Thanksgiving is a time to gather and celebrate the good things in our lives with the people we love. However, Thanksgiving isn’t perfect, even for the most loving and healthy families. Some worry about family conflict as they gather. Others have an empty seat where a loved one once sat or may not have family to gather with at all. The holidays can bring joy, but they can also bring grief, leaving us with a strange feeling of longing for “home”—even when we’re cozy and surrounded by the people and places we love most.

Every person will eventually face a “crossroads” moment—a decision so defining it changes the course of their life. That may sound dramatic, but these moments don’t always feel that way at the time. Choices about family, career, church, or service can profoundly shape our lives and the direction we’re headed.

Jesus often spoke in parables to teach the people around him. One of the most awe-inspiring themes in these parables is that Jesus welcomes the undeserving into his kingdom. Not only do we see this illustrated in his parables, but we also see evidence of it in the people God chose to use in the Old Testament. (Look at Moses, who murdered an Egyptian oppressor, and David, who committed adultery and murder—just to name a few.) No matter how good or bad we may seem when measured by humanity’s moral scale, we’ve all sinned and fallen short. Yet God loved us enough to send Jesus to pay the price for our sins, so we could be made right with him. Oh, how he loves us! When we read the parables Jesus tells, we usually put ourselves in the shoes of the sinner, overwhelmed with gratitude for his mercy and grace. However, one thing Jesus highlights in these stories is not just his forgiveness and love for us, but also the tension believers feel when witnessing someone forgiven whom they may consider undeserving.

Honestly, I’m in a strange season as a dad. My kids are growing up to be incredible young men, reaching an age where they don’t “need me” for everything like they used to. They no longer need me to wake them up for the day, pack their things, or even show them where the food is and how to prepare it when they’re hungry. Still, even though they don’t need me in the same ways, I’m incredibly proud of who they are and the character they display! Obviously, I’m a little biased because they’re mine—but if you’re a parent, grandparent, or caretaker, you understand the joy of seeing someone you love and have invested in become the person you always knew they could be. I’ve been on a personal journey, thinking about the important things I want to leave behind for my boys as they grow. What words, phrases, actions, and wisdom do I want them to hold on to forever?

I’ve greatly enjoyed reading The Bible Project’s one-year plan this year. The daily recaps are so helpful in understanding the Bible as a whole, and one of my favorite themes that has continually appeared is God’s sovereignty over evil. No matter how wicked the intentions of others are, even the worst of sin bends to God’s will and does not thwart His plan. Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for good, and He truly means all of it. We see this repeatedly in stories throughout both the Old and New Testament.