Dwell Differently (Natalie Abbott & Vera Schmitz)
Explore every episode of Dwell Differently
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Feb 2022 | Dwell #123: Healthy Love - Debra Fileta | 00:16:31 | |
Meet our February Dwell Guest: Debra Fileta! Debra is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the author of 5 books on the topics of dating, marriage, love, and healthy relationships (see link below). Her heart for Jesus informs her work, her writing, and her conversation with us this month about what love is. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 17 Feb 2022 | Dwell #124: The Hungry Monster - Debra Fileta | 00:18:49 | |
Meet our February Dwell Guest: Debra Fileta! Debra is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the author of 5 books on the topics of dating, marriage, love, and healthy relationships (see link below). Her heart for Jesus informs her work, her writing, and her conversation with us this month about what love is. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 24 Feb 2022 | How Do We Live In Love? // Debra Fileta | 00:20:31 | |
“God’s love is so different from the relationships we have in this world, where there’s always the expectation of giving and receiving. God is love. He is the epitome of love. There’s nothing I have to do to engage in the process, or give back. I just receive it. It’s almost hard for the brain to compute, but there’s something really special about that.” — Debra Fileta Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 03 Mar 2022 | It's Not About Us // Vera & Natalie | 00:24:18 | |
“You can’t rely on your feelings. You have to rely on what’s actually true—who God actually is and what he actually says about you.” — Vera This month’s memory verse: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” — Hebrews 10:35 Today’s podcast: Join Natalie and Vera—sisters and co-founders of Dwell—as they take a look at the confidence our verse of the month is talking about, some times in their own lives when they’ve come face-to-face with a lack of confidence (and how Dwell was born in the midst of one of those seasons!), and some super helpful ways we can practice putting our confidence in Jesus. You won’t want to miss it! Our March Dwell guest: Sadie Robertson Huff will be joining Vera on the podcast starting next week! Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss their conversations about Hebrews 10:35 and what it looks like to live out the truth of Scripture in our everyday lives. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a keychain ring, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 14 Apr 2022 | God Loves Those Who Are Far Away // Rachelle Starr | 00:18:28 | |
Important Note: If you have little listeners with you today, you may want to put in headphones or listen later as this episode is about sharing the gospel with women in the adult entertainment industry. “It really just takes one act of obedience to advance God’s kingdom.” — Rachelle Starr This month’s memory verse: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” — Ephesians 2:13 Today’s podcast: How do you embody what Jesus has done and tangibly share his love with those around you? Need some encouragement to carry out the gospel in your daily life and to live in obedience to what God has called you to? Join Natalie Abbott and Rachelle Starr today as they talk about Scarlet Hope, a ministry that exists to share the hope and love of Jesus with women in the adult entertainment industry. Jesus changes lives! Our April Dwell guest: Meet Rachelle Starr, founder and president of Scarlet Hope! She says, “Twelve years ago God called me to serve women in the adult entertainment industry with the gospel message that he loves them and cares for them. Through the gospel I have seen countless lives changed by the transforming work of Christ, that's why we exist!” Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 07 Apr 2022 | How Do I Talk to My Kids About Easter? // Vera & Natalie | 00:20:32 | |
“Jesus invites us to bring our little people to him” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” — Ephesians 2:13 Today’s podcast: It’s a new month and a new memory verse! Today, Natalie and Vera dive into Ephesians 2:13 and talk about how to share the gospel with our kids. Want some help with questions to get the conversation going? Need some guidance when it comes to explaining why we need the blood of Christ? Don’t miss this encouraging episode, and be sure to grab the free Easter coloring sheet and devo for kids on our website! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 31 Mar 2022 | How to Memorize the Bible with Your Kids // Hunter Beless | 00:22:24 | |
