RECENT POSTS
Prayer and Talking to God
I used to say that prayer is talking to God. I was trying to explain prayer to Penny’s friend Rachel, who has Down syndrome and
At Thanksgiving, Don’t Simply Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
I was reminded this year that Abraham Lincoln was the first American President to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. He did so in 1863, in
The Insidious Racism of Assimilation
Assimilation is an insidious form of racism and sexism and ableism and all the other isms. It’s subtle, because it comes in the form of
We All Need to Know We Are Beloved
Healing is so tender and scary and so very beautiful. Over the past two weeks, I have been reminded of these truths through a flurry
Radical Generosity, Abundant Compassion, Unexpected Hospitality, Surprising Grace
Radical generosity. Abundant compassion. Unexpected hospitality. Surprising grace. These are the types of phrases that I wish marked more of us who call ourselves Christians.
S6 E6 | True Self, True Healing with Alison Cook
In between the extremes of selfishness and selflessness, how do we bring healing to our true selves? Dr. Alison Cook, psychologist and author, talks with
Please Don’t Call Anyone Low-Functioning
I’ve been trying to figure out why it bothers me to hear people described as “high functioning” and “low functioning.” The other day, a friend
November Introductions
I asked my family how I should introduce myself to the new people around here, and here’s what they suggested (through the family group text):
Comment | To Be Made Well: Why modern health obscures what it means to be human.
Does it matter that Jesus of Nazareth healed a lot of people way back when? Do we still need that type of healing? Are there
People to Follow Across the Political Divides
As we reach the other side of the 2022 elections—our country as polarized as ever—I want to offer some suggestions for people to follow who
Praying Like a Child
I saw a little girl climb up onto her father’s lap on a Zoom call the other day. He was reclined in a large chair.
Maybe Fall Could Last Forever
I’ve seen a lot of fall foliage in my day, and this year it’s like the trees conspired to show off. It just keeps going
How Can I Practice NOT Proving My Worth?
How do you actively move towards being the beloved rather than working hard to prove your worth? What practices do you recommend for people who
And You Will Be Blessed
Disability and blessing. I preached on that topic from Luke 14 last Sunday, and I wanted to share that with you here. As many of
When the Sink Breaks, You Call a Plumber
“When the sink breaks, you call a plumber.” I was describing a friend who had been struggling with anxiety for months, and who finally decided
S6 E5 | The Healing Work of Rest with Ruth Haley Barton
Rest is a challenge for almost all of us in our frantic and distracted world. For anyone who is longing to stop and rest and
How God Thinks About Disability
As we come to the end of Down Syndrome Awareness month, I had a chance to preach at church Sunday about the theology of disability.
Mother.ly | My daughter has Down syndrome, and her siblings are better for it
People often ask me what it is like having a sibling with Down syndrome for our two younger children, Marilee and William. Is having their
Small Talk Is 8!
We’re celebrating the eight-year birthday/anniversary of my book Small Talk: Learning from My Children About What Matters Most. I hope you’ll join me in enjoying
Norman Rockwell Museum: Illustrating Race
What do advertisements and illustrations and magazine covers tell us about who we are as a society? When does an image become sentimental because it
Penny: Facts About Me That I Believe Are True
In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I asked Penny to share some thoughts about who she is, what matters to her, and what she
