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Praise Thursday

Lamenting To God!

On this stressful and heartbreaking anniversary, we took a step back to read devotions from Our Daily Bread Ministries!

Here’s our devotional we talked about for Praise Thursday!

“See, Lord, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed.” Lamentations 1:20

“I viewed the opening displays of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City with curiosity but kept my emotions in check. That changed when we entered the inner exhibit, which the curators have wisely closed off from children and those wanting to shield themselves from the more heartrending images. As I encountered story after story of heartbreak and loss, waves of lament rose within me. This kind of honest crying out to God can help us to grapple with painful atrocities such as what happened on September 11, 2001, or other current-day evil deeds. We look to God for help, hope, comfort, and justice.”– Our Daily Bread.

Reflect: When you witness wickedness, how do you keep your heart tender before God? How might He lead you to pray for those who are hurting today?

You can read more about what we talked about HERE!

Today we played a 15 second clip of a song that we listened to on The Afternoon Drive for Name That Tune!

Come back next week for Name That Tune for a chance to win two $5 gift cards to Watts restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow as we introduce a new song and this week’s count down for The NZ Top 10.

Thank you so much for listening!!

-Gabriella and Ethan 🙂

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Prayer Is POWERFUL!

Today on Praise Thursday, we were on the road with Big Blue at the Fredericktown Tomato Show! Stay up-to-date with the Fredericktown Tomato Show and upcoming events on our website, at wnzr.fm!

It’s Praise Thursday! Today we read a devotional from Our Daily Bread Devotionals about prayer!

Prayer is the biggest thing we can do for someone. Whether you feel the impact or not, our prayer makes a difference. Especially when multiple people are praying for you!

We also talked about how it’s okay to open up about your struggles with godly people you trust that will lift you up and support you! That is such a huge step in conquering whatever you’re going through!

Read more about this devotional by clicking HERE!

We played a 20 second song clip from a song we listened to on The Afternoon Drive!

This week’s Name That Tune song was “Made For More” from Josh Baldwin and Jenn Johnson!

Congratulations to Gina from Warsaw for calling in and figuring out the song title and artist, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for New Music Friday and this week’s countdown of The NZ Top 10!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Gabriella and Ethan

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An Eternal Hope And Joy!

We took some moments to take a step back and breathe for Praise Thursday on The Afternoon Drive. We read devotionals from Our Daily Bread Ministries!

Here is the devotional we read and talked about today!

The author of the devo we read today talked about how she and her friends tried to go to a restaurant, but had to go back because it was full. Disappointments like that will happen in this life, but even in situations when we feel upset or down, we can take heart knowing that in the end, it is just temporary. As believers and followers of Jesus and our sights set on Heaven, we can sit on the edge of our seat every day, awaiting what God has for us in His plan, and not worry if Heaven will be too full for us. There is room for everyone who says yes to Jesus!

In Revelation 21:2, John saw “the Holy City, the new Jerusalem” which shone of God’s glory. As believers and followers of Jesus, we know that in “the new Jerusalem”, there will be no more fear, sorrow, pain, or sin! Our hope is sealed in the fact that Jesus paid our debts and sins on the cross once and for all, and that His resurrection from death shows that we are not in our sins and that are hope is not empty! In the end, Jesus has already won!

You can read more about the devo we read today by clicking HERE!

Today we played a 20 second clip of a song we listened to on The Afternoon Drive for Name That Tune!

This Week’s Name That Tune song was “If I Got Jesus” from Ben Fuller!

Congratulations to Chris from Gambier for calling in and correctly guessing the song title and artist, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow on Friday as we check out a new song being introduced to WNZR and this week’s countdown for The NZ Top 10!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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God Couldn’t Love You Any More Than He Does Right Now!!!

We took some time to slow down and take some moments to breathe on Praise Thursday today. We listened to some worship music, talked about a powerful message from one of MercyMe’s songs and read some devos out of Our Daily Bread Devotionals!

We listened to MercyMe’s song Best News Ever during The Afternoon Drive today. We talked about the message of this song, which is that what Jesus did on the cross was and is enough! He has been pleased with you the day you called His Name, and there’s nothing you can do to ruin that.

Something we as believers try to do is try to earn our grace, or earn our attention from God. Something we need to realize is that we need to stop trying so hard, and just accept the truth that the cross was, is, and always will be enough. “What if I were the one to tell you that the fight’s already been won?” There’s nothing more you can or need to do to earn His grace. Believe the cross was enough and that as you accept Jesus as your Savior, you are changed, made holy, righteous, and redeemed!