“As we continue to dwell on the truths of God’s Word, it’s leading us to delight in them and to testify to those realities in the lives of the people that are around us.” — Hunter Beless This month’s memory verse: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” — Hebrews 10:35 Today’s podcast: Have you even wondered how to memorize the Bible with your kids? What if they aren't interested? Is it really that important? Hunter Beless joins Dwell co-founder Natalie Abbott to give us some great insights into why and how to memorize Scripture together. Listen in to hear how to bring excitement to memorizing the Bible, the benefits of regularly intaking the truth of the Bible, how to invite and incorporate your kids into your time with the Lord, and about Hunter's awesome new book for kids, Read It, See It, Say It, See It. Our March Dwell guest: Meet Hunter Beless! Hunter loves Jesus and is passionate about helping others know and treasure the Word of God. She is a wife, mom, podcast host, author, and speaker. We absolutely loved having her on the show this month, and can't wait for you to hear her heart for memorizing the Bible and living for Jesus! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 21 Apr 2022 | Jesus Is the One Who Does the Work // Rachelle Starr | 00:19:57 | |
Important Note: If you have little listeners with you today, you may want to put in headphones or listen later as this episode is about sharing the gospel with women in the adult entertainment industry. “The more drastic and dark and depraved you recognize you were, the more Christ’s sacrifice on the cross becomes real because you knew how bad you were and how much grace you’ve been given.” — Rachelle Starr This month’s memory verse: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” — Ephesians 2:13 Today’s podcast: What does it mean that we’ve been brought near by the blood of Christ? When we stop to think about it, we are all rebellious before Christ gets ahold of us, and at the foot of the cross, we are all the same. God is the one who bring us near, no matter how dark we are or how far we’ve tried to get from him. Join Natalie and Rachelle Starr today as they talk about the hope that’s on offer from God himself! Our April Dwell guest: Meet Rachelle Starr, founder and president of Scarlet Hope! She says, “Twelve years ago God called me to serve women in the adult entertainment industry with the gospel message that he loves them and cares for them. Through the gospel I have seen countless lives changed by the transforming work of Christ, that's why we exist!” Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 28 Apr 2022 | God Redeems, No Matter What // Rachelle Starr | 00:18:16 | |
Important Note: If you have little listeners with you today, you may want to put in headphones or listen later as this episode is about sharing the gospel with women in the adult entertainment industry. “God redeems, no matter what. No matter how long you’ve been away from him, no matter how far you’ve been away from him, or how far you’ve been kept from him.” — Rachelle Starr This month’s memory verse: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” — Ephesians 2:13 Today’s podcast: What do we do when our sin feels too big for Jesus to forgive? What should we do if we feel far away from God? In this encouraging episode, Natalie and Rachelle Starr dig into what this month’s verse says about the radical love of God, share super practical ideas for being near God when we feel far away, and talk about a redemption story you won’t want to miss! Our April Dwell guest: Meet Rachelle Starr, founder and president of Scarlet Hope! She says, “Twelve years ago God called me to serve women in the adult entertainment industry with the gospel message that he loves them and cares for them. Through the gospel I have seen countless lives changed by the transforming work of Christ, that's why we exist!” Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 12 May 2022 | Living Out Our Faith Together // Melissa Kruger | 00:19:47 | |
“I don’t want women to be in the Word because they think there’s some angel in heaven with a star chart who’s keeping track of their progress. I want them to be in the Word because there is a joy of knowing Christ that you just simply can’t explain other than to say he has such depths to be uncovered that we will spend all eternity knowing him more.” — Melissa Kruger This month’s memory verse: “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:8b Today’s podcast: What does it look like to live out the gospel in a way that is relational and that impacts people in a powerful way? Join Natalie Abbott and Melissa Kruger as they talk about what the word “gospel” means, the importance of both telling and showcasing the truth of the gospel, and why Melissa is so passionate about the Word of God. Don’t forget to subscribe and come back to hear their conversation about spiritual mentoring next week! Our May Dwell guest: Melissa Kruger is a wife, mom, and the author of multiple books, including The Envy of Eve, Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood, and Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests. She enjoys teaching women the Bible and serves as the director of women's initiatives for The Gospel Coalition. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 19 May 2022 | How Do We Do This "Gospel Life" Thing? // Melissa Kruger | 00:17:35 | |
