RECENT POSTS
Disability + Siblings: What the Research Says with Meghan Burke, PhD
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E22—Is having a sibling with a disability hard on kids? Researcher Meghan Burke has spent years studying (and living) this
Why Naming Grief in Community Makes Hope Possible
Why does naming grief in community make hope possible? We often imagine hope as something we generate internally, but so much of hope is actually
Regret, Gratitude, and Middle Age: Learning to Receive the Life You’ve Been Given
No one ever told me that middle age would be marked by regret. I didn’t know the “choose your own adventure” of my upper-middle class
After Diagnosis: Grief Isn’t the End of the Story with Dr. Curt Thompson
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E21—As the mom of a daughter with Down syndrome, I have felt my fair share of complicated emotions over these
What Was Hard Today? How One Question Can Transform Your Family’s Connection
As a family, we’ve found it’s easy to share our triumphs with each other, the things that went well in our day. But it has
The Garden at Golgotha: Finding Life and Hope in the Midst of Death
A garden grew where they crucified Jesus. I was reading the story of Jesus’ death in John’s Gospel today, and I noticed something I had
Why I’m Choosing Pro-Aging at 49
Today I turned 49 years old. Happy birthday to me! It’s been a year of feeling my age. I notice the sun spots on my
Disability + Family: What Is Good? What Is Hard? with Renee Dollenmayer
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E20—Does your child struggle to understand who they are in a world that sees disability as a deficit? Renee Dollenmayer,
Simple Spiritual Practices for Parents of Kids with Disabilities: Finding Joy in Everyday Life
When life feels too full for one more thing, especially for parents of kids with disabilities, spiritual practices don’t need to be complicated. Here are
March 2026 • Links Worth Your Time
Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month
Start with Delight: What a Down Syndrome Gala Revealed About Belonging and Joy
On Saturday night, Peter and I went with Penny to the Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut’s World Down Syndrome Gala. We were jet-lagged, and I
Disability and Simple Faith Practices for Exhausted Parents with Pam Harmon
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E19—Many parents of children with disabilities carry deep spiritual questions and have very little space to process them. Amy Julia
Why Behavior Is Communication: Rethinking “Bad Behavior” in Disability and Parenting
I watched Emily Longino work with individuals experiencing disability last year at Hope Heals Camp. I realized how easy it is to subconsciously categorize behavior
When Fear Limits Imagination: Supporting Our Daughter with Down Syndrome and Her Dreams Beyond Home
“I would start tomorrow if I could,” Penny said, after our visit to Clemson University. (You can watch a short highlight clip of why she loved
Your Child’s Behavior Is Communication with Emily Longino
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E18—Your child isn’t “misbehaving.” They’re trying to be understood. Many children with disabilities communicate through behavior, especially when spoken words
When an Autistic Man Calls for Help and Is Killed: Why We Need a Better Response
On March 1, a young man named Alex LaMorie was fatally shot by police. He was autistic. According to the Washington Post, he was in the
Why Intelligence Is Not the Measure of Human Worth (from a Parent of a Child with Down Syndrome)
When I was in college, I spent a summer studying for the GRE—the Graduate Record Examinations—in anticipation of applying for PhD programs. I had visions
Why “Special Needs Ministry” Isn’t Enough with Rebecca Wall
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E17—Is your family welcome at church? If Sunday mornings leave you more exhausted than encouraged, you’re not alone. Rebecca Wall,
