Category Archives: general

Fear of risk is killing community | Opinion

Sarah Fanslau is the CEO and founder of KinCorps, a Portland-based company focused on creating experiential opportunities for young people aged 5-13 and their parents to get close to—and learn from—new and different people.

When I was 11 years old, my family and I traveled with members of my mother’s church to Kensington, Philadelphia, for a service trip. We volunteered with a nonprofit organization that provided shelter, food, and medical care to those in need in the area.

Having volunteered frequently as a child, including at homeless shelters in Maine, I thought I’d be prepared for Philly. I wasn’t. The area surrounding the organization looked desolate. The buildings were empty, boarded up, and covered with graffiti. People lay on the sidewalk and fell into the street. They came into the organization in wheelchairs, with few clothes, hungry, afraid, some crying. I’d never been that close to so much suffering.

This experience, along with others, led me to work with and volunteer for several organizations dedicated to engaging youth in service, particularly through service-learning.

As a young adult in New York City, I spent weekends earning some extra cash working for an organization dedicated to educating young people about homelessness. Groups of middle and high school-aged youth would arrive for an overnight at the Quaker meeting house on the Lower East Side. Before each overnight, we discussed homelessness—the causes and consequences. Many of the kids held assumptions that reflected larger societal stereotypes related to drugs, mental illness, or laziness.

Each night, the youth joined the men for dinner, played checkers or chess, and helped with the clean-up. Later, in a room just down the hall from the men, the youth would again reflect on their experiences. Nearly all were surprised that most of the men had jobs but couldn’t afford rent. Many shared stories they had heard about medical problems, successes, and the joys of children or grandchildren, alongside stories about hard times. All realized how much they had in common with these men, who had seemed so different just hours before.

As an adult, I’ve continued this work, running service programs at national and global organizations for youth and families from 5 to 25. While this work has been meaningful, too many of the programs I’ve led have been devoid of what Bryan Stevenson, public interest lawyer and social activist, calls “proximity”—getting close to those who are different from us, who are excluded, who are suffering.

Through proximity, Stevenson notes, we can grow empathy and compassion, recognize our shared humanity, challenge and undermine dehumanizing narratives, and advocate for justice.

But proximity is challenging these days. While many experts and academics—including the former surgeon general, Vivek Murthy—highlight service as a fundamental prescription for our current social malaise, opportunities for young people have become increasingly limited and sanitized. In large part, this is because involving youth in volunteering that gets them proximate is seen as too risky. Organizations, concerned about liability and the associated insurance premiums for accepting volunteers—particularly young people—have stopped doing so altogether or have focused primarily on older youth.

The pathway to volunteering that many of us took decades ago, through the church, has receded as church attendance has fallen.

If I had to give one answer to how we found ourselves here, it would be that we are afraid. We’ve let fear of others, injury, and risk outweigh our better judgment. We’ve become so good at asking “why” that we’ve failed to ask “why not”—or what happens if we don’t. We have failed to realize that some of the structures, rules, laws, and regulations we’ve put in place aren’t making us safer—they’re pushing us farther apart, all while reducing our quality of life.

The solution lies with all of us—parents, institutions, and the government. It is predicated upon realizing that if youth aren’t given an opportunity when they are young (really young) to get involved in and proximate to their community, and particularly to those who are different than they are, that by the time they are 13 or 18, community won’t matter to many of them. They won’t trust it, they won’t know how to engage with or benefit from it, and may not feel compelled to protect it when it is at risk.
https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/11/16/fear-of-risk-is-killing-community-opinion/

Those Who Accept the Invitation – Evangelical Caucus/Devotional

**Those Who Accept the Invitation**
*Evangelical Caucus/Devotional*
*GraceToYou.org | 2008 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church*

Posted by metmom

> “‘You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.’”
> — Matthew 11:25-26

An infant is completely dependent on others for everything they need. A baby has no resources of their own to draw upon for help. The same Greek word translated as “infants” is used in Scripture to describe those who cannot eat solid food (1 Corinthians 3:1; Hebrews 5:13), those who cannot speak (1 Corinthians 13:11), and those who are helpless (Ephesians 4:14).

