Gratitude is more than delighting in a gift; it is a feeling of happiness directed toward a person for giving you something good. Growing in our ability to consistently be grateful and express gratitude is not only life-changing but is part of becoming a mature disciple of Jesus. This episode of the Everyday Disciple Podcast examines the connection between gratitude, grace, and the Gospel. You’ll discover how expressing gratitude for the giver–not just the good gift–connects our hearts deeper to that person and is a picture of the gospel in and of itself. Think of the godliest people you know, the people you most respect, other mature Believers you want to emulate and imitate. Almost certainly, the people you are thinking of are grateful people. Cynics, complainers, and critics may be popular on social media and late-night television, but they do not make great heroes of the faith. In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• How expressing gratitude actually changes us physically.
• What a lack of gratitude and a tendency to focus on the negative leads to.
• How even spending a few minutes with a truly grateful person changes lives.
• Immediate, hand-held steps you can take to grow in expressing gratitude.

Get started here… From this episode: “God, in Christ, has given us all the most amazing and precious gift we will ever receive. Jesus gave us his own life, that we may be forgiven and set free. Let’s not just be grateful for that gift, but remember, we get to express our gratitude for, and to, the GIVER of such grace! How grateful, on a daily basis, are you for Jesus, the giver of such good gifts?”  

Each week the Big 3 will give you immediate action steps to get you started.

Download today’s BIG 3 right now. Read and think over them again later. You might even want to share them with others…

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Join us on Facebook and take part in the discussion! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of this page or right below. Also, please subscribe and leave an honest review for The Everyday Disciple Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.   Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Coaching with Caesar and Tina in discipleship and missional living. Free Discipleship and Missional Resources Tracy Winchell's Website

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:00:01

So why do you think it's important to daily regularly practice gratefulness and gratitude in this way?

Tracy Winchell: 00:00:07

Well, number one is for those of us who seek to follow Jesus, then it's expected of us, right?

Tracy Winchell: 00:00:16

And it's not an expectation because our Abba is, uh, demanding things of us.

Tracy Winchell: 00:00:24

It's an expectation because our Abba knows what's best for us and that when we practice gratitude We have an opportunity to lead a reasonably happy life Despite the broken world around us

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:00:40

And I think like in light of this understanding of gratitude being for the giver towards the giver not just the person The gift to practice, gratitude.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:00:48

Connection to the gospel, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:00:51

And and that amazing grace and all the things that the gospel speaks into, not just like, Hey, I get to go to heaven.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:01:21

Welcome to the Everyday Disciple Podcast, where you'll learn how to live with greater intentionality and an integrated faith that naturally fits into every area of life.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:01:29

In other words, be grateful.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:01:30

Discipleship as a Lifestyle.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:01:31

This is the stuff your parents, pastors, and seminary professors probably forgot to tell you.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:01:37

And now, here's your host, Caesar Kalinowski.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:01:40

Hey Heath,

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:01:41

great to be back, as always, with you.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:01:43

And, uh, hey, before we dive into today's topic about gratitude and how it connects to grace and the gospel, many of you have heard us talking about our Everyday Disciple Makers coaching and mentorship.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:01:53

over and over.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:01:54

If you're a regular listener to the, to the podcast, you know, all about that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:01:58

And I want to tell you, if you've been considering joining us in that coaching and start implementing our full everyday disciple framework, now is the perfect time.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:06

And here's why we're getting ready to close our applications on Monday, November 25th.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:12

And that'll be the last time you can enroll this year and get on board and get started.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:16

Okay.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:16

And the last day to enroll will be December 1st.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:19

And the reason we're doing that is because we take the last couple of weeks of the year off, our whole team does, and we want to get you in and get you started and get you ready to have next year 2025 be the biggest year ever for your disciple making.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:32

Now what we're going to do, if you enroll in Everyday Disciple Makers, you gotta apply.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:37

We'll approve you if it's a good fit.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:38

We don't want this for you if it's not a good fit or it's not the right timing.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:42

Then you have to enroll by December 1st, but we're going to give you two months of bonus time in the program as a gift.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:48

So we're going to extend your official membership out.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:51

