RECENT POSTS
There Are Good Reasons for Leaving Church. Why Do I Stay?
There are good reasons for leaving church: scandals, abuse, hypocrisy, patriarchal structures, intolerance. Nearly 40 million American adults were once churchgoers but aren’t any longer,
Finding Other Ways to Communicate…
“I call shotgun.” I remember these days, back when I squabbled with my sisters over who got to sit up front. Now we are reenacting
Introducing Season 7 of Love Is Stronger Than Fear Podcast
Apple Google Spotify More! Love is stronger than fear. What if we really believed it? What if we lived into love and weren’t overcome by
The Deeper Truth
There are two true stories that run through my life. The first one, the one I’ve paid attention to a lot over the years, is
August Introductions
Welcome to everyone who is new around here! I’m Amy Julia, and I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself this August: 1. I
When You Post About Barbie on Social Media
A few weeks ago, I wrote about “Barbie” (the movie) and disability. As Amber, my social media coordinator says, “the algorithm decided to show your
Tell Your Story
On the first morning of Hope Heals camp, the woman beside me said, “I can’t really believe I’m walking next to you right now. I
How “The Ones We Sent Away” Connects to Our Present Moment
Because we have a daughter with Down syndrome, I hear lots of stories about family members with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. Sometimes I
Summer Loving
Peter and I had just under 48 hours away and alone together to ride bikes and sit on the beach and eat halibut and read
Forgetting our Humanity
“‘The propagandist’s purpose,’ Aldous Huxley observed, ‘is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human.’” This quotation came
Ableism at the County Fair
Last week, I received an email from Amber, who has three kids, including Cal*, her son with a rare genetic difference. Amber is also my
Penny Got a Job
Penny had her first day of work last week. That’s right. Work. Employment. Four hours, three days a week, at a local cafe and bakery.
What’s Wrong With America Right Now?
What’s wrong with America right now? Everywhere I go, I encounter this question. Pop culture’s biggest current hit, Barbie, has one answer: patriarchy. Tim Urban’s
Why Go to Hope Heals Camp | Penny in Her Own Words
Years ago, I wrote a piece for the Huffington Post called “Missing Out on Beautiful.” It was prompted by my realization that it was really
7 Things That Happened During Our Week Without Screens
For seven days, our family put down our devices (here’s why we did this). William found a friend to keep up his Snap streak. Marilee
Happy 15th Birthday, William!
Happy 15th Birthday, William! Henri Nouwen once wrote: Birthdays need to be celebrated. I think it is more important to celebrate a birthday than a
Hollywood, via Barbie, Still Doesn’t Know What To Do With Disability
{Keep scrolling for an update to this post.} Our whole family went to see the new Barbie movie on Friday. We loved it. I laughed
Hope Moments: Living Out the Way of Jesus
I want to tell you about every moment from Hope Heals camp. But even with all my words and stories, and even with Ashley Monogue’s
Down Syndrome, Teenagers, and Holy Limits
Having a teenager with Down syndrome puts different limits on our family than having a typical teen. She has needs that other teenagers don’t have.
Who “Deserves” Rewards? | Life to the Full
Modern people are rewarded for hard work, intelligence, athletic ability, and physical appearance. Studies have shown that people who conform to our modern Western ideals
I Don’t Want to Prove Myself
Years ago, I met a man who had argued some cases before the Supreme Court. He had other accolades on his resume. I was excited