"If there is one verse that I would want to characterize my ministry, it would be this one.” — Melissa Kruger This month’s memory verse: “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:8b Today’s podcast: What does it really look like to share not only the gospel but also our lives with one another? In today’s episode, Melissa Kruger and Natalie Abbott talk about the power of life-on-life ministry, why mentoring is not like marriage, and the joy of seeing how the gospel is impacting someone’s life over time. You won’t want to miss this encouragement and wisdom from women who have faithfully been mentoring others for years! Our May Dwell guest: Melissa Kruger is a wife, mom, and the author of multiple books, including The Envy of Eve, Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood, and Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests. She enjoys teaching women the Bible and serves as the director of women's initiatives for The Gospel Coalition. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 26 May 2022 | Do You Want a Mentor? // Melissa Kruger | 00:22:54 | |
“This is what the church should look like, this sharing: ‘What I have, I’m going to offer to you, and what you have, you can offer to me.’ And that’s a beautiful thing, without either demanding it of the other.” — Melissa Kruger This month’s memory verse: “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” — 1 Thessalonians 2:8b Today’s podcast: Have you been listening to our series this month and found yourself thinking, “I want that! I’ve never been mentored. How do I even start?” Well you’re in the right place! We know today’s conversation with Melissa Kruger and Natalie Abbott will give you some super practical next steps to dig into what it looks like to share our lives with one another. Our May Dwell guest: Melissa Kruger is a wife, mom, and the author of multiple books, including The Envy of Eve, Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood, and Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests. She enjoys teaching women the Bible and serves as the director of women's initiatives for The Gospel Coalition. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 05 May 2022 | Who Are You Sharing Your Life With? // Vera & Natalie | 00:16:46 | |
“This is what God has for us. We were created to be in community with one another. And as hard as it can be, that’s where the joy is—when we are not only sharing the gospel at an arm’s length, but when the gospel is penetrating into those relationships and making them beautiful and vibrant." — Natalie Abbott Today’s podcast: We know that the Bible calls us to live in community, but what does that look like? What is the impact of having people in your life who know you and love you, and who speak the truth of the gospel to you? What if you’re in a busy season of life and it just doesn’t seem possible? Join Vera and Natalie today as they share practical ways they are sharing their lives with others (spoiler alert: it’s easer than you may think!) and dive into our verse for this month! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 09 Jun 2022 | The Danger of Drifting // Emma Mae McDaniel | 00:43:36 | |
“That’s the danger of drifting—while running away is an intentional, purposeful act, drifting away happens without our awareness.” — Emma Mae McDaniel This month’s memory verse: “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” — Hebrews 2:1 Today’s podcast: Do you find yourself easily distracted? Is it challenging to prioritize spending time with the Lord in busy seasons? Have you ever realized that you've unintentionally started focusing on things that weren’t worth paying “the most careful attention” to, and drifted away from the Lord? What should you do if you have a friend who is drifting? Listen in today as Natalie Abbott and Emma Mae McDaniel chat about all this and more. We know this conversation will be an encouragement to you today as we take a look at how to pay the most careful attention to Jesus. Our April Dwell guest: Emma Mae McDaniel is a wife, writer, podcaster, YouTuber, speaker, clothing brand starter, and recent grad from Liberty University. Her life is all about knowing God and making him known, and we are so glad to have her join us on the podcast this month! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 02 Jun 2022 | Pay the Most Careful Attention // Natalie Abbott | 00:17:05 | |
“This is a daily practice—of not drifting, of coming back. And we have a God who welcomes us with open arms.” — Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” — Hebrews 2:1 Today’s podcast: Don’t miss today’s episode with Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell, as she digs into our verse for this month: Hebrews 2:1! She walks us through some important questions: How does this fit into the big picture of redemption in the Bible? What does it say about God? And what does it say about us and our everyday lives? We hope that you’re memorizing this verse along with us, and pray that this deeper dive helps you as you meditate on God’s Word this month! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 16 Jun 2022 | Help...I'm Drifting // Vera & Natalie | 00:24:12 | |