So more than a year, you'll get all of December and you'll get all the way through January 31st, 2026.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:02:58

You'll also then get another little bonus because all of our makers who are part of the makers coaching and join us are going to get an invitation to our special 2025 Accelerate Virtual Intensive and Mastermind Day.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:11

And what we're going to do is it'll be, it'll be The bulk of a day together, this virtual event dedicated to helping you bring clarity to what's going on in your world as far as disciple making, push past any kind of roadblocks that are there and plan for an amazing discipleship growth in 2025.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:27

All right, just go over to everydaydisciple.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:29

com forward slash coaching and you get a whole bunch of information and fill out the application and then if you're approved, if it's a good fit for you and I bet if you're listening to the podcast, you probably are a great fit.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:41

Then, what we'll do is we'll send you back a whole outline of the Everyday Disciple framework where we really unpack the whole thing and then that's where you can enroll and get started right away and pick up those bonuses.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:51

So go to everydaydisciple.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:53

com forward slash coaching to get started right now.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:56

Don't miss out.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:03:56

This will be the last time this year that you can get in and really cue yourself up for 2025.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:04:03

Hey, so today we got a special guest.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:04:04

Why don't you fill us in on, uh, on Tracy?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:06

Yeah, she's become a good friend of mine and someone whose heart for gratitude has helped me personally grow in gratitude as, as part of my life and, and sort of ongoing.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:15

So her name's Tracy, Tracy Winchell.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:17

She helps people navigate change in their lives.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:20

That's what she does.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:21

And she's got an amazing story.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:22

Her backstory is amazing.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:23

So like things like job change or loss of relationships or even loss of those we love.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:28

Like how do you manage that?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:29

How do you get through that?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:30

And she's an amazing teacher on how we can all grow in gratefulness.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:33

And I did a gratitude challenge with her last fall about this time.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:38

And it was amazing, like what changed for me, not only in my heart, but like I was saying, like going forward, like I felt like it kind of unlocked the ability to be much more of a grateful person and in some deeper ways.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:48

And I talked to her a few days ago about how gratitude and grace is all wrapped up in the gospel and we had a good conversation about it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:04:55

So, um, let's dive into that conversation with, with Tracy and I, and then you and I'll come back and, uh, we'll kind of give our thoughts and we'll get into the big three.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:04

Cool.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:05

Done.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:05

There we go.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:06

Okay, Tracy.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:07

Wow.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:07

I am so.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:09

Glad to be reconnecting our hearts, but also finally getting you on the podcast.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:13

How, how are you, sister?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:14

What's going on?

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:15

I'm, oh, it's, I'm doing well.

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:18

Uh, as we record this, it's Halloween.

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:20

We've had a lot of rain here in Western Arkansas, and today's a sunny day.

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:25

It's cold.

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:26

But, uh, we're kind of looking forward to the trick or treaters tonight.

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:29

Heck

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:30

yeah.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:30

Heck yeah.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:31

Uh, well, let me ask you, first off, um, tell us a little bit about how you got started with your Reboots podcast and why you have this specific focus, and I love it, on times of change in people's life, helping people through times of change, and in particular our focus this month on helping folks find gratitude in their lives.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:49

How did that end up being sort of your, your focus, both change and now gratitude as well and all that?

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:56

Cliff Notes version.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:05:57

Yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:05:58

Ever since I was age four, I haven't liked change at all.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:01

And in fact, when we moved from Northeast Arkansas to Little Rock when I was four, it made me so mad that I, we left my friends and family that I called my dad James for a year.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:15

So I've always struggled with change.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:18

And it's weird because I've always, I've changed careers a lot early in life from broadcast journalists to the financial services industry, and then into public service, uh, I did communications for a, a, uh, local government and in, well, yeah, stressful, uh, difficult at times.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:40

And in 2016, um, Amid some budget cuts, elected officials eliminated my position.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:47

So I lost my job after 12 years.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:49

I sold my house, moved in with my mom.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:51

I launched a consulting business.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:53

I didn't like it.

Tracy Winchell: 00:06:54

And then I launched a podcast knowing full well, it was going to take a couple of years to figure out how to make a living.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:00

So that's why the change navigation has become a whole big thing.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:06

Because I've gone from loathing change to trying to just roll with it.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:12

You know?

