Trilla Newbell is a woman after God’s Own Heart. Wife, Mother, Author, Speaker and Missionary, Trillia is using her life to bring the Gospel to all ages, here and across the globe. Trillia is a servant leader in her church and community who uses her gift of writing to teach and encourage others to find their true love in God, as well as serving on missions across the seas to bring the Word to the masses. It is her hope that we trust in God and know that He is faithful. She will grace us later this year with her new book, Sacred Endurance. During her busy schedule, I was able to catch up with her for this interview via telephone.
FWM: Trillia, it is an honor! Please introduce yourself and your ministry.
TN: My name is Trillia Newbell and I am a wife, mom, author and speaker. I work for an organization part-time but most of my work is writing books. I have been really grateful to write both books for adults and a kiddie book. The easiest way to find out more about me is to go to my website, www.trillianewbell.com. I’ve written on anything from race and diversity to enjoying God, fear and enduing in the Faith. The kid’s book is called, God’s Very Good Idea, and it is about the beauty of diversity in the church and the Gospel and how He makes us a family. And then I have a Bible Study on Romans 8.
FWM: How long have you been in the ministry of writing?
TN: I did freelance journalism. I wrote for a local paper in a city for a couple of years and then I started writing articles, books and blogs. So, I think it’s been about 13 years ago. I’ve also had some publications in journals. So, it’s been longer than that, but I would say that the intensity of my writing has increased over the last 13 years. I’ve loved it! I love it so much!
FWM: Has there been many obstacles for you as a woman writing faith-based publications?
TN: You know, I kind of approach life in such a way where if there is an obstacle, unless it’s a clear ‘no” from The Lord it’s not an obstacle. If no is the obstacle, then I’m ok with that if it’s the Lord’s “No”. But typically for writing, it usually means “Not yet” or “Someplace else.” A “no” in this industry isn’t necessarily a “never” or a completely closed door. I don’t know if I would consider them obstacles as much as I would consider them as directions from The Lord. So, I’ve been encouraged by that. When you experience that “no” it can feel like an obstacle.
I remember when I first started writing it felt like an obstacle, but now since I’ve been in it for so much longer, I can look back and say, “Oh wow, Lord. You were just protecting me or directing me or guiding me in a direction that I needed to go. I haven’t experienced a lot of obstacles where I have felt I’ve been pushed up against. I’ve been discouraged at times. In anything you’re doing where you’re feeling any kind of rejection, it can be discouraging. Now I think I can say pretty confidently that I haven’t received a “no” because of my womanhood. I would have received a no because they thought my platform wasn’t big enough or maybe they thought that I didn’t fit the bill that they were looking for, but it wouldn’t have been because I was a woman and I’m grateful for that.
FWM: I know you wear many hats. How do you balance ministry and family?
TN: How do I balance my writing ministry and family? Sometimes really well and sometimes not well at all. (Laughter) So, I am grateful that I have the support of a husband who parents really well. He loves his wife and he loves his children and that does make a difference. So, I’m not in this ministry alone. I’m not doing this on an island. I’m doing this in a community with my family and my church. It really does help not to do ministry by yourself. The balance to me is deciding when to say no to things and when you say yes. And whether it makes sense for my family. So, if I can say yes to something that means everybody is on board. That means my kids are on board, my husband is on board, everyone has to be on board otherwise its not good. It’s not going to work. It has to make the most sense for our family both financially, ministry wise, the focus as well as time. So, it all has to make sense.
FWM: What keeps you spiritually grounded?
TN: The Bible. What keeps me spiritually grounded is reading God’s Word. For me to be healthy in any way, I need to be in the Word of God and just be me so that I can abide in Jesus and just be close to Him, and learn about the Lord. I want to feed my soul as I am pouring out. Every time I read the Bible; I learn something new. It is so sweet. I love God’s Word and to just sit in It and study It, is such a joy.
FWM: How is your ministry, your books and your work are impacting women and your community?
TN: This is the interesting thing about writing and speaking, you never know until someone else tells you. So, I think because of the feedback that I’ve received that people are encouraged; and Praise God for that. People are encouraged by my work and I hope that the Lord would use it to draw others closer to Him to learn about Him. And it seems that I continue to be encouraged in that way. For my local church, I serve. I teach a Bible study and I love it so much! It is on Hebrews. We are doing an inductive study where we are reading the text and exegeting the scriptures for ourselves. We are looking at the scriptures and asking questions about what the scriptures say to us and how can we apply it. We are doing it on our own and it’s just a joy to open God’s Word and read the scriptures. I also get to do other things in the community as well. I hear encouraging things; I believe The Lord is using it and I entrust it all to Him because ultimately, we’re just to walk faithfully and He does the rest.
FWM: What is your favorite Bible verse?
TN: Hebrews 4:16 is one of my favorites – “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (NIV) To think that we can draw near to God’s throne of Grace is amazing. It is so amazing and that Jesus has made a way. And that we will receive grace in our time of need, not condemnation, not shame, but grace. That’s amazing to me! Also, Romans 8, all of Romans 8. Another favorite is Ephesians 1 and 2. Those are just a few.
FWM: What advice would you give your younger self?
TN: I would probably tell her that God is faithful, things will be hard and maybe even painful, and He will see you through. I have experienced a lot of death. I have had four miscarriages, the death of my father, the death of my sister. My husband has experienced both of his brothers dying so, death has been prevalent. I would tell her to cling to the goodness and faithfulness of God. Cling. He will be faithful and He is good.
FWM: What is coming up for Trillia Newbell in 2020?
TN: I have a book coming out at the end of this year called, Sacred Endurance. It’s about enduring in the faith and written from the perspective of someone who is enduring and who has endured. So, in 2020, I will still be highlighting and pointing people in the direction of that book and hoping that people will be encouraged to run the race with endurance, fixing their eyes on Jesus. That is my hope, knowing that Jesus is the One who will finish the good work in us. So, we can run knowing that He who has promised is faithful, so He will surely do it. That is my hopes and my prayers that people will grab that book and be encouraged by it. More writing and speaking will be coming up in 2020.
FWM: How can our readers connect with you outside of this interview?
TN: I am on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, all @trillianewbell.
