4.15.25 Washington Wednesday budget bill roadmap, World Tour, and new Mumford & Sons music

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It Episode: 4.15.25 Washington Wednesday budget bill roadmap, World Tour, and new Mumford & Sons music
Release Date: April 16, 2025
Host: WORLD Radio

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1. Washington Wednesday: Budget Bill Roadmap

In this episode’s Washington Wednesday segment, host Kent Covington delves into the recent congressional agreement on the federal budget outline reached just before Congress went into recess. The primary focus of the budget resolution is on implementing significant spending cuts.

Key Discussions:

• Spending Cuts as a Priority:
  Kent Covington emphasizes, “One of the principal objectives in our budget resolution and in the Houses as outlined by the speaker is spending cuts.” This focus aims to align both the House and Senate on reducing federal expenditures.

• Republican Negotiations and Challenges:
  Republican lawmakers, particularly fiscal hawks, expressed skepticism regarding the Senate’s minimal proposal for spending reductions. Congressman Keith Self of Texas voiced concerns, stating, “We have no confidence in the Senate to do anything other than reach the lowest point they can on savings and the highest point on spending” during negotiations.

• Budget Reconciliation Process:
  Leo Briseno provides an overview of the budget reconciliation process, highlighting the disparities between the House’s detailed plan to slash up to $1.5 trillion over ten years and the Senate’s modest proposal of a $4 billion minimum for spending reductions.

• Leadership’s Role and Final Agreement:
  House Speaker Mike Johnson played a pivotal role in persuading holdout Republicans by promising that the House would adhere to the outlined savings and engage in further spending cuts during the legislative process. This commitment led to the passage of the Senate’s budget proposal after extended negotiations, despite initial resistance from some Republicans.

Notable Quotes:

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune:
  “We have a lot of United States Senators who believe that is a minimum. And we're certainly going to do everything we can to be as aggressive as possible to see that we are serious about the matter...”

• Congressman Chip Roy:
  “We have now three strong statements from the speaker, the president, and the Senate majority leader. We did not have those 48 hours ago. We do now. And we got a commitment on that.”

Conclusion:
The passage of the budget bill marks a significant step forward in aligning House and Senate priorities, particularly regarding spending cuts. As Kent Covington summarizes, “That's on Washington Window Wednesday. Coming up next. Plus, news from around the globe on World Tour.”

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2. World Tour: Global Developments

The World Tour segment, reported by Onda Odua, covers significant international events, highlighting political shifts, security issues, and cultural celebrations.

Key Highlights:

• Gabon’s Presidential Election:
  Bryce Oligi Nguema secured a landslide victory with over 90% of the votes, succeeding Ali Bongo after leading a 2023 coup. Nguema pledges to combat corruption and diversify Gabon's oil-dependent economy, signaling a potential shift towards peace and justice.

• Ecuador’s Electoral Outcome:
  President Daniel Noboa won re-election with nearly 56% of the vote against Luisa Gonzalez, who received 44% and has requested a recount. Noboa’s administration is recognized for its strong stance against organized crime and efforts to bolster national security through military deployment.

• Spain’s Migrant Smuggling Crackdown:
  Spanish authorities dismantled a criminal network responsible for smuggling approximately 2,500 Moroccans into the country over the past two years. The operation involved transporting migrants from Romania via vans and trucks, with each victim paying around €3,000 for the journey.

• Netherlands’ Annual Flower Parade:
  The 78th Blumenkorso Bollen Streek Parade in the Netherlands showcased over 26 miles of vibrant, decorated floats, celebrating the onset of spring. Spectators like Meryl Marin enjoyed the colorful displays and festive atmosphere.

• Elephants’ Response to Earthquake:
  Following a 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Southern California, elephants at the San Diego Zoo demonstrated instinctive protective behavior. Adult elephants formed a protective circle around the younger ones, ensuring their safety during the seismic event.

Notable Quotes:

• Ana Arias, Spanish Civil Guard:
  “Each victim paid about €3,000 for the trip.”

• Meryl Marin, Spectator at Blumenkorso:
  “I walked along the roadside to view several of the floats and to take in all of the colors.”

