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Praise Thursday

The Treasure of Freedom

Brock’s Devotional:

As we get closer to the Fourth of July, many of us are thinking about freedom, family gatherings, fireworks, and celebrating our nation. But I was reminded this week that one of the greatest freedoms we have as believers is the freedom to bring our hurts, burdens, and brokenness directly to God.

I was reading in my devotional recently, and it focused on Psalm 34:18, which says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

I appreciate that this verse doesn’t pretend life is always easy. Heartbreak comes in many forms. Maybe it’s the loss of someone you love, a strained relationship, church hurt, disappointment, or a dream that didn’t turn out the way you hoped. A broken heart can feel overwhelming and incredibly difficult to carry on your own.

But the beautiful promise in this verse is that God doesn’t run from our pain. He draws near to it. When we’re hurting, He isn’t distant or uninterested. He’s present. He’s comforting. He’s walking with us through every difficult moment.

The enemy would love for us to believe that God has abandoned us in our suffering, but the truth is exactly the opposite. God is closest when we need Him most.

So as we celebrate Independence Day this week, I’m thankful not only for the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, but also for the freedom we have in Christ to come honestly before our Heavenly Father. No matter what burden you’re carrying today, God is near, and you’re never walking through it alone.

Joe shared this from Our Daily Bread:

Have you heard of Michael Sparks? He walked into a thrift store and bought a souvenir copy of the US Declaration of Independence for $2.48. Later, as he looked closely at his parchment copy, he felt there was something unusual about it. So, he had it assessed by experts, who told him it was one of the thirty-six remaining copies of two hundred commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1820. Sparks then sold his rare copy of the Declaration for $477,650!

Michael acquired something for a small fee that became a huge treasure. Author Dave Branon says he loves sharing that story because it reminds us that there’s a treasure that’s infinitely better. A priceless, matchless, and eternal treasure that costs nothing and isn’t found in a thrift store.

Jesus purchased this gift by giving His life on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. This gift called salvation promises the treasure of an abundant “life . . . to the full” on earth (John 10:10) and an “eternal life . . . in [God’s] Son” with Jesus (1 John 5:11).

It’s amazing to find an earthly treasure at low cost, but that can’t compare with the eternal treasure Christ offers at no cost.

Congratulations to this week’s Name That Tune winner, Evelyn from Mount Vernon! She correctly guessed “Have Your Way” by Katy Nichole!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Joe & Brock

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God Sees You!

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

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When Your Soul is Thirsty and Your Heart is Heavy

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

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I Saw The Light

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

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Songs of waiting and lament

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.

Thanks for listening!
– Brock and Joe

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Mini Miracles – Praise Thursday

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.

-Daniel

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God’s Better Way and Slower Anger

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!

Link to Joe’s devotional – Slow Anger: https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/slow-anger?ts=1775952000000

Congratulations, Francesca!

This week’s Name That Tune was Hope Darst with Mighty Name of Jesus!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Joe & Brock

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The Wild Ones?

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!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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Faithful in Prayers!!

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!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Brook Abella, Gabriella, and Joe 🙂

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