To such spiritual babes—those who acknowledge their utter inability to save themselves—God desires to reveal the truths of His kingdom.

As seen in the Sermon on the Mount, the “poor in spirit,” who humbly confess their dependence on the Father and the Son, receive a clear and irrevocable invitation to salvation.

The infants mentioned here stand in direct contrast to the proud Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus at every turn. They are also the antithesis of those religious practitioners who glory in their own self-worth and perceived success.

God is completely satisfied to offer a gospel of grace because that glorifies Him.

> “For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
> ‘I dwell on a high and holy place,
> and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit,
> to revive the spirit of the lowly
> and to revive the heart of the contrite.’”
> — Isaiah 57:15

### Ask Yourself
Would you say you have maintained this same spirit of contrition and trust since entering into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ?

What tempts us to claim more confidence in our own identity and perceived deservedness?

**Topics:** Evangelical Christian, Theology, Worship
**Keywords:** gty

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*“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”*

*Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright.*
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4352780/posts

A suspected ‘diplomatic injury’ for Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé, 26, played a key role in securing France’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup. The captain netted a brace in Les Bleus’ 4-0 win over Ukraine on Thursday night, confirming their place at next summer’s finals.

After a barren run, the Real Madrid forward has been prolific in recent months for both the national team and his club. However, he will play no role for France against Azerbaijan on Sunday evening.

The match against Azerbaijan is a dead rubber for Les Bleus, who have already qualified for the World Cup. As a result, Didier Deschamps is expected to name a completely different starting XI from the one that featured at the Parc des Princes on Thursday.

Notably, Mbappé has not even traveled to Azerbaijan. Following France’s win, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed that the former AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain forward would return to Real Madrid due to ankle inflammation. Fortunately, this issue is not considered serious.

In fact, reports from Spain suggest that Mbappé won’t even undergo tests for the “injury” and is expected to feature in Real Madrid’s upcoming match against Elche next weekend.

Sources close to the France national team have told RMC Sport that it is a “diplomatic injury,” indicating the situation is being managed with some tact.
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/suspected-diplomatic-injury-real-madrid-091400680.html

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa confirm they’re both single months after endless breakup speculations

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa’s on-and-off relationship has received official confirmation as of Saturday.

Recently, Tsitsipas was interviewed at the airport in Athens, shedding light on the status of their relationship.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-stefanos-tsitsipas-paula-badosa-confirm-single-months-endless-breakup-speculations

Caparrós unleashed and 5️⃣ stories to kick off your Sunday 🥐

On a relaxing Sunday following Spain’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup, here are the five most interesting news stories to start your day.

🔥 **The Passport to the World Cup at Stake**
Norway and Portugal can confirm their qualification for the final phase of the FIFA World Cup this Sunday. The Portuguese squad will be without Cristiano Ronaldo, who is suspended after receiving a red card in his last match.

📈 **Sunday of Hypertensions**
While the main focus of elite football remains on national teams, the Hypermotion League offers some exciting clashes today. Keep an eye on the Almería vs. Cádiz match, with both teams fighting for playoff spots. Meanwhile, bottom-placed Zaragoza will risk it all against their neighbors Huesca in a crucial encounter.

🌶️ **Caparrós Already Adding Spice to the Derby**
![Aitor Alcalde 2025 Getty Images]
“There are teams that have barely been around for half a news bulletin and it seems like they’ve won everything,” reflected the charismatic Sevilla coach during a supporters’ club meeting. Those who get it, get it. 🤣

🤣 **The Most Surreal Yellow Card**
In Japan, during the retirement celebration of an official referee—honored with a guard of honor from both teams—a player took things a step further. He took off his shirt so the referee could show him the last yellow card of his career. Genius!