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:13

Yeah.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:13

And

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:13

then

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:14

what about the gratitude focus?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:15

Cause you helped me with this.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:17

Yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:17

And, and it's, it's an evolution.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:19

Um, gratitude also has been very difficult for me.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:24

And, uh, I don't know, probably six years ago, uh, a friend challenged me about this same time to spend the month writing down three things I was grateful for.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:36

And I thought that was stupid.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:38

My friend, Haley, who, who is younger.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:41

But we share the exact same November birthday.

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:44

And so I felt compelled that what a cheap gift it would be if I would just humor her, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:52

And that's what I did with you too, by the way.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:54

No, actually not.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:56

No, I'm just saying that, but it wasn't,

Tracy Winchell: 00:07:58

no, I was

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:58

engaged.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:07:59

I won.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:08:00

It was the Cubs thing.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:08:02

It was the Cubs banner.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:08:02

I

Tracy Winchell: 00:08:02

know.

Tracy Winchell: 00:08:03

I had to, I, I'm a Cardinals fan and I had to leave a Cubs banner up on my Facebook page for what?

Tracy Winchell: 00:08:10

A month or two?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:08:11

Yeah, because, because I actually did the gratitude challenge.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:08:15

Anyway, go ahead.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:08:16

Go ahead.

Tracy Winchell: 00:08:17

So, um, that November I, I accepted Haley's challenge and I was really bad at it, honestly.

Tracy Winchell: 00:08:27

So I extended it into December and I would write down three things I was grateful for in my day one app.

Tracy Winchell: 00:08:35

So an app on my phone and I, I look back and I see that.

Tracy Winchell: 00:08:41

In those 60 ish days, I probably was about 40 percent proficiency, so I wasn't perfect at it, but I started to notice a difference in my attitude, and people started asking me, Um, what's different about you?

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:01

How weird is that Caesar?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:03

Yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:03

I felt

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:05

the same.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:05

I felt the same thing happening when I was going through the challenge with you.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:09

I felt not only myself changing, but I know it was reflected in my family and friends were also picking up on it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:14

Like you're not complaining as much.

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:17

I know it's wild.

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:19

Yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:19

And so the, the skeptic who was trying to humor a friend, uh, I, I became a, I became a believer.

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:28

And so I just kind of started nerding out on the science of gratitude and the scripture surrounding gratitude and that expanded into journaling.

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:38

I've always been a bit of a journaler, but I wanted to understand the science behind it, the habit behind it, and all of the different ways that, you know, journaling is such a weird word anyway, people get all eww about it.

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:52

Let's call it something else.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:54

Let's do recording, recording grace or something like that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:58

I don't know.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:09:58

Yeah,

Tracy Winchell: 00:09:59

let's call it getting the, the weird stuff out of our brains, the stuff that's bugging us out of our heads and onto paper because then it's less scary and we can actually learn from it.

Tracy Winchell: 00:10:11

And untangle our thoughts from our emotions and make better decisions and, and behave in a different way and make different choices that, that, that's all this stuff is.

Tracy Winchell: 00:10:21

So the, the other piece of my motivation this time is that, um, the end of September, uh, the cycling community lost a dear, dear man in Arkansas.

Tracy Winchell: 00:10:36

Uh, and he was a friend of mine, his name's Jim Krause.

Tracy Winchell: 00:10:40

And at, at, he, he died in a cycling accident at the Big Damn Bridge 100 ride in central Arkansas.

Tracy Winchell: 00:10:48

And within hours of his death, um, a cyclist who had only known Jim for about five minutes, um, posted a tribute.