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3. New Mumford & Sons Music: "Rushmere"

The episode features an in-depth analysis of Mumford & Sons’ latest album, "Rushmere", marking their return to prominent banjo usage after several years.

Analysis by Trevor Sides:

• Musical Evolution:
  "Rushmere" signifies a return to the band’s folk roots, reintroducing the banjo as a central instrument. This shift contrasts with their previous albums, such as "Believe" and "Wanderer", which leaned more towards electric guitars and synthesizers.

• Thematic Elements:
  The album explores themes of spiritual pilgrimage, grace, and reconciliation with their musical origins. Tracks like "Malibu" and "Truth" incorporate biblical imagery and personal reflections, suggesting a journey back to foundational beliefs and sounds.

• Personal and Musical Integration:
  Lead singer Marcus Mumford’s background in the church influences the album’s spiritual undertones. The lyrics and instrumentation collectively portray a narrative of wandering and returning, both musically and personally.

Notable Quotes:

• Trevor Sides:
  “Rushmere is a parable about wandering from and returning to one's musical roots.”

• Marcus Mumford’s Influence:
  “We might take you to church, but we'll also take you to the fair,” highlighting the blend of sacred and secular influences in their music.

Conclusion:
"Rushmere" embodies Mumford & Sons’ commitment to their folk heritage while addressing deeper spiritual and personal themes. The album’s revival of the banjo and its lyrical depth offer both nostalgic and fresh experiences for fans.

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4. Insights on Clothing: God’s Goodness and What We Wear

Janie Buchaney presents a thoughtful exploration of the significance of clothing from a Christian perspective, intertwining biblical references with contemporary observations.

Key Themes:

• Historical Significance of Clothing:
  Buchaney traces the evolution of clothing from its origins as a necessity for modesty to its role as a symbol of status, morality, and personal expression. She references biblical stories, such as Adam and Eve’s use of fig leaves and the provision of animal skins, to illustrate the intrinsic connection between clothing and human identity.

• Cultural and Social Implications:
  Clothing historically dictated social status, with the wealthy afforded more vibrant and diverse attire compared to the poor. The Industrial Revolution democratized fashion, making clothes more accessible and altering their societal role.

• Spiritual Reflections:
  Buchaney emphasizes that while clothing allows individuals to express their identity to the world, it also serves as a medium to reflect one's faith and values. She encourages mindful dressing that honors God, suggesting that modesty and appropriateness in attire can be forms of praising the Creator.

• Biblical Metaphors:
  Drawing from C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series, she likens the future adorned with God-given attire to a divine wedding robe, symbolizing righteousness and redemption.

Notable Quotes:

• Janie Buchaney:
  “Color, style, appropriateness, and flattering lines complement the wearer. But might they also praise our Maker near the end of that hideous strength?”

• Biblical Reference:
  “He who shaped each woman is also pleased. That's how it will be someday. Our bridegroom has chosen the perfect outfit for us to wear to our wedding.”

Conclusion:
Buchaney’s discourse invites listeners to reconsider their relationship with clothing, viewing it not only as a means of personal expression but also as an opportunity to embody and reflect divine principles.

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Additional Highlights

• Upcoming Topics:
  Myrna Brown teases future discussions, including the impending Real ID deadline, state efforts to meet the demand, and the story of a small-town police force dismantling an international crime ring.

• Sunday Preview:
  The episode concludes with a preview of the next day’s content, ensuring listeners remain engaged with ongoing and upcoming global and domestic stories.

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Final Remarks:

This episode of "The World and Everything In It" masterfully balances in-depth political analysis, global reporting, cultural commentary, and spiritual insights. By weaving together diverse topics—from the intricacies of the U.S. budget bill negotiations to the heartfelt return of a beloved band’s musical roots—the podcast offers a comprehensive and engaging narrative for its listeners.

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Transcript

[Lindsay Mast]

Good morning. Congress came to an agreement on a spending outline before their recess. But what will the specifics look like?

[Kent Covington]

One of the principal objectives in our budget resolution and in the Houses as outlined by the speaker is spending cuts.

[Myrna Brown]

That's ahead on Washington Wednesday. Also today, world tour and folk mega stars Mumford and Sons return to their musical roots and rediscover the power of the band. And world commentator Janie Buchaney on the gift of Garb.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, April 16th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Good morning.

