Today was another great praise Thursday sharing encouragement from devotionals and keeping you updated on the awesome events going on!
Abby shared today’s devotional from Our Daily Bread about how God makes beauty from ashes. If you missed it, you can find it here! https://odb.org/2023/10/26/beauty-for-ashes
Mike shared from 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” He talked about how God is always making us more like him so we can be new creations!
Today’s Name That Tune was Best News Ever by MercyMe! Congrats to Jacob from Fredericktown for correctly guessing! He wins two $5 gift cards to Watts’ restaurant in Utica!
This afternoon, Mike and Abby celebrated National Do Something Nice for Someone Else Day!
Abby shared 1 John 3:16-18 which says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” She shared how doing something nice for someone else can be hard, but is always worth it!
Mike also talked about how his Young Adults Pastor made him feel wanted and appreciated on a missions trip! Mike also shared a verse to help us remember the importance of thanking our pastors for clergy appreciation month! It was 1 Timothy 5:17, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” It’s a great reminder to thank and honor your pastor! If you want a chance to do that, go to wnzr.fm and sign him or her up for our Clergy appreciation month giveaway!
Today’s Name That Tune was The Healing by Blanca! Congrats to Janell from Mount Vernon for correctly guessing! She wins two $5 gift cards to Watts’ restaurant in Utica!
Today for Artist News Day we shared stories about Cody Carnes and Big Daddy Weave. Our stories today were from JesusFreakHideout.com!
Cody Carnes is coming out with a new album, “Firm Foundation,” on August 25th and he just debuted a brand new song that will be on that album. Listen to it below.
You can read the full article on this new song and new album from Cody Carnes by clicking HERE.
Big Daddy Weave announced their fall tour entitled “Heaven Changes Everything Tour” recently and they will on the road with Tasha Layton and Hannah Kerr. Check out the poster below!
Find out all the details about this great tour HERE.
10 – Ain’t Nobody by Cody Carnes 9 – Heaven Changes Everything by Big Daddy Weave 8 – First Things First by Consumed By Fire 7 – The Lord’s Prayer by Matt Maher 6 – Holy Forever by Chris Tomlin 5 – For the Love of God by Andrew Ripp 4 – Thank God I Do by Lauren Daigle 3 – This Is Our God by Phil Wickham 2 – Running Home by Cochran & Co. 1 – Cornerstone – Tobymac ft. Zach Williams
NEW MUSIC FRIDAY
This week we have a great new song from vocal powerhouse, Brandon Lake. His message is simple, no matter where you in life: God deserves the praise.
Today Josiah shared this devotional from Our Daily Bread, If you would like to read more please click here
Have you ever done something in anger you later regretted? When my son was wrestling with drug addiction, I said some harsh things in reaction to his choices. My anger only discouraged him more. But eventually he encountered believers who spoke life and hope to him, and in time he was set free.
Even someone as exemplary in faith as Moses did something he later regretted. When the people of Israel were in the desert and water was scarce, they complained bitterly. So God gave Moses and Aaron specific instructions: “Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water” (Numbers 20:8). But Moses reacted in anger, giving himself and Aaron credit for the miracle instead of God: “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” (v. 10). Then he disobeyed God directly and “raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff” (v. 11).
Even though water flowed, there were tragic consequences. Neither Moses nor Aaron was allowed to enter the land God promised His people. But He was still merciful, allowing Moses to see it from afar (27:12–13).
As with Moses, God still mercifully meets us in the desert of our disobedience to Him. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He kindly offers us forgiveness and hope. No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done, if we turn to Him, He’ll lead us into life.
Zoe shared a devotional from Our Daily Bread as well called Purple Shawl, if you would like to read more you can read it here
While serving as my mom’s live-in caregiver at a cancer center hundreds of miles away from my home, I asked people to pray for us. As the months passed, isolation and loneliness sapped my strength. How could I care for my mom if I gave in to my physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion?
One day, a friend sent me an unexpected care package. Jodi had crocheted a purple prayer shawl, a warm reminder that we had people praying for us daily. Whenever I wrapped the soft yarn around my shoulders, I felt God hugging me with the prayers of His people. Years later, He still uses that purple shawl to comfort me and strengthen my resolve.
The apostle Paul affirmed the importance and spirit-refreshing power of praying for others. Through his passionate request for prayerful support and encouragement during his travels, Paul demonstrated how those who pray for others become partners in ministry (Romans 15:30). Offering specific requests, the apostle not only showed his dependence on the support of fellow believers but his trust that God powerfully answers prayer (vv. 31–33).
We’ll all experience days when we feel alone. But Paul shows us how to ask for prayer as we pray for others. When we’re wrapped in the intercessory prayers of God’s people, we can experience God’s strength and comfort no matter where life takes us.
Who has God used to encourage you through intercessory prayer? Who can you pray for today?
Congrats to our winner of Name That Tune, Joanna of Pickerington!
Today on the Afternoon Drive, Zoe read a devotional from Our Daily Bread.
In Martin Handford’s Where’s Waldo? books, a series of children’s puzzle books first created in 1987, the elusive character wears a red and white striped shirt and socks with a matching hat, blue jeans, brown boots, and glasses. Handford has cleverly hidden Waldo in plain sight within the busy illustrations filled with crowds of characters at various locations around the world. Waldo isn’t always easy to see, but the creator promises readers will always be able to find him. Though looking for God isn’t really like looking for Waldo in a puzzle book, our Creator promises we can find Him, too.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God instructed His people on how to live as foreigners in exile (Jeremiah 29:4–9). He promised to protect them until He restored them according to His perfect plan (vv. 10–11). God assured the Israelites that the fulfillment of His promise would deepen their commitment to call on Him in prayer (v. 12).
Today, even though God has revealed Himself in the story and Spirit of Jesus, it can be easy to get distracted by the busyness of this world. We may even be tempted to ask, “Where’s God?” However, the Creator and Sustainer of all things declares that those who belong to Him will always find Him if they seek Him with all their hearts (vv. 13–14).
Today on the afternoon drive we heard from Paul McNeal from MVNU Athletics about their upcoming Par 3 Palooza happening at Irish Hills Golf Club, if you would like more information you can visit HERE. The interview segments are also on our soundcloud.
Today is national chocolate ice cream day and if you would like to learn a little bit more about Chocolate Ice Cream you can visit HERE.
Today is also national best friends day! To learn more about that you can click HERE
We also played Who am I? Here are the clues:
I was born in Stubenville OH
I am known for being a Jazz Musician and Actor but I have many other titles under my belt
I was a founding member of the Rat Pack
I was nick named “The King of Cool”
Who am I? if you guessed Dean Martin, you would be correct! Congratulations to Jack for winning an Anne Wilson CD with the correct guess!
Driving Notes 