RECENT POSTS
Church Camp: Belonging, Betrayal, and New Beginnings
Roasted marshmallows, campfire stories, shaving cream battles—for some of us, Christian summer camp is where we felt most at home. But for campers at white
S8 E16 | Why I Haven’t Sent My Kids to Church Camp with Cara Meredith
Apple YouTube Spotify More! For some of us, Christian summer camp is where we felt most at home. But for campers at white Evangelical church
When Survival Mode Feels Endless
I didn’t give a great answer to a question I received at an event a few weeks ago. During the question and answer time at
A Response to RFK Jr’s Statements About Autism
The Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr., recently made a series of false statements about autism. He said that autism
On Eagle’s Wings
I’ve been reading through the biblical book of Exodus this Lent, and nearly every day I learn something that helps deepen my understanding of God’s
Disrupting the Status Quo
My friend Patricia and I spent two nights in NYC this past weekend. We walked a gazillion steps, ate a gazillion calories, spoke even more
Honoring the Good, the Hard, and the In Between
There’s something special about connecting with a person who not only lives in the small town where you grew up, but also shares a similar
S8 E15 | Reimagining Family Life with Autism with Adrian Wood, PhD
Apple YouTube Spotify More! How do we redefine success, community, and family when parenting a child with disabilities? In this conversation, Amy Julia Becker and
What would I say now to a doctor who responded negatively to a prenatal (or postnatal) diagnosis of Down syndrome?
What would I say now to a doctor who responded negatively to a prenatal (or postnatal) diagnosis of Down syndrome? I was asked this question
3 Ways to Reimagine the Good Life
Last year, we came up with a new way to capture the work I’m trying to do. We used the words “Reimagining the Good Life.”
What do I think about ads, TV shows, and movies that include people with disabilities?
At a recent event, one woman asked me what I think of advertisements that include people with Down syndrome and other visible disabilities. Another man
Spring Break With Our Teenagers
I am perhaps one of the rare parents who LOVES parenting teenagers, and being with all three of them for a few uninterrupted days in
Show Up With Care
I’ve been concerned by the resurgence of the r-word in our culture. I’ve felt anxiety over political policies and news stories, and I’ve dug into data about our culture’s epidemic of
March 2025 Favorites
Favorite books, essays, podcasts episodes, and more that I enjoyed in the month of March, plus recent political news that I’m paying attention to… Books:
When Talking About Feelings Is Hard, Try Writing
Penny has always loved reading and writing. She realized years ago that sometimes she can’t use words to talk about her feelings or thoughts, but
S8 E14 | Want to Change Culture? Show Up With Care with Andy Crouch
Apple YouTube Spotify More! How does language, both careless and careful, shape our world? What’s the connection between social status and the words we choose?
In the Room Where Decisions Are Made
I will never forget the day that our daughter Penny said to me, “It doesn’t only matter what you think.” We were shopping for a
College Campus Tour
William was home for spring break, and he mentioned to Penny that he hadn’t actually seen where she goes to school. She gave us both
Learning From Silence
In 1990, as towering flames closed in around his California home, author Pico Iyer picked up his mother’s cat and ran to the car, hoping
COGNOSCENTI | The Trump administration’s rhetoric about disability diminishes us all
Grateful to write today for Cognoscenti/WBUR, Boston’s NPR station (read the full essay here): “The language we use and the stories we tell shape our
S8 E13 | What Solitude Gives Us After Catastrophe with Pico Iyer
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What happens when we step away from the noise of daily life and into silence? Author Pico Iyer joins Amy Julia