[Lindsay Mast]

Up next, Kent Covington has today's news.

[Kent Covington]

Fighter jets launching from the deck of the USS Carl Vinson. The Vinson and its strike group is the second carrier group to arrive in the Arabian Sea. It will back up the USS Harry S. Truman as the US Pounds the Iran backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. But that also puts those carrier groups in Iran's backyard. With nuclear talks underway between American and Iranian negotiators, special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. We're here to see if we can solve this situation diplomatically and with dialogue. The first meeting was positive, constructive, compelling. But those carrier strike groups and the B2 bombers now in Iran's neighborhood send a clear message that if diplomacy fails, the US does have other options to prevent a nuclear armed Iran. And Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei is speaking out about the talks so far. He said the first round went well.

[Leo Briseno]

But of course we're very skeptical of the other side.

[Kent Covington]

We don't accept or trust them. We know who they are, but we are optimistic about our own capabilities. Khamenei says his government is neither optimistic nor pessimistic about the talks. Negotiators are expected to meet again in Oman this weekend. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is sounding off about those nuclear negotiations in a video message. He condemned a post this week by Iran's supreme leader calling for the elimination of Israel.

[Trevor Sides]

So here you have the ruler of.

[Leo Briseno]

Iran openly declaring again that his goal is to destroy the state of Israel. And he issues this while he's supposedly.

[Kent Covington]

Negotiating peace with the United States. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Jewish worshipers dressed in white prayer shawls gathered at the Western Wall to receive the priestly blessing. That ceremony dates back more than 2500 years to Solomon's Temple. One worshiper says this year's blessing comes at a time marked by uncertainty.

[Leo Briseno]

I wanted to come down here and see how the blessing comes down and.

[Caroline Levitt]

Hopefully will help the hostages and the entire nation of Israel that is under extreme duress, especially this year.

[Kent Covington]

Meantime, CNN reports that Hamas is studying an Israeli ceasefire proposal that would offer the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Hamas releasing 10 Israeli hostages. A Russian court has sentenced four journalists to years in prison for supposed extremism. World's Christina Grub has more.

[Myrna Brown]

The journalists once worked for an anti corruption group founded by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He was an outspoken critic of Vladimir.

[Christina Grub]

Putin who died in a Russian prison.

[Myrna Brown]

The four journalists were found guilty of involvement with a group that the Russian government labeled as extremist and each were sentenced to more than five years in prison.

[Christina Grub]

They are Antonia Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergei.

[Myrna Brown]

Karolin and Artyom Krieger. All four maintained their innocence, arguing that they were being prosecuted for doing their job as journalists. The closed door trial was part of an unrelenting crackdown on dissent in Russia. For World I'm Christina Grub.

[Kent Covington]

The Trump administration has frozen More than $2 billion in federal grants to Harvard after the Ivy League university pushed back against a list of demands by the administration. Those requirements for the grant money would include reporting foreign students here on visas who violate codes of conduct, teaching different points of view, a demand seen as including conservative issues in the classroom and further addressing anti Semitism on campus. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt Unfortunately.

[Caroline Levitt]

Harvard has not taken the president, the administration's demands seriously. All the president is asking don't break federal law and then you can have your federal funding.

[Kent Covington]

Former President Barack Obama, a Harvard graduate, praised the school for rejecting what he called an unlawful attempt to stifle academic freedom. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Teamed up with Indiana Governor Mike Braun on Tuesday to unveil a state initiative called Make Indiana Healthy Again. During a joint news conference, Kennedy said the average American who died from COVID 19 had on average about four chronic diseases. Healthy people were not dying. It was sick people who were dying. They were already sick. And so if we want to protect our country against infectious diseases, we need to start by making people healthy again. Republican Gov. Mike Braun said he's starting by making sure that state benefits are not feeding unhealthy junk food to those receiving low income assistance. Today's first executive order removes candy and soft drinks from taxpayer funded SNAP benefits. What do you think about that? Governor signed eight other orders to promote health and fitness in his state. Those included an order to start the governor's fitness test in school and encourage more exercise for youth in general. Both Braun and Kennedy said the goal is to target root causes of chronic illness. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, budgets, spending cuts, and one big, beautiful bill. That's on Washington Window Wednesday. Coming up next. Plus, news from around the globe on world Tour. This is the WORLD and everything in it.

