One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Broken Down!

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a massive law that the U.S. government passed in 2025. Instead of dealing with one topic (like taxes or health care), it bundles several major federal policy changes, taxes, social programs, border policy, defense spending, healthcare, energy policy, and more, all into one giant package. ([Wikipedia][1]) .

It was enacted through budget reconciliation, which allows Congress to enact budget-related laws with a simple majority (rather than requiring 60 votes in the Senate). ([University of Colorado][2]) .

Taxes: 

·      Large cuts, primarily for wealthy individuals and businesses. 

·      The bill makes many of the 2017 tax cuts permanent (they were going to expire). ([Amazon Web Services, Inc.][3]).

·      It adds some new tax perks, such as deductions for tips, overtime pay, and interest on U.S.-assembled car loans (but these are mostly temporary). ([The Ledge][4]). 

·      It increases the estate tax exemption (so wealthy people can pass on more assets tax-free). ([Amazon Web Services, Inc.][3]).

In simple terms: People with higher incomes and bigger estates will benefit most, while lower-income folks see fewer tax savings. ([The Guardian][5]). 

Major cuts and changes to key assistance programs:

·      Medicaid (health insurance for low-income folks).

·      Adds work requirements, meaning many adults have to work or do volunteer/school hours to keep coverage. ([Wikipedia][1]).

·      Caps some provider taxes and changes funding rules, reducing federal support. ([Wikipedia][1]).

·      SNAP (food stamps).

·      Expands work requirements and shifts administrative costs to states. ([Wikipedia][1]).

Note: These changes will likely mean fewer people qualify, and more people could lose Medicaid or food help over time. Estimates suggest millions of Americans could lose coverage due to these cuts. ([Wikipedia][1]).

The law includes significant funding increases for border security and immigration enforcement:

Border, immigration, and enforcement spending:

·      Billions for border barriers and surveillance. ([Wikipedia][1]).

·      Huge expansions in funding for ICE and deportation efforts, aiming to remove up to a million people per year under some projections. ([Wikipedia][1]).

In simple terms: The government is spending a lot more on border control and deportation infrastructure. 

Defense and national security:

·      The bill boosts defense spending.

·      Drones and other military tech.

·      Traditional military operations.

Bottom line: The Pentagon gets more money than under previous budgets. ([Wikipedia][1])

Energy and other policy areas:

·      Energy policy: reducing or eliminating tax credits for renewable energy like wind and solar, and promoting fossil fuel development. ([IER][6]).

·      Funding for NASA and air traffic control modernization. ([Wikipedia][1]).

·      Education and student loan provisions (e.g., changes to Pell Grant eligibility). ([University of Colorado][2]).

Overall financial effect:

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected that this bill will increase the federal deficit by trillions over the next decade and raise the national debt unless offsetting measures are identified. ([Wikipedia][1])

Why is it controversial?

People both support it and criticize it for very different reasons:

Supporters say:

·      It cuts taxes and encourages economic growth.

·      It strengthens border security.

·      It reforms “welfare” systems to require work. 

Critics say:

·      Benefits mostly go to the wealthy.

·      Safety-net cuts hurt vulnerable people.

·      Deficit and debt could grow significantly.

·      It bundles too many unrelated things into one bill, making it hard to debate each part. ([The Guardian][5])

In Summary, the OBBA is a mega law that:

·      Cuts taxes (especially for big earners).

·      Cuts or tightens health care and food assistance for low-income Americans.

·      Spends a LOT more on the military, border security, and immigration enforcement.

·      Rolls back some environmental and energy incentives.

·      Raises the national debt significantly.

It’s massive, complex, and affects many different parts of everyday life, which is why it’s one of the most discussed laws in recent years. ([University of Colorado][2])

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Big_Beautiful_Bill_Act? "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"

[2]: https://www.cu.edu/blog/government-relations/cu-summary-one-big-beautiful-bill-act? "CU Summary of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act | University of Colorado"

[3]: https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.kelleydrye.com/content/uploads/pdf-snapshots/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-20250523111428.pdf? "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"

[4]: https://the-ledge.ai/campaigns/bill_snapshot/94aaba3c-f6e3-457a-a682-0bdf00235042? "One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) — Explained | The Ledge – Legislation Decoded"

[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/25/trump-rebrand-one-big-beautiful-bill-act? "Trump wants to rebrand his 'big, beautiful bill' as the 'Working Families Tax Cut'. Don't be fooled"

[6]: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/regulation/summary-of-key-provisions-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act/? "Summary of Key Provisions in The One Big Beautiful Bill Act - IER"

Who will this OBBBA affect?

