The Pour Over Today - Friday, May 13, 2022

Episode Date: May 13, 2022

Today we’re talking about a (small) win with inflation, record overdose deaths in the U.S., Finland’s big response to the war in Ukraine, and other top news for Friday, May 13th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over.Click here to get 10% off your first month of Faithful Counseling:https://links.thepourover.org/3ruMMze_051322This episode is sponsored by Beyond the Forum. Search "Beyond the Forum" wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Today we're talking about a small win with inflation, record overdose deaths in the U.S., Finland's big response to the war in Ukraine, and other top news for Friday, May 13th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day. Becoming ourselves means we are actively cooperating with God's intention for our lives, not fighting Him or ourselves. Stacey Eldridge. Let's get started with some espresso shots.

Year over year, inflation rose 8.3% in April. Yay? That's a slight decline from 8.5% in March and marks the first drop in eight months. But it's kind of like finding one bug in your drink instead of two. In general, inflation on goods is easing, but services haven't received the memo. Housing, recreation, and medical expenses are all continuing to climb at alarming rates. Airfares increased 18.6% annually last month. That's the biggest jump on record. Meanwhile, gas prices are yo-yoing. Prices at the pump declined 6.1% on average in April, but swung back up to a new record high of $4.37. So don't take your name off the Tesla waitlist just yet. Generally, economists are hopeful that inflation has peaked, but they expect it will

remain high through 2023. No matter how much eggs cost or what the inflation rate is, God will still be God and he will remain in control. Our eternity is secure even in the midst of uncertainty on earth. Philippians 4, 12 through 13 says, I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being content. Whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need, I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. In 2021, the U.S. lost more lives to drug overdoses than to car accidents and gun violence combined. There were a record 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021. That's a 15% increase over the previous record set in 2020.

Many factors contribute to overdose, but fentanyl has a lot of fingers pointing at it. Fentanyl is an inexpensive but extremely potent opiate. It's 50 times stronger than heroin that is increasingly being added to other drugs, often without buyer's knowledge. Since 2021, the DEA has seized a whopping 2,100 pounds of fentanyl, enough to supply 1 billion lethal doses and called on China to crack down on the production of the drug's chemical ingredients. Also catching blame is the pandemic, which increased isolation and made mental health and addiction resources less accessible. Addiction can be devastating. We've partnered with Faithful Counseling, which matches people with licensed Christian therapists who specialize in everything from addiction to anxiety. You can

visit faithfulcounseling.com slash tpo to get 10% off your first month. Psalm 34, 17 and 18 says, The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted. He saves those crushed in spirit. 17 and 18 says, the righteous cry out and the Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted. He saves those crushed in spirit. Europe's real life game of risk continues. Finland wants to join NATO, quote, without delay, ending 75 years of neutrality. The invasion of Ukraine was a clear tipping point for Finland, which now shares an 830-mile land border with Russia. Polls show that 76 percent of Finns now support joining NATO, up from just 20 to 30 percent last year. Sweden is also expected to submit a NATO application in the coming days. The move would be especially historic for the Swedes, who maintained neutrality for over 200 years,

including through both world wars. NATO officials say the Nordic duo's acceptance could happen in short order once they apply. Russia has responded with warnings of retaliation. However, analysts say military action would be unlikely, with much of Russia's military busy in Ukraine. Be quick to point to God and give him the credit for your hope, strength, and love during times dominated by uncertainty and fear. Even in the midst of chaos, our eternity is secure. Job 12.10 says, the life of every living thing is in his hand, as well in the midst of chaos, our eternity is secure. Job 12.10 says, the life of every living thing is in his hand, as well as the breath of all humanity. This podcast is brought to you by Beyond the Forum. For 30 years, the Veritas Forum has hosted

conversations that matter across different worldviews, and now they're working with PRX, that's the producer of This American Life and other shows, to create an amazing and much-needed podcast called Beyond the Forum. Past seasons have broached topics like being in community with folks with whom we disagree, artificial intelligence, science and God and more. Now in season three, they're tackling how we could be better people. Listen to episodes on growing in virtue, combating addiction and designing a well-balanced life. Interested? You can search for Beyond the Forum wherever you listen to podcasts. In other brews, we've got a rapid round of updates.

A name alone can't stop crypto's volatility. Stablecoin, designed to always be exactly a dollar, dropped below 30 cents. The crypto market is an equal opportunity plummeter. Bitcoin and Ether, the top two digital currencies, also took big dives as $200 billion was lost across the crypto market in 24 hours. Naomi Osaka aims to serve another ace. The 24-year-old tennis star is launching her very own sports agency, Evolve. Osaka, named one of 2022's highest paid athletes, explains, I've spent my career doing things my way, even when people told me that it wasn't expected or traditional. A passenger with, quote, no idea how to fly, safely landed a single-engine aircraft after its pilot lost consciousness.

An air traffic controller, who also happens to be a certified flight instructor, answered the passenger's distress call and guided his new student safely to the ground. The January 6th committee subpoenaed five Republican lawmakers, including House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, the Republican from California, for information on their conversations with then-President Trump. A congressional committee subpoenaing sitting members of Congress is largely unprecedented, and Republicans say the decision is politically motivated. North Korea's widely-doubted two-year streak of zero COVID cases has been broken. Leader Kim Jong-un imposed a nationwide lockdown to control a recent outbreak.

Not everyone's hunkering down, though. Hours after the announcement, North Korea uncorked three more ballistic missiles for their 16th round of testing this year. That's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're thinking, I want to help more Christians stay informed while remaining focused on Christ, here's a breakdown on how you can best support us. If you're listening on the Apple Podcast app, give us a five-star rating and drop a review. We do actually read these and take them to heart, like this one from username CMOM. This podcast provides a brief overview of current world events sprinkled with some Bible-based reality checks, and it's helped me take interest in the news again. Thanks, The Pour Over, for your diligence

to inform and encourage faith. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to submit a review. We are so grateful for feedback. If you're listening on Spotify, you can give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. And finally, the simplest way to help us grow is to send this episode to a friend. We hope you have a great rest of your weekend, and we'll see you back here on Monday, May 16th.