Allen Hughes

Jesus Follower, Husband, Daddy, Director of Worship & Administration, Guitar Teacher, Political Junkie: ran during 2016 election.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

https://t.co/m6b3d9eoQb, a consolidated resource/timeline for @Evan_McMullin & his historic run! Interviews, speeches & more. Updated daily.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

I hope everyone takes a minute to read this.

[Ben Sasse @BenSasse]

Friends-

This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.

Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do.

I’m blessed with amazing siblings and half-a-dozen buddies that are genuinely brothers. As one of them put it, “Sure, you’re on the clock, but we’re all on the clock.” Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all.

Still, I’ve got less time than I’d prefer. This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad. I can’t begin to describe how great my people are. During the past year, as we’d temporarily stepped back from public life and built new family rhythms, Melissa and I have grown even closer — and that on top of three decades of the best friend a man could ever have. Seven months ago, Corrie was commissioned into the Air Force and she’s off at instrument and multi-engine rounds of flight school. Last week, Alex kicked butt graduating from college a semester early even while teaching gen chem, organic, and physics (she’s a freak). This summer, 14-year-old Breck started learning to drive. (Okay, we’ve been driving off-book for six years — but now we’ve got paper to make it street-legal.) I couldn’t be more grateful to constantly get to bear-hug this motley crew of sinners and saints.

There’s not a good time to tell your peeps you’re now marching to the beat of a faster drummer — but the season of advent isn’t the worst. As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come.

Not an abstract hope in fanciful human goodness; not hope in vague hallmark-sappy spirituality; not a bootstrapped hope in our own strength (what foolishness is the evaporating-muscle I once prided myself in). Nope — often we lazily say “hope” when what we mean is “optimism.” To be clear, optimism is great, and it’s absolutely necessary, but it’s insufficient. It’s not the kinda thing that holds up when you tell your daughters you’re not going to walk them down the aisle. Nor telling your mom and pops they’re gonna bury their son.

A well-lived life demands more reality — stiffer stuff. That’s why, during advent, even while still walking in darkness, we shout our hope — often properly with a gravelly voice soldiering through tears.

Such is the calling of the pilgrim. Those who know ourselves to need a Physician should dang well look forward to enduring beauty and eventual fulfillment. That is, we hope in a real Deliverer — a rescuing God, born at a real time, in a real place. But the eternal city — with foundations and without cancer — is not yet.

Remembering Isaiah’s prophecies of what’s to come doesn’t dull the pain of current sufferings. But it does put it in eternity’s perspective:
“When we've been there 10,000 years…We've no less days to sing God's praise.”

I’ll have more to say. I’m not going down without a fight. One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jawdropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more. Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived. We’re zealously embracing a lot of gallows humor in our house, and I’ve pledged to do my part to run through the irreverent tape.

But for now, as our family faces the reality of treatments, but more importantly as we celebrate Christmas, we wish you peace: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned….For to us a son is given” (Isaiah 9).

With great gratitude, and with gravelly-but-hopeful voices,
Ben — and the Sasses

[Atlanta Braves @Braves]

We play.
We fight.
We cheer.
We win.

As One.

#AsOneATL

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@ATLUTD @MBStadium 🎟️

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@justjoshua777 @SCweather_wx I’m 2 miles south of that. Wind is not reflecting on ground yet.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@OuisieM Homeschooler here. Started my own business at 17, worked FT in college, paid my way, & finished my undergrad in 2.5 years. This is typical of homeschoolers’ work ethic, contribution to society, & leadership. I could go on. But travesty? Not when you look at the data/performance.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@Joel_Searby @Fwd_Party @CZen11 @heywillconway I’m just glad you are using Asana, Joel! Just kidding. Proud of the work you and crew are doing, man!

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

Yes, he did a great job. And pointing out Lee's failure to uphold his oath had to be done. #McMullinUT

[Heath Mayo @HeathMayo]

And on substance, McMullin achieved the primary goal—which was to drive home the point that he and Lee don’t disagree on too many policies. Their defining difference is their allegiance to national parties & willingness to hunt for fake electors at their command.

McMullin won.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@markappel26 Just saw you pitch against my Braves. Great job, man. And I’m encouraged by you giving God the glory. Keep on, brother!

[Atlanta Braves @Braves]

1,565 games. 1,704 hits. 271 home runs. 5 All-Star appearances. 3 Silver Sluggers. 1 Hank Aaron Award. 1 MVP. 1 World Series title.

Countless memories.

Thank you, @FreddieFreeman5.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@hoagmaster @BryanRiggs Are you saying I’m senile? At least I didn’t pull a thumb muscle.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@BryanRiggs @hoagmaster You’re just now liking this tweet? Man, you weren’t kidding about getting old. Slow.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@BryanRiggs @hoagmaster Brad, can you repeat this tweet? My hearing is not so good these days.

[Zoya Sheftalovich @zoyashef]

Latest Zelenskyy address from last night. It's powerful, and it should be devastating for some in West to hear. In it, he switches between Ukrainian and Russian to deliver a message in response to the war crimes in Bucha. What follows is graphic. Here are main points...
1/

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

And the world continues to watch. Clearly sanctions and supplies are not stopping an evil dictator from brutal murder. Close the skies. Save Ukraine.

[The Kyiv Independent @KyivIndependent]

⚡️ Russia uses white phosphorus bombs in Hostomel and Irpin.

Russian forces targeted Kyiv’ suburbs with phosphorus bombs on the night of March 22, according to Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushin.

The use of such weapons against civilians is banned by the Geneva Conventions.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@WasteManagement Hello! Thanks for reaching out. I logged into my account today and found the online notice regarding the stopping of recycling and reduction of yard waste. Usually I receive email notifications, but it seemed to not be sent out. I hope the services are restored soon. Thanks!

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

Yes!

[Kelsey Koenen Witt @KelseyKWitt]

BREAKING: McMullin for UT announces $1MM+ in first three months!!! We. Will. Win. #utpol @EvanMcMullin let’s demand change. 🇺🇸

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

@david_nobles @kyledettman Yes, still. No, worse. It’s bonkers.

[Allen Hughes @Allen_Hughes]

WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!!!

What a year! Thank you, @Braves