RECENT POSTS
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,
The Dignity of Risk: What My Daughter’s First Ballet Bun Taught Me About Disability, Growth, and Possibility
Last week, I was packing up for the fourth of four speaking trips in a month when my mom called to say she wouldn’t be able to
Parent + Caregiver: How to Do Both Without Burning Out with Juli Henderson
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E16 — Parent and medical caregiver. Many parents of children with disabilities know the complexity of these two full-time roles. Juli
The Way of Empire vs. the Way of God’s Kingdom
When I was at Laity Lodge, I got to teach alongside my friend David Bailey, founder and Chief Vision Officer of Arrabon. David talked about the
What a Retreat Taught Me About Slowing Down and Starting the Day with God
The design of both the exterior and interior spaces at Laity Lodge invite peace, contemplation, and connection. Simply being present in that place made me
You Are Needed: Disability, Interdependence, and the Body of Christ
You are needed. You are needy. We need each other. I got to share those words on Sunday morning for our final gathering at a Laity
Disability: Tragedy, Inspiration… or Something Else? with Matthew Mooney
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E15 — Tired of feeling like you have to “fix” your child—or turn their life into an inspiration story? Parents of
February 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
Reimagining the Good Life: Faith, Disability, and the Way of Love
There’s a moment in the recent Billy Joel documentary, And So It Goes, where he describes writing the song “Big Shot.” He says it came out
How Disability Parents Can Get Organized Without Burning Out with Angela O’Brien
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST Ep 14 — If paperwork and clutter are exhausting you, you’re not alone. Professional organizer Angela O’Brien, mom to a young
How to Strengthen Your Marriage While Parenting a Child with Disabilities
Early in our marriage, Peter and I learned—the hard way—that we do not process stress and grief the same way. We’re not alone. Parenting a
