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Hope In Jesus!

On this week’s Praise Thursday we gave awesome inspiration through devotions tied to our Lifeline 2026 theme and Easton! We also played Name That Tune! Here’s what we talked about:

Gabriella’s Devotion

Hopelessness comes at a point in your life when you feel you’ve hit rock bottom. But God will let us hit rock bottom to show that He is the rock at that place. Hopelessness is born out of difficulties or discouragements. We shouldn’t try to run from it instead we should embrace God. He is our rock and He will get you out!

Ethan’s Devotion

Why is Good Friday called “good?” After all, isn’t that the day that the Son of God died?

It is not at all inappropriate to call the Friday Jesus died “good.” God displayed for us His incredible, unconditional love by having His one and only Son sacrificed on a cross for our sins!

In 1 John 4, it says: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

The good thing about Good Friday is that we wouldn’t be where we are right now as Christians if it weren’t for Jesus dying on the cross. He paid for each and every sin past, present, and future. That is so good!

It didn’t end there. Jesus Christ rose from the dead three days later, and now His Spirit lives in us as Christians!

So Good Friday is good because Jesus’s death is what paid our sins so we could be with Him forever! He paid the price we should have paid on that cross. And the great news is that He rose again three days later!

Reminder: There will be no NZ Top 10 on Friday, because of Good Friday! Happy Easter!

This week’s Name That Tune song was Homesick For Heaven by Phil Wickham!

Congratulations to Charla from Utica for correctly guessing the song title and artist! Charla will be taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Thank you for listening!
– Gabriella, Brook Abella, and Ethan

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Happy April Fool’s Day!!

For this week’s Who Knew Wednesday we talked about who Knew facts about April Fools Day, Sour dough bread, and Easter! We also played our Who Am I trivia. Here’s what we talked about:

Who Knew: Is it true that the origin of April Fool’s Day is unknown? Yes! The exact origins of April Fools’ Day are unknown, though many historians believe it began in France in the 16th century following the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. 

Who Knew: Is it true sourdough bread was created by accident? Yes, sourdough is widely believed to have been invented by accident around 3000 BC in ancient Egypt. It was likely discovered when a mixture of flour and water was left out, allowing wild yeast and bacteria in the air to ferment it, causing the dough to rise 

Who Knew: Easter’s coming soon!

WHO AM I?

  1. I was born on April 1, 1995, in Westlake, Ohio, and I grew up alongside my younger brother, Jake Paul. 
  1. I first gained popularity by posting short comedy videos on Vine before transitioning to YouTube, where my channel quickly grew to millions of subscribers. 
  1. I have expanded my career beyond social media by becoming a professional boxer and participating in high-profile matches, including one against Floyd Mayweather. 
  1. I co-founded the beverage company Prime Hydration, which became extremely popular, especially among athletes and younger audiences. 
  1. I am also involved in professional wrestling and have performed in WWE events, showing my versatility as an entertainer. 

 I am… Logan Paul! Congratulations to Rodney of Gambier for guessing correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Praise Thursday with Brook Abella, Gabriella, and Ethan!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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Legacy Artist Switchfoot Returns With Upcoming Album!

Do you remember Switchfoot from back in the day? How could we forget– with songs like This Is Home, Gone, and Dare You To Move, this band has left a mark on Christian music!

Switchfoot are back at it again with a brand new album, Forever Now, set to release this summer on Friday, June 26.

The band has already given us a first look at this project with their brand new single, Wake Up, Mr. Crow.

Switchfoot’s bassist commented on this upcoming release, “Making an album is like climbing a mountain — an intentional step forward for the band and the story we are telling. The time between albums gave us space to rebuild our creative energy. And last year, we knew it was finally time to start climbing again.”

The band is coming back fresh, and ready to bring some new music to listeners after 5 years since their last release!

To learn more about their return and new album Forever Now, click HERE!

Here is Switchfoot’s first song called Wake Up, Mr. Crow, from their new album releasing this summer, June 26!

Rend Collective is back on the road again this Spring, and they’re making a stop in Ohio on their U.S. Tour 2026!

This time around, they’re visiting our Knox County neighbor, Newark, Ohio, in Licking County!

They’ll be at the Midland Theatre, in Newark, Ohio, on Saturday, April 11, starting at 6PM for Early Entry, and 7PM for General Admission.

Hailing from Northern Ireland, they’re bringing your favorite hits like Build Your Kingdom Here, Hallelujah Anyway, and you may even catch some of your new favorites from them as well!

Tickets to see Rend Collective Live can be found HERE!

