Special Kids with Special Needs
Life doesn’t always go as planned. God often sets up detours on the road to our ideal life. Jennifer Shaw, whose son, Toby, struggles with a Sensory processing disorder, and Amy Julia Becker, whose daughter Penny has Down syndrome, talk about the fear, despair and disorientation they sometimes felt as they sought to understand and fully embrace their child’s special needs. Amy Julia and Jennifer also share how they’ve seen God at work in the midst of their child’s difficulties.
Meet Series Guests
Amy Julia Becker
A graduate of Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary, Amy Julia Becker’s essays about faith, family, disability, Down syndrome, privilege and culture have appeared in the Washington Post, USA Today, Christianity Today, the Christian Century, and online for The New York Times, ABCNews, the Atlantic, Vox, and The Huffington Post. She has appeared on a number of podcasts including The Lucky Few and the Mockingbird podcast and has spoken at many retreats and conferences including the 2019 Q Conference. Amy Julia is a member of INK: A Creative Collective. She lives with her husband Peter and three children, Penny, William, and Marilee in western CT.
Jennifer Shaw
Jennifer Shaw is a national recording artist, songwriter, speaker, and contemporary worship leader. With degrees in both piano performance and vocal performance, Jennifer completed her graduate work in opera performance at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. A former professor of voice at Cedarville University, Jennifer has been the music director and worship leader at her church for over ten years. Jennifer is a Top 40 Billboard artist and has garnered a #3 worship song on the national radio charts. Jennifer and her husband, Nathan, live with their three children in central Ohio. For more information about Jennifer, please visit www.jennifershaw.com.