Woo[t] and other thoughts

I want to write a blog post today. I woke up early this morning to finish my schoolwork so that I could blog during this time. I feel like I haven't written in a very long time. The problem is I don't know what to write about. So many confusing things have happened to me that I feel like I'm overflowing with stuff to say, but I don't know what to say about them.

This morning I read an e-mail with this verse:
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 says, "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."

It was written just like that. With all the stuff bolded and underlined. I wonder why God had this person write like that. I think it was because this is something He wanted to catch my eye and want to write about.

Loved- it's underlined probably because this person feels loved by God first, while I was still a sinner, while I would rather ignore all that He has done.

Eternal encouragement- is underlined probably because the person who sent this is my R.I.O.T. leader (Bethel Bible study, I don't know what it stands for), and she wanted to feel God's encouragement this week in our busy schedules.

Encourage- is bolded probably because God wants my heart to be encouraged- more to come on this

Strengthen- is bolded probably because God wants to strengthen me- again more to come on this

I think this person missed one major thing, "by his grace" God did this not because we deserved it but because it was by his grace.

Woo- Winning Others Over- I took a strengths finder test this week for a class and this was my biggest strength. It means I am not afraid to talk to strangers and try to make a connection with them so that they will feel loved. Sometimes I'm sure it is perceived as me wanting more friends. It probably is that way sometimes. I really like to feel loved and when I'm not looking for it from Christ I'm looking for it in people. I'm looking to be filled, energized, appreciated by people. I really agree that this is my biggest strength. I feel like if this wasn't a strength I wouldn't know people that I know. The only problem is that it is a weakness. It is a pride weakness that the Lord has permitted me to recognize. It is a not depending only on the Lord weakness that the Lord has permitted me to recognize. It is a weakness that I need to work on by his grace. At the same time it is strength that I love having and need to start using to the glory of God.

At the beginning I said that confusing things have happened to me. That isn't true. God things have happened to me. He has shown me my sin and my need for prayer.
-I've been giving a lot lately in my friendships at school and at WyldLife. I feel like the cup that should be overflowing is starting to run dry because of the energy I'm putting into relationships.
-I'm trying to fill my own cup. I'm trying by the Bible I'm reading, the prayer I'm saying, and the people I'm being with to fill my own cup with God stuff. I'm failing. I need to rely on God. He showed me that grace.
-I need to recognize the freedom in God's grace. His Son died on the cross for me so I don't need to do works to earn my righteousness. I needed Him to die and to plan works for me to do in His name and now I need to follow Him and He will lead me.
-I can't give my whole heart, life, actions, words, deeds, misdeeds to Jesus without the grace of God.
-Warning: This may sound very prideful and self-centered. If people should fail at loving me I need to be okay. I shouldn't look for love in people but in God because His love never fails.

These are the things God has been teaching me. Pray that I will work through them and that I will wholly lean on Jesus name. And I will pray the same for you.

Give me grace God. Let me see your grace God.
In Jesus name,
Greta