This morning I was listening to Ethan and Olivia talk about the Knox County Fair and thinking about this…
How incredible is it that we have amazing partners that come alongside us to help give you a chance to win concert tickets and prizes! Examples?? – the 18+ grill packages for the Knox County Fair – teen and kids prizes – For King and Country tickets for the Ohio State Fair – general admission passes for the Ohio State Fair – our gift cards to Southside Diner, Watts Restaurant and North Main Cafe
If you are a WNZR prize partner and underwriting sponsor, THANK YOU.
If you are a WNZR Lifeline partner, THANK YOU.
We are blessed to have you beside us as we bring music and inspiration to the airwaves and online each day! You lift US up!
Bonnie from Mount Vernon guessed correctly and wins the $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!
Daniel: My Praise for today is more about my brother. See, he went to NYC, aka Nazarene Youth Conference, and according to him, it was a good time. See, going to NYC is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because it only happens once every four years; it’s an event exclusively for teenagers, and if you don’t recall, you’re only in your teen years for so long. He was very, very nervous; he’d never been away from home without someone else in my family being with him; plus, he’d never flown before. He ended up going, and it seems as though he’s grown closer to friends and, more importantly, grown closer to God by taking this leap of faith.
It reminds me of Matthew 14:28-33, when Peter steps out of the boat. Peter saw Jesus, and in faith, he stepped out into the waves and took the leap of faith for Jesus. He calls us to take the leap of faith every day. Each step we take is a leap of faith, but he might be calling us further into the waves; he might be calling us beyond the sea or calling us to do something we’ve thought impossible. Of course, our God is a God of the impossible made possible; remember that and give him his due praise.
Brock: I was reading in my devotional this week; it focused on Ephesians 3:17-19. Here Paul prays that we would be rooted and established in love, and that we would understand just how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is, so that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. I don’t know about you, but that’s what I want for my life to be filled with the fullness of God’s love.
The truth is, it’s easy to believe we have to earn God’s love or somehow prove we’re worthy of it. When we live with that mindset, though, we begin looking to the world to give us the value and identity we’re longing for. But the world can never truly satisfy us. It promises fulfillment, yet often leaves us emptier than before. God’s love is different. His love isn’t something we earn. It’s something we receive. And when we truly grasp how deep his love is for us, we stop chasing validation from the world because our hearts are already full. I love the picture Paul paints here. When we’re filled with God’s love, we don’t have to walk into the world looking for something to fill us up. Instead, we can walk into the world with something to give away the hope, grace, and love of Jesus.
So today, my praise is that God’s love isn’t based on my performance. It’s based on his character. And I’m so thankful that his love is wide enough to reach us, deep enough to forgive us, and constant enough to fill us completely. My prayer for you today is the same prayer Paul prayed centuries ago, that you would know just how much Christ loves you, and that you would be filled to the measure with all the fullness of our God.
Congratulations to this week’s Name That Tune winner, Larry from Bellville! He correctly guessed “Speak Life” by TobyMac!
Joe’s devotional today focused on patience, while Brock’s was about the difference between complaining and lament.
Do you ever get impatient? Tired of waiting? For an answer? For a breakthrough? Just for a decision?
There are so many songs about waiting – good or bad 😊and the waiting is hard for me (Joe).
The Kinks with the classic 60’s hit, ‘Tired of Waiting For You.’ Foreigner’s 80s ballad, “Waiting for a Girl Like You.” And the legendary Tom Petty sang, “The Waiting is the Hardest Part.”
Are all songs about the ‘waiting…’ but what about this one? This song?
Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
This verse REPEATS it so we don’t miss it! Let’s admit it: waiting is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life. We live in a world of instant answers, quick fixes, and fast results—but God often works slowly and intentionally. Waiting isn’t wasted time; it’s forming time. God strengthens your heart while you wait.
And we know waiting is important, as Galatians 5:22-23 reminds us; it’s a vital fruit of the Spirit!
So, where are you waiting right now? What are you waiting on? Instead of asking “Why the delay?” try asking, “What is God growing in me?”
So think about these songs that encourage instead of groan: Zach Williams and Ben Fuller “Wait for Me” Lauren Daigle “Trust in You”
Lord, help me trust You in the waiting. Give me strength to believe You are working even when I cannot see it.