[Myrna Brown]

It's Wednesday, 16th April. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the WORLD and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Time now for Washington Wednesday. The Senate and House of Representatives are on spring recess, but before they left town, lawmakers agreed on the outline for President Trump's big, beautiful bill. The legislation would overhaul border security and tax policy. And with an outline in place, lawmakers can get to work writing it.

[Myrna Brown]

But the blueprint almost didn't pass the House of Representatives. Washington bureau reporter Leo Braceno explains why.

[Leo Briseno]

Last Wednesday evening, as many as 20 Republicans were ready to vote against the Senate's budget proposal. They saw it as woefully short on one key spending cuts.

[Kent Covington]

They're ridiculously low.

[Leo Briseno]

That's Congressman Keith Self of Texas walking through the basement tunnels underneath the Capitol a few days before that vote.

[Kent Covington]

And we have no confidence in the Senate to do anything other than reach the lowest point they can on savings and the highest point on spending.

[Leo Briseno]

A little bit of background. The way a budget reconciliation bill works. The House of Representatives passes a budget outline and then the Senate creates its own version. They then iron out any differences and pass a final budget that sets the general parameters of how much that bill will cost, how much it will cut, and so on the line by line. Details that make up the budget will then get filled in by lawmakers over the next month or so. In recent weeks, the House passed a detailed plan for Congress to slash up to $1.5 trillion over 10 years. The Senate's budget fell well short of that, proposing just a $4 billion minimum for spending reductions. To put that in perspective, the House plan would be similar to cutting $1,500 in your family's budget. While the Senate plan would be agreeing to cut just $4, House Speaker Mike Johnson sought to reassure the conference that they could fill in more cuts later.

[Kent Covington]

The budget resolution is not the law, okay? All this does is it allows us to continue the process, begin drafting the actual legislation that really counts. And that's the one big, beautiful bill.

[Leo Briseno]

Other Republicans in leadership agree the conversations about those spending cuts can come later. Congressman Tom Cole of Oklahoma is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. The group that drafts Congress's spending legislation every year.

[Kent Covington]

Let's have the fight when we actually have produced a bill ourselves that has done that and we've won those kind of fights, and it's not like we're without allies in the Senate. There are a lot of people in the Senate that didn't like the $4 billion number themselves and would like real spending reductions.

[Leo Briseno]

Despite assurances from leadership, at least 20 Republicans still said they couldn't support the Senate budget ahead of its scheduled vote on Wednesday. Fiscal hawks wanted a guarantee that the Senate would follow through with its promises to work on more spending cuts. And moments before the vote came to the floor, they dug in members who.

[Kent Covington]

Record their votes by electronic device. This is a 15 minute vote.

[Leo Briseno]

When a vote stays open for significantly longer than that, it's usually a sign that leadership is stalling for time trying to find the votes they need. This one dragged out for nearly an hour and a half. In a side room off the House floor, the holdouts were locked in negotiations with the Speaker. During that time, hardliners pushed leadership for some guarantee that Republicans could use Trump's one big, beautiful bill to enact meaningful spending cuts. By the end of that meeting, Republicans had come up with a plan to bake spending cuts into the rules of the chamber. Here's Missouri Congressman Eric Burleson.

[Kent Covington]

You basically put in House rules language that says that no reconciliation bill can. Can that doesn't meet the smucker language in our instructions can be brought to the floor.

[Leo Briseno]

That would be like promising to stick to your monthly budget by putting it into the terms and conditions of your home's mortgage paperwork. Even so, President Trump seemed on board. Here's Burleson again describing the hour and a half meeting with the Speaker.

[Kent Covington]

The President called in. Yeah, spoke with the Speaker. President likes this idea.

[Leo Briseno]

With that tentative agreement beginning to take shape, the speaker pulled the budget vote off the floor with promises to implement the plan the next day. But then in the morning, those plans changed. Instead of implementing changes to the House rules or any other kind of in writing agreement, Senate leadership instead made a verbal agreement to increase spending cuts.

