For people with disabilities: Kindness is nice. Legal protections are necessary

What can we do when it looks like protections, research, and support for people with disabilities are in jeopardy? {Plus 1 fun thing and what to do if you find yourself in the car with kids & teens}

“Your checkbook is a spiritual document,” the priest said. Peter and I were young and newlywed. We had been invited to a fundraiser for our local church. It was long enough ago that most people did most of their financial transactions through paper checks. And the speaker that night wanted us to understand that where we put our money tells us something about the state of our souls.

I’ve returned to his simple words over the years as a helpful statement of spiritual reality. What does my purchase of a new dress, or our decision to pay for a trip to Disney World tell me about who I am and what I believe? What does our commitment to giving money to charitable causes or to people in need signify? When is it good to spend, save, and give money away? What do those decisions reflect about who we are and who we are becoming?

It’s a question we might want to ask collectively right now, as the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act makes its way through Congress. I had a chance to write about the implications of this bill on families affected by disability, and the way we as a nation choose to spend, or restrict spending for Cognoscenti this week:

“…as the Republican-led Congress moves to pass President Trump’s domestic agenda in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, I am losing my confidence that each year is a better year for people like our daughter…”

“Throughout our experience as parents, we have needed individuals who believed in Penny, cared for her and supported her and us. But goodwill and kindness are not enough. We also need the government to protect her right to learn in the “least restrictive environment.” We need the government to support research, to provide job training opportunities and to protect her against discrimination. The policy changes pursued by the Trump administration put those rights and services in jeopardy in our schools, workplaces and social support systems…”

I’m disheartened by the choices we are on track to make as a nation when it comes to funding care for our most vulnerable members. I’m also aware that money does not buy happiness or connection. Only love—manifested in embodied care for one another—can do that.

I’m sending this email earlier in the week than usual so that you can read the essay today. I’d love to hear from you. Let me know your thoughts or questions. Reply or leave a comment!

Amy Julia

P.S. Keep scrolling for 1 fun thing and what to do if you find yourself in the car a lot with kids and teenagers.

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Wholeness, Healing & Belonging with Amy Julia Becker

on the Live Faith First podcast

I don’t usually get to talk about disability, family, faith, privilege, and healing all in one conversation. I loved talking with Elliot Sands about all these things and more:

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1 Fun Thing

As some of you know, my husband is the Head of School at a boarding school in Connecticut. Last week, we joined the senior class at a local amusement park. I was reminded of two things. One, that my body can’t handle things like swings or freefalls anymore. And two, that there’s such goodness in experiencing fun stuff together. I did make it onto the tamest of rides.

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If you find yourself in the car with kids…

Maycember has gotten the best of me, and I don’t have a lot of reading, listening, and watching recommendations today.

My biggest recommendation this week is for anyone who finds themselves in the car a lot with kids (including teenagers) right now. We have returned to The Family Road Trip Trivia podcast, and we are totally enjoying some midwestern banter, reminders of Disney movies, and evidence of generational divides. I’m at that weird in-between place where our car rides might include talking about the war in Ukraine, working on the New York Times games, and—for the sake of trivia—trying to remember the name of the chameleon in Tangled (Pascal, in case you’re wondering).

I did send our kids this sermon about choosing the way of Jesus. It’s a beautiful and honest invitation to walk the narrow way to a spacious place (and it makes reference to Narnia, Greek mythology, and Harry Potter, thus my hope that our kids would listen too).

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What about you?

What are you pondering, reading, watching, or listening to these days?

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