Simple Gratitude

"Joy is the simplest form of gratitude." -Karl Barth

Ahh… fall is finally here, and so are the traditions that come with the season; crisp air, falling leaves, cozying up on the couch with a good book, and a season of gratitude! 

Today, I want to share some reflections on JOY, because the topic keeps showing up in my life: in conversations, in

Kierstie Renninger

readings, and honestly, it's the emotion that overwhelms me when I look at my sweet daughter. 

What is joy? According to Oxford, joy is a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. It's also one of my favorite fruits of the Spirit. But did you know that the Greek translation for JOY, comes from the same word family as GRACE? A few weeks ago, Pastor McLane talked about grace and peace, and that in order to find that deep peace, we must first accept grace. A question popped into my head as I was reading about joy… could it be that joy too, like peace, is linked to the grace of God that's been given to us? That to experience the fullness of joy, is to walk humbly in grace? That even in our challenges, we can have joy because of the grace of Christ? Letting go of our own expectations, can free us to experience joy in new ways.


Thinking back to Barth's quote about joy, that it is the simplest form of gratitude, I'm challenging myself to enter this season of Thanksgiving, letting go of my own expectations that hold me back, with gratitude for grace and walking in the joy that follows.


​In His Name, Kierstie