We looked in a new Our Daily Bread devo book for these next three months! The one we looked at today talked the boundaries, and how they set us more free than we think!

A study was made by architects who would provide a fence for a preschool. What the architects noticed was that when there was no fence, the students would stay close to the building, and stay a little secluded. However, when they built a fence, the students enjoyed all of the area that was in the fence, not just the little area next to the building.

We see here that boundaries set a greater sense of freedom! And we see how God sets boundaries with the Ten Commandments, which He promised would provide good, quality life within these boundaries. We also saw Jesus say in John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” We see that boundaries are for our good and provide us freedom, rather than restraining us!

To read the entire devo on this topic, click HERE!

Today we played a 20 second song clip from a song we listened to on The Afternoon Drive for Name That Tune!

Our song today was Jesus Loves from Zach Williams!

Congratulations to Alex from Howard for calling in and guessing the song title and artist correctly, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow as we count down the top 10 songs in Christian music on the NZ Top 10, and as we take a look at new music getting added to WNZR!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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Cast All Your Cares On Him.

We took some time to slow down, listen to worship music, read some devotionals, and remembered to breathe during The Afternoon Drive today.

We read in 1 Peter today, where it tells us to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (5:7) Such a powerful and comforting truth we get to live in! Whatever the enemy tries to come attack us with, we can take the offense and use God’s Word to dismantle anxiety and fear. Our surrender and worship to God is how we fight our battles! We also see in Ephesians where it tells us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (6:11) Read Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10-20! It is such a beautiful passage and it reminds us to not stop praying, no matter what! Call on God to just flood you with His peace and His presence! He is with you. He is always Emmanuel, which means “God with us”!

We listened to Seph Schlueter’s newest song on WNZR that has been speaking to so many hearts. It’s called Won’t Start Now, and it goes so well in reminding us that we can always cast our cares onto Him, and He has never changed that truth, and He won’t start now! (Or ever!)

We also were on the road with Big Blue this afternoon at the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival! We got to give away prize baskets for kids and adults (If you want to register for these prize baskets, register on wnzr.fm), and the Big Blue Crew got to talk with many people involved with Mount Vernon and the festival!

The Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival will be running from August 7th until Sunday, August 10th, so come on down to the downtown Mount Vernon public square, say hi to the Big Blue Crew, get registered for a prize basket, and enjoy the many attractions and events at the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival!

Today we played a game of Name That Tune! This week we played a fan favorite that we hear on WNZR.

This week, our Name That Tune song was The Prodigal from Josiah Queen! Congratulations to Lindsey from Fredericktown for calling in and guessing the song title and artist correctly! Tune in tomorrow for the NZ Top 10 and for a first-look at some new music getting added to WNZR!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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God is always holding on!

We took some time to slow down, listen to some worship music, and read some devotionals during Praise Thursday today. We took a look at some encouragement from Daily Bread Devotionals:

We see the story of a woman, Carol, who goes through some back-to-back hard circumstances. She went through a severe infection and then her daughter fractured her foot at school. All Carol could really do is ask God for strength and keep trusting in Him that everything was going to be okay.

This reminds us of the story of Job where we see Job go through so much loss and pain, but despite all of this he still kept his eyes, his faith, and his trust in God. Job led an incredible example of what how we should respond when we are faced with tragedy and pain. He definitely did not know why he was going through everything he went through, but God showed that He will take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for His good and His glory! He will use what you went through to help others and build His kingdom!

You can read the full Daily Bread Devo by clicking HERE!

We also talked about having a generous heart!

Sadio Mené is a soccer player who displayed such generosity when he said he wants to use the money he’s made from playing sports to build schools and give to the poor rather than buy private planes or diamonds. This reminds us of the verse in Hebrews where it says “Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (13:16)

Something we talked about was just being generous with how you treat people. Be selfless, like how Jesus was. Give people kindness, a smile, and a hand to help them out. Jesus was the perfect example of this, the biggest thing being that He died for all our sins on that cross!

We listened to a 20 second song clip for Name That Tune! Here was our song today:

Running Home by Cochren & Co.

Congratulations to Brenda from Fredericktown for calling in and correctly guessing the title and artists for this week’s song clip, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for the NZ Top 10 and New Music Friday!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Xander and Ethan

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Call On Jesus!

Even with a couple technical difficulties today, we still had a great show! Today on Praise Thursday, we read some devotions out of Our Daily Bread Devotions!