Brock:
The devotional book I (Brock) have been reading lately is called Fighting Words, and honestly, that title couldn’t be more fitting. There have been so many times I’ve gone back to the truths in that book to help combat anxious thoughts and remind myself of what’s really true.
One devotion that really stood out to me focused on Psalm 30:11-12: “You turned my mourning into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy… O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.”
Those verses are such a powerful reminder that it’s okay to grieve and struggle when life feels overwhelming. God never asks us to pretend everything is fine. But at the same time, we can hold on to the hope that He is able to bring joy out of our pain and turn even our hardest seasons into something beautiful.
I’ve also learned there’s a big difference between complaining and lamenting. For a long time, I felt guilty bringing my struggles to God because He’s blessed me with so much. But complaining comes from a place of bitterness, while lamenting comes from a place of faith. Lament says, “God, this is hard, and I need You.”
Today, I’m grateful that we serve a God who hears us when we cry out to Him, walks with us through every season, and has the power to turn our mourning into dancing.
This week, Esther from Mount Vernon correctly guessed “God Story” from Anne Wilson! She wins the $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica.
Daniel: My girlfriend owns this flower necklace. It’s not anything extraordinarily expensive, but it was special to her. She’d worn it one day at work and while shopping. Somewhere during the day, she lost her necklace and couldn’t find it anywhere. We called around town to see if it was lost when she was shopping. I checked around my car and places where it might be, but we just couldn’t find it. We said a quick prayer, asking God to help us find it. Later that same night, she called me to report she found it in a place she never expected to find it, she found it in her bible case. Her bible case has Romans 8:28 on it, which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It felt like a mini miracle.
Some say that God doesn’t work the way he used to; that he doesn’t work miracles like you’d find in the time of Jesus and the Old Testament. I highly disagree. Have you ever had a moment where something really bad could have happened, but didn’t? On the outside of town, there’s a specific street I take to work every day. It’s nothing too crazy; the main thing is that it connects to Route 3, and all the time, I see car after car take that turn from Route 3 onto this street way too sharply; sometimes I worry if they’ll hit me, but they never do. I’d call this a mini miracle.
Maybe for you, it’s that cold your co-worker had that you didn’t end up catching, perhaps it’s the tree you were worried about falling a different direction than you expected during the storm, and didn’t land on your fence, or maybe it’s something as simple as you dropped your phone and it didn’t crack; this is God looking out for you. Remember 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Remember to see God working in the world, even where you don’t expect him to. He will make things work out for your good, so keep an eye out for him and give thanks when you see him.
Congratulations to Rhonda from Mount Vernon! She correctly guessed the song was Petra – Creed, and won the $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!
Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive. Join me tomorrow for the NZ Top 10.
From Brock: during my personal time of prayer and devotion this week, I came across a devotional from Christian singer-songwriter Ellie Holcomb that really encouraged my heart. It focused on Luke 15:4, where Jesus says, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?”
That verse immediately made me think about how I feel whenever I lose something important—usually my car keys. It always seems to happen right when I’m about to head out the door, and suddenly I’m searching everywhere in a panic so I won’t be late. Reading this passage reminded me that in a much greater way, that’s how Jesus feels when we wander from Him. Staying lost is never His plan for us.
As someone who struggles with perfectionism, I can sometimes allow my mistakes to define me and make me feel unworthy of love, grace, and the guidance of the Good Shepherd. But I’m thankful that our God doesn’t simply stay with the ninety-nine. He lovingly seeks us out in the middle of our failures, our struggles, and the moments when we feel far from Him. Because no one is too far gone.”
From Joe: I’m bringing back one you may have heard before, ‘The Coffee Bean’ question, inspired by the book by Jon Gordon and Damon West. This is all about what happens to you when the pressures of life, or ‘the heat,’ ramp up. Jon and Damon remind us that you can go three ways:
The Way of the Carrot? It starts hard, but when boiled, weakens. The Way of the Egg? It starts fragile and with a soft heart (yolk), then hardens on the outside and inside. The Way of the Coffee Bean? When boiled, it transforms the environment around it!
