RECENT POSTS
![Maddie and Penny smiling at the camera, an example of belonging during Down Syndrome Awareness Month](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1-10-1024x1024.png)
A Glimpse of Belonging at the Beginning of Down Syndrome Awareness Month
I dream of a world where everyone belongs. Last weekend, Penny was a bridesmaid in her old-babysitter-best-friend-for-life’s wedding, and I got a little glimpse of
![Penny, Marilee, and William sitting on a ledge with their backs to the camera and looking out over mountains](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1-6-1024x1024.png)
The Wisdom of God
How do you know how to live so that it will go well for you and your family? How do you know whether to pursue
![collaborative space where diverse students are painting a mural on a wall](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/ajb-collaborative-space-1024x585.png)
Collaborative Spaces: One Step Between Exclusion and Belonging
We need to begin envisioning and creating collaborative spaces for the work of justice, reconciliation, and healing. I wrote yesterday about how we cannot skip
![mist rising off of a lake with grasses in the foreground and autumn trees in the background](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1-8-1024x1024.png)
You Can’t Move from Exclusion to Belonging in One Step
When it comes to the work of undoing systemic injustice in America, many of us want to skip to the end of the story, from
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Is Personal Healing Opposed to Social Healing?
I used to act as though personal healing and social healing were opposed to each other. If I make time to take care of myself,
![in order tallest to youngest, William, Amy Julia, and Penny standing side by side and smiling at the camera](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1-7-1024x1024.png)
Welcome! (And Did You Know…)
I love that there are new people joining this community every day, and I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself (unofficially) to all
![white graphic with circle picture of Amy Julia and text that says, "A few of my favorite things: words of hope"](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2-7-1024x1024.png)
A Few of My Favorite Things: Week 7 | Words of Hope
I have both read and listened to so much thoughtful, wise, hopeful writing and conversation this week. I hope you’ll be able to enjoy some
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Ten-Book Giveaway: Racism, Privilege, Social Healing, and Faith
I’ve teamed up with some awesome authors for a TEN-BOOK giveaway! You can win all TEN of these books, which are all about privilege, racism,
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Like Trees, We Need Stress in Our Lives
I just learned that trees die without stress. A friend told me about the experiment of biosphere 2, where scientists tried to understand how our
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S5 E2 | God Has Something to Say About Privilege with Dominique Gilliard
What is privilege? How can we leverage it to proclaim God’s love to the world and create communities that flourish? Dominique DuBois Gilliard, the author
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Return to Belovedness
“We are intimately loved long before our parents, teachers, spouses, children and friends loved or wounded us.” —Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved I’m rereading
![the miscellaneous life of a parent - watching your son ride a horse](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/3-1024x1024.png)
The Miscellaneous Life of a Parent
Much of the default parent life should be filed under the category “miscellaneous.” That’s what my friend Patricia says. Things like… Filling out the forms
![blue graphic with a circle picture of Amy Julia and white text that says a Few of My Favorite Things Curling Up With the Culture Wars](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1-4-1024x1024.png)
A Few of My Favorite Things: Week 6 | Curling Up With The Culture Wars
I didn’t mean to read and listen and think about a series of controversial topics this week, but I’m passing along some of my favorite
![Penny, who has Down syndrome, and Katherine Wolf, who is sitting in a wheelchair, giving each other a hug at Hope Heals Camp](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Hopeheals-down-syndrome-good-perfect-gift-1024x1024.png)
What’s Wrong With Having Down Syndrome?
What’s wrong with having Down syndrome? It was a question I asked many years ago, when our daughter Penny was first diagnosed with an extra
![selfie where Amy Julia is smiling at the camera with a wry smile](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1-3-1024x1024.png)
Finishing To Be Made Well
Today I will set a timer on my phone for 30 minutes. I will turn the phone over so I can’t see notifications of text
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The Bible Is Not About Behavior Management
I often misinterpret the words in the Bible as behavior management, when they are really invitations to surrender to love. Jesus says: “Do not judge,
![tattered flag depicting the resilience of love that is stronger than fear after 9/11](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1-2-1024x1024.png)
On 9/11, We Remember That Love Is Stronger Than Fear
[If you are looking for my Love Is Stronger Than Fear podcast, please go here.] Evil is always (and only) a distortion of the good.
![blue graphic with circle picture of three children ready for school and text that says A Few of My Favorite Things Back to School and an Essay about the Robert E. Lee statue](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/AJs-favorites-social-justice-1024x1024.png)
A Few of My Favorite Things: Week 5 | School and an Article About Robert E. Lee Statue
Honestly, my favorite thing about this week is that our kids all went back to school. I love their schools. They like their schools. I