January 1 Ushering in the New Year

For bloggers, a new year is a time for new beginnings or final endings. Many blogs shuttered their windows into the blog-verse as the year rolled to a close. For a myriad of reasons, they quit. That makes me sad.

Thankfully, many remain. Blogging isn’t easy in a very competitive social media world where every 21 seconds a new influencer is born. It takes grit. It requires stamina. There’s an innate stick-to-it-ness that’s necessary if you desire to have any longevity.

2025 marks my 12th year blogging as The Devotional Guy™.

Twelve years!

That sounds crazy to me.

In publishing nearly 1,400 posts, I’ve gained nearly 1,400 committed followers—people who read my blog regularly—day in day out. My posts have been viewed 205 thousand times (and counting) by nearly 150 thousand people (and growing). While this doesn’t exactly make me Eugene Peterson, I am amazed and blown away. It’s truly only by God’s goodness and grace.

What did all those people read?

Here are the Top 5 posts people read in 2024.

Daily Scripture|7 Bible Verses for Starting a New Job

How Do Our Lives Reflect the Image of God?

The Seven Wonders of God

When God Delivers an Unexpected Blessing

Psalm 104: Using Your Creative Gifts for His Glory and Praise

Originally published on December 19, 2018, my post Daily Scripture | 7 Bible Verses for Starting a New Job, offers encouragement and wisdom through Scripture for those beginning a new chapter in their professional lives. My post highlights seven Bible verses that provide guidance, reassurance, and strength, reminding readers to trust God, seek His wisdom, and approach their new role with faith and diligence. My post focuses on themes like relying on God’s plan, working with integrity, and embracing new opportunities with confidence in His provision. It’s been viewed by thousands of people and is by far my most read post.

How Do Our Lives Reflect the Image of God? explores the concept of being made in God’s image and how that shapes our identity and purpose. It emphasizes that reflecting God’s image involves embodying His love, creativity, and character in our daily lives. I hope my post encourages readers to consider how their actions, choices, and relationships demonstrate God’s presence to others. It challenges each of us to live intentionally, fostering compassion, kindness, and humility as reflections of His divine nature.

My post, The Seven Wonders of God, reflects on the awe-inspiring aspects of God’s nature and His work in the world. It highlights seven key “wonders” that reveal His majesty, such as His creation, love, grace, power, wisdom, justice, and presence. Each wonder invites readers to deepen their appreciation for God’s greatness and to recognize His hand in their lives. The post encourages gratitude and reverence, urging readers to see these wonders as reminders of His unchanging character and boundless care for humanity.

When God Delivers an Unexpected Blessing ponders the joy and surprise of receiving blessings from God when we least expect them. It emphasizes that God’s timing and provision often exceed our understanding, reminding readers to remain open to His plans. The post encourages gratitude and trust, even during challenging times, as these moments often pave the way for God’s unexpected gifts. It inspires readers to recognize and celebrate these blessings as expressions of His love and faithfulness.

Psalm 104: Using Your Creative Gifts for His Glory and Praise highlights the connection between creativity and worship, inspired by the beauty of Psalm 104. It reflects on how God’s creation demonstrates His majesty and serves as a model for using our creative talents to glorify Him. The post encourages readers to embrace their unique gifts, offering them as an act of praise and a testament to God’s greatness. It reminds us that creativity is a divine gift, meant to reflect His glory and draw others closer to Him.

Those are my Top 5 posts of 2024. I hope you take time to go read them.

As we kickoff a new year we each are facing a blank canvas. What we fill it with is up to us. 2025 is a year that hasn’t been yet. Make a mark and see where it takes you. You may be surprised by the results. After all, God can use the most bent brushes to create a masterpiece.

Happy New Year!

Rainer Bantau—The Devotional Guy™