Lately it seems we’ve been plagued with far too many opportunities to forgive.

We’ve watched from afar as Erika Kirk forgave her husband’s killer.

We’ve seen communities in Minnesota and Michigan choose reconciliation after unthinkable tragedies in their churches and schools.

Sadly, I know a thing or two about forgiveness.

Not because I’m good at it, but because I’ve often struggled to forgive myself and others.

I remember, as a teenager, the unkind words I whispered behind my mother’s back in the kitchen. She didn’t hear me, but Dad sure did. He offered his unconditional forgiveness for my disrespect long before I forgave myself.

I recall the close friend in college I hurt when teasing crossed a line. Our friendship never recovered.

Years later, a colleague left me on an economic fishhook for what became hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt.

The decisions of others launched a lengthy season of struggle that nearly destroyed me.

Later, someone bought a small business from me, made one meager monthly payment, sold the assets, and disappeared. Years passed, and eventually I received a three-sentence apology by email.

In more recent years, a few corporate clients have broken promises that again left painful tattoos.

Only endless, expensive litigation might have helped any of these cases — but that was a path I simply couldn’t take.

I admit these challenges left long-lasting financial fingerprints. Still, these experiences cost me more than money; I allowed them to take a toll on my spiritual and mental health.

Perhaps that’s why, as my writing career evolved, I found myself drawn to stories of forgiveness.

My curiosity led me to write novels with heavy, deeply personal themes on the power of mercy. The plots are fictional, of course, but the lessons are real and raw.

Within each imaginary universe, I slowly learned the value of forgiveness.

I’ve also studied and profiled some remarkable true stories of forgiveness.

There’s the inspiring Snow family of Charlottesville, Virginia. When Leroy Snow, 72, a beloved local leader, was murdered by an intruder, the family forgave — no qualms.

A few years later, when Robert Snow, his grandson, was killed by a drunk driver while serving a mission for his church, the family forgave — no questions.

I’ve also profiled my dear friend Ashley Boyson, who was told by detectives late one evening that not only had her husband been having an affair, but that he was dead.

Emmett was murdered by the husband of his lover in a Walgreens parking lot.

It wasn’t easy, but Boyson quickly forgave all three characters in her real-life drama.

Perhaps one of the most well-known stories of forgiveness comes from Chris Williams.

Williams is the husband and father who survived a horrific car accident in 2007 in Salt Lake City, Utah, that took the lives of his 41-year-old pregnant wife, Michelle, the unborn baby they were expecting, plus their 11-year-old son, Ben, and 9-year-old daughter, Anna.

Williams’ journey to forgiving the drunk teenage driver didn’t take years, months, or even days. Within seconds of the crash — with his surviving son, Sam, still trapped inside the mangled vehicle — Williams had decided to unconditionally forgive the other driver.

There are endless bittersweet stories of forgiveness just like these.

Mothers who forgive killers.

Spouses who forgive infidelity.

Children who later forgive their abusers.

It’s not that they’ve forgotten, nor chosen to continue associating with those who created such pain, but they report, over and over, the freedom that comes from forgiveness.

They choose the future over the rearview mirror.

Candidly, I’m not proud of how long it’s taken me to forgive those who’ve wronged me.

I’m still a work in progress — a rookie — still behind the wheel trying my best to live forward.

But if the Snow family, Ashley Boyson, Chris Williams, and so many others can forgive in the face of terrible tragedies, I can certainly forgive those involved in my own heartaches and headaches.

I suppose the world will never stop presenting opportunities to forgive.

Someone will cut you off in traffic.

A colleague will take credit for your work.

A family member will disappoint you.

But here’s what the Snow family, Ashley Boyson, and Chris Williams taught me.

Forgiveness isn’t weakness.

It’s not forgetting.

It’s not necessarily reconciliation.

It’s simply refusing to let someone else’s worst moments define

your future.

That’s a choice we all have — every single day. 🙏

WOODSTOCK, VA, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2025 / New York Times bestselling author Jason Wright and his wife Kodi Wright, in partnership with Shadow Mountain Publishing, have released “The Christmas Jars Cookbook: Recipes, Crafts, and Heartwarming Stories from Our Family to Yours” today everywhere books are sold.

The unusual cookbook celebrates the 20th anniversary of Wright’s beloved novel “Christmas Jars” and offers families creative new ways to participate in the global giving movement that has inspired millions.

Since the publication of “Christmas Jars” in 2005, the simple tradition of filling a jar with spare change throughout the year and anonymously giving it to someone in need at Christmas has grown into a phenomenon. Families in every state and more than a dozen countries have given away jars totaling millions of dollars, transforming the lives of both givers and recipients. The movement has inspired a feature film, a podcast, and countless acts of kindness. Now, this deeply personal cookbook invites readers to extend generosity beyond financial gifts through homemade recipes, creative crafts, and heartfelt stories.

“If you’d told us twenty years ago that a jar of spare change would one day lead to a cookbook, we probably would’ve laughed—right after asking if that cookbook came with coupons for takeout,” Jason said. “Back then, we were just a young family with a recycled pickle jar sitting on our kitchen counter. We tossed in change whenever we could and gave it away at Christmas. Simple. Meaningful. Sticky, because someone — me — never remembered to rinse out the jar first.”

When Jason wrote “Christmas Jars,” the couple hoped a few readers might be inspired to start their own jars. They never imagined that families, classrooms, churches, and entire neighborhoods would join in. Over the years, people began asking a question that would shape this new project: “What can we put in the jar besides money?”

