Showing results by author "Amanda Lancaster" in All Categories

Imagine a place in twenty-first century America where kids grow up milking cows by hand and still prefer “hide and seek” to video games. Where families laugh together around the dinner table every day. Where gardens bloom, children splash in the creek, and newborn lambs bleat in the springtime. Where divorce is unheard of and friendships last a lifetime. Where the aged and infirm are cared for by loving family, not institutions. Where children are educated by parents and trusted friends, not strangers.

What began as a series of letters to my daughters—an attempt to pass on the wisdom I’ve gathered through years of mothering—has grown into something more. As others began asking to read these reflections, I thought it might be beneficial to share them more broadly—with you.

Christopher is the fifth of our eight children, born with classical autism. At three years old, his understanding and communication were that of a six-month-old, yet his story is nothing short of miraculous. Through him, our whole family was transformed. What began as a journey through confusion and silence became one of love and awe, reborn — a passage from loneliness to love, from isolation to connection, from fear to faith and joy. In these conversations between Christopher and his mother, Amanda, we’ll share that journey, the lessons, the laughter, and the wonder. We hope that the ...