Tracy Winchell: 00:10:57

And it turned out the guy who had known Jim for five minutes had known Jim his final five minutes.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:04

Wow.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:04

Wow.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:06

And, um, I, I'm,

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:12

it's hard to, to describe.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:14

Um, without getting emotional, so forgive me, but the snapshot of our friend, um, it was filled with gratitude and wonderment.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:25

And, um, Jim was helping other people up this big mountain, the toughest part of the climb.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:30

Yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:31

And, um,

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:32

I read some of that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:33

I read some of that in either your Facebook and all.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:36

Powerful.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:38

Boy, oh boy, what a legacy.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:39

I mean, just in five minutes to live in such a way that that would be what someone would come away with.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:45

In five minutes.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:11:46

Yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:47

Yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:11:48

And so I started asking the question, um, is it possible to live a life of intention that gives us a greater opportunity to have someone say that about us during our last five minutes?

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:02

Were we helping someone else?

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:03

Were we embracing the moment?

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:06

Um, expressing gratitude?

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:09

And, um, loving the moment.

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:13

And I think, I think there are a bunch of different things that my friend Jim did to get him from a place in his life where he would never have said that about himself, but he became that guy.

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:25

And I think gratitude is a big component of what made Jim, Jim in his final five minutes.

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:34

And so I guess in some ways, uh, that, that this.

Tracy Winchell: 00:12:39

gratitude project that I'm working on this month, uh, is, is an expression of gratitude for having known him.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:12:47

As is often the case, we like to define things because sometimes we use the word like gratitude or thankfulness or gratefulness, wherever, and it might not have the depth or we might not be thinking about the same way.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:12:59

And as, as I was kind of getting ready for our conversation and I, and thinking about, how gratitude has changed me and is changing me and just the practice of it and all.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:13:08

You know, I wanted to just do, you know, I just want to say this, like, gratitude's more than just delighting in a gift that someone gives us or something cool going on in our life.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:13:16

It's more than, it's more than just feeling happy that you got something that you wanted.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:13:20

For example, I mean, we can give like a kid like a toy or, you know, an electronic game or something and they just rip open the package and like, oh wow, thanks, you know, and like in our family we always at Christmas or birthdays, we had to thank everybody, look them in the eyes, hug them, and go around the room.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:13:33

But we were thankful for the thing, you know, and, um, we might not even give a thought to the kindness that the person did or the sacrifice or what they put into it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:13:41

And so, you know, like a kid delights in getting the gift, but he's still ungrateful, maybe in his heart, because the delight is not directed towards the giver.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:13:50

And so I think true gratitude is more than delighting in the gift.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:13:54

It's a feeling of happiness and contentment or gratitude directed toward the person for giving you something good.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:02

And often it's grace because it's not merited.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:04

In other words, you didn't earn it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:06

Most, most things we're grateful for, we didn't earn.

Tracy Winchell: 00:14:09

Well, look at Halloween.

Tracy Winchell: 00:14:12

How many kids are going to go home as we're recording this?

Tracy Winchell: 00:14:15

How many kids are going to go home tonight?

Tracy Winchell: 00:14:18

And Be upset because little brother or little sister,

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:23

right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:23

They're not grateful to the neighbors and for the whole system and for their parents for do it in ways that are safe and all That you know and so gratitudes is a feeling you have about the giver Because of the giving of what they've given to you or something they've done for you And like I said often that's grace right numbers.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:40

We didn't learn it like kids going around with Halloween you know, last week or whatever.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:44

They're not, they didn't earn that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:46

It's grace really.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:47

Like, Hey, here's some, you know, it's like the old Seinfeld thing.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:49

Like when you first hear about Halloween as a kid, it's like, who's giving out candy?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:54

Everyone we know is giving out candy.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:55

How do I get in on this deal?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:56

Right.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:14:57

And so I just wanted to kind of frame that, that true gratitude isn't just being expressing, thank you for the gift or whatever.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:15:04

That's like, you know, that's expressing thanks or a courtesy, but true gratitude is a heart feeling towards the giver.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:15:11

And I think that's key.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:15:12

So why do you think it's important to daily, regularly practice gratefulness and gratitude in this way?

Tracy Winchell: 00:15:19

Well, number one is for those of us who seek to follow Jesus, then it's expected of us, right?

Tracy Winchell: 00:15:27

It, and it's not an expectation because our Abba is, uh, demanding things of us.

