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It’s been a fair week

The last week or so has been a whirlwind for Jayme and me…a full week at the Knox County Fair, then spending Monday at the Ohio State Fair, and Tuesday’s Veggie Tales event with ‘Sweet Pea Beauty.’  So, it seems like today I’m finally sitting down to reflect…and share some of those stories with you.

I heard from one father who told me Tenth Avenue North’s music has really “gotten to him.”  He says he’s been a casual listener of the station because his kids like to listen, but now the lyrics are really starting to get through.  For guys, sometimes it’s hard to admit that something has stirred us emotionally, but I think songs like “Healing Begins” and “Hold My Heart” convey the peace that comes when we finally allow God in…to help us as we confess our failings or disappointments, and help us heal and repair.

We also heard from a woman at the Ohio State Fair who told us she moved back to Ohio last summer, moved in with sister and heard her listening to Christian radio online.   Her initial reaction was “what in the world are you listening to?”  In the beginning, she wanted no part of it, because her alcohol and drug habits took priority in her life.  One day, she sat down and really listened to a Jeremy Camp song.  Again, as she told us, the lyrics started sinking in…she started attending church with her sister, and she told us she was celebrating her victory over substance abuse by coming to see the artist whose music made the initial breakthrough.  Very inspiring…and I told her that her story would be a great motivator for our staff.

Then, Tuesday, as I watched a couple hundred small children enjoy Veggie Tales, I was reminded of something I heard recently…”whoever wants the next generation will get them.”  It’s a scary thought…but I was thankful that God has provided the resources for creative minds like the folks at Big Idea to reach children at an early age with a message that God loves them JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.  I’m also thankful that our station can be a vehicle to bring those messages to kids.  Parents, I assure you that God wants this next generation. So, please…do what you can to help them get to Him.

Please keep praying for WNZR as we seek to do God’s will and glorify Him…and thank you for the stories of how Christian radio is helping you in your daily walk.  Keep them coming!

-Joe

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Fair time, people!

It’s Knox County Fair time…and depending on who you are, that phrase may bring different reactions or emotions…but make no mistake about it, the fair is a BIG DEAL in this county. We have nearly 1,300 local kids in 4-H and Junior Fair…so think about the number of families influenced by those kids.

I’ve been asked many times over my almost 20 years in radio why stations make such a big deal of going to the fair.  To me, it’s a no-brainer. It’s the people. 

That’s where your listeners are.  People who listen to your station come to the fair, bring their families, significant others, whatever.  It’s an event for all ages and all walks of life.  Listeners get a chance to put a face with the name, but more importantly, so do we.  You build relationships, personally and professionally.

That’s where potential listeners are.  I guarantee you that there are Knox Countians who still don’t know WNZR exists, and we may find them this next week.  There are new people in this community…we meet them every year.  We want to connect with those people!

Why?  Because our station is built on glorifying God, and a big part of that is letting people know there’s a place they can go and get a message of hope, love and forgiveness.  A place where they can get good, solid programs to deepen their Bible reading and the relationships in their families.  A place where they can be inspired, blessed, challenged and even sometimes convicted. 

Still, some people don’t get it.  Honestly, some only see the fair as hot, dirty, noisy and stinky.  Some folks have even developed what I would call “fair snobbery.”  It’s like they’re lowering themselves to go.  It cramps their style.  My advice to those people…lighten up…and pack some hand sanitizer!  You’re missing out!

We’ll see YOU at the fair!

-Joe

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One of Those Days

Have you ever had “one of those days”? I’m sure you have. It’s a day that is out to get you and you can’t escape it. My particular “one of those days” took place last Tuesday. I was on my way in to work when I realized I needed to get some gas if I was going to make it all the way to Mt. Vernon. I stopped at the only gas station remotely close to me and walked inside to prepay. Upon reaching the cash register I saw a sign that read “Cash only, no checks, credit cards, or debit.” Of course, foolish me had no cash and was “up a creek” so to speak. With no gas stations close enough on the way to work, I was forced to back track 20 minutes and get gas. After researching the subject I discovered that credit cards have been out for 64 years and this place still doesn’t take them…………..

So my day was off to a rough start and it only got worse……..

I was heading home from work now and my car has no air conditioning, so I drive with my windows down. When I go home I started rolling up the windows as usual only to discover that my driver’s side, front window was no longer functioning. Of course it couldn’t get stuck in the “up” position because that would make the impending thunderstorm a lot less concerning. I urgently drove to my uncle’s house (the only person close to my house that knows alot about cars) and he was able to help me get the window up, but now I will have to purchase a new motor to go into the driver’s door.

Needless to say it was a rough day. I’m sure there was a life lesson to learn, but I haven’t discovered it yet. What I’ve learned so far is to always carry a couple bucks in your wallet, (or purse ladies) just in case. The other lesson is to bring a cold water bottle with you to work because it’s going to be a hot drive when your window won’t roll down.

-Jayme

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Amazing Patience

Ever had one of those days where you just feel a massive wave of frustration?  You see things that need to be done, or need to be changed, in your home, your work, your family and you think: there’s just NO WAY it’s going to get done.  Why is that so frustrating?…and more importantly, what can we do about it?

Something I think helps is when we recognize that our frustration many times is a product of impatience.  Our fast-paced, instant-gratification world has shaped us into thinking that we need to get it all done NOW.  I’ve fallen into that trap many times.  It’s at that point we need to remember God’s word, which reminds us that patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)…and have you ever thought how patient God is with us?  He loves us despite our rebellion against His teachings and our tendency to try to solve things ourselves.  That’s amazing grace, and amazing patience.