[Kent Covington]

But one of the principal objectives in our budget resolution and in the Houses, as outlined by the speaker, is spending cuts.

[Leo Briseno]

That's Senate Majority Leader John Thune at a press conference with Speaker Johnson.

[Kent Covington]

We are aligned with the House in terms of what their budget resolution outlined in terms of savings. The speaker's talked about $1.5 trillion. We have a lot of United States Senators who believe that is a minimum. And we're certainly going to do everything we can to be as aggressive as possible to see that we are serious about the matter not only of, you know, making our federal government more fiscally sustainable, but also deficit reduction, which is critical to a lot of our members in the Senate and I know to his members in the House.

[Leo Briseno]

Later on Thursday, House Republicans voted again to advance the Senate's budget and this time it passed. Congressman Chip Roy of Texas was One of the 20 Republicans that had threatened to defeat the same bill just one day before. He explains why he changed his mind.

[Caroline Levitt]

We have now three strong statements from.

[Kent Covington]

The speaker, the president and the Senate majority leader. We did not have those 48 hours ago. We do now. And we got a commitment on that. And that's why we're here.

[Leo Briseno]

In many ways, this was the best shot fiscal conservatives were going to have to put a commitment to large scale spending cuts in writing. From here, getting the Senate to agree with the House on spending cuts will become a line by line fight over what to cut and what to leave in place. One of the most ardent fiscal hawks in the House of Representatives, Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, believes conservatives let the moment go in return for little more than a handshake agreement.

[Caroline Levitt]

I hope it works out for like.

[Kent Covington]

The people who traded their vote for a promise. I think that's just sav for their conscience. They were probably maybe looking for an off ramp because what was coming next was a lot of pressure from the president to vote for this.

[Leo Briseno]

Massie was just one of two Republicans who voted against the budget framework. He was joined by Congresswoman Victoria Spartz of Indiana. For now, Congress will get to work writing the contents of Trump's one big beautiful bill when they return to D.C. on April 28th. Speaker Johnson has said he wants to have a final version ready for a vote sometime around Memorial Day. Reporting for WORLD I'm Leo Briseno in Washington, D.C.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Ambassadors Impact Network, helping purpose driven entrepreneurs explore financing options that align with their values. [e-mail] and from Pensacola Christian College Academic Excellence Biblical Worldview Affordable Cost Go PCCI.

[Lindsay Mast]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and Everything in IT World tour with our reporter in Africa, ondua.

[Christina Grub]

Today's world tour begins in the Central African nation of Gabon where a coup leader clinched a landslide victory in a presidential vote. Bryce Oligi Nguema scored just over 90% of the votes. His closest rival won 3%. Nguema acted as interim leader after leading a 2023 coup as commander of the elite Republican guard. He overthrew President Ali Bongo and in his family's more than five decade grip on power, he urged his supporters to join him in building peace and justice in the country. Nguema's victory now gives him a seven year mandate to rule. During his campaign, he pledged to end corruption and diversify the oil dependent economy. Still on elections, we head next to Ecuador where Cherry's supporters welcomed President Daniel Noboa's re election victory. Noboa emerged with nearly 56% of the votes. His contender Luisa Gonzalez scored 44%. She has asked for a recount. Noboa says there's no need. He thanked his team for their perseverance and hard work in the lead up to his victory. Now 37, Noboa first assumed office after a snap election in 2023. His weekend victory now gives him a full four year term in office. He gained popularity over his hard stance against organized crime groups and drug cartels. His earlier efforts include deploying the military to the streets and also seeking support from foreign military to support the local troops. Over in Spain, authorities have dismantled a criminal network that smuggled as many as 2,500 Moroccans into the country. The Spanish Civil Guard said the group first flew the migrants into Romania, then transported them by vans and trucks. The smuggling ring likely completed about 50 trips in the last two years. Ana Arias is the Civil Guard spokeswoman. She says each victim paid about €3,000 for the trip. We close today in the Netherlands, where a colorful parade of decorated flowers, unmoved, moving floats marks the start of spring. Crowds gathered to witness the 78th running of the annual Blumenkorso Bollen Streak Parade. The parade covers 26 miles from Noortvik to the city of Haarlem. Meryl Marin was one of several spectators who attended the parade. She says she walked along the roadside to view several of the floats and to take in all of the colors. That's it for this week's World Tour. Reporting for World I'm Onize Odua in Abuja, Nigeria.

