A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny
By Amy Julia Becker (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)
How do we react in the presence of someone who is physically or mentally different from us? Do we accept them, ignore them, or retreat? Do we say the right things, the wrong things, or say nothing?
These are all issues that confronted Amy Julia Becker after she was informed her daughter Penny was not what she was expecting. Penny had Down syndrome.
In A Good and Perfect Gift, Amy Julia shares her story as she struggled to understand, accept, and finally embrace the gift God had given her in Penny.
Amy Julia writes with transparency and integrity as she honestly relates her questions and faith struggle—and later reveals insights and an enlightened comprehension of Down syndrome and what it means in the world today.
There are things Penny will never realize because she has Down syndrome, but there are also things—special and amazing things—she will exhibit and give, only because she has Down syndrome. To miss those would be to miss much.
Penny is indeed a good and perfect gift.
[A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny, by Amy Julia Becker. Published by Bethany House Publishers. 2011; ISBN: 978-0-7642-0917-8; 237 pages.]
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Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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