My latest thoughts on
faith, family, disability,
privilege, and healing
Sharing Some Fun Facts Today!
Every so often, I take the time to introduce myself around here, since there are always wonderful new people joining in on the conversation. Welcome!
When Anger at Others Is Really Anger at Myself
I was so mad at Peter. I had made pulled pork and slaw for the woman at church who fell and broke her elbow. He
The Importance of Diverse Friendships
Friendships that cut across social dividing lines matter more than almost anything else in helping people move from one social class to another, according to
William Is 14!!!
Happy birthday to William, who turned fourteen yesterday! This morning, I read a blessing from the book of Numbers. It’s a blessing that has been
The Most Important Thing We Do as a Married Couple
I used to think it was simply a gift that Peter and I still like each other after twenty-plus years of marriage. That we got
Our Calendars Are Spiritual Documents
Our calendars are spiritual documents. In our modern world, time is a precious commodity. And how we use/spend/give that time tells us what and who
Video Series for Your Small Group This Fall
I got a fun DM earlier this week from a woman in California who just received a box of 50 copies of To Be Made
Camp PALS | Penny in Her Own Words
Penny had a chance to go to Camp PALS with her friend Rachel after two years of waiting due to Covid. PALS is one of
Upcoming Speaking Opportunities
I used to say that I’m a writer who sometimes speaks. What I meant by that was that I didn’t feel super confident while speaking.
Criticism: General Condemnation or Specific Conviction
One tell-tale sign of an Enneagram One is what’s called an “inner-critic,” a relentless voice inside my head that questions my decisions and makes sweeping
Healing Meals
As if it wasn’t enough for us to experience abundant love and goodness at Hope Heals Camp last week, we also got to visit a
Penny’s Take on Hope Heals
Okay, this is my final (for now) post about Hope Heals Camp last week. I started out planning to tell you all about it in
Hope Heals Camp: When We’re Seen
Seen. That was the word written underneath my plate at the Hope Heals banquet. Other people had words like beloved, cherished, known. All three of
Hope Heals Camp: Believing Something Good
I went into last week with a hard, seemingly hopeless situation, even as I was invited to teach the kids about hope each day at
Hope Heals Camp: Belovedness and Belonging
Hope Heals Camp exists as a place where families affected by disability can receive rest, resources, and relationships. As Jay and Katherine Wolf, co-founders, say,
To Be Made Well at Hope Heals Camp
Last week at Hope Heals Camp was incredible, and it was so beautiful to see To Be Made Well there inside all the welcome bags
Screen Guidelines for the Summer
Last summer I wanted to show our kids that we weren’t against screens. Rather, we were for activity and nature and friendship and learning. So
Three Ways to Bring Prayer to the Body
If you’ve grown up in a Protestant church tradition, as I have, you may have learned that prayer is a spiritual and intellectual experience, not
Acknowledging the Harm Inherent Within the Abortion Debates
When the Supreme Court decided to push regulations around abortion back to the states, it set off a cascade of opinions and responses. Many pro-life
Asking the Right Questions
What if having a lasting faith isn’t about having the right answers but about learning to ask the right questions? I heard someone suggest this
We’re at Hope Heals Camp
Last year, we took a big trip out west to Utah and Wyoming. In the past, we’ve taken our kids to Martha’s Vineyard and met
Welcome! I’m so Glad You’re Here!
About once a month, I take a moment to introduce myself. Social media platforms are funny places to try to make meaningful connections, but, hopefully,
When the Love Goes Deeper Than the Wounds | Ann Voskamp’s Blog
I’m so honored to have a post on Ann Voskamp’s blog today. My post begins: Sometimes my life as a Christian feels like a series
Telling a New Story About Disability
There’s a mindset around disability that says things like: People with disabilities are always suffering. People with disabilities are a burden. A life with a
New Haven Racial History Tour
We’ve traveled down south with our kids to learn the history of racial injustice there. But how do we narrate the reality of northern complicity
A Life-Changing Daily Prayer Practice: Prayer of Examen
I’ve prayed in lots of different ways over the years. I’ve used the acronym ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication). The Lord’s Prayer has been a
We Are Beloved. What If We Believed This?
“Jesus says that we are beloved before we do anything right, and after we’ve done everything wrong.” – To Be Made Well This quote might
5 Things I Learned on Family Vacation
As I return to this space after a few weeks of vacation, I thought I’d start by sharing 5 things I learned: 1. Everyone eats
On Vacation
I’ll be away for the next week or so. Away in real life, at our family’s beach house on the Connecticut shore, with my stack
More Reviews for To Be Made Well
I’m so grateful for the reviews I’ve received recently for To Be Made Well, both from readers and from the Englewood Review of Books and
