Driving Notes

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

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

Brock’s Devotional:

I was reading my devotional this week, and it focused on Hebrews 6:10, which says, “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”

If we’re honest, it can be frustrating when our hard work goes unnoticed or unappreciated. I know I’ve felt that way more times than I’d like to admit.

I work at a coffee shop, and I often find myself doing the cleaning tasks that nobody else wants to do. I wish I could say I always have a joyful attitude about it, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes it feels like I’m doing extra work without anyone noticing or saying thank you.

It’s easy to become discouraged in moments like that. But this devotional reminded me of something important: God never overlooks our labor. Even when nobody else sees it, He does.

What may be hidden from others is fully visible to Him. I’m so thankful that we serve a God who notices both the big and small ways we serve Him and serve others. That truth encouraged me to keep giving my best, not for recognition from people, but because ultimately we’re working to honor the Lord.

So if you’ve been faithfully serving behind the scenes and wondering if anyone notices, I hope you’re encouraged because God sees you, and He will not forget your work, and that’s what I’m praising Him for today!

Joe’s Devotional:

“We wave until they’re out of sight. It’s a way of showing that we love them.” Those words from my mother when I was a boy explained a habit she and my father had when a family member left our home after a visit. Mom and Dad stood outside and waved to the ones leaving until they disappeared in the distance. Sometimes they stood there for a long time, but that didn’t matter. When I left home myself, I understood why.

Seeing them waving in the rearview mirror touched my heart, and I felt loved and cared for. I still say goodbye to our family visitors that way to show love for them. It’s a habit I hope my children will continue.

Another way we can express love for our families is to communicate God’s love shared in Scripture. As the Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan into the promised land, God taught them with these instructions for life: “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. . . . Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19).

These are words that would one day find fulfillment in the perfect love of Jesus, who promised, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). As we share His truth and kindness, we can trust that His love is able to overcome every distance.

Read more at: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/love-that-goes-the-distance?ts=1777766400000

Congratulations to Jill from Apple Valley for correctly guessing this week’s Name That Tune! It was “The Author” by Brandon Lake and Nick Jonas!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Brock & Joe

Brock’s Praise Thursday Devotionals:

#1

We all know what it feels like to be physically thirsty, but Jesus is talking about something even deeper—a spiritual thirst. God created us with a desire to be satisfied, loved, and fulfilled. The challenge is that we often look for those things in places that can never truly provide them.

John 7:37-38 tells us, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

I know I’m guilty of putting other things ahead of Jesus at times, thinking they’ll bring the satisfaction or fulfillment I’m looking for. But eventually, those things always fall short.

What encourages me about this passage is that Jesus knows our tendency to do that. He continually invites us back to Him, reminding us that He alone can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts. Where other things fail, He remains faithful, ready to fill us with His living water.

So today, I’m praising Jesus because He lovingly redirects my heart and reminds me that true satisfaction is found in Him alone.

#2

Another bit of encouragement that has really spoken to my heart recently comes from 1 Peter 5:7, it says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

If I can be honest with you for a moment, anxiety is something I struggle with. Between college, work, relationships, life decisions, and wondering about the future, it can be easy to carry around a lot of stress and worry. My tendency is to keep those things bottled up and try to handle them on my own, but that usually just leaves me feeling overwhelmed.

What stood out to me in this verse was the word cast. It means to throw something forcefully in a specific direction. Think about that for a second—God isn’t asking us to gently hand over our worries. He’s inviting us to throw them onto Him.

There’s something freeing about remembering that some burdens were never meant for us to carry. God cares deeply about every fear, every stress, and every uncertainty we face. And because He cares for us, we can trust Him with those things.

So today, whatever is weighing on your heart, I want to encourage you to cast it in the direction of the One who loves you most. It’s a reminder I need every day, and maybe it’s one your heart needed today too.

Congratulations to Michelle from Mount Vernon for correcting guessing this week’s Name That Tune! It was “GOODBYE YESTERDAY” by ELEVATION RHYTHM! Tune in next week for your chance to win!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Brock Hankins

Brock’s Devotional:

If I’m (Brock) being honest, prayer hasn’t always come easily for me. It’s not because I don’t know what to say—I think sometimes I put so much pressure on myself to pray the “right” way that I end up not praying at all. And usually, I regret it later.

That’s why Romans 8:26 has been such an encouragement to me. It says, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness… For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

I love that reminder because it shows us that we’re never alone in prayer. Even when we don’t have the words, when we’re overwhelmed, exhausted, or unsure what to say, God’s Spirit is right there, interceding on our behalf.

So if you’re struggling to find the words today, be encouraged. We serve a God who meets us in our weakness and gives us His Spirit to help us. Even when we can’t pray the prayers we want to pray, we’re still covered in prayer—and that’s something worth praising God for.

Joe’s Devotional:

Inspiration comes in the most unexpected places sometimes. For me, this week it was in an algorithm!

One of our favorite TV shows was always The West Wing, starring Martin Sheen as President Josiah Bartlett. Every once in a while, a West Wing clip will show up in my Facebook feed. Last night, it just so happened that the clip was of actor Martin Sheen singing a hymn on his podcast. That hymn was ‘On Eagle’s Wings,’ composed by Father Michael Joncas in the 1970’s.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

The inspiration is the reminder that we find our strength in God rather than relying on human endurance. We can trust in God and help overcome life’s exhaustive moments.

Congratulations to this week’s Name That Tune winner – Rodney from Gambier!

He correctly guessed this week’s song, “demons” by Josiah Queen!

We’re starting a new Praise Thursday tradition!

Every week, we will play “I Saw The Light” by David Crowder Band before starting the second hour of the Afternoon Drive! We hope it’s a reset and reminder to praise Jesus!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Joe & Brock