RECENT POSTS
Hope Heals: Everyone Lifted Up
In typical American life, some people win and others lose. Some people get the award and others get no recognition. Some people are considered better
All Kids Can Learn
All kids can learn, but when Penny was born, I was told only that she would have developmental delays and an intellectual disability. What if
Scorned for Following Jesus | Life to the Full
Everyone who became involved in the Civil Rights movement under Martin Luther King’s leadership was asked to sign their name to King’s Ten Commandments of
I Didn’t Mean to Go to Another Concert
After we saw Taylor Swift in concert in May, I vowed I would never go to another stadium concert. When William discovered that Beyoncé would
Fun Family Dinner Question
What piece of culture best explains America? I first came across this question–and 17 answers–in the New York Times, but I also asked our family
Camp PALS and Belonging
Penny sent me a text on her first night of Camp PALS: “With my favorite girl at my favorite place.” The next day, the text
God’s Blessing Is a Given | Life to the Full
I’ve been hanging out in Jesus’ words to people of his day that come in Matthew 5. They contain a list of blessings, beginning with
Supreme Court and Affirmative Action
I’m a white woman who went to an Ivy League school. I’m pretty sure my grades and leadership positions in high school meant that I
Emotional Lives of Teenagers
If you are a parent or educator of teenagers, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents needs to be on your
July Introductions
Hi! For those of you who are new around here, I’m Amy Julia. This community grows almost daily, so here’s a short introduction. My husband,
Blessing | Life to the Full
Jesus made this famous set of odd statements about those who are blessed. He started out with these declarations: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
To Tell the Truth on the 4th of July
“He thought enough of this country to tell the truth,” writes Esau McCaulley about Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth
Happy 4th of July
Happy 4th of July! We’ve entered that phase of family life where we aren’t even all together on holidays anymore. Right now, Penny is at
What Breaking a Record Has To Do With Responsive Parenting
I love stories that remind me of the power of building on strengths rather than focusing on deficits. In disability circles, it’s really easy to
There Can Never Be Too Much Delight
Marilee and I were driving to soccer practice the other day (alternating between the Taylor Swift Eras Tour setlist and The Good Girl’s Guide to
No One Is Excluded | Life to the Full
America is supposed to be a “melting pot” or a “salad bowl” in which lots of different types of people live together and intermingle. Still,
Down Syndrome Is Not Like a Car Crash
I hear the comparison all the time. When people want to explain that the unexpected can happen to any of us, and to any of
S6 E22 | Why Stories of Hope Subvert Racism with John Blake
Is racism baked into our nation’s DNA? Is there any hope for change? John Blake, a CNN journalist and author of More Than I Imagined,
3 Ways to Find an Ordinary Church
We need to go back to church. I feel like a little old lady wagging a scolding finger when I write that, and the last
Saying Goodbye to their Childhood Home
On Monday, we said goodbye to our home. It was always on loan to us. Our house comes with Peter’s position as a Head of
Life to the Full Series
Who do you follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter? I follow a host of other writers, parents of kids with Down syndrome and other disabilities, social
