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Sundays & Skillet

Josiah Queen is giving us a preview of his next chapter with his brand-new single, “sundays.”

The high-energy, folk-rock song is a powerful reminder that our faith isn’t meant to be something we practice only on Sundays. Queen compares our need for God to our need for food, water, and even the air we breathe, challenging listeners to live out their faith every day of the week.

“sundays” is the latest glimpse of Queen’s highly anticipated new album, Damascus Road, coming October 23. The 14-track project will be his third studio album and follows his chart-topping 2025 release, Mt. Zion, which earned a Dove Award nomination for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year.

And this is a huge season for Josiah Queen. The 23-year-old recently received seven GMA Dove Award nominations, including Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.

Queen also recently revealed the full Damascus Road tracklist and invited his fans to help choose which song would be released next. “sundays” ultimately won the vote, giving fans a chance to be part of the rollout for the new album.

There’s also a special mission behind Damascus Road. Queen is donating 100% of the net proceeds from CD editions of the album sold through his official website to Global Christian Relief.

Once again, the new album, Damascus Road, arrives October 23rd, and “sundays” is out now!

October is going to be an exciting month, because not only is Josiah Queen releasing an album, but Skillet is back with new music, and the rock band is entering a powerful new chapter!

The multi-Platinum band has announced a brand-new six-song EP called After the Storm, arriving October 9. Along with the announcement, Skillet released the project’s newest single, “Lift Me Up,” complete with an anime-inspired lyric video.

Frontman John Cooper says the EP came out of a season when he personally needed hope, writing these songs as a way of asking God to lift him out of some difficult moments.

That message comes through especially in “Lift Me Up,” which combines crushing guitars with a huge, arena-ready chorus. Cooper says the song reminds him of early Skillet while still feeling fresh. At its heart, it’s a prayer asking God to provide strength when life feels overwhelming.

“Lift Me Up” follows “Scream,” which introduced fans to the emotional themes behind After the Storm, including anxiety, anger, and the search for purpose in the middle of all the noise surrounding us.

And Skillet isn’t slowing down anytime soon. The band will hit the road for a nationwide U.S. Live Nation headline tour, kicking off this fall, which is visiting Greenville, Ohio, on September 19th! The new EP comes out October 9th!

You make my striving cease

You lift my burdens off of me

You calm the raging sea

My anxieties

‘Cause that’s just who You are

Congratulations to Sarah from Mount Vernon for correctly guessing “WHY SHOULD I WORRY” by Carly Ann Taylor! Tune in next week for YOUR chance to win!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Joe & Brock

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Where does worry get me? How can I have a warm heart with open arms?

Mystery Monday Motivation here on the Afternoon Drive; let’s give you some motivation today.

Daniel: Yesterday, my pastor talked about anxiety and worry in Matthew 6:25-34. This is near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, and it’s interesting that the sections prior to this section are about giving, prayer, fasting, and where to put our treasures. Jesus is building up to this section, and he says…

‘Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?’ – Matthew 6:26

When I was thinking about worry, and what it shows about our faith. We say all the time about how we trust God and his plans, but we still worry about things we bring to him. The more I thought about it I kept asking, ‘What does this say about how I trust him?’ I was worried about work, I was worried about my future, I was worried about money, and I was worried about my family. I pray about this stuff all the time, and I believe that God will take care of everything, but the worry was a sign that I didn’t fully believe. The more I kept feeling that worry, the more I felt it was a sign of doubt. What benefit do I gain from worry? Jesus tells us that worry can’t change anything

‘Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ – Matthew 6:27

What can we do about it? What is a counter to doubt and worry? Step 1. Take a deep breath; maybe what you’re worrying about isn’t really as big a deal as you think. Take a drink of water, relax. Step 2. Pray about it. Ask God to take away your anxiety, your worry, and your stress; let God take care of that for you, and relax. Instead of worrying, let God do the worrying, and do what he says to do when he answers you.

Joe: Warm hearts and open arms!

One of the highlights of my weekend was running into my former co-host, Tonya, her husband Ben and their three girls. Ben and Tonya met at MVNU, and after spending time in Georgia for Ben’s graduate work, they moved back to northeast Ohio and started a life here. A few years ago, they were called to the mission field, and they now live in Mexico. They uprooted their life to serve God and to meet strangers. They are doing amazing work in Mexico and their girls are all bilingual and thriving in school.
They came back this summer to visit family, and it was so amazing to see them and hear what’s going on in their life.
One of the greatest joys of life is when you meet a stranger and their loving welcome envelopes you. That is the experience that the Tonya and Ben have had in Mexico. They were in a city they had never been to before, meeting people of completely different histories and ethnicities, and had struggles communicating initially but..they were welcomed with warm hearts and open arms.

Paul reminds us in Romans, that if we believe in Jesus, we’re called to always live out this kind of radical welcome. We’re to accept one another just as Christ accepted us. To welcome one another with warm hearts and open arms, and gather others in. This should be our posture toward everyone, even those different from us. Cultural differences shouldn’t be obstacles, but instead opportunities to demonstrate the same radical love and welcome that Jesus extends to us.