[Myrna Brown]

When a 5.2 earthquake hit Southern California on Monday, the elephants at the San Diego Zoo knew exactly what to do. Video shows five African elephants hanging out in the sun when the ground begins to shake. The three adult elephants scrambled to form a protective circle around the two young ones. The older elephants looked outward with ears spread and flapping and stayed huddled that way for several minutes. A teenage elephant gently tapped her trunk on a young one to get them to behave and stay inside the huddle. Nobody got hurt. Turns out Pachyderms have rock solid parenting skills. Safety first, drama later. It's the World and Everything In It.

[Lindsay Mast]

Today is Wednesday, April 16th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next on the World and Everything in it, the English American folk outfit Mumford and Sons are back with their fifth studio album, Rushmere. It's their first since 2018. It's been even longer since the banjo featured prominently in the band's music. Now it's making a return as well.

[Lindsay Mast]

So where has the banjo been all these years? World Associate correspondent Trevor Sides says that answer requires something of a parable.

[Caroline Levitt]

In 2012, Mumford & Sons were one of the most beloved bands in the world. They released their sophomore album Babel, which debuted at number one on both the US Billboard and UK Albums charts. It won the Album of the Year at the Grammys. Babel is all about that banjo. The same cannot be said of the other top selling albums that year by Adele, Taylor Swift in One Direction, you Tell me, does this sound like your typical pop megastar?

[Trevor Sides]

I will wait I will wait for.

[Christina Grub]

You.

[Trevor Sides]

And I will wait I will.

[Caroline Levitt]

Wait for you the entire Mumford and Sons experience is there and I will wait it's worth noting that lead singer Marcus Mumford grew up in the church, the son of Vineyard church planters. In 2022 he summed up the band's vibe, saying, we might take you to church, but we'll also take you to the fair. That description fits the broader 2000-10-10 folk resurgence as well. Mumford and Sons served as the elder statesmen of this movement and cut a swath for a whole bunch of other bow tie clad startups to get in on the fun. And what did Mumford and Sons do with this cultural momentum? They demanded their share of the indy folk inheritance and squandered it like a younger brother on reckless living in a far country. In their next two albums, they plugged in to electric guitars and synthesizers, scorning the banjo for the cool acceptance of critics and peers. Consider 2015's Believe We Are a Long Way From Home, spiritually, aesthetically and instrumentally. The wandering further manifested itself in Mumford's 2022 solo album. In that project, he opened up about being sexually abused as a child and his struggles with addiction. Now, with Rushmere, it seems that Mumford and Sons are seeking shelter in grace. A prodigal kind of grace that's lavish enough to overcome trauma, doubt and unbelief that's Malibu, the opening track. Christians may hear imagery from the Psalms and the Book of Ruth, but given Mumford's reluctance to identify as a Christian, it's fair to ask who the you is. Is it God? The fans? The banjo? It's a fun way to think of the band's arc. The genre chasing Prodigals have rediscovered their musical faith because the banjo abounded in steadfast love. So yes, on one level, Rushmere is a parable about wandering from and returning to one's musical roots. And as Rushmere progresses, it's hard not to hear it as a testimony of spiritual pilgrimage back home as well. Home is first a place. Rushmere is the name of a pond in the neighborhood where the bandmates first met. Much of the album's recording took place in the American South. This helps explain the banjo's rebirth as well as the bluesy flavor of the fifth track, Truth. Here the band finds freedom to plug in without fleeing their musical roots.

[Kent Covington]

I was born to believe the truth is all there is.

[Caroline Levitt]

Home is also holy ground, a truth Mumford captures in monochrome. This soil is teeming with resurrection.

[Trevor Sides]

Is Christ in the ground beneath your feet?

[Caroline Levitt]

There's a realization in monochrome that our self defined paths end in emptiness. In the second verse, Mumford goes for more biblical imagery, delivering this line with the lived in vulnerability.

