Drew Provence

#RiseUp

[Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1]

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library gifted more than 332,000,000 books since it was first created 31 years ago.

[Hoover Institution @HooverInst]

In December 2025, former US Senator @BenSasse announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. That's the primary topic for this @UncKnowledge conversation about mortality, faith, and what truly matters when time is short.

Talking to host @P_M_Robinson, Sasse reflects on "redeeming the time"—holding ambition lightly, loving family more deliberately, and resisting the urge to make politics or professional success the center of life.

The discussion also covers Sasse's thoughts on the failures of Congress; the dangers of a fragmented, attention-starved republic; the crisis of higher education; and the moral challenges of technological abundance.

He speaks candidly and movingly about regret, forgiveness, prayer, and suffering—arguing that while death is a real enemy, it does not get the final word. Watch the full conversation on X:

[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

[Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11]

It’s all about Jesus.

[Fox News @FoxNews]

Erika Kirk, wife of Charlie Kirk, posted a Bible verse just hours before he was shot at a Utah event:

"Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

[Tony Dungy @TonyDungy]

Thank you to Sports Spectrum for documenting and reporting on all these Super Bowl participants sharing their love for Jesus this week. It’s been amazing to see and I thank you for helping to spread The Word!

[Matt Ford @fordm]

The 10-year-old kid who caught Freeman’s walk-off grand-slam ball didn’t know he was going to the game until he got to Dodgers Stadium. His parents told him he was going to the dentist. https://t.co/9czToaicgm

[Tony Dungy @TonyDungy]

For 3 Chapters in Romans Paul has made it clear that if we’re honest we know we don’t deserve to be in heaven. But the Good News is that we can still get there. But how? For centuries people thought it was by keeping the law-by following the 10 Commandments. But the Bible says No..God has provided the path to heaven and it is through FAITH. Faith in Jesus Christ. We have to believe that Jesus died for our sins. That He was the perfect sacrifice because He was sinless. And that He rose from the dead to prove who He was. The Good News is that this gift is free. But we have to believe that and accept it. And that takes faith!

[Trey Hannam @TJHannam10]

Bryce Harper’s Dad was ALL about CONFIDENCE 🧠📈

“He would go buy the best baseballs in the store” (Didn’t have much money but thought it was worth it)

“I wanted to instill the confidence that you could hit it out of any park you were at”

Building EVIDENCE THAT HE COULD 📈🚀

[Louis Riddick @LRiddickESPN]

🎯

[North Greenville University Athletics @NGUAthletics_]

It’s time…For a new chapter.

[University of South Carolina @UofSC]

RT if you’re with @GamecockWBB!

[Liberty Football @LibertyFootball]

The challenges co-offensive coordinator @willykorn faced in his own career have prepared him to help guide the Flames today.

[Mark Appel @markappel26]

In 2013, I was the #1 overall pick in the MLB Draft.

5 years later, I was called “the biggest bust in MLB history.”

Today, I’m working my way back, and I’m here to share both the hard-earned lessons I’ve learned along the way🧵👇

[Drew Provence @drewprovence]

@iamwilder12 @ecstrange328 @teamtruth07 @DKelbo @garrison107 I have a family birthday party Sunday afternoon. Hunter Greene going for the Reds 👀

[Tom Brady @TomBrady]

I love talk radio...@TB12sports

[Overtime @overtime]

Kids are so freaking awesome I love this 🥺 (via kendylrae86/TikTok)

[Field Yates @FieldYates]

Resharing one of Alex Trebek’s final moments from @Jeopardy, as it paints a picture of his impact on countless people and families.

RIP to a true inspiration.

[Brian Cearns @BKCearns]

Wins and losses don’t always tell the whole story...

[Louis Riddick @LRiddickESPN]

Keep your head up, your eyes and mind clear, continue to work to improve. That’s what you can control.The journey is never over unless you quit, and you NEVER quit. Success doesn’t always follow a straight line. Been there.