Joshua Willis

Special Assistant to @jimjustice_wv | proud K-State alum #emaw | opinions are my own and don't reflect the position of the DOD or any other organization.

[Secretary of the Army @SecArmy]

From the very beginning, this nation has been defended by ordinary Americans willing to answer an extraordinary call to serve. Memorial Day is a reminder that our freedoms were paid for by Soldiers who gave everything, and by the families who carry that sacrifice long after the battlefield falls silent. Today we pause to remember the fallen, honor the Gold Star Families who keep their memory alive, and recommit ourselves to never letting their legacy fade with time.
This We’ll Defend.

[Shelley Moore Capito @SenCapito]

It’s National Guard Night at the @Nationals game!

Great to see Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe throwing out the first pitch with WV’s Adjutant General MG Seward in attendance. Thank you to all of the members of the @NationalGuard, especially our @WVNationalGuard and Andy Wolfe, for your immense service and sacrifice to our country.

[Senator Jim Justice @JimJustice_WV]

Our veterans are the greatest among us.

Today, I had the honor of presenting replacement service medals to Specialist Lester Ferrell and the sisters of late Corporal Larry Kennedy.

Returning their earned medals is a small token of my gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice.

[Josh Hawley @HawleyMO]

Didn’t expect to have an impromptu push up challenge in the Senate hallway with West Point cadets today #GoArmy

[Michael Saylor @saylor]

The ₿ulldog Senator.
Thank you, @JimJustice_WV, for standing up for market neutrality and supporting the digital asset industry in discussions with MSCI.

[New York Islanders @NYIslanders]

104 year old World War 2 Veteran Dominick Critelli performed the National Anthem on the saxophone at tonight’s game!

[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

[Army-Navy Game @ArmyNavyGame]

Chills.

Another great open from @CBSSports.

#ArmyNavy

[Jack Carr @JackCarrUSA]

I remain devastated by the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I only met him once, years ago, but we have many mutual friends, and I have watched him from afar build Turning Point USA into the organization it is today. I followed along primarily through my youngest child who would show me videos of Charlie debating on college campuses. My oldest had just purchased her ticket to see Charlie on her college campus the day before he was killed. I saw the impact he was having on their generation, a generation in dire need of positive role models, mentors, and heroes.

Over the past few days I have spent a lot of time getting to know Charlie through his social posts and interviews. I have watched as vigils for Charlie have sprung up across the country and the world, including on college campuses, the places Charlie debated openly in the marketplace of ideas. If you value truth, you must value free speech. Those vigils give me hope.

In the wake of Charlie’s assassination, people are buying Bibles, returning to the church, sharing Charlie’s message across social channels and donating in unprecedented numbers to Turning Point USA. Charlie’s death has energized a generation.

I have also seen the hateful celebrations of Charlie’s death. I will be praying hard for those finding joy in his assassination, celebrating the ultimate act of intolerance. I would encourage anyone whose opinion of Charlie was shaped by a negative headline or algorithm to follow @charliekirk11 @MrsErikaKirk and @TPUSA – listen and form your opinion for yourself - don’t let it be formed for you by an algorithm.

In an interview this past June, when asked about how he would like to be remembered, Charlie said, “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing; most important thing is my faith.”

Charlie’s murderer did more than kill a young father and husband or silence a voice of reason open to debate…he gave Charlie immortality.

My prayers for Charlie’s family and our nation continue.

[Eitan Fischberger @EFischberger]

Here’s the full address just delivered by Utah’s @GovCox .

It is, quite honestly, one of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever heard from a politician, or anyone, for that matter.

Please sit down for 10 minutes and listen. You won’t regret it, I promise.

[Senator Jim Justice @JimJustice_WV]

It was an honor to join @SenLummis and @bitcoinpolicy at the Bitcoin for America event.

Americans have continued to innovate so why can’t we do the same in the financial sphere.

It is time to support the ₿ITCOIN Act!

[Eleanor Terrett @EleanorTerrett]

🚨HAPPENING NOW: At the National Press Club in Washington D.C., @SenLummis says she will reintroduce her $BTC reserve bill, The Bitcoin Act, in the Senate today alongside co-sponsor, Republican West Virginia Senator @JimJustice_WV.

[Senator Cynthia Lummis @SenLummis]

Meet your BITCOIN Act cosponsors.
@MarshaBlackburn @berniemoreno @RogerMarshallMD @JimJustice_WV @SenTuberville

Welcome a₿oard!

[Senator Jim Justice @JimJustice_WV]

I am proud to join @SenLummis and co-sponsor the ₿ITCOIN Act. We announced it today at the ₿ITCOIN for America conference.

I look forward to working with her further in this field.
https://t.co/adRvGvPDfl

[K-State Men's Basketball @KStateMBB]

HOLY MOBI, BATMAN

🎥 ESPN+

[Will O'Grady @WillOGrady61]

#101 is in the building taking questions

[Sarah Huckabee Sanders @SarahHuckabee]

A lot of strong, intelligent women will be rallying for @realdonaldtrump in Georgia today! Can’t wait. @mcuban be sure to tune in! #womenfortrump

Cc: @TulsiGabbard @LaraLeaTrump @KristiNoem

[Joshua Willis @willisjk98]

@WasatchSnow Today was one of the best days I’ve ever had at Jupiter. Sleeper pow day since only 5” was reported overnight. There was still fresh at 1300!

[K-State Football @KStateFB]

YOUR WILDCATS ARE THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONS

[Big 12 Conference @Big12Conference]

The 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 Conference Championship featuring a Top 10 Matchup 🏆

The 2022 Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship will feature two Top 10 teams for the 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫.