RECENT POSTS
June 2025 | Things Worth Your Time
Books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to… FILMS/MOVIES/DOCUMENTARIES TEDxAtlanta: Cash,
Supreme Court Sides With Student With Disabilities
I was encouraged to see that the Supreme Court ruled unanimously to protect the rights of kids with disabilities and their parents. In this case, a family
The Lucky Few: Finding Delight and Belonging in Disability
When Heather Avis says she’s one of “the lucky few,” she means it. In this episode, we talk about growing up with our children with
Cinderella Syndrome
Cinderella syndrome. I coined this phrase in conversation with my counselor a few years ago. I suffer from Cinderella syndrome every time I feel like
Sparkle Show
Penny decided to participate in our new church’s Sparkle Show with a friend by singing along to Taylor Swift’s Fearless. It’s no small thing that
Parents and Caregivers of Kids With Disabilities, I Need Your Help!
I’ve had a few different book ideas percolating for a while now, and I would love your help as I work to bring the next
Staying Present
The other day, I was stranded in a small town just waiting for William to finish up an exam, pack his dorm room, and summon
How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse
The other day, I was talking with our son, William, who’s a junior in high school. He’s starting to think about where he might want
The Cost of Ambition
Apple YouTube Spotify More! Ambition is the air we breathe—but what is it costing us? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker and theologian Miroslav Volf
It’s Good to Have Fun!
As some of you know, my husband is the Head of School at a boarding school in Connecticut. Last week, we joined the senior class
How We Spend Our Money as a Nation Says A Lot
“Your checkbook is a spiritual document,” the priest said. Peter and I were young and newlywed. We had been invited to a fundraiser for our
COGNOSCENTI | For people with disabilities: Kindness is nice. Legal protections are necessary
Grateful to write today for Cognoscenti/WBUR, Boston’s NPR station (read the full essay here): President Trump’s domestic policy agenda, backed by Republicans, jeopardizes protections, research and
Delivered Into Rest: From Pharaoh to Peace
What happens when our identities emerge from resting in the love of God rather than obeying the demands of our cultural gods? Walter Brueggemann writes
How to Find Freedom From the Myth We Keep Chasing
If your family is anything like mine, you have some area in your house where holiday cards accumulate until we decide it is time to
Penny Told Me I Could Share This
Penny has given me permission to tell you that she has a boyfriend! And I finally got to see a picture of him. They go
The Myth of the Perfect Family—and the Truth of Love
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What if the perfect family doesn’t exist—and never was supposed to? Theologian Emily McGowin, PhD, joins Amy Julia Becker to explore
Having a Disabled Child Doesn’t Doom a Marriage
I watched the viral video of Grace Clements embracing her dad, the President of Clemson University. They tumble onto the stage together and get up
May 2025 Favorites
Favorite books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I enjoyed in the month of May, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to… For
Grief and Disability
Grief and Disability from Matthew Mooney on the podcast When a family receives a diagnosis—when they learn their child has a disability—grief often follows. Matthew
Does Disability Mean Tragedy?
Is disability a tragedy? Is it a gift? What place is there for grief and for joy in this story of disability so many of
Reimagining Family Life with Disability—In Person!
Not a tragedy. Not alone. Not without hope. These were the ideas I shared with the families at Walnut Hill Community Church in my first