Rend Collective recently made a sea chanty! Check it out here:

We had a stumper on Song Poetry this week! Here were this week’s lyrics:

He’s not done with me, not done with you
No matter what we’re going through
Our hope is in an empty tomb
And the God that’s still not in it

This week’s Song Poetry is a stumper! That means next week, these same lyrics will be worth two $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica. Make sure you tune in at 5:15PM on Tuesday next week on The Afternoon Drive!

Tune in on Wednesday for some Who Knew? fun facts for Who Knew? Wednesday, and another chance to win a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica with a game of Who Am I?!

Thank you for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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We Are Full!!!

On this week’s Monday Motivation we gave Easter themed motivation and played Mystery Monday with a family feud style question. Here’s what we talked about:

Joe’s Motivation: This past week was filled with many darkness times. It’s important in this time we focus on the light. Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) – “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” We need to find the joy and the light in harsh times. It’s easy to wallow in our sadness and it’s not what we should be doing.

Gabriella’s Motivation: John 15:5 says that we should “abide” in Him. To abide in Christ means we “live, dwell, and remain” with Him. It’s important we pray through the good and the bad. In order to be full we have to lean on Christ as His disciples did during the Last Supper. We may try to be self-sufficient, but it will never consistent without Him.

Name something cats and men have in common. 

  1. Love sleeping (11) 
  1. Being lazy (11) 
  1. Sneaky (10) 
  1. Hairy/whiskers (10) 
  1. Finicky/stubborn (7) 
  1. Like petting (6) 

Congratulations to Tracy of Howard for guessing the top two answers and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Artist Newsday and Gametime Tuesday with Ethan and Joe!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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The NZ Top 10 for March 27, 2026!

It’s the last NZ Top 10 list for the month of March! Here is this week’s countdown:

10. Anne Wilson – God Story

09. MercyMe – Make It Well

08. Lauren Daigle – Let It Be A Hallelujah

07. Blessing Offor – Lift Me Up

06. Peter Burton – Where Would I Be

05. for KING + COUNTRY ft. Taylor Hill – World On Fire

04. Chris Tomlin – How Good It Is

03. Phil Wickham – Homesick For Heaven

02. Katy Nichole – Have Your Way

01. TobyMac – Heaven On My Mind (4th week at #1)

Take a look at TobyMac’s music video for Heaven On My Mind!

New Music This Week

Micah Tyler – Perfectly

Tune in Monday with Joe and Gabriella for Monday Motivation!

Thank you for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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Ultimate Sculptor!!

Gabriella’s Devotion: Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust in the lord and not in our own understanding. We struggle with this quite a lot especially when it comes to politics and in our personal lives. We should not be filled with anger for cases or events that happen because majority of the time the full story is not there yet. Trust in the Lord, this world is not our homeland.

Brook Abella’s Devotion: I am an artist in many different ways, but I have ceramics class tonight so that’s the thing I’m focusing on today. I know in the bible it talks about God being a sculptor and us being pottery, but I didn’t realize how much that was true until I started making pottery. In order to make a good piece of art you have to mold it and that’s what God does with us. The water we use to make it easier to mold represents the obstacles we’ve gone through.

Joe’s Devotion: “Give Me Words to Speak” by Aaron Shust comes from a very personal spiritual struggle—specifically, a season where he felt empty, inadequate, and unable to say anything meaningful on his own. The core idea behind the song: Shust has shared (in interviews and through the song’s context and lyrics) that it reflects: 1. A sense of spiritual brokenness and confusion. The opening lines describe feeling “calloused and bruised” and dissatisfied with “selfish hopes and dreams,” pointing to a realization that his own efforts weren’t enough. 2. A dependence on God for guidance and speech. The central prayer of the song is essentially: “I have nothing worthwhile to say—God, speak through me.” This echoes biblical themes of God giving words to His people (like Moses or the disciples). 3. A desire for authenticity in ministry and communication. Rather than relying on cleverness or talent, the song is about wanting one’s words to reflect God’s voice instead of personal ambition. The song was inspired by a moment (or season) where Shust realized: “If anything meaningful is going to come out of my life—or my mouth—it has to come from God, not me.”

Our Name That Tune was a stumper this week, but come back next week for a chance to win TWO $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for the NZ Top 10 with Ethan and Joe!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Brook Abella, Gabriella, and Joe

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Waffles and Wagons!!

