1. Gunmen massacre 14 Christians during Protestant service in Burkina Faso

2.

The things that no longer shock us: In Mahshahr, Iran's IRGC gunmen surrounded, shot & killed "40 to 100 demonstrators — mostly unarmed young men." https://t.co/Wyk0HKV5gE — Mindy Belz (@mcbelz) December 2, 2019

3.

Something remarkable is happening among Yazidi communities when fathers stand with their abused daughters to confront ISIS captors and tell their stories to the world. I witnessed this interviewing returned ISIS girls this year, their families standing with them. https://t.co/aUTjARBLif — Mindy Belz (@mcbelz) December 2, 2019

4. These journalists have confounded China’s massive propaganda machine


5. This is kind of stunning:

“Xi Jinping is not a dictator”—and Bloomberg is supposed to be the candidate of moderation and reason https://t.co/W38ODnszo1 — Rich Lowry (@RichLowry) December 1, 2019

6.

As a Christian serving in politics, Advent is my favorite season. Earthly kings fail to keep peace & establish justice. Politics can feel hopeless & corrupting. Advent heralds the true King. Jesus embodies everything we strive for in government & points to a better Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/uLEO7IYyjC — Michael Sobolik (@michaelsobolik) December 1, 2019

7. Who Heeds America’s Shadow Children?


8. Adoptee sent away for birth certificate, stunned by discovery: ‘I think I know him’


9. The always must-read Andy Ferguson: Everyone Hates the Boomers, OK?

10.

Christianity, which has been ludicrously accused of being gloomy and the enemy of life, has distinguished itself among the creeds of the world by its quite peculiar insistence on the fact that life is sacred, even when it is sad; that a man is sacred, even when he is oneself. — G. K. Chesterton (@GKCdaily) December 1, 2019

11.

These pages by Terry Tempest Williams take my breath away. pic.twitter.com/q9g3NwzJO6 — Nick Ripatrazone (@nickripatrazone) December 1, 2019

12. Pope Francis has a helpful letter about the importance of Nativity scenes at this time of year

Plus: How A Year with the Mystics acan be helpful this time of year (but start anytime!)

(You can buy it here.)

And Jim Geraghty is wonderful — here highlighting the mystics book alongside other NR authors this year. (What a great friend and colleague he is!) Lots of good gift ideas there. And boy, do we cover a lot of ground around here!

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