday, more than 24 hours after their electricity and heat went out. For many, it was the second time in three years that a February freeze caused prolonged outages and uncertainty over when the lights would come back on.Unlike the 2021 blackouts in Texas, when hundreds of people died after the state’s grid was pushed to the brink of total failure because of a lack of generation, the wide outages in Austin this time were largely the result of frozen equipment and trees falling on power lines. The city’s utility warned that all power may not be restored until Friday.The final bout of freezing rain from a significant ice storm in the South will wind down later today. For most of the hardest-hit areas of the ice storm in Texas, it may not warm up appreciably until Friday.<figure class="image"><img src="https://emfservices.azureedge.net/news/41888.png" alt="Ice Storm Information"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: NOAA]&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Pablo Vegas, who heads the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, vowed the state’s electrical grid and natural gas supply would be reliable and there wouldn’t be a repeat of the February 2021 blackouts when the grid was on the brink of total failure.School systems in the Dallas and Austin, plus many in Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee, planned to be closed Thursday as bands of winter precipitation continued to push through.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/1620944864421752832"></oembed></figure>Nearly 700 flights scheduled for Thursday already had been canceled by Thursday morning, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.com. That followed thousands of cancelations and delays since frigid weather set in Monday.The treacherous driving conditions resulted in at least nine deaths on slick roads since Monday, including seven in Texas and one each in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged people not to drive.The latest fatality occurred late Wednesday on Interstate 40 in western Oklahoma when a semitrailer overturned and vehicles behind it, including several other rigs, “cascaded” in separate collisions on the icy road, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Foster.Eastbound lanes were closed for more than five hours following the crashes, Foster said.Public transportation in Dallas is also experiencing “major delays,” according to a statement from Dallas Area Rapid Transit. The system serves about 220,000 riders daily in 13 cities within the Dallas metro with a network of streetcars, light rail, buses and vans, according to its website.

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Icicles form on a rail on an overhead pass railing as drivers make their way north on US 75, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, in Dallas. 

Treacherous driving conditions have resulted in at least nine deaths on slick roads since Monday

Relief In Sight For Southern Winter Storm

first-indictments-in-attacks-on-pregnancy-care-centers

Albeit late, last week, the FBI announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information that led to arrests in cases across the country.

First Indictments In Attacks On Pregnancy Care Centers

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A Kansas City Chiefs player and his wife are helping out Operation Breakthrough with a major donation.

Chiefs WR Justin Watson, Wife Erica Help Operation Breakthrough Cut Down Hair Insecurity

best-barbecue-sauce-for-2023-marinades-most-recommended-by-experts

Who's ready to grill? Study Finds consulted 10 food and homemaker review sites to find the best barbecue sauce. Check out what we found!

Best Barbecue Sauce For 2023? Marinades Most Recommended By Experts

sleeping-meds-may-increase-risk-of-dementia

Various sleeping medications, including Benzos, Ambien, and antidepressants, can increase the risk of developing dementia -- particularly among white people.

Sleeping Meds May Increase Risk Of Dementia

Listen to TobyMac and Zach Williams' New Song on K-LOVE

K-LOVE First: "Cornerstone" TobyMac feat. Zach Williams

K-LOVE First: "Cornerstone" TobyMac feat. Zach Williams (Monday Live)

Discover Your Purpose With Chris Brown's New Podcast

AccessMore: Life, Money, Hope with Chris Brown (Jan. 30)

Watch: Christian Music Legend Amazes Young Songwriters

Steven Curtis Chapman Surprises Coby James & Joseph O'Brien

Steven Curtis Chapman Surprises Coby James, Joseph O'Brien (Jan. 30)

We Are Messengers Discovers “Wholehearted” Grace

Music Blog: "Wholehearted" We Are Messengers (Jan. 30)

Watch the Trailer for New Movie on Faith Movement in 1970s

Movie Preview: "Jesus Revolution" (Jan. 30)

Micah Tyler Journeys Toward Freedom In Debut Book

Micah Tyler "Walking Free" Book Spotlight

WTA: Micah Tyler "Walking Free" Book Spotlight (Jan. 30)

Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

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Words at the Well

All Four Episodes Available Now

Verse of the Day

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

Matthew 22:37 (NLT)

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"Forgive Us, Jesus" - Watch: 'Gathering For Prayer & Repentance': Handful Of Lawmakers Cry Out To God

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