Name a word that ends with –ology: 

  1. Biology (29) 
  2. Psychology (15) 
  3. Technology (14) 
  4. Apology (14) 
  5. Geology (9)
  6. Zoology (5) 

Congratulations to Bob from Howard, who guessed those top two answers and wins the $5 gift card to Watt’s Restaurant in Utica!

Thanks for listening!
– Daniel and Joe

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NZ Top 10 for 8/14/26

Praise the Lord it’s Friday and it’s the beginning of the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival
Here’s this week’s countdown:

10. ELEVATION RHYTHM – WASHED (#1 for 1 week)

9. Matt Maher – Gonna Be Alright

8. Micah Tyler ft. Colton Dixon – Perfectly

7. Chandler Moore – God I’m Just Grateful

6. We The Kingdom – Rescue Me

5. CeCe Winans – Worthy Of It All (Worthy) (#1 for 4 weeks)

4. Zach Williams – Wait For Me

3. Jamie MacDonald – Ain’t No Way

2. Phil Wickham & Crowder – It Really Is Amazing Grace

1. Josiah Queen – Demons (3rd week at #1)

New Music Friday – new songs added to the WNZR playlist this week! Both of these artists are coming to SONFEST 2026 on September 19

Jordan Houghton – Trust

Chris Renzema – God Be

Thanks for listening!
– Daniel and Brock

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Jars of Clay for Jesus

Brock’s Devotional:

I was reading my devotional yesterday, and I came across a reminder that I really needed this week. It centered around 2 Corinthians 4:7, which says, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

That verse is such a powerful reminder that God doesn’t need us to be perfect, impressive, or have everything together before He can use us.

This summer, I took it upon myself to work three jobs, and, honestly, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve never been busier, more exhausted, or felt more overwhelmed. There have been plenty of days when I felt like I was drowning, just trying to keep up with all my calendars, schedules, responsibilities, and everything else going on.

But this verse reminded me of something important: God doesn’t require us to be enough.

He is enough.

He has more than enough strength, grace, wisdom, and love to pour into us each day. Our job isn’t to have everything figured out. It’s simply to remain open to Him and allow His power to work through us.

And I’m going to get a little metaphorical here…

We aren’t perfect trophies that God puts on display. We’re jars of clay. We’re ordinary, imperfect vessels carrying something extraordinary: His light, His love, and the message of the Gospel.

And sometimes, I think the cracks in our lives are exactly where His light can shine through.

I have days when I need to remind myself that my imperfections don’t disqualify me from being used by God. In fact, God can use the very things I struggle with to help someone else feel understood, encouraged, and a little less alone as they navigate their own brokenness.

So wherever you find yourself today, I hope you remember this: you don’t have to be enough on your own. God is enough.

Be willing to be the vessel. Let Him work through your imperfections, your weaknesses, and even the parts of your life that you wish were different.

And let His power shine through you.

Congratulations to Sandy from Mount Vernon for correctly guessing this week’s Name That Tune! It was CAIN with “Yes He Can.”

Tune in next week for your chance to win!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Brock

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Who knew it was the Hartford Fair

Today on the Afternoon Drive, we talked about Vinyl Records, the Hartford Fair, and the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival. Here’s what we talked about…

WHO KNEW FACT CHECK: A record has one continuous spiral groove that runs from the outside all the way toward the center. The music is physically stored in that groove. Tiny variations are read by the needle and turned into sound. 

We were also at the Hartford fair, sharing updates on all that is going on over there and having a good time sharing with you.

WHO AM I?

  1. I was born August 12, 1971, in Washington, D.C., and grew up in California.  
  2. I won 14 Grand Slam singles titles, a record at the time of my retirement.  
  3. I dominated Wimbledon, winning the championship there 7 times.  
  4. I finished as the world No. 1 player for six consecutive years (1993–1998).  
  5. I retired in 2002 after winning the U.S. Open, defeating longtime rival Andre Agassi in the final. 

I am Pete Sampras! Congratulations to Jeff from Mount Vernon, who guessed correctly and wins the $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica.

Thanks for listening!
– Daniel & Joe

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Comebacks & Concerts

After 8 years, Francesca Battistelli is making her return with NEW MUSIC.

Her brand-new song, “He Will,” is available today. “He Will” is an uplifting anthem about trusting God, even when you don’t know how He’s going to come through. Backed by a choir, Francesca sings about needing God’s rescue and being confident that He will be faithful.

The song also marks the beginning of what Battistelli says is a new wave of music.

As I said, it’s been eight years since Francesca released her last album, Own It, in 2018. During that time, she stepped away from the spotlight to focus on her growing family. She’s now a mom of seven and has embraced a quieter season of motherhood, including homeschooling and homesteading.

But even while she was away from the music scene, Francesca’s songs continued making an impact. She earned another number-one radio hit, bringing her career total to eight, and her catalog has now surpassed 2 billion career streams.