“The reason this verse is in Scripture at all is because we have this tendency to drift.” — Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” — Hebrews 2:1 Today’s podcast: Let’s be honest—it’s hard to talk about drifting. Today’s episode is a very real conversation between Natalie and Vera about how they see drifting happen in their own lives, spiritual habits they’d like to incorporate to help them stay on course, and the danger of looking good on the outside but dying on the inside. Are you in a season of drifting? Do you want some encouragement to keep digging into the Word? We’ve got you covered, and we are paddling toward God alongside you. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 23 Jun 2022 | Fighting the Current with Christ // Vera Schmitz | 00:07:38 | |
“What am I paying the most careful attention to right now? And how can I re-anchor myself to the truth with an easy habit or practice or rhythm?” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” — Hebrews 2:1 Today’s podcast: If you had an inventory of your thoughts, what (or who) are you paying the most careful attention to? In today’s episode, Vera Schmitz, co-founder of Dwell Differently, takes a look at 4 common things we are tempted to pay the most careful attention to, and encourages us to instead re-anchor ourselves to the truth of Jesus. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 14 Jul 2022 | What Is the Work of God? // Amanda Bible Williams | 00:53:24 | |
“It’s not just the head knowledge, in this case, that the work of God is to believe in the one he has sent, to believe in Jesus—but to actually know it to the point that that’s how I’m operating. That that’s the belief that I’m not just knowing with my head but that I’m living out of.” — Amanda Bible Williams This month’s memory verse: “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” — John 6:29 Today’s podcast: Have you ever wondered how good works and faith relate to each other? We often are looking for boxes to check and ways to justify ourselves, but following Jesus is a true following—step by step. Join Natalie Abbott and Amanda Bible Williams today as they dig into what this verse means, discuss barriers to belief, and encourage us to truly do the work of God: to believe in the one he has sent, Jesus. Our July Dwell guest: Amanda Bible Williams is co-founder and chief content officer of She Reads Truth. A lover of words and the Word, Amanda spends her days reading and leading, writing and editing, and explaining that her maiden name really is Bible. She lives with her husband and their four children in a chaotic farmhouse just south of Nashville, Tennessee. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 30 Jun 2022 | 4 Ways God Keeps Us from Drifting // Lindsay Tully | 00:29:44 | |
“It’s so encouraging to me that God has not left us on our own to follow after him—we don’t just hear a warning like this to not drift away without him also being the one to enable us.” — Lindsay Tully Today’s podcast: If we're being honest, we all know we have a tendency to drift spiritually. But how do we pay the most careful attention to what we have heard about Jesus? Join us today as Natalie Abbot, Co-founder of Dwell, and Lindsay Tully, Dwell Editor and Writer, sit down to talk about 4 of the instruments God has given us to help us stay the course and pay the most careful attention to the truth of the gospel, so that we do not drift away. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 07 Jul 2022 | That You May Believe // Natalie Abbott | 00:18:44 | |
"If Jesus is our spiritual food, are we looking to Jesus to give us the food that perishes, or are we looking to Jesus for eternal, spiritual satisfaction? Are we looking for him to meet only our earthly needs and earthly comforts, or do we have eyes to see, spiritual eyes to understand our spiritual needs and to find them met in Jesus?” — Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” — John 6:29 Today’s podcast: What is the message of the Gospel of John? Are we like the crowds following Jesus who were looking to him for the wrong reasons? Join Natalie Abbott today as she walks through the context of our verse for this month, John 6:29. Find out why the original hearers had a hard time wrapping their minds around this concept, how we can evaluate our own thinking about the work of God, and be encouraged as we clearly look at the point that John is making and the question we all need to answer. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 21 Jul 2022 | It’s Not about a Checklist // Vera & Natalie | 00:21:04 | |