Tracy Winchell: 00:15:35

It's an expectation because our Abba knows what's best for us and that when we practice gratitude, we, we don't perfect gratitude, when we practice gratitude, we have an opportunity to lead a reasonably happy life, uh, despite the broken world around us.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:15:55

And I think like in light of this understanding of gratitude being for the giver, towards the giver, not just the gift, to practice gratitude in connection to the gospel.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:16:06

Right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:16:06

And, and that amazing grace and all the things that the gospel speaks into, not just like, Hey, I get to go to heaven someday and avoid hell, but like all the things that the gospel is transformed in our life and is transforming and how it speaks into our identity to practice that gratitude is to really is to wrap ourselves up in the gospel, I think.

Tracy Winchell: 00:16:25

And that's the whole point of the Sermon on the Mount.

Tracy Winchell: 00:16:28

Because the Sermon on the Mount talks about the importance and the joy of living life today, and how to do it imperfectly, and, and that is heaven.

Tracy Winchell: 00:16:42

You know, it, it, it, we have an opportunity to, as my friend Ed Saucier says, life is meant to be enjoyed even when it must be endured.

Tracy Winchell: 00:16:53

And I thought that was the second dumbest thing I ever heard.

Tracy Winchell: 00:16:55

until I started to experience it in my life.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:16:58

Well, and I think scripture speaks into this, not only like, you know, what a great reference sermon on the mountain that kind of rewires that in my head a little bit, but it speaks into it all kinds of ways.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:17:07

I think it's in there, but there's such a, there's such a due to be sort of mentality.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:17:12

We've talked about this, you and I, and we talk about on the show probably every week almost this idea that what we do equals who we are or what someone's done equals.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:17:19

their value in my eyes and all that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:17:21

And it's just, but scripture has spoken to this idea of giving thanks and gratefulness and, and all that it's connected to.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:17:29

All along, all along.

Tracy Winchell: 00:17:31

So a couple of my favorite verses that Paul wrote, um, Colossians 3 16, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Tracy Winchell: 00:17:49

Philippians 4, 6, and 7, Don't be anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Tracy Winchell: 00:17:58

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:08

Dude,

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:18:09

wow.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:18:10

So for everyone listening who goes like, I don't know that I'm living with great peace right now.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:18:14

I feel like I live with stress and worry and, you know, fill in the blank, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:18:18

So there's, there's a, there's a connection here to, are you rehearsing gospel gratefulness or the graces in your life?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:18:27

Because it's going to guard your heart.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:18:29

Oh, it's beautiful, right?

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:30

And check this out, dude.

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:32

There's another reason gratitude is important.

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:34

Caesar, the science of gratitude shows.

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:39

That when we are grateful, fear's out the door,

Heath Hollensbe: 00:18:45

right?

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:46

The science of gratitude strengthens our relationships with others.

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:51

It manages our anxiety, depression, and fear.

Tracy Winchell: 00:18:54

That doesn't mean that we can throw out the meds if we have a, a, a significant issue with depression or another form of mental illness.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:04

That doesn't necessarily mean that, but it means that, that gratitude helps us manage anxiety, depression, and fear.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:12

through body chemistry.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:14

Wow.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:14

I think it actually displaces.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:16

Yeah.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:17

Wow.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:17

Yes, exactly that.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:20

And it, it creates new neural pathways in our brains and gratitude helps me manage my chronic illness.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:28

For me, it's asthma and the same for just about any other chronic

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:32

illness.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:33

That's powerful.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:34

This is, you know, this is science stuff.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:37

And then you look back up here at the, these.

Tracy Winchell: 00:19:40

Two scriptures and they go together.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:43

No kidding.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:43

And I gotta, I gotta, I gotta camp on that just a little bit more.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:46

I think, you know, we're talking about those, those are words from Paul and, you know, think about Paul had some pretty, pretty heavy earthly reasons to complain, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:54

You know what I mean?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:19:55

He, he, a couple of times he lists off all the stuff he's been through, you know, shipwrecks and beatings and, you know, imprisonment and starting in cold and lack and anyway, but Paul is constantly giving thanks to God and not.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:08

Just for like when he's got food or health or safety, those, those, those are all good things with remembering and being grateful for, but for sort of triumphs in the gospel.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:17