🔴 **The Shadows of the Women’s Clásico**
Barcelona’s victory over Real Madrid in the big women’s Clásico was not without controversy, as is often the case in fierce rivalry matches. Barça received two yellow cards, Madrid six, and Jairo Huerta, a member of Madrid’s staff, was expelled for telling a rival bench member: “You’re an idiot.”

*This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 [here].*
![Angel Martinez 2025 Getty Images]
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/caparr-unleashed-5-stories-kick-080700964.html

Karl-Anthony Towns’ GF Jordyn Woods Melts Hearts After Buying Knicks Star his Late Mom’s Old Car as Birthday Present

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns celebrated a milestone birthday on Saturday, turning 30 years old.

On this special day, he received one of the most heartwarming gifts of his life, making the occasion even more memorable.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-karl-anthony-towns-gf-jordyn-woods-melts-hearts-after-buying-knicks-star-late-mom-s-old-car-birthday-present

Poverty 7 Little Words Answer

Poverty 7 Little Words Answer

We hope this helped you to finish today’s 7 Little Words puzzle. If you’re looking for answers to more daily puzzles, you can find all of the solutions for each day’s set of clues in the 7 Little Words section of our website.

Thank you for visiting and happy puzzling!

The post Poverty 7 Little Words Answer appeared first on Try Hard Guides.

https://tryhardguides.com/poverty-7-little-words/

CDL Token: Creditlink Integrates with Binance Wallet for Enhanced On-Chain Credit Accessibility to Global Web3 Users

**Creditlink (CDL) Integrates with Binance Wallet, Enhancing On-Chain Lending Accessibility**

Creditlink (CDL), a decentralized credit infrastructure that enables transparent lending and borrowing on-chain, has announced a key advancement in its network. According to today’s announcement, the Creditlink app — an on-chain credit marketplace — is now available on the Binance Wallet.

Creditlink operates as a decentralized identity verification and credit scoring system, leveraging AI algorithms to dynamically evaluate user creditworthiness. This innovative approach enables DeFi customers to access loans and borrowing services seamlessly on on-chain lending platforms.

### Addressing Barriers in DeFi Lending

Within the DeFi ecosystem, significant barriers still exist when it comes to accessing traditional financial (TradFi) services, especially borrowing without collateral. Powered by its native token (CDL), Creditlink tackles these challenges head-on by enabling users to access collateral-free loans and tailored Web3 financial services.

### Benefits of Integration with Binance Wallet

Starting today, the Creditlink app is fully integrated into the Binance Wallet. This integration incorporates CDL directly into the Binance Wallet, allowing users to efficiently access and manage the asset within their self-custody Web3 wallet.

This milestone offers the Creditlink community enhanced DeFi accessibility and utility. Binance Wallet, a secure non-custodial Web3 wallet, provides users with broad and simplified access to decentralized applications (dApps). Users can now perform instant swaps of CDL tokens with a wide variety of crypto assets straight from the wallet interface.

Furthermore, this integration significantly expands the accessibility of Creditlink’s on-chain credit platform, opening it up to millions of Binance users worldwide. The partnership empowers a larger global audience to engage with Creditlink’s ecosystem, driving wider adoption and application of the network.

### Unlocking New DeFi Lending Opportunities

By combining AI’s predictive capabilities with blockchain transparency, Creditlink remains dedicated to democratizing access to unsecured loans — bridging an essential gap between TradFi and DeFi landscapes.

The collaboration with Binance Wallet further solidifies Creditlink’s position as a leader in enabling unsecured lending and borrowing opportunities within the Web3 space.

Stay tuned as Creditlink continues to innovate and expand its offerings, making DeFi lending more accessible and inclusive for all users.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/cdl-token-creditlink-integrates-with-binance-wallet-for-enhanced-on-chain-credit-accessibility-to-global-web3-users/