Families with children:

What may help?

·      Slightly lower income taxes for many middle-income families.

·      Some temporary credits for childcare and family expenses.

What may hurt?

·      If your income is low, it becomes harder to qualify for food assistance (SNAP).

·      Losing Medicaid is more likely if adults don’t meet new work-hour rules.

Bottom line: Working families may see small tax breaks, but struggling families may face tighter rules for benefits.

Seniors and retirees:

What may help?

·      Lower taxes for people who own big investments or estates.

·      Some savings if you have a higher retirement income.

What may hurt?

·      Cuts to certain federal programs could affect state services that seniors rely on.

·      Medicaid changes could affect nursing-home coverage.

Bottom line: Seniors with higher wealth benefit more; low-income or medically fragile seniors may face reduced support.

Workers & hourly employees:

What may help?

·      Certain tax benefits for tips or overtime in specific situations.

·      Slightly lower income taxes.

What may hurt?

·      Overtime is still taxed overall (the bill doesn’t end that).

·      Work-requirement rules may require individuals to track hours solely to maintain benefits.

·      If hours fluctuate, people could lose health coverage.

Bottom line: Modest tax help, but more paperwork and risk of losing benefits for people with unstable hours.

Business owners & high-income earners:

What may help?

·      Large and permanent tax cuts.

·      Lower corporate taxes.

·      Bigger estate-tax exemption (more inheritance protected).

Bottom line: This group benefits the most financially from the bill.

Students & borrowers:

Possible effects:

·      Changes to Pell Grant rules.

·      Possible shifts in student loan repayment programs.

Bottom line: Details vary by school and income, but federal education support tightens overall.

People on Medicaid

This is one of the most significant impacts.

·      Many adults must now meet work/volunteer/school hour rules.

·      States get less money from federal Medicaid in some areas.

·      Some people will lose coverage.

Bottom line: If you’re on Medicaid and don’t meet new work rules, coverage is at risk.

People receiving SNAP (food stamps)

·      Additional work requirements.

·      More administrative burden on states.

·      It becomes harder to qualify and easier to lose benefits.

Bottom line: Fewer adults will likely receive food assistance.

Immigrants

·      More funding for border enforcement, detention, and deportation.

·      Expanded technology and personnel.

Bottom line: Immigration enforcement becomes more stringent and aggressive.

Energy and environment:

·      Reduced support for solar and wind.

·      More support for oil, gas, and fossil fuels.

Bottom line: The bill shifts toward traditional energy and away from green incentives.

Military and defense

Higher spending on military technology and operations.

Bottom line: Defense budgets grow.

Super-simple summary:

The bill cuts taxes (primarily for businesses and high-income individuals), tightens rules for Medicaid and food assistance, increases border and military spending, reduces some green-energy support, and likely increases the national debt.

The Power of God’s Words and Ours!

In the beginning, there was nothing that could be named, measured, or understood, only the silence of formlessness. Then God spoke. Not with effort, not with strain, but with authority so complete that light obeyed before it fully understood itself. “Let there be,” He said, and creation unfolded like a breath exhaled after eternity. Mountains rose, seas found their boundaries, and time itself learned to move forward because God’s words carried life within them. His voice did not describe reality; it created it. Imagine converting the unseen into reality.

God’s words have always carried weight. When He spoke to Abraham, a wandering man became the father of nations. When He spoke through the prophets, kings trembled, and empires shifted. When He spoke through Christ, storms calmed, the broken were restored, and the dead listened. His words were never empty sounds. Scripture tells us that the Word of God is living and active. It is able to divide soul and spirit, to expose the hidden intentions of the heart. God speaks, and truth stands whether the world accepts it or not. 

Yet humanity was not created as a silent witness. We were formed in God’s image, and with that likeness came the gift, and burden, of speech. Our words do not create worlds, but they shape them. They can build or destroy, heal or wound, call forth hope or bury it beneath fear. A careless word can echo for years in a wounded heart; a faithful word can steady a soul standing at the edge of despair. God entrusted us with language not as a trivial tool, but as a reflection of His own communicative power. 