Francesca says that during her time away, God continued giving her new songs—and she believes the timing is finally right to share them.

“He Will” is the first glimpse of what’s next.

CAIN is bringing their Live and In Worship Tour to Grove City, Ohio, this fall, with special guest Jenn Johnson!

The concert is happening Thursday, September 17th, at The Naz Church in Grove City. It’s a night designed to give you space to come as you are, be refreshed, and experience the presence of God through powerful music and intentional worship.

The evening kicks off at 7 PM, with general admission doors opening at 6.

And if you know anything about CAIN, you know they’re not afraid of a little color! Their bright colors and energetic personalities are a big part of what makes them so much fun.

Well, they want you to join in on the fun, too! So when you come to the concert, make sure you wear RED in honor of the Buckeye State!

Tickets and more information are available at WNZR.fm. Just click on the Events button, then select the Concerts tab for everything you need to know!

Lord, I am so thankful for the ways that You blessed me
Everything You say making waves like a jet ski
You love every part of me, even when I was messy
Now I see the art in Your beauty
So, I can finally sing out…

Congratulations to Tisha from Fredericktown for correctly guessing “YOUR WAY’S BETTER” by Forrest Frank! Tune in next week for your chance to win!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Joe & Brock

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The God of Hope!

Today’s Monday Motivation focused on hope – the hope we hear in the We Are Messengers song, ‘Faith, Hope. Love.’

One line from that song that impacts me is, “I can’t be polishing my own crown, when I remember yours was made of thorns.” That’s why our God is the God of hope – because of what happened at the cross. The evidence of Christ’s death and resurrection! His triumph over sin and death. Our hope also comes from the gift of the Holy Spirit, our advocate, allowing us to always have hope in our future and eternity.

Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:27 that Christ is the hope of glory!

Where do you see a lot of people waiting for a ride? 

  1. Bus Stop (61) 
  1. Amusement Park (10) 
  1. Airport (9) 
  1. Street Corner (8) 
  1. Trains/Subway (6) 
  1. Mall (2) 

Congratulations to Esther from Mount Vernon, who guessed those top two answers and wins the $5

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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NZ Top 10 for 8/7/26

Praise the Lord it’s Friday and it’s FIRST FRIDAY with our Dog Costume Parade!
Here’s this week’s countdown:

10. Matthew West – Good (#1 for 5 weeks)
9. Micah Tyler f/Colton Dixon – Perfectly
8. Chandler Moore – God I’m Just Grateful
7. ELEVATION RHYTHM – WASHED (#1 for 1 week)
6. We The Kingdom – Rescue Me
5. CeCe Winans – Worthy Of It All (Worthy) (#1 for 4 weeks)
4. Jamie MacDonald – Ain’t No Way
3. Zach Williams f/Ben Fuller – Wait For Me
2. Phil Wickham & Crowder – It Really Is Amazing Grace
1. Josiah Queen – demons (2nd week at #1)

New Music Friday – new songs added to the WNZR playlist this week!

Ben Fuller f/Carrie Underwood – If It Was Up To Me

Cochren & Co. – What Grace Can Do

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Brock

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Peace in the Process

Brock’s Devotional:

Oftentimes, I feel like my mind is anything but steadfast. It’s so easy for me to get distracted, overwhelmed, and then discouraged when I forget things or feel like I’m being pulled in a dozen different directions.

But this week, I was reminded of Isaiah 26:3–4, which says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD Himself, is the Rock eternal.”

That verse was exactly what I needed to hear. So often, when I’m feeling anxious or scattered, it’s because my focus has shifted away from the One who offers true peace. Instead of trusting God, I’m trusting my own ability to keep everything together—and that’s a burden I was never meant to carry.

Maybe you’ve experienced that too. Maybe you’ve been so focused on all the little things piling up that you’ve lost sight of just how big God is. Or maybe your attention has been fixed on something that’s stealing your peace—a conversation that didn’t go well, a mistake you can’t stop replaying, worries about your appearance, or the uncertainty of what’s ahead.

The truth is, we can’t eliminate the chaos of life. There will always be distractions, disappointments, and unexpected challenges. But we can choose where we fix our eyes.

Today, I’m praising God because His peace isn’t based on perfect circumstances—it’s rooted in His unchanging character. He is steadfast even when we aren’t. He is trustworthy even when life feels uncertain. And when we keep our eyes on Him, He promises a peace that the chaos around us can never take away.

Joe’s Devotional:

Have you ever started something and quit halfway through? Most of us have.

But God doesn’t operate that way. Philippians 1:6 tells us He finishes what He begins. That means your story isn’t over. Your growth isn’t done. Your failures aren’t final.

Even when you feel stuck or stagnant, God is still at work behind the scenes. He hasn’t given up on you…He’s still writing something beautiful.

Congrats to Becky from St. Louisville for correctly guessing “Perfectly” by Micah Tyler as this week’s Name That Tune!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Joe & Brock

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