We read a story about a woman, Nancy, who was walking in her town, and on her way she walked past a dog being walked on a leash. The dog tried to attack Nancy, but the owner held on to the leash, keeping the dog from harming her.

This reminded Nancy how the devil is prowling around waiting to attack us and paralyze us with fear, however we do not need to fear at all, because he is no match for the God we know and believe in. God calls us to “submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” found in James 4:7. Cry out to Jesus in times of fear, desperation, anxiety, when you need help, and as it says in 1 Peter 5:10, “And the God of grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Read the full devotional HERE!

Jesus is our everything. We couldn’t possibly get through life without Him. Our other devotion we went though talks about how Kennedy Blades, a 2024 Olympian gave all glory to God, and praised Him for her victories. It is so incredible to see Kennedy using the platform God gave her to give Him glory and praise for everything. We see this heart posture reflect David in Psalm 63 where he says in verse 1, “I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you.” Kennedy acknowledged that she couldn’t have gotten anywhere, or done anything without the hope and grace that she has been blessed with by Jesus Christ!

If you want to read the full story, click HERE!

Today we took a 20 second clip of a song we played during The Afternoon Drive today!

Today’s song was Firm Foundation from Cody Carnes! Congratulations to Adam from Fredericktown for calling in and guessing the song title and artist correctly, taking home that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for the NZ Top 10, where we count down the top 10 songs in Christian music of the week! We’ll also have some new music for you as well!

Thank you so much for tuning in and listening!
– Xander and Ethan

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Festival time again!

Today we’re back On the Road with Big Blue at the Centerburg Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival! Ethan, Sue and Zoey were live with us – remember this event runs through Saturday!

The Heart of Ohio USA Days Festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a weekend packed full of excitement, flavor, and hometown pride.

Make sure to stop by and register for to win a Family 4 Pack of One-Day Passes to the Hiawatha Water Park and Pool ($36 value)! Registrations will only be accepted at the festival, NO online registrations. You do NOT need to be present to win.  

WNZR will broadcast tonight until 8 and on Saturday 6/28 from Noon – 2pm.  We will also be in the parade Saturday morning at 10!

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We also shared some wise words from Tauren Wells from his devotional book, Joy Bomb:

Burying your feelings isn’t the same as surrendering them.

And what you bury doesn’t die. It lives just beneath the surface.

Quiet. Unresolved. Controlling your joy from the shadows.

But when you invite God into your fears, confusion, and sadness?

You open the door to a joy that’s rooted in something deeper than your mood. Not a surface-level smile. But soul-level peace.

#1: Pause the performance. Stop trying to prove you’re okay. God isn’t scared by your emotions.

#2: Feel your feelings with faith. You don’t have to choose one or the other. Invite God into your emotions. Let him speak peace over your pain.

#3: Don’t go solo. Your healing wasn’t meant to happen in isolation. Open up in community — whether that’s by sharing in a church small group or calling a friend.

Congratulations to Linda from Gambier, who guessed correctly and wins the $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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God Is SO Graceful.

Today is Praise Thursday, and we got to listen to some worship music as we winded down the day!

Something God put on my heart was the realization that He is not here to wait for the moment we sin or make a mistake to punish us or condemn us. Rather, He is graceful and instantly forgiving, knowing the position of our hearts. The song that this reminded me of was Danny Gokey’s “More Than You Think I Am”. In the song, he sings:

Rumour has it, there’s a gavel in my hand,
I’m only here to condemn.
But let me tell you secrets you would’ve never known
I think of you as my best friend.

This is so freeing for us that we can be sure to know that as believers and followers of Jesus, we don’t need to worry about getting punished or condemned for every little mistake or sin we make. He is graceful and forgiving! “For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of disaster.” – Proverbs 24:16

We also God’s grace, from a story found in Our Daily Bread Ministries, and we remember that we are washed completely clean from our past sins and mistakes. It doesn’t matter who we are, what we’ve done, or what we look like. His grace is sufficient for everyone, no matter where they are, or where they’ve come from! “Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!” – Psalm 32:1. To read the quick, full story, click HERE.

Today we played Name That Tune! We played a fifteen second clip of a song played on WNZR so you can guess the title and artist of that song!

Today’s song clip came from bodie and his song Whisper and the Wind! Congratulations to Olivia from Mount Vernon for guessing the title and artist correctly! Make sure to tune in tomorrow from 4-6pm for The NZ Top 10!

Thank you so much for watching!
– Xander and Ethan

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