“We don’t have to keep relying on our works or measuring ourselves by our failures. We can measure ourselves and see ourselves as Christ sees us, which is people that he loves, his beloved bride.” — Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” — John 6:29 Today’s podcast: Have you ever wrestled with feeling like you need to be “good” to earn God’s favor? Even as Christians who know we are saved not by our works but by Jesus, we can still fall back into thinking our good works are necessary to save us. Join Natalie and Vera today as they talk about the design for this month’s verse, get real as they share their own experiences of realizing they were trying to work to earn God’s favor with their efforts instead of coming to Jesus, and remind us of the beauty of our God who is always ready to bring us back to him as he helps us to believe in the One he has sent. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 28 Jul 2022 | 3 Takeaways from John 6:29 // Vera Schmitz | 00:06:43 | |
“Even if Jesus gave me all his miracles and he met every last need, the belief in him is the treasure. He is the treasure. He is the thing that my heart really truly longs for.” — Vera Schmitz Today’s podcast: You won’t want to miss today’s episode with Dwell Differently co-founder Vera Schmitz as she reflects on three takeaways from John 6:29! We hope you’ve been encouraged as you’ve memorized along with us this month, and pray that your belief in Jesus is continuing to grow. Don’t forget to come back next week for our new August verse! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 04 Aug 2022 | The Truth That Sets You Free // Natalie Abbott | 00:23:40 | |
“If Jesus tells you that you’re a sinner, will you still believe in him? Will you be honest with your sin and your failings? Will you confess that you could never measure up? Will you believe in the Son of God who came not to condemn the world but instead to save it? Or are you going to hold on to your own righteousness and keep justifying yourself?” — Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:32 Today’s podcast: What is “the truth” Jesus is talking about in this verse? And what do we need to be set free from? Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell, as she digs into the context of the Gospel of John, looks at how this verse connects with last month’s verse (John 6:29), and speaks truth about the Savior who came not to condemn but to set us free. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 11 Aug 2022 | Walk in the Truth // Blair Linne | 00:49:34 | |
“Then you have Jesus who is Truth materialized. He is sincerity and genuineness in the flesh. He shows up on the scene and says, ‘I’m going to give you the truth in my Word, but also, I am the Truth. I am the Word. You come to me, and I will set you free…I’m going to help you walk further in reality.’” — Blair Linne This month’s memory verse: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:32 Today’s podcast: Join Blair Linne and Natalie Abbott as they talk about this month’s verse: John 8:32. We know you’ll be encouraged by Blair’s story of being set free by Jesus! Listen in to learn more about the context of this verse, consider the contrast between our old nature and and our new nature of freedom as those who are united with Christ, and explore what it looks like to continue walking in freedom as we continue to walk in Truth. Our August Dwell guest: Blair Linne is a spoken word artist, author, and speaker. She is passionate about using the gifts God has given her to present the message and the Person that transformed her life. Blair and her husband, Shai, have three kids and live in Philadelphia. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 18 Aug 2022 | A Hard but Beautiful Message // Vera & Natalie | 00:21:32 | |
“I love this truth, even though it’s hard. It’s a promise for the [initial] one time choice to follow Jesus, and for my day in and day out. He’s going to continue to set me free from my sin.” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:32 Today’s podcast: So many people have heard the words of this verse—quoted in movies, literature, and everyday life—but what many may not know is that these words were spoken by Jesus about himself. Join Natalie and Vera, co-founders of Dwell Differently, as they talk about what this verse means, why this hard truth is actually good news, and how to fight against the lies that we all face with the truth of God’s Word alongside his people. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 25 Aug 2022 | Set Free from Fear, Control, and Busyness // Vera Schmitz | 00:08:27 | |
