My latest thoughts on
faith, family, disability,
privilege, and healing
Recommended Books, Podcasts, and Films about Race and Privilege
Post contains affiliate links. As I’ve written before, one part of a meaningful, transformational, humble, and holistic response to the history and current reality of
Christianity Today: Enough to Share in the Land of Plenty
I write about love, peace, hope, and possibilities a lot. In the midst of a global conversation about disease, death, and despair, I worry about
Some Stories of Hope in a Week of Hardship
Hope and racism. Ta-Nehisi Coates is feeling hopeful. I didn’t think I would ever type those words. Coates is famous for his 2015 memoir, Between
Injustice: Reflect, Relate, Respond
My various news feeds are swirling with people responding to injustice. Peaceful protests all across the nation. Violence and looting. Police brutality. Police support. Theological
A Week of Protests: Learn, Listen, Lament, and Love
As everyone paying any attention to the news knows, social unrest and protests have broken out across our nation. A black man named George Floyd
Chapter 4: Prayer
When I was deciding what chapters to record for this Reading Small Talk podcast, I skimmed through the whole book. But when I got to
Five First Steps toward Participating in Racial Healing
How can white people respond to racial tensions and violence in a meaningful way? How can white people contribute to a collective work of racial
George Floyd and Breonna Taylor: Why These Particular Deaths Deserve Our Attention
I woke up to reports of violence in multiple cities around the country. In the wake of George Floyd’s death earlier this week and the
Choosing to Be Present in Suffering
For people like me—for people who are white and live in affluence and stability—stories like that of George Floyd are easy to ignore. In the
The Ordinary Goodness of a Life with Down Syndrome, Even Now
Our daughter Penny is 14. She loves Taylor Swift and Fuller House and the Yankees. She betrays many signs of becoming a typical teenager: she
Hope and the Spiritual Imagination
“I suspect every pregnant woman imagines a hypothetical life for her child. And every pregnant woman knows that child’s life won’t work out exactly as
AJB Recommends: Resources for Hope
I talked about hope on my podcast last week (and tomorrow’s episode will be a bonus episode, also about hope), so I wanted to offer
Chapter 3: Beauty
It was over a decade ago—a few months after William was born—that I caught a glimpse of my body in a full-length mirror and worried
It Doesn’t Have to Be Groundhog Day
I’ve heard our moment compared to Groundhog Day again and again and again. If you missed it, Groundhog Day is a great movie from the
Raise Your Hand if Your Back Hurts
I knew all spring there was a good chance our kids wouldn’t return to school. It still felt like a blow when the news came.
When I Slammed the Refrigerator Door
This is a picture of what happens when: You realize that you are out of granola and decide to make a really quick trip to
When Your Enemy is Yourself
Does anyone else ever feel like your enemy is yourself? Does anyone else have a voice inside their head saying nasty things about you right
How Love Brings Power in the Midst of Powerlessness {Ep 109}
I finished recording this week’s episode of the Love is Stronger than Fear podcast where I talked about how love brings power in the midst
Happy Mother’s Day!
So today, on Mother’s Day, can you imagine getting really mad, maybe not for a terrific reason, and yelling at your kids and slamming a
Reading Small Talk: Behind-the-Scenes
Want a glimpse of Small Talk behind-the-scenes? How do my kids REALLY feel about being stuck at home with our family?! What do they think
Carrying Love Letters from God {Ep 108}
I sometimes expect God to communicate through the equivalent of Marvel comic book “Shazams!” and action movie explosions. I expect Him to grab my attention
AJB Recommends: Talking with Doctors Who Are Christians About COVID-19
I happened to listen to two doctors talking about COVID-19 from their vantage point as physicians and people of faith. In the first interview, Dr.
A Mother’s Day Gift: Reading Small Talk Podcast
Download Audiobook To all the mothers and fathers of young children who are struggling right now, I have a small gift for you—the Reading Small
Head, Heart, Hands Audiobook
I have a gift for you—a free audiobook of Head, Heart, Hands! After I wrote White Picket Fences, I heard back from many readers that they
How My Daughter Convinced Me We Can Help {Ep 107}
My Aunt Jane sent us five masks a few weeks ago (see photo). When the masks came, after we decided who gets which one and
Toilet Paper, Hoarding, and Sharing
I bought a 9-pack of toilet paper in the grocery store last week. Yes. It was a brand I didn’t recognize, but it was soft
AJB Recommends: Podcasts That Bring Comfort
Are you in a place of fatigue from the news? I have three recommendations for podcasts that bring comfort. I listen to a lot of
Less Distraction and Paying Attention
Distraction—largely in the form of entertainment and busyness—keeps us from love. (So does fear, and so does injustice, which I’ve been talking about in the
Where Is God When People Suffer {Ep 106}
Over the past few years, I’ve become more and more convinced that love is the foundation of all reality. Love is the deepest truth about
Praising God in Sorrow, Just Like Jesus
I mentioned last week that Penny and I have been singing worship songs together lately. It is such a gift to me to turn off
