Praise the Lord it’s Friday! Here is this week’s countdown:
10. Micah Tyler – I See Grace 9. Brandon Lake – Gratitude 8. Steven Curtis Chapman – Don’t Lose Heart 7. Katy Nichole & Big Daddy Weave – God is in This Story 6. Mac Powell – New Creation 5. Colton Dixon – Build a Boat 4. Elevation Worship – Same God 3. Rachael Lampa f/TobyMac – Perfectly Loved 2. MercyMe – Then Christ Came (spent one week at #1) 1. for King and Country f/Jordin Sparks – Love Me Like I Am (1st week at #1)
Today I’m (Joe) sharing a wise word from worship pastor Ashley Lassetter. She’s a good friend of our daughter and recently shared this on her Facebook page. It was inspired by this phrase, “The Caller is the Keeper.”
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Following Christ requires a backbone, a strong one. Following Christ is hard. It’s sacrificial. The life you plan and want to live will die. You will make sacrifices that cost more than it feels it’s worth some days.
Your calling won’t be what you imagined it would be. It will be one that requires more than you are willing to give some days, but when it is that costly, do not forget the lives you will impact for the Lord’s glory.
So often we get weak and in our own flesh, we don’t want the life and situations we are dealt. We want a different hand. We get mad because it isn’t what we think it should be.
We get into a victim mindset. We want someone else to do the leg work for that ministry you yourself are pregnant with. We want someone else to do the heavy lifting.
But God has called YOU.
YOU have it in YOU because the LORD placed it there. What will you do with what the Lord has given you?
What will you do with your call? What will you do with the broken place that He wants to use for ministry to others? What will you do?
We must walk this life out in God and through God. We must bring it to him. He never intended for us to carry the heavy weight and cost alone. It will cost you for the anointing, yes. It will cost you to pursue the call of Christ for your life.
It will hurt. It will be hard. It is expensive.
But don’t forget that the result is such a great Glory of God that we can’t even begin to fathom. Earth cannot contain the surface of His glory.
I plead with you to live your life worthy of the calling you have. I call on you, fellow friends, to pursue the life Christ has intended for us, even when we must endure bitter and costly things.
Where can we go from His presence? He is everywhere. Walk in your call. Count the cost and pay for it.
Where will the generation be that stands and pays the cost with a backbone?
The Lord is worth it. He is worth the cost. Pursue Christ. Pursue the calling you have.
If he has called you and placed it in you, He will keep you. It is worth it. Pursue the Caller.
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I don’t know about you, but that MOTIVATES me to keep going because I know I’m never doing this on my own.
Although today’s show was shortened due to MVNU men’s basketball tonight, we were still able to share some amazing stories from some of your favorite artists.
Perhaps one of our favorite stories ever came today from We Are Messengers. Darren Mulligan, the band’s lead singer, walked away without a scratch from a brutal car accident Friday morning. He shared the experience in detail through the band’s Instagram in this statement:
“I’m okay. I promise. In fact, I’m on an airplane going to our first show of the year in Greeley, Colorado. A couple of hours ago I hit some ice on a bridge on 840 traveling to the airport. My truck lost all traction, slid across both lanes, down through the verge separating east and west highways and began sliding towards another vehicle on the opposite side of the road. I couldn’t bare the thought of someone being hurt so I did everything I could to flip my vehicle off the road and that’s what I did. It is a miracle that I’m alive, I’m a little sore but I walked out of that vehicle without a scratch. 10 seconds before the accident I had been talking with Jesus and I said out loud “my life has always been in your hands and it still is”. I guess God put that to the test and He has once again proved Himself unbelievably Kind. As I scrambled to find my backpack, guitar and phone which had flown out of the vehicle I heard a voice. It was a young man called Efrain who was on his way to work. His was the car that was coming the opposite direction. Efrain was so kind to me, his only thought was to make sure I was ok. He drove me to the airport so I could go about the work God has called this band to. Greeley, Colorado, we are on our way. Expecting big things from the Lord tonight. I am a very grateful man, more than ever and I’m convinced this too is the goodness of God in my life. #ComeWhatMay Darren”
Also in the news, Steven Curtis Chapman will be in Mansfield this! The Christian musician will bring his tour to Crossroads Church Thursday, March 24th starting at 7:00pm thanks to Rise FM.
We also continued our WNZR Spread the Love Giveaway!
Congratulations to Brad of Bellville and Pam of Fredericktown for answering our Valentine’s trivia and earning a chance at our Spread the Love Grand Prizes: An overnight stay at the Mount Vernon Grand Hotel OR 4 hours of housecleaning from Carefree Cleaning Company!
This week for Who Knew Wednesday, Joe & Lexie talk about everything Valentine’s Day!
Check out these cute Conversation Hearts! The words on these little treats changes every year! Necco chooses a theme every year!
We also played Who Am I?:
I was born on Valentine’s Day, 1934, in Dale, Indiana, the youngest of 10 children.
I started singing at local grocery stores when I was 12.
I starred in Broadway in the 1954 musical, Fanny, playing the title character, for 888 performances.
My most famous role was on TV, playing a mom named Carol, with three daughters and three stepsons. Robert Reed was my co-star, playing my husband, Mike.
I also was a frequent guest on the Hollywood Squares and in 2010, at the age of 76, I competed in Dancing with the Stars.
Who am I? Florence Henderson!
Congratulations to Mike of Mount Vernon for correctly guessing and winning a $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup!
We also gave away prizes for WNZR’s Spread The Love Contest!
Congratulations to Maude of Mount Vernon, She won a Mary Kay Satin Body Set during our Spread The Love contest!
Also congratulations to Rhonda of Fredericktown for winning in our Spread The Love Contest and getting a $10 gift card to Gospel Christian Life Shop
Thanks so much for tuning into the Afternoon Drive! – Lexie & Joe
Today we launched our ‘Spread The Love’ contests for Valentine’s week 2021. Congratulations to Vanessa of Mount Vernon, whose question was about the classic song, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” She won $10 to The Gospel Christian Life Shop. Peter from Howard also won an MVNU blanket from the Cougar Corner bookstore – his question was about the top holidays for sending cards (Christmas is #1, followed by Valentine’s Day). Listen to win all week!
Name something that’s hard to get off your shoes.
1- Gum 2- Dog Poop 3- Mud or Dirt 4- Tar 5- Paint
Congratulations to Elizabeth from Mount Vernon, who guessed the top two answers and wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup.
Today’s Monday Motivation focuses on God’s unfailing love, despite our mess, and on joy.
Todd’s devotional today is called ‘The One Who Sees,’ from author James Banks. Read it by clicking here.
Joe’s devotional focuses on joy:
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:9-11 ESV
Not to be confused with happiness, joy is not dependent on external circumstances. It’s a Holy Spirit-inspired mystery that defies all reason. Living joyfully is not denying reality. But in the midst of our ‘parched desert’ times, our heavenly Father reaches to lift and sustain us.
PRAYER: Giver of strength, fill me with Your joy in the midst of sorrow like a desert flower, Amen.
Driving Notes 