There is a mystery here: God’s words are absolute, but ours participate. When we speak truth, we align ourselves with the voice that spoke light into darkness. When we speak lies, we fracture what God declared good. Scripture warns that life and death are in the power of the tongue—not because we rival God, but because He allows our words to carry consequence. Every promise kept, every prayer whispered, every blessing spoken in faith becomes a small echo of the divine voice that still sustains the universe. 

Prayer itself reveals this partnership. God does not need our words to know our hearts, yet He invites us to speak. In prayer, our fragile language rises toward an eternal Word, and something holy occurs: God listens. The Creator of galaxies inclines Himself to the voices of His children. When we speak in humility, repentance, faith, and love, our words are transformed—not by volume, but by alignment with His will. 

This partnership is often challenged by unseen forces—forces that go against everything aligned with God’s word, starting with the Family. Remember the vows of “For better or worse"—those heartfelt promises made between husband and wife, pledging eternal love? During the wedding, they spoke about unity, honoring God, and treasuring each other’s love before witnesses. Take a moment to look around. While those words still hold their meaning, attitudes toward them may have shifted over time. Be careful how you respond when hurt; words can bring down what years took to build.

Remember, our fight isn't against people but against evil unseen forces from the spiritual realm. Sometimes, when our emotions surge, we might not realize that the enemy has shifted our thoughts. The words that once reflected love can turn into expressions of anger and disappointment. Keep calm and hold on to kindness and understanding in these moments. These negative forces attack our weakest areas, especially when we’re blindsided. We may be angry or resentful about something else, but we let another issue distract us until the words hurt and cut to the quick. A bigger problem arises when emotions outlast the moment. Will apologies work? Will forgiveness work? Will we remember the Words of God? Will we find excuses not to? 

In the end, God’s words endure forever. Heaven and earth may pass away, but what He has spoken will stand. Our words, though fleeting, are not insignificant. They are seeds scattered daily into the soil of human hearts. Some will wither; others will bear fruit long after we are gone. The question is not whether our words have power—but whether we will use them in harmony with the One who spoke us into being.

 

 

2026 Is Here-Now What?

2026 Is Here—Now What?

The calendar turned quietly, without thunder or prophecy. No trumpet sounded at midnight, no veil lifted to reveal a grand design. Yet here it is, 2026, arriving the way all years do: unannounced, unguarded, and full of expectation we did not consciously pack. The question is relevant, now what? 

For many, 2026 arrives carrying the unfinished weight of yesterday. Promises made in earlier years still hover in the air, some honored, others abandoned, a few quietly forgotten for the sake of survival. The world has not slowed its pace. Power still seeks power. Noise still competes with truth. Systems still reward speed over wisdom and profit over conscience. If we expected the turning of the year to fix what time itself could not, we quickly discover that years do not heal, people do. 

So now what? 

Now is the moment to stop pretending that change comes from dates instead of decisions. 2026 does not demand grand resolutions as much as it calls for honest reckoning. Who have we become while trying to endure? What have we compromised in the name of comfort, security, or being “right”? And just as important, what good have we done that no one applauded but heaven noticed? 

This year invites fewer slogans and more substance. Less outrage, more discernment. Less reacting to the world as it shouts, more anchoring to what endures when the shouting fades. Truth will not trend in 2026, but it will remain. Integrity will not be rewarded immediately, but it will outlast the rewards that decay. Faith, whether in God, in purpose, or in the dignity of the human soul, will continue to be tested not by hardship alone, but by distraction.

“Now what?” means choosing presence over numbness. It means tending to what is close and genuine, relationships that need repair, words that need saying, and forgiveness that has been postponed too long. It means understanding that history is not only written by nations and leaders, but also by ordinary people who quietly and daily choose not to shrink in a shrinking world. People who make fewer excuses for their actions and hold themselves accountable.

2026 is not asking us to predict the future. It is asking us to live responsibly in the present. To speak with courage. To listen with humility. To act with conviction even when clarity is incomplete. This is the year not to wait for permission to become who we were meant to be. 

So now what?

Now we walk forward, not certain, but awake. Not perfect, but willing. And if we do that, 2026 will not simply be another year that happened to us. It will be a year we answered.