I mean, just like real quick, I'm just going to kind of blaze through a few things that we see throughout Paul's letters and notice the kinds of things he's giving thanks for.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:26

So like we see, he gives thanks for, for others faith in the Lord.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:31

We see that in Romans and Ephesians Thessalonians, Philemon, in those books, those letters, that's like rolling off his lips a gratitude for great, for the faith that others have.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:43

Why is that?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:44

Because scripture teaches that faith is a gift.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:46

It's granted by God himself, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:49

We see, we see he gives thanks for the love of the saints in Ephesians, again, Philemon.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:55

He gives thanks, uh, for their steadfastness.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:20:59

Especially during trials, like when things are going bad for them, wow, they were so, you know, for spiritual gifts, for those who partner in the gospel with him in Philippians we see that, or those who gave thanks for their own

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:13

past and their mutual affection that they have.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:16

So all these things are connected back to faith and the process of living out the gospel and receiving grace and extending grace.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:25

I love it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:26

And that's, I mean, that goes on and on and on.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:28

And it's quite a list, especially when I consider the things that I'm usually thankful for, like my family or house.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:34

Like, like when I first started working at Gratitude Journal with you, you know, first things that come to mind and for most people, like, you know, we go around the table, Thanksgiving's coming up here.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:42

We go around the table and it's like, Hey, what are you thankful for?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:44

We're just going to say stuff like, well, my family or my spouse or my kids or my house or really thankful for my job this year or good health or this holiday together.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:54

And.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:21:54

Those are all gifts from God, too, and there's, there's no problem and, or shame in thanking God for those things.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:02

But, but what if we took it further?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:05

What if we took it further and we took time to be thankful for all the ways the gospels transformed our life or others lives, then it all flows back to God.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:15

So even though I might be grateful that this person's helping me in this way, I'm grateful that God has led them to an extended grace to them.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:22

And now they're sharing that grace.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:23

So God gets the glory.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:25

I get the peace.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:26

You know, it's way deeper than just, Hey, thanks for a hand.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:29

I really appreciate that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:30

Let me know if I can help you.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:31

I mean, those are good things.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:32

That's nice.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:22:33

That's how, you know, life works and social, but boy, when we understand gratitude this way, it's way bigger and deeper, hey?

Tracy Winchell: 00:22:39

And you know, yeah.

Tracy Winchell: 00:22:40

And, and here's the funny thing about gratitude is that, um, based on your experience and with mine, you know, sometimes you don't actually start feeling that gratitude.

Tracy Winchell: 00:22:52

Until you've, you've actually practiced it on a regular basis.

Tracy Winchell: 00:22:59

Like for me, it was a success rate of 40%, right?

Tracy Winchell: 00:23:03

It started to change me.

Tracy Winchell: 00:23:06

And so it's okay if we're not feeling it at the table.

Tracy Winchell: 00:23:10

Maybe, maybe we're mad at the person across the table from us.

Tracy Winchell: 00:23:15

Maybe they've hurt our feelings or we've hurt theirs.

Tracy Winchell: 00:23:17

And it's hard to be grateful for them in the moment, but the expression of it is, is sometimes enough, right?

Tracy Winchell: 00:23:27

Because that leads us to the gospel and grace and mercy.

Tracy Winchell: 00:23:31

Yeah, it really

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:32

is.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:32

And I, and I want to encourage people, especially like those who go like, Oh, I hate journaling or whatever, all that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:37

Like, that's why we're trying to rewire this.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:39

This is really an exercise in deepening on our understanding and our grasp and our experience of grace and the gospel in our lives.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:46

It really can be.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:48

It really can be much deeper than just, Hey, go around the table and say something thankful for like, Hey, thanks for helping me.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:52

Love the dishwasher.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:53

That was killer.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:54

Well, that's great.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:55

It's nothing wrong with it, but it can be, it can be so much deeper than that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:23:59

So I want to, I want to give our listeners a way to start practicing gratefulness and gratitude in their lives.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:24:04

And, and hopefully in a way that becomes sticky, meaning it can become a lifelong practice, something they keep going with, even if it's not a hundred percent, it's every single day, but it becomes a rhythm in their life.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:24:16

And I know you've got some tools and even like a 30 day gratitude challenge going on and some resources to help people get started with that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:24:24

Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:24:25

Because I, I, I'm definitely going to want to push those into the lives of our families and friends here.