"It says, 'The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.' It doesn't say, 'You need only to make a plan, you need only to make a list, you need only to buy this thing.' No. 'The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'" — Vera Schmitz Today’s podcast: This month, Dwell Differently co-founder Vera Schmitz shares how memorizing specific truths in God's Word have helped to set her free from struggles in her own life. She relates how the truths about God's transcendent peace in Philippians 4:6-7 have helped her in anxious moments. She shares how Exodus 14:14 teaches here to rely on God to fight for her. And she also relates how the words of rest in Psalm 116:7 come to her mind in seasons of busyness. We trust that Vera's stories of freedom will be an encouragement to you as you consider how God's words have bolstered you up when you've needed them. And be sure to join us next week as we memorize on more verse to help us do just that. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 01 Sep 2022 | What Is Hope? // Natalie Abbott | 00:19:28 | |
“Biblical hope is not a wishing and a longing—biblical hope is a certain hope because it is rooted and grounded in the faithful God of hope.” — Natalie Abbott Today’s podcast: Have you ever wondered what “hope” really means? Is it just a wish, or is biblical hope something more? In today’s teaching episode, Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell, fills us in on the context of Romans 15:13, how we can understand this verse rightly, and why it is so important and encouraging for our everyday lives. But this hope isn’t just for us—it’s an overflowing hope for those around us as well, that they too might meet Jesus, the source and sustainer of our hope. This prayer from Romans is a message we need to hear! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 08 Sep 2022 | Overflowing Hope // Courtney Doctor | 00:45:41 | |
“These things that he’s giving—the hope and the joy and the peace—are not separate from him, they are part of him. He’s the God of hope, so he’s actually giving us himself.” — Courtney Doctor This month’s memory verse: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13 Today’s podcast: In today’s episode, Natalie Abbott and Courtney Doctor are taking a deep dive into this month’s verse, Romans 15:13. So what is “hope”? And what are we supposed to hope in? Is overflowing with hope really possible? Don’t miss this uplifting conversation where you’ll be encouraged to remember who God is, be rooted in why hope and joy and peace that defy our circumstances is a reality for those who trust in Christ, and be stirred to think about how this overflowing hope isn’t just for us, but for those around us as well. Our September Dwell guest: Courtney Doctor is an author, Bible teacher, frequent conference and retreat speaker, and periodic blogger. She received an MDiv from Covenant Theological Seminary in 2013 and is the author of several Bible studies (linked below). She currently serves as the Coordinator of Women's Initiatives for The Gospel Coalition. Her greatest desire in all of this is to be able to faithfully study, apply, and teach the Word of God and help others to do the same. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 15 Sep 2022 | An Invitation to Experience Hope // Vera & Natalie | 00:20:52 | |
"The promise is that we would overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, and I think that’s the lynchpin there. It’s not my own scraped-up hope, it is hope only by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13 Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 22 Sep 2022 | Where Do You Find Hope? // Vera Schmitz | 00:07:44 | |
“The reality is, we’re all empty vessels that are needing to be filled. So practically speaking, how then do we fill our buckets?” — Vera Schmitz Today’s podcast: Welcome to our monthly wrap-up episode with Dwell Differently co-founder Vera Schmitz! Where do you find yourself going most often to fill up your “soul bucket”? And what happens when you look to people and things that are not God to do that for you? We know you’ll be encouraged by Vera’s reflections on what she’s been learning as she’s memorized and meditated on Romans 15:13 this month! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 29 Sep 2022 | A Movement to Memorize the Bible // April Harper | 00:37:48 | |
“You only have one life, and while you can have a few careers in it, if my time was running out, what do I really want to be focusing my life on? And so that’s really what I’m here to talk about today.” — April Harper Today’s podcast: Have you ever wrestled with discerning your calling or choosing a career? You’re not alone! We know you’ll be encouraged by this episode today with Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, and April Harper, Dwell Differently’s CEO. Listen in as April shares her story of how God changed her course and brought her to be part of the Dwell team, how she has learned to make decisions differently as a result of growing in listening to the Holy Spirit, and her heart and passion for the work she is doing to help people know and love God’s Word. We are so grateful for her leadership and passion here at Dwell, and are so glad to officially introduce you all to her today! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 06 Oct 2022 | Who Is the Thief? // Natalie Abbott | 00:16:46 | |
