Over the past few years, I’ve become a cycling enthusiast. This year, I’ve taken my enjoyment from going out for a ride to learning about the sport, its history, and the key players of today. As a result, I’ve been following the 2016 Le Tour de France closely. I’ve watched almost every stage (their name for the route they ride each day; there are 21 stages in the race). I’ve read articles, watched videos and even began tracking some riders’ progress via the Tour’s website. I’m all in! It’s fun and intriguing and incredibly interesting to me. I could go on and on about all that I am learning—it’s a lot! But it isn’t just that I’m learning about the sport. I’m also learning about perseverance, endurance, long-suffering, camaraderie, competition, discipline and dedication. Perhaps one day I’ll write about each of these things but today, after what I saw in the race, I wanted to highlight one key area: selfless teamwork.

Before I jump into a few things I like, I thought it would be good to share something that might seem obvious to you: I am writing again! Actually, I’ve never stopped writing. I’ve been writing a lot actually. I have almost finished a book project and I’ve been writing every month for Tabletalk and HomeLife magazines. I’ve been writing for other sites as well but as my speaking has increased, my work at the ERLC has continued to grow and change, and as I’ve concentrated much of my writing on my book, I’ve spent less time writing articles and blog posts. But that’s changing and I’m excited!..

The other day, I had an experience that has reshaped my preconceived notions of the poor and also increased my awareness of the needs around me. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of the situation but, in short, I was able to help a family who were clearly in dire need of assistance. Then today, I found myself in a very different situation. I was in the drive-thru at a Starbucks and when I rolled up to the window, the barista informed me that the driver ahead of me had paid for my drink. (I had actually gotten a drink and a croissant.) I paused, looked at her and admitted, “It’s so interesting. I never really know what to do in this situation.”

I became a Christian at 22. At the time I was single and seemed to embody Paul’s description of being unmarried and undistracted (1 Cor. 7:32–34). All I wanted to do, besides hang out with friends, was to read and study God’s Word. I memorized and meditated and enjoyed meeting with him, often for hours at a time…

I grew up believing strongly that every person should have equal rights–every person living and walking was made with the potential to do great things and contribute to society. If you were to label me, perhaps you’d say I was feminist, pro-choice and politically liberal. Like much of America, I believed that a woman had a right to determine what was best for her body. I believed wholeheartedly that I was also pro-women. No one, I thought, should be allowed to control the outcome of an unwanted pregnancy except for the mother. The male partner didn’t have rights to voice an opinion either. I actually don’t believe I thought the baby was a baby. In other words, I adopted the idea that he or she was a fetus of cells that weren’t fully developed and therefore disposable. There wasn’t anything in my mind that would have convinced me otherwise…

Several of my friends have recently suffered miscarriages. They endure the anguish of feeling their bodies begin to change to make room for a growing baby only to lose the child. I, too, have experienced it—four times. At first we thought perhaps I had a problem with fertility. It took us a year to get pregnant and then seven weeks to lose the baby. I got pregnant quickly again and miscarried at ten weeks. Eventually I had a sweet baby boy. After him I miscarried two more times and then had my girl…

Articles about miscarriage are often focused on the woman, how she dealt with it and how she pursued the Lord. It’s rare that we get to hear from a man on this important topic. In light of a recent article I wrote for Christianity Today, I wanted to take a moment to also share my husband’s thoughts and reflections on our experiences with miscarriage. I’ve asked him to briefly answer a few questions…

I have what many would say is a “good” marriage. We are loving toward one another, share openly about struggles, pray together, communicate, honor and generally respect one another. We are best friends—he is my dearest, greatest friend. Our marriage is good, but it is far from perfect. We have a lot of areas where we are consistently and constantly working to grow. But, I generally feel secure and content overall. That is, until I was not and realized I am far from above temptation…

This is a special week. The man who has walked through death and life with me has been given yet another day to live and another age to turn. He has been a staple in my life since I was 18 years old. He has counselled me with tender gentleness, loved me so well. We’ve been through great trials and sorrows and oh so much rejoicing together. His warmth and gentleness our children (our ultimate ministry) now get to enjoy. I thank God for Thern Newbell, my husband. But, today I thought I’d highlight something else quite special about Thern. He is my ministry partner and friend…