RECENT POSTS
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,
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
