One Last Post for the Year 2022

Friends, thanks for a great year. I appreciate all of you stopping by this blog and reading my posts. As you know, if you’re a regular follower of this blog, I’ve been busy serving the homeless during the recent inclement weather spell that left its’ mark all around the country. We wrapped up our inclement weather service this past Tuesday.

Over the last two years, I’ve learned that this effort to keep unsheltered people from freezing to death takes its toll mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I am tired. Fortunately, I had scheduled a couple of days off —intending to see my Mom over Christmas. However, with us being open over Christmas weekend—-operating a 24 hour emergency shelter—I wound up rescheduling.

While catching my wind physically, I recognize that I’m still spent mentally. Over the past couple of days, I’ve watched old movies like The Marathon Man—starring Dustin Hoffman, Roy Scheider, and Laurence Olivier. It is an ominous, tense thriller revolving around an Ivy League grad student and his Nazi-hunter brother as they grapple a tenacious war criminal known as “The White Angel.” The day before, I watched The Sum of All Fears, a movie based on the character Jack Ryan from the renowned Tom Clancy thrillers. I find these movies help distract my mind, disconnecting me from my own reality. I like suspense thrillers along with murder mysteries. This temporary distraction, I believe, allows time to heal and recover.

Are there favorite movie genres you turn to when your mind and spirit need a rest?

2022 is winding down rapidly. Saturday marks the end of the year. Sunday marks the beginning of a new year.

For me, 2022 had a number of blogging highlights, including a number of well-read posts. Here is a list of some of my most read posts of the past year:

• Daily Scripture | 7 Bible Verses for Starting a New Job
• The Seven Wonders of God
• How Do Our Lives Reflect the Image of God
• Wednesday Wisdom | What is Discipleship?
• Worship is our response to God
• Connecting to God through Worship
• 3 Bible Verses to Encourage You in Performing Your Job with Excellence
• Morning Prayer 16 | Gentleness
• It’s My Birthday! Here are 5 of my favorite Scripture Passages
• Encouragement for Battling the Angst of Starting a New Job

The posts above give you a smorgasbord sampling to get acquainted with my blog if you are new to it. If you’re familiar with my work, then this will provide you a refresher on a diverse variety of topics that I cover. Regardless, I hope you enjoy reading them.

In the meantime—I pray your new year is a grand experience marked by a closer walk with God. I pray that your family is blessed and that the Lord would shower you with His favor.

If you’re interested in what I do—-the grand work that God has called me to—along with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ—-the video below will give you a glimpse.

In addition to watching old movies, I’ve been working my way through the U2 catalog, in particular War and Joshua Tree. On some level, these two records hold a spiritual significance to me. An added twist to recalibrating my senses leading up to and following our first inclement weather event is reading Pádraig O Tauma’s book Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems To Open Your World.

Combined, all of these help me grounded and focused on the mission at hand. For me and my teammates it’s about saving lives, winning souls, and helping people get off the streets.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my blog.

May your soul rise up to meet the Lord, our Creator as the day rises to meet the sun.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you again in 2023!

Blessings,

Rainer Bantau
The Devotional Guy™

#bgbg2#BibleGateway#NewYear