On this BEAUTIFUL Who Knew Wednesday we talked about today’s holidays and did our famous Who Am I in the second hour! Here’s what we talked about:

WHO KNEW FACT CHECK– National Little Red Wagon Day? YES. It’s celebrated annually on the last Wednesday in March to honor the iconic Radio Flyer wagon as a symbol of childhood imagination, play, and adventure. Founded in 2016, this day encourages families to bring out their wagons for outdoor play and to create new memories. It’s a beautiful day to participate!

WHO KNEW FACT CHECK – The world’s largest waffle was recorded at 110 pounds with a diameter of over 8 feet, made in the Netherlands. Tomas Jefferson is credited with popularizing them in the 1790s, likely bringing long-handled waffle irons back from France or Holland, which sparked a “waffle craze”. He hosted “waffle frolics” and served yeast-leavened waffles at Monticello.

Worlds largest Waffle- Click HERE

WAFFLE DAD JOKES– What do you call a waffle on a California beach? A San Diego. Why did the waffle skip breakfast? It was already battered. Waffles are just pancakes with abs. I love you a waffle lot. Don’t go baking my heart. I’m not flipping out, you’re just that sweet. Life is short, stack more waffles

WHO AM I?

  1. I was born on March 25, 1928, in Cleveland 
  1. I was a naval aviator and test pilot before joining NASA in 1962 as part of its second group of astronauts. 
  1. I flew four space missions—Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13—making me one of the most experienced astronauts of my era. 
  1. On Apollo 8, I became one of the first humans to orbit the Moon. 
  1. I commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in 1970, which suffered an in-flight explosion but returned safely—an event later dramatized in the film Apollo 13. 

I am… Jim Lovell! Congratulations to Brad of Mount Vernon for guessing correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Praise Thursday with Brook Abella, Gabriella, and Joe!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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NEEDTOBREATHE Brand New Album, Phil Wickham’s Spring Tour!

We’re seeing some new music from NEEDTOBREATHE in their 10th studio album, The Long Surrender. It releases this Friday, March 27 at midnight!

With twelve brand new songs, the band gets personal by pouring real and raw into every lyric.

Listen to the title track to their latest album here:

To learn more about their album, The Long Surrender, click HERE!

NEEDTOBREATHE is also hitting the road this fall with some new songs from this record on their The Long Surrender Tour!

The band will be stopping in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Jacobs Pavilion on Friday, August 28, 2026. The show will start at 7PM.

For ticket information, click HERE!

Phil Wickham has kicked off his Song Of The Saints Tour, and he’s coming to Columbus, Ohio!

He’s taking some of your favorite Phil Wickham classics as well as some new songs from his Song Of The Saints album, with Tauren Wells and Jamie MacDonald joining him!

You can see Phil with the Song Of The Saints Tour at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, April 17th! The show starts at 7PM, so make sure you arrive at least an hour early as doors open earlier!

Ticket information can be found HERE!

Here is Phil’s new song Homesick For Heaven, from his Song Of The Saints album!

Here were this week’s Song Poetry lyrics!

Take my life and let it be
My soul devoted Lord to Thee
Take my moments and all my days
Make them endless praise

These lyrics were from Let It Be A Hallelujah by Lauren Daigle!

Congratulations to Trevor from Saint Louisville for calling in and correctly guessing the song title and artist! He will be taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in on Wednesday for some Who Knew? Wednesday fun facts, and a game of Who Am I?.

Thank you for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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God’s Love Runs Deep

This week’s Monday Motivation was filled with fun information about worship and devotions tied into this year’s Lifeline theme “God Did It!”, plus in the second hour we played a game of Family Feud for our Mystery Monday! Here’s what we talked about:

Gabriella’s Motivation: Keep God as your firm foundation. (talk about being busy and having a. balanced life while keeping God as your firm foundation) Psalm 91:7 (NIV)- “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” God is our shelter and protector. No matter how many problems or complications you are against, God is for you.

Joe’s Motivation: Our theme verse for Lifeline 2026 is “not to us lord, not to us, but to your name be the Glory.” (Psalm 115:1 NIV). Everyone has struggled with who they are or want to be. We are his children. We are made in his perfect image. You are completely accepted (Titus 3:7), you are extremely valuable (Ephesians 2:10), you are eternally loved (Hebrews 2:11), you are forgiven (Romans 8:1), you are fully capable (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

Name something a gardener would hate to be allergic to! 

  1. Flowers/pollen (58) 
  1. Grass (21) 
  1. Dirt (7) 
  1. Weeds (7) 
  1. Bees (2) 

Congratulations to Trinity of Mount Vernon for guessing the top two answers correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Artist Newsday and Game Time Tuesday with Xander and Ethan!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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