Every holiday means more than it’s superficial parts and imagery. The real reason for Christmas is deeper than trees or toys, Thanksgiving is about more than a hearty meal, and Independence Day is more than fireworks, parades, and cookouts. However, the importance and deeper meaning of a holiday does not mean that we cannot still enjoy the more lighthearted aspects of that holiday as well. Independence Day is about celebrating our freedoms, remembering and honoring the sacrifices that earned them, and thanking God for providing us a free land in which to live, but we can do these things while spending quality times with our loved ones at fireworks shows, parades, and, of course, cook outs.

We encourage you to not only reflect on the deep meaning of Independence Day, but also invest and enjoy the fun celebrations as well. If you are planning a cookout or a party, check out the list of the best barbecue recipes we shared on The Morning Thing. You can find recipes for entrees, sides, dessert and more HERE. However you celebrate, we wish you a very Happy Independence Day!

WNZR loves partnering with and promoting the work of local ministries. That’s why we are excited to share the latest news from Place 4 Grace, a local Christ-centered home for new and expectant mothers. On July 9th, Place 4 Grace will debut its new online thrift shop, which will serve as a fundraiser for their outreach. We had the opportunity to hear from Kandee Popham, Executive Director of Place 4 Grace, about this new opportunity and the special one-day Pop Up Shop that will accompany its launch. You can hear the entire conversation with Kandee HERE. To learn more about Place 4 Grace’s ministry, thrift shop, and volunteer opportunities, click HERE.

While we were talking about thrift shops, we also decided to share some of the many reasons to go thrift shopping. There are more unique reasons beyond simply saving money. You can find the entire list HERE.

You’re driving along on your morning commute, enjoying the beautiful scenery, when your eyes are drawn to a not-so-beautiful sight: the gas station price sign. All it takes is one glance for you to feel a physical pain in your gut. This is, unfortunately, a common experience that we are all having lately. With gas prices so high it has become more important than ever to find ways to save at the pump, even if it’s seemingly small amounts of change. Done consistently and intentionally that change adds up!

Today on the Morning Thing we shared advice for saving on gas from Dave Ramsey, a well-known financial planning expert. His great tips are simple, but do require some planning and effort to see them through in order to reap the most benefits. You can check out the list we shared on-air HERE, as well as some advice from Dave about how to use the money you save at the pump!

Of course there are other financial concerns and other ways to save, so we also took a look at some great ideas you can implement this summer. These simple lifestyle changes can have a big impact over the next couple months. You can find the entire list from The Balance HERE.