Every summer our family of five travels to Nauvoo, Alabama, for one week. It’s an unusual decision—we leave the relatively cool nights and sunshiny days of July in Connecticut for the muggy backwoods of northern Alabama. We make this inconvenient and expensive journey because our week at Hope Heals camp gives us a glimpse of the kingdom of God.

Hope Heals camp is a space for families affected by disability to gather for teaching and community and belonging. The five hundred or so people in attendance span a wide spectrum of needs. There are people with Down syndrome, like our daughter Penny. We meet children with rare genetic conditions and parents who are recovering from strokes and blind teenagers and autistic tweens. We also meet lots of people who appear to be typically developing. Hope Heals brings out our vulnerabilities in a way that blurs the lines between disabled and able. The blurring is part of the beauty…

Go here to keep reading my full essay for Comment Magazine:

The Blurring Is Part of the Beauty
Disability, interdependence, and the way of blessing.

MORE WITH AMY JULIA:

• Book: A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny
• Free Resource: Missing Out on Beautiful: Growing Up With a Child With Down Syndrome
• 247. The Transition To Adulthood (w/ Amy Julia Becker) | The Lucky Few Podcast

Subscribe to my newsletter to receive regular updates and news. You can also follow me on Facebook,  Instagram, Twitter,  Pinterest, and YouTube, and you can subscribe to my Reimagining the Good Life podcast on your favorite podcast platform.