Tracy Winchell: 00:24:31

Absolutely.

Tracy Winchell: 00:24:32

Absolutely.

Tracy Winchell: 00:24:32

And, and, and.

Tracy Winchell: 00:24:33

Originally, the course was designed to start November 1st and to finish 30 days, but we're gonna, we're gonna adapt and, and go so that anybody who starts the, the, the, the challenge in November will have an opportunity to finish a 30 day challenge.

Tracy Winchell: 00:24:49

So in other words, if somebody wants to, to, to join in the middle of November, that 30 day challenge extends.

Tracy Winchell: 00:24:56

So we're going to do some Facebook live pieces.

Tracy Winchell: 00:24:59

I've got a community set up, uh, because sometimes.

Tracy Winchell: 00:25:03

If we're struggling emotionally, and we only find one thing to be grateful for, It's easy to give up.

Tracy Winchell: 00:25:11

And so I think community gratitude is important.

Tracy Winchell: 00:25:15

So we're going to, we've got a safe community set up.

Tracy Winchell: 00:25:17

Um,

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:25:18

I completely agree that sometimes hearing, hearing others, gratefulness, even in, in our relationship as friends, brother and sister, we, the things we talk about, someone's like, Oh man, I'm grateful for that too, but I haven't been grateful for it, but I want to, I am, you know, and so this, this is, I didn't realize it was this whole, wow, you've got a whole thing and online and some stuff, so.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:25:37

There again, regardless of when you get in, if you choose to, and I want to encourage you, try this out.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:25:43

This isn't going to like, you don't have to take off a word to do it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:25:45

It's not going to, you know, you'll still get to catch up on This Is Us or whatever you're watching.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:25:49

It'll be fine.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:25:50

But, but, um, Even if you just get started, wouldn't it be great if it started changing your heart before Thanksgiving a little bit and into, into the rest of the holidays?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:26:00

I know that for a lot of people, the hardest time of the year to feel grateful and express gratitude is during the holidays because the way our families have been imperfect as they are, all of them, it's sometimes there's these roadblocks to feeling gratitude.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:26:15

And wouldn't it be amazing if a practice like this and then thinking about it in light of being grateful for the, not just the gift or the thing or whatever, but for the person behind it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:26:27

And then ultimately God, who is the source of all grace, wouldn't it be amazing if hardheartedness or like roadblocks with family members or just uncomfortableness, like, I don't want to be around that the Spirit of God changed our hearts this year, before the holidays.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:26:40

Wouldn't that be amazing?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:26:41

So that ultimately our gratitude flowed from Him back to us, us to Him, and those people end up becoming recipients of our gratitude, which is also an act of His grace.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:26:51

Oh, man.

Tracy Winchell: 00:26:52

Yeah, and that's, that's what we're hoping will happen.

Tracy Winchell: 00:26:54

We're only going to check in via email a couple of times a week, but we'll have the opportunity for people to kind of weigh in.

Tracy Winchell: 00:27:00

Perfection is in fact, uh, not only not expected, it's not allowed, You know, so the idea is to be a low time commitment, high impact, and it's really easy to join.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:11

So here's how, here's how you can sign up for Tracy's whole gratitude process.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:16

If you'll just go to everydaydisciple.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:19

com forward slash gratitude.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:21

And that'll take you right to her world where you can get all set up for that.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:27:24

Man, what a wonderful conversation on gratitude and how it's so much bigger than, I've heard so many stories on, you know, thankfulness and messages and even gratitude and be more grateful.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:27:34

Make a

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:34

list of all the things you're grateful for.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:36

Yeah.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:36

Nothing wrong with that, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:37

But this is deeper.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:37

The way she

Heath Hollensbe: 00:27:38

connects to the gospel and identity.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:27:40

Yeah.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:27:41

What a beautiful.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:41

Love it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:42

Yeah.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:42

And by the way, if you're loving what you're learning here, if this is helpful and you'd like a little more personal help, I would love to talk with you.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:50

