functions.php

<?php


// Popular Posts
	$args = array(
		'meta_key' => 'be_stats',
		'orderby' => 'meta_value_num',
		'order' => 'ASC',
		'posts_per_page' => 3,
		'cat' => get_query_var( 'cat' ),
		'post__not_in' => $used_posts,
	);
	$loop = new WP_Query( $args );
	if( $loop->have_posts() ):
		echo '<div class="popular-posts-listing">';
		echo '<h4>Most Popular ' . $category->name . ' Posts</h4>';
		while( $loop->have_posts() ): $loop->the_post();
			echo '<div class="post">';
			if( has_post_thumbnail() )
				echo '<a href="' . get_permalink() . '">' . be_get_post_thumbnail( null, 134, 134, true ) . '</a>';
			echo '<h2><a href="' . get_permalink() . '">' . get_the_title() . '</a></h2>';
			echo wpautop( get_the_excerpt() . '&hellip;' );
			echo '<p class="more"><a href="' . get_permalink() . '" class="square-button">MORE</a></p>';
			echo '</div>';
		endwhile;
		echo '</div>';
	endif;
	wp_reset_postdata();