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─────── February 21, 2026 ───────
Happy Saturday!
With the Winter Olympics wrapping up this weekend, you might be wondering: “What’s it take to do a thing like this?” “How does a country get to host the Olympics?” “Who pays for the games?” and “How much do Olympians even make?”
Click here to take a look-see at the $$$ that comes with a medal… and read on to learn more about the nitty-gritty of the Winter Olympics.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Obedience is the pathway to blessing. It’s the means of protection. It’s the means of joy. It’s the means to finding God’s best in our lives.”
Nancy Leigh DeMoss
BREWING QUESTIONS
WHAT YOU’RE ASKING
What are the Winter Olympics?
Every four years, athletes from around the world compete in the ultimate snow- and ice-based sports competition, featuring all things fast and cold (think skiing, skating, hockey, and bobsledding).
The first Winter Games—originally called International Winter Sports Week—were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France.
How are the Winter Olympic locations chosen?
It starts with a friendly chat. A city (and its Olympic committee) tells the International Olympic Committee (IOC) they’re interested. If the chat goes well, dialogue continues, and the city builds a Game(s) Plan. If their plan passes the test, the next step is more serious, business-y conversations.
The IOC evaluates factors like existing infrastructure, transportation, lodging, environmental impact, and public support, and nominates cities for a secret vote.
How long does it take for a host to prepare?
Let’s just say, it’s a pretty long to-do list…
Host cities often begin planning around a decade beforehand to build or upgrade venues, expand transit systems, train volunteers, and prepare security. Some locations rely on existing ski resorts and arenas to shorten timelines and reduce costs.
How much does it cost to host?
Numbers vary widely but usually reach the billions (with a B)… The most expensive on record were the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, the final tab topping $50B.
It’s funded by a mix of private pockets and public checkbooks, with the host cities and their national governments footing the majority of the bill. Just about every Olympics is famously over budget and rarely profitable (visualize it here).
So, why do cities host the Games?
It offers huge international exposure, forces infrastructure upgrades, creates jobs, and boosts tourism for years to come.
They also get some cool perks, like adding new one-time sports (with IOC approval). Paris 2024 included breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing; Milan-Cortina 2026 added ski mountaineering; and Los Angeles 2028 will feature baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash.
Want to hear more fun facts about the Winter Olympics? Watch Kathleen and Joe talk more about the Winter Olympics in this week’s episode of TPO Explains.
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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Sports can teach us a lot about everyday life—the value of teamwork, perseverance, and even loyalty as a fan. Athletes’ commitment to their sport encourages us to press towards the “imperishable crown” Christians will receive one day, and fans’ joy for their team can give us a foretaste of the greatest celebration in history.
“Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.”
1 Corinthians 9:25 (CSB) (read full passage)
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HOUSE BLEND
WHAT YOU’LL ENJOY
Solving this week’s crossword, the TPO Mini #3!
A video to remind you that even big cats love boxes…
Warming up with delicious chai. Sisters and TPO readers Joanna and Jessica F. started Chechi’s Chai as a way to celebrate their cross-cultural upbringing. Every bag of authentic, South Indian chai bridges cultures and builds community—give it a chai today!*
*This is a free promo for a TPO-reader-owned small biz. Have your own small business you want us to know about? Fill out this form!
WHAT YOU’VE BEAN CLICKING…
Top News Article: An eye-safe peek at the year’s first solar eclipse.
Top Christian Perspective: A prayer for the anxious and grieving offered following the news of a school shooting in Canada. Save a copy of the prayer here.
Top Whipped Cream: This doggo’s 10/10 party trick.
TAKE IT TO GO
WHAT WE’RE RECOMMENDING
What We’re Learning
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WHAT WE’RE PRAYING
A Prayer for Watching the Olympics
God our Creator, the Games are here, but You’re not turning up Your nose or booing from the sidelines. You delight in discipline, teamwork, perseverance, the comeback. Help me enjoy sports without giving them my heart. Use these games to train me so I’m fit for Your eternal kingdom.
As I marvel at athletes’ commitment to their craft, teach me what it looks like to press on; to practice holiness even when it’s boring; to endure even when it’s painstaking; to win the imperishable crown. Keep my eyes always on that coming day—fixed on Jesus, who wins a victory that’s final, who takes the top spot on the podium and won’t be unseated by any challengers this time or the next, forever. Your glory is unmatched and it never ends. Amen.
Want more prayers to help you see the headlines from an eternal perspective? Join us in Praying the News, a (free) Sunday newsletter from TPO.
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