And get you some information about the coaching and the mentorship that we offer.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:27:53

Just go over to everyday disciple.com/coaching and you get a whole bunch of information and, uh, fill out the application.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:01

And then if you're approved, what we'll do is we'll send you back a whole outline of the Everyday Disciple framework where we really unpack the whole thing, and then that's where you can enroll and get started right away and pick up those bonuses.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:12

So go to everyday disciple.com/coaching to get started right now.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:17

Don't miss out.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:18

This will be the last time this year.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:19

that you can get in and really cue yourself up for 2025.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:24

Let's get to the big three, which is a printable PDF of this week's big three takeaways.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:28

If nothing else, the things we want you to leave with today.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:31

Oh, it was hard to distill this, brother.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:33

It's hard to

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:34

take that conversation and go like, don't miss these three.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:37

Yeah, you're like, let's take it all.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:38

But here we go.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:39

You get them as a download by going to everydaydisciple.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:41

com forward slash big three.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:42

Caesar, what, what did you distill out of this,

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:44

the

Heath Hollensbe: 00:28:45

top three?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:46

Uh, and I'm kind of trying to follow head, heart, hands, like we often do, you know, with these, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:50

So the first one, uh, don't miss this.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:52

Expressing gratitude actually changes us physically.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:28:56

According to UCLA's Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, big, big term there, regularly expressing gratitude literally changes molecular structures of our brains.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:05

Isn't that crazy?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:06

Keeps the gray matter functioning and makes us healthier and happier.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:09

And so when we express gratitude.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:11

real gratitude, and receive the same.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:13

People express to us, our brain releases dopamine and serotonins, and those are crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:20

So we actually feel better and we're changed by it.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:22

So it's crazy.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:23

God's made us this way, but it's not just like, Oh, a warm fuzzy.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:27

It's true.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:28

So it changes us.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:29

Okay.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:29

Okay.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:30

Second thing, gratitude's more than delighting in a gift, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:34

Stuff.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:35

So don't miss that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:36

It's, it's a feeling of happiness directed towards a person for giving you something good.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:41

And so God in Christ has given us all the most amazing and precious gifts in the world we'll ever receive.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:48

And Jesus gave us his own life that we may be forgiven and set free.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:52

That's huge.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:29:53

Let's not just be grateful for that gift, but remember, we get to express our gratitude for, and to the giver.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:00

of such grace.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:01

How grateful on a daily basis are you for Jesus, the giver of such gifts?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:06

Are we, are we expressing that or do we take our salvation for granted in the great cost it was?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:10

So we're not just thankful for the gift, like salvation, great, I get to go to heaven, but for the giver.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:15

Yeah.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:15

Wow.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:16

Amen.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:17

Okay.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:17

And the third one, uh, creating a habit of expressing gratitude will change your life and those around you.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:23

It really does.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:24

So make a list of the people that you're grateful for.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:28

and move beyond just being grateful for the stuff you have or that they've given you or provided in your life and move into gospel gratefulness.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:36

Seek to be grateful for the person and how God has or is using them in your life today in ways that they're showing you what he's like, right?

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:44

Be grateful for them for that.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:30:47

And I want to just want to remind you again, sign up for Tracy's Gratitude Resources and let her guide you into new rhythms of gratitude that'll draw your heart closer to God and to those you love.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:30:56

And if you have not yet joined our Facebook group, you can go to everydaydisciple.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:31:00

com forward slash Facebook, and that'll take you right to the Facebook group, and you get to start commenting and having discussion off these shows.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:31:06

Alright, well time is up for today.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:31:09

Join us again next week or go back through our hundreds of episodes to continue to learn discipleship as a lifestyle in everyday life and how the good news of the gospel speaks into everything naturally and powerfully.

Caesar Kalinowski: 00:31:22

I'll talk to you soon.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:31:24

Thanks for joining us today.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:31:26

For more information on this show and to get loads of free discipleship resources, visit EverydayDisciple.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:31:31

com.

Heath Hollensbe: 00:31:32

And remember, you really can live with the spiritual freedom and relational peace that Jesus promised every day.