[Kent Covington]

The kind of love I am always chasing is the kind of love that won't be changed.

[Caroline Levitt]

But this emptiness is its own kind of grace, a gift that leads to. Well, surrender. That's the title of another track, a folk praise song about reconstruction.

[Leo Briseno]

Break me down and put me back together.

[Christina Grub]

I surrender.

[Leo Briseno]

I surrender now.

[Caroline Levitt]

The one possible fly in this narrative ointment is the album's finale, Carry on. Mumford seems to revel in being, in his words, unholy, lost, empty and adrift. He bristles at orthodoxy, confusing it for hypocrisy. Okay, maybe he's not ready to surrender everything. Of course he isn't. Stories of deconstruction and reconstruction are never neat or linear. Still, the bridge on Malibu connects past, present and future for the band and possibly for a generation of souls who wander from their faith. For anyone contemplating the valleys God has walked with them and how all they ever wanted was to find peace in the shadow of his wings. This is the power of grace and the banjo for world. I'm Trevor Sides.

[Myrna Brown]

Today is Wednesday, April 16th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Myrna.

[Lindsay Mast]

Brown and I'm Lindsay Mast up next, world commentator Janie B. Chaney on God's goodness and the clothes we wear.

[Trevor Sides]

During the Great Depression, my great grandmother made an Easter dress for my mother. It was black because black was all they could afford. As a typical teen, my mother was ashamed to wear it. But every girl had to have a new dress for Easter. Perhaps that memory explains my own Easter dresses. Growing up, my sisters and I wore a pastel bouquet every spring, even if Mama had to make the dresses herself. For humans, clothing is both glory and shame. Even the most primitive Bushman wears something, if only a rag about the middle. But like most everyday phenomena, dressing ourselves gets weirder and more perplexing as we think about began as desperation when Adam and Eve frantically grabbed fig leaves to cover themselves. The leaves were laughably inadequate, so the Lord provided animal skins, borrowed righteousness owed to the sacrifice of an innocent creature. Clothes soon became much more than covering. They were booty when Achan hid them in his tent, reward when Naaman offered them to Elisha symbol when kings exchanged their finery for sackcloth. Also moral obligation, as in don't take the poor man's cloak as surety. The amount of labor that went into producing a single garment made it valuable. Jesus executioners considered even his unremarkable tunic worth gambling for. For most of human history, status and position dictated what one could wear. During Shakespeare's time, for example, the poor were restricted to sad colors, while tradesmen could indulge in a little more variety. But the full spectrum was reserved for the rich because dyes were expensive. Not until the early 19th century, when textile manufacturing kicked off the Industrial Revolution, did clothing gradually transition from a costly commodity to a very cheap one. Today, clothes pile up on garage sale tables, clearance racks, resale shops, and our closets routinely purged every spring. As we take abundant food for granted, so we do abundant garb. We'll never get back to the garden. Clothes are a necessity, but as it was in the beginning, they are also a gift. The variety of available styles allows us to tell the world who we are by how we dress. But Christians can also tell the world whose we are. Discussions about modesty concern what not to wear, but what to wear deserves thought as well. And incidentally, the male of the species should be aware that excessive sloppiness can be as immodest as suggestiveness. Color, style, appropriateness and flattering lines complement the wearer. But might they also praise our Maker near the end of that hideous strength? The conclusion of C.S. lewis's space trilogy, some of the female characters are trying on gowns for a special occasion. Each finds the perfect dress for the others. No one chooses her own. And the wardrobe contains no mirrors. Each woman's pleasure comes from pleasing the rest. And he who shaped each woman is also pleased. That's how it will be someday. Our bridegroom has chosen the perfect outfit for us to wear to our wedding. It's a robe of righteousness, no longer borrowed, but our very own. By the gracious hand of our Redeemer. I'm Janie Buchaney.

[Myrna Brown]

Tomorrow. After years of delays, the real ID deadline is approaching fast. Some states are scrambling to meet the demand. And the story of a small town police which brought down an international crime ring. That and more tomorrow. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The psalmist writes, the Lord has made known his salvation. He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Verses 2 and 3 of Psalm chapter 98. Go now in grace and peace.