RECENT POSTS
Party at Hope Heals Camp
One of the most fun—and utterly nerve-wracking—parts of Hope Heals Camp this year was writing and performing a song with Penny for the Talent Show.
The Truest Truth: What Hope Heals Camp Reveals About the Real World
I always return from Hope Heals Camp and struggle to convey our experience in words. I walk away with all sorts of stories, and I will share
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To: July 2026
Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month
When You Can’t Pray: How Friendship and Hope Carry Us Through Suffering
I found that I couldn’t pray after the doctor told us that our daughter had Down syndrome. I didn’t have the words, the answers, or
The Discipline of Delight: How Parents Can Choose Connection Over Productivity
One night last week, we finished dinner, and I was ready to get back to work. I had already missed my deadline to submit the
When God Feels Absent: How Faith Makes Room for Doubt and Hope with Christian Wiman
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST S10 E10—What holds us when life doesn’t turn out the way we hoped? Poet Christian Wiman joins Amy Julia Becker
How Delta Helped Make Penny’s First Solo Flight Possible
Penny flew solo for the first time on Saturday. Everything worked out easily and well. I was definitely teary as I watched her board the
“That Was Not a House of Sadness”: How Disability Shapes Families Through Love and Relationship
I still remember the early days after Penny’s Down syndrome diagnosis, when I wondered what kind of life we were entering. Would our home become
Delta Surprises Penny Before Her First Solo Flight
Independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. It means having the support you need to take the next step. Penny, our daughter with Down syndrome, prepared
How to Prepare for a Solo Flight with Down Syndrome: Advice from Families
How do you prepare for a solo flight with Down syndrome? When someone with Down syndrome flies independently for the first time, families often have
Love, Guilt, and Care: A Sibling’s Disability Story with Brian Trapp
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST When a child grows up with a sibling with a disability, what defines their childhood? Author Brian Trapp reflects on
Who Belongs? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Nazi Germany, and the Meaning of Human Dignity
In Nazi Germany, two very different answers emerged to the question: Who belongs? Brian Brock describes how one answer took shape at the Bethel sanatorium,
More Than a Summer Job: Employment for People with Down Syndrome
I never expected to walk into an ice cream shop and see Penny, our daughter who has Down syndrome, sitting behind the register, putting in
Who Counts as Human? with Brian Brock, PhD
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST S10 E8—Difference often exposes our tendency to rank people as “better” or “worse.” Theologian Brian Brock, PhD, joins Amy Julia
Celebrating Milestones: Anniversary, College Dreams, and a Graduation Blessing
This past week, Peter and I celebrated our 27th anniversary with two nights away in Mystic, CT. We are BIG fans of short vacations close
Rejection and the Voice of Love: Announcing Everyone Matters
One of the things that comes with being a writer is rejection. Earlier this spring, I received another rejection for an essay I had written,
Why Forgiveness Isn’t the First Step with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST S10 E7—Saying “I’m sorry” isn’t enough to repair personal or institutional harm. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and
Advice for Penny’s First Solo Flight: A Network of Care in the Skies
Our daughter Penny is 20 years old and has Down syndrome. I cannot believe the outpouring of support, encouragement, and advice we received from far