The spiritual application? Influence and resilience. Instead of letting life’s trials change you, you can use the power of Christ within you to transform your environment. You are called to be an active presence that brings flavor, warmth, and hope to the world
If you’re feeling anything like me (Brock), it seems like summer arrived with very short notice! While it’s been nice to take a break from my academic pursuits, it’s also been stressful trying to balance my summer schedule, priorities, and plans. I’ve definitely caught myself overthinking decisions and feeling pressure to make the most of this brief season. In the middle of all that, one song in particular has really been on my mind lately, and that’s “Your Way’s Better” by Forrest Frank. The lyrics are simple, but they carry such a powerful truth: “I searched the world till my head hurt, just to find out Your way’s better.” Those words are such a good reminder to my heart that no matter how uncertain life can feel, God already has a plan, and His way is always better than our own. It also made me think about Matthew 6:27, which says, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” And the answer to that question is, of course, “NO!” So today, I’m praising God because He doesn’t want us to live consumed by worry, but instead calls us to trust Him fully, knowing that His way, His plan, and His purpose for our lives are always BETTER!
The Wild One was a 1953 film starring Marlon Brando that focused on a rebellious motorcycle gang. When Brando’s character was asked what they were rebelling against, he answered, “what do you got?” Put simply, the rebellion was the point.
Author Mike Wittmer reminds us that Israel had the same problem in the book of Jeremiah – they were stubborn in their worship of idols. Again, rebellion was the point. But the good news? God’s love is stronger than our rebellion, even when it’s open. “Return, faithless Israel,” God calls to them. He asks them to acknowledge their guilt.
Jesus died for rebels just like us. He always leaves the door open for our return! Praise God for that.
Michelle from Mount Vernon guessed correctly!! She wins a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica.
Tyler from Mount Vernon won our tickets today for Sunday’s matinee – congratulations!
Today on Praise Thursday we gave devotions and talked about updates on our website wnzr.fm! Plus, we played Name That Tune in the 2nd hour! Here’s what we talked about:
Brook Abella’s Devotion: On Monday during chapel the speaker said something I wasn’t so sure about. I spent days trying to figure out what the truth was and as it turns out the speaker wasn’t far off from the truth. I challenge you to dive into the word of God and take note on what is being said especially geographically. I think God likes to see his kiddos diving into his word and being curious!
Gabriella’s Devotion: As Karen was cleaning out her great grandma’s house she found a prayer book. The apostle Paul wrote to the early church, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). In his letter he talked about having others pray to God for him. Prayer empowers us to live in a way that “overcomes evil with good” (12:21). Though we may not always see the outcome, it creates a legacy of faithfulness for generations to come.
Joe’s Devotion: Psalm 23 has been on my mind lately and since Ben Fuller’s song just played it reminds me of the speaker at Chapel on Monday. He said in order to get things done we have to get off our butts and do something. The same thing goes with growing closer to God. We need to be focused and bring people closer to God. God is here to restore your soul and lead you. Let Him.
MTVarts are presenting To Kill A Mockingbird Friday May 8th 7:30pm – 9:30pm at the Woodward Opera House, 107 S Main St, Mt Vernon, OH 43050. It is a school performance, but it does contain language, violence, and racism. It is important and relevant, but it can be emotionally intense and may not be suitable for younger viewers. Tune in during The Morning Thing and Afternoon Drive to win tickets!
This week’s Name That Tune was “Gods not done with you” by Tauren Wells! Congratulations to Erica of Utica for guessing the artist and song title correctly and taking home 2 $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!
Tune in Tomorrow for the NZ Top 10 with Ethan and Joe!
Today on Praise Thursday we gave devotions tied into scripture and played Name That Tune! We also had some students come in for Praise Thursday and give praises and prayer requests! Here’s what we talked about:
Brook Abella’s Devotion: “Turn lemons into lemonade” is a common saying, but we forget who can turn the lemons into lemonade. Life’s given me a few lemons recently and my friend got me lemonade and on the cup she wrote “Let God turn your lemons into lemonade” and it made me think. When you hold onto the lemons they become moldy which isn’t healthy at all. Give your lemons to God and let him add the sugar and stir it up.
Gabriella’s Devotion: A judge used a particularly unique technique to address the shoplifting problem in their town. The judge had the people arrested for shop lifting work a car wash in hopes that they would express accountability. “A person who wrongs another… must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution.” (Numbers 5:6-7). In these verses we see the importance God places on acknowledging wrong doing, confessing sin, and seeing restoration. To read more click HERE!
This weeks Name That Tune was a stumper, but come back next week for a chance to win TWO $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!
Driving Notes 