How do we become more patient?  We need to lay our frustration and impatience at His feet and simply ask Him for wisdom…to guide us toward a life that displays patience (and the other fruits)…and then mirror it to others.  Ask him for the wisdom to have amazing patience in your life today.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NIV)

Have a great rest of the week!

-Joe

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The Day After

If you know me, you know I’m a sports fan, so watching LeBron ditch the Cavs last night was, well…certainly one of the most dysfunctional things I’ve seen in my 41 years.  A PR trainwreck for James, compounded by Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert’s emotionally-charged response letter.  BUT…the Morning Thing did such a great job of putting things in perspective this morning, there’s no need to write more.  Marcy and Sam did a great job of reminding us there’s only ONE King we need to keep our focus on.

Quite frankly, my biggest disappointment yesterday was not LBJ leaving, but the fact that rain stopped my major home improvement project of the week- re-painting and staining the deck 😦

In case you haven’t heard, the lineup has been released for this year’s SonFest outdoor music festival at MVNU, and we at WNZR are thrilled to welcome some incredible artists again this year.  Please note that the date is October 2, so it’ll be a couple weeks later than usual.  Hawk Nelson and Britt Nicole will making their first-ever appearances at SonFest, and returning from past years we’ll have Thousand Foot Krutch, Group 1 Crew and Manic Drive.  Tickets go on sale Friday, July 16th, so mark it on your calendar now!

Have a great weekend…and thanks to Jayme for holding down the fort this week while I took a few days to get some long-needed home projects done.

-Joe

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Fourth of July thoughts

So, 4th of July weekend is here…and in some ways, I almost think it’s turned into the summer version of Thanksgiving.  You hear people all the time talk about why they are thankful to live in this great country.  Plus, there’s plenty of sports and food, just like in November.

It’s easy to count our blessings, and be thankful.  I just hope you remember this and every 4th that we are blessed to, in turn, be a blessing.  Believe me, it’s more than just a catch-phrase for church.

The last week or so, I’ve been reading a very thought-provoking book by David Platt, a pastor in Alabama, called  Radical.  I’ll just tell you now…if you’re going to read this book, you better drop your defenses.  I’ll be writing more about it in the next few weeks, but David’s book is a challenge to the church in America to get out of our comfort zone.  He reminds readers that the gospel has two equally important parts: first, that God loves me so much that He sent Jesus to die for my sins; AND (let’s not forget this part) that because of that grace, I am to make His name known in all the world.

So as you reflect this weekend on your blessings, remember that those blessings are a gift from Him…and that maybe one of the reasons you have been blessed to be here, in this country, is because its freedoms have allowed you to know God, receive his grace, and make Him known to others. 

-Joe

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Wacky Wednesday

Today’s been something…and it all happened BEFORE the show!

9:50am: Taking the morning off, I’m thinking about mowing the lawn, but instead I get sucked in to the watching the US-Algeria World Cup match on ESPN…when I lived overseas, I was really into soccer, but I’ve fallen away from following it closely the past few years.  Still, there’s nothing quite like an elimination game, and when your country’s fate is on the line…well, you watch.  What made this match compelling was the fact that England was playing Slovenia at the same time, one channel away (ESPN2). 

11:45am: After 90 minutes of a scoreless tie, and the fact that England was winning 1-0, I’m thinking two things: 1) I just wasted nearly two hours watching a scoreless tie…and…2) our boys were about 4 minutes away from being eliminated. 

11:46am: Landon Donovan scores.  The stadium roars.  An ocean away, America roars and rumbles with approval.

11:50am: It’s over. US wins, 1-0.  The Americans and Brits both make it to the round of 16…and I must admit, it was compelling, emotional sport at its best.

(while all this is going on and beyond): Two guys at Wimbeldon are making history with the longest tie-breaker ever in Grand Slam tennis.  American John Isner and Frenchman Nicholas Mahut are STILL going…suspended twice by darkness, tied 59-59 (that’s games, not points) in the fifth set, completely incredible.  Over 10 hours of tennis between these two, now going into it’s third day. They pick it up tomorrow. Wow.

12:15pm: I go outside to mow the lawn…note to self…there’s a reason you usually mow in the evening.  It’s hot. 

12:45pm: I run out of gas (the mower, that is)…off to the gas station…sorry if you saw me there.  I’m soaked in my own sweat.

1:41pm: The ground rumbles for just a bit, the reverb not from South Africa, but from an earthquake in Canada.  It was felt across Ohio.  I missed it, recovering from my mowing session in the shower.

1:42pm: My friends Mike and Leah become first-time parents with the arrival of their baby girl.  Congratulations!

…and who said summer was boring?

-Joe

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…and away we go!

Welcome to the online companion to WNZR’s Afternoon Drive!  We hope our blog will inform, entertain, inspire, and sometimes even challenge you as you go through your days and weeks.

As you may have heard, Jayme is away this week in Mobile, Alabama, helping his parents, Jim and Lora, move into their new home.  Jim is taking a new position as the administrator at a Christian school there.  We’re going to miss “Mom and Dad” McMillan around here- both have made a tremendous contribution to our MVNU campus and surrounding community.  You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Jim in his “Big Ed” character…which I liken to a combination of Junior Samples from ‘Hee Haw’, Goober from the ‘Andy Griffith Show’, and Yosemite Sam!  Lora, of course, was his costume manager.  We wish them God’s guidance and peace as they begin this new journey in their lives.  

As you pray for them, remember Jayme, too…this will be a transition year for him as his parents are now no longer just a short drive away.  You know what I mean?  When you want that good homecooked meal, a place off-campus to hang with friends, Mom or Dad’s wise face-to-face advice, or maybe just to do some laundry…home is good.    I went through a similar transition my second year in college when my parents went from being just around the corner to about two hours away.  So I can relate.

Thanks for reading- and keep listening from 4-6 weekdays on WNZR!

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