“That question stuck with us,” Kodi explained. “So we started dreaming. What if the next generation of Christmas Jars could be filled with something homemade? Something tasty or creative that could spread the same spirit of generosity? Before we knew it, our kitchen had become a test lab for cocoa mixes, soup jars, and more kinds of caramel than we care to admit.”

The 176-page cookbook features 30 recipes for treats and crafts suitable for all skill levels, and true stories from the Christmas Jars community. The Wrights describe the journey of creating it with characteristic humor: “We burned a few things. We spilled a lot. And once, Jason confused baking soda with cornstarch — a rookie mistake that will live in family legend. But we laughed our way through it, and somewhere in the flour cloud, The Christmas Jars Cookbook was born.”

The recipes range from beloved family favorites like Level-up S’mores Cookies and The Less Famous Reindeer Pops to Ginger’s Cream Cookies, a recipe traced to Kodi’s great-great-grandmother. The crafts include projects that even beginners can manage, all designed to be given away rather than kept.

“It’s part cookbook, part craft guide, and part reminder that kindness is supposed to be fun,” Kodi said. “We wanted this to feel like sitting around our kitchen table—snacking, laughing, and making something beautiful together. The best part? You don’t have to be a chef, crafter, or professional jar decorator to join in. Just start where you are. Grab a jar, some ribbon, a recipe, and a generous heart.”

The cookbook includes inspiring stories from people who have given and received Christmas Jars over the past two decades, demonstrating the profound impact of simple acts of generosity. It also features a favorite Christmas Jar memory from Jason, Kodi, and their four children. For the Wrights, the project represents both a celebration of the movement’s 20th anniversary and an invitation to continue spreading kindness in creative new ways.

“We hope this book feels like an invitation—to cook, to create, to laugh at the messes, and to give something from your hands and your heart,” Jason added. “Because after all these years, we still believe what that first little jar taught us: small, simple acts of kindness can change lives—sometimes even your own. And yes, we promise—this time, the jars are clean.”

“The Christmas Jars Cookbook: Recipes, Crafts, and Heartwarming Stories from Our Family to Yours” is available in hardcover, digital, and audiobook formats wherever books are sold. For more information about the cookbook, the Christmas Jars movement, and upcoming events, visit www.jasonfwright.com.

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I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels. In the last year alone I’ve spent 59 nights in 20 different properties between D.C. and L.A.

Some hotels lean on look and feel. Cushy carpet, lush lighting, fine furnishings. 

Others are all about service. Need your suit cleaned? Car washed? Favorite flip flops flown in from Finland?

Recently I visited the Marriott Residence Inn in Waynesboro, Virginia, franchised by Heritage Hospitality. They comped me a few nights and invited me to see what’s so special about their particular property.

Spoiler: The service, the room, and amenities are Marriott standard. But what sets them apart is their relentless sense of family. Theirs, yours, and the family we choose.

I chatted with staff, attended their employees-only morning huddle, and I sang (badly) their Residence Inn brand mission put into song. But it felt more like a family reunion than a global hotel chain’s pregame briefing.

Kris Pincock, the property’s general manager, gave birthday shoutouts and read recent reviews aloud. She encouraged, coached, and was generous with both her compliments and infectious laughter.

Over three days I met some truly lovely associates in management, maintenance, at the front desk, and in housekeeping. 

The truth? I could dedicate an article to them all. 

But recognizing my limited schedule and goals for the unbiased content I committed to deliver, Kris said she had the perfect person for me to shadow.

“This woman represents everything we stand for,” Kris said.

Her name is Pam Kelley, breakfast guru extraordinaire, and it doesn’t take long for her to adopt you.

Pam has been feeding guests breakfast at this Residence Inn since they opened in 2007. She’s met tens of thousands of travelers, and her stories are exactly what you’d expect to hear if you plopped down next to your favorite aunt at the family barbeque.

With the kind of wide, sweet smile that can’t be faked, Pam told me how co-workers and guests have become like family. They rely on each other, they pull together, and they always put family first.

A year ago when Pam decided it was time to tackle her health, her work family and many of her regular guests at the hotel served as cheerleaders. Combining her own willpower with the full faith of her family, Pam lost 50 pounds.

When Pam needs time off for family soccer games, they make it happen.

When Pam was in a serious car accident and needed extended time off to recover, they made it work.

But it’s not just the employees who feel like family.

Pam told me about a father and son who began staying there years ago when attending University of Virginia games in nearby Charlottesville. “UVA is thirty miles away, but they pass a lot of other hotels to choose to stay here.” That little boy is now a college student himself, and they still stay at this Residence Inn when attending games.

She also shared the story of an elderly couple who were regulars and once ran out of gas on the interstate not far from the hotel. “They could’ve called AAA, friends, or anybody else, but they called us. They called family.” 

Yes indeed, soon hotel staff were on the scene to save the day.

They’ve shoveled out cars, decorated doors for birthdays, and purchased Easter baskets for kiddos staying over the holiday weekend.

Remarkably, they have guests who’ve stayed months and even years. I even met one guest at breakfast who’s been working in the area and staying there for eight years!

But when I asked Pam if it’s mostly the regulars or those with Marriott status who are treated like they’re at home, she shook her head and corrected my assumption. “No, no, it’s the same whether they’re long timers or first timers.” 

Watching Pam on two different mornings, I can tell you just how true that is. How often have you seen someone at a hotel that offers free breakfast go table to table asking if folks need anything?

When we said goodbye, Pam told me how thankful she is for Kris, her friends, and her job. When I asked her to summarize why she’d stayed so long with no signs of leaving, she put it perfectly.

“I found a family here,” she said.

So did I, Pam. So did I.