I don’t know how it is for you, but time certainly is moving at a different rate these days. As the COVID-19 pandemic rolls on, I’m finding it harder to keep track of what day it is.
About twelve days ago, I decided it would be cool to document this global crisis and offer up some comfort and encouragement. Even though I knew better, I didn’t fully expect to be writing The COVID-19 Devotionals | Weekend Edition #2 post. Part of me hoped that I’d wake up from this bad dream we’re currently living in. But, alas…here we are, carving a course up toward the face of the viral tsunami wave known as COVID-19. It’s a two-fold crisis, at least, threatening our health and disrupting our economy-and that’s couching it nicely.
I certainly had more time to devote to my blogging endeavors. That’s partly due to the social media ban imposed on my “The Devotional Guy™” blog by Facebook and Instagram. This has caused me to invest time exploring my options and trying to understand more about social media algorithms than I really ever wanted to know.
It’s funny that your passion for a hobby or activity increases exponentially when someone or something tries to prevent you from doing what you love or attempts to infringe on your right to express yourself.
And then there’s that whole coronavirus thing blowing up our lives as we once knew them once upon a long while ago. While the virus has disturbed our daily existence, bringing along a heavy dose of death and mayhem, COVID-19 has also inspired people to create a sea of content focusing on our collective and individual COVID-19 experiences.
Here are 9 blogs chronicling their COVID-19 experiences that I’ve been reading:
- The COVID-19 Diaries
- The Webster Journal’s Coverage of COVID-19
- InBLOGnito
- Silence Killed The Dinosaurs
- Neil Murray-The Virus Diaries
- Roses in the Rubble
- Dr. Gail Beck-My COVID-19 Journal
- Live Laugh Love Louie
- Faith Over Fear
The above mentioned blogs vary in their response and reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic that has the world turned on its flip side and people living on edge. Sometimes, there just doesn’t seem to be enough grace to get us through the day. Fortunately, God’s grace doesn’t run out like ours does. I’m thankful for that truth.
Also, a big shout out to my friend Kathryn McClatchy | Unleashing the Next Chapter who recently invited me to teach an upcoming class on blogging. Kathryn is a visible presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth writing community and has served on several boards and panels geared to all things writing. She is a writer, speaker, and coach who maintains a positive outlook on life despite numerous health challenges. Well, I guess I better start reading up so that I can at least sound like I have a clue about what I’m doing with this blogging life.
If you’re stuck inside, separated from people, and looking for some diverse and insightful reads on our communal COVID-19 experience, I hope you’ll check out some of the links above. Blogging is a collaborative, community endeavor and I know there are bloggers who’d be encouraged by you showing them a little love by checking out their content.
Here are 9 bloggers I love to read regularly:
- Fit Recovery
- The Recovering Legalist
- The Bipolar Writer
- The Domain for Truth
- Lessons from a Lab
- Retrospective Lily
- BeautyBeyondBones
- Unleashing the Next Chapter
- Big Sky Buckeye
Each of them has a unique blog with an intriguing backstory that in most cases gave them the impetus to create a blog. In addition to doing some superb blogging, they engage with their fellow bloggers by sharing insights, giving feedback, and commenting regularly on the blogs they read and follow. They model the community spirit that is a cornerstone of great blogging. It’s not just about focusing on the content you create individually, but being an active part of the bigger conversation.
I hope you’ll find them as fun to read as I do and that all the blogs listed here encourage and inspire you as they have me.
If you enjoy reading The Devotional Guy™ or if this particular post resonated with you please, please, please SHARE this WordPress blog with your family, friends, and neighbors! Thank you to the wonderful visual artists and photographers at Pexels, Pixabay, and Pixlr.
Happy reading and better blogging!
Be well.
The Devotional Guy™
ABOUT:The Devotional Guy™is a writing ministry of Rainer Bantau, a chaplain actively and intentionally sharing the love of Jesus with people working in the marketplace, the homeless, and wherever else he encounters them.
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
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Thank you to the wonderful visual artists and photographers at Pexels, Pixabay, and Pixlr.
The Devotional Guy™ 
Hey, Rainer! I had no idea what this post was going to be about, nor did I know that you would give my blog a shout-out, but here I am, humbled. Now I’m interested in that “class” you teach!
Anyway, the reason I stopped by was to encourage you. I have not been able to write much new content as of late, simply because it’s amazing how busy I’ve been trying to pastor in a pandemic. Yet, there are you guys out there who are regularly putting out helpful and encouraging content that I have no doubt the Lord is using. Even if it’s only one life here and there, every soul is precious.
So, please keep up the good work. You’re an inspiration and a blessing. Be safe, stay well, and by His grace don’t grow weary in doing good.
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Thank you, Anthony. Every soul is precious indeed. I’ll be praying for you as you shepherd those God entrusted to you. Thanks so much for your gracious and encouraging words. I’ll keep you posted on the “class” as it develops. Be safe and be well, brother.
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I’ve been to Taco Bell to use the wi-fi and work on a blog post, and it wouldn’t allow me access saying religious sites are not allowed as part of the sites they banned. So I had to go somewhere else to work on it. But we never know what God will have us do, any moment can change. Keep up blogging and doing these devotions.
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Thanks for this Steve. That blows my mind about TB blocking access to religious sites and preventing you from working on your blog. I’m actually working with an organization to fight the ban certain social media sites have imposed on my blog. It’s very troubling to see this, not just for Christian bloggers, but for everyone really, regardless of worldview, presuming that these actions are not just squelching and silencing those with a Christian worldview. I appreciate your encouragement and support.
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I know these social media sites are banning a lot of religious sites links. But nonetheless we still keep trying.
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Agreed, Steve. Tyranny only requires that good men do nothing for it to spread. I believe it’s a fight worth fighting.
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Yes it is nothing we do for God goes in vain. 🙂
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