“Are we going to entrust ourselves and believe in those things that are taking from us, or are we going to entrust ourselves and believe in Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who has laid down his life for us, and promises us abundant life?” —Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” — John 10:10 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 13 Oct 2022 | The Good News about Failure // Jen Oshman | 00:50:46 | |
“I know what it is to grow up with my identity rooted in something that is temporary, and something that actually does come to steal, kill, and destroy rather than he who gives abundant life. And so it is with some urgency and compassion and drive that I want others to know that as well.” — Jen Oshman Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 20 Oct 2022 | A Warning and an Offer // Vera & Natalie | 00:22:09 | |
“This is the promise that we have in Jesus: not to be taken from but to be given. Even when we don’t deserve the kinds of gifts, the fullness that he gives us, he does it—willingly, fully, beautifully for us.” — Natalie Abbott
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 27 Oct 2022 | His Word Does Not Return Void // Vera Schmitz | 00:08:26 | |
“Don’t be afraid to share your heart, to share God’s truth, and to share his promise, because it’s true that we can live full lives following Jesus—it is the only way to be full in a real and lasting way.” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” — John 10:10 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 10 Nov 2022 | Cultivating Thankfulness Together // Rachel Gilson | 00:38:39 | |
“There’s something about the practice of [thankfulness] in community that completes it. And that’s God’s design, that’s not a crutch. It’s not more holy if I’m just praying to Jesus alone in my thankfulness—it is in fact the bigger vision of what God’s redemption is that he creates a people that is marked by thankfulness.” — Rachel Gilson This month’s memory verse: “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” — Psalm 107:8 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 03 Nov 2022 | The Unfailing Love of the Lord // Natalie Abbott | 00:25:05 | |
“[Psalm 107] is just such a beautiful picture of the gospel, isn’t it? That Jesus came not to save those who were good and righteous and the best, but he came to seek and save the lost. He came for those of us who were his enemies, who were thumbing our nose at him. And that is who our God is, and his love is unfailing, and his deeds are wonderful. Even to people like me who, in so many ways, am undeserving of the kindness of the Lord.” — Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” — Psalm 107:8
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 17 Nov 2022 | Let the Redeemed of the Lord Tell Their Story // Vera & Natalie | 00:26:56 | |
“This is why this verse says let them give thanks—because when we share in the triumphs of God with others, our faith grows.” — Vera Schmitz Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 24 Nov 2022 | What's the Most Wonderful Thing God Has Done in Your Life? // Vera Schmitz | 00:06:22 | |
“My challenge to you is to find somebody…who is further along in the faith than you and I want you to ask them this question: 'What is the most wonderful thing God has done in your life?’ and just treasure their answer.” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” — Psalm 107:8
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 01 Dec 2022 | Light for the Helpless and Hopeless // Natalie Abbott | 00:19:16 | |
“I really hope that as you memorize and mediate on this verse this month, it would really guide you in the process of reflection on who Jesus is, and the beauty of who he is, and what he has done for us, and that it would compel you to share that good news with others throughout the month.” — Natalie Abbott This month’s memory verse: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” — Isaiah 60:1
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 05 Jan 2023 | Lessons from a Rule Lover // Natalie Abbott | 00:18:17 | |
“We walk in a dark place. This is inherently saying that we need God’s Word to light the way. We are not the light—we need God to be the light, to shine a light on our path and to illuminate where it is we are supposed to go. We need God’s Word.” — Natalie Abbott
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 15 Dec 2022 | Arise and Shine // Vera & Natalie | 00:20:39 | |
“This should be our heartbeat…when we feel the pain and the darkness in our lives, that we would look at that eternal restoration of all things and long for it—we would long for this light, the glory of the Lord, to shine on us.” — Natalie Abbott Today’s podcast: Curious why we picked Isaiah 60:1 for December? Listen in as Natalie and Vera talk about the layers to this verse, our longing for the glory of the Lord to shine upon us, and how it all applies to our lives today.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 08 Dec 2022 | What Is the Glory of God? // Jason Abbott | 00:47:51 | |
“The darkness is being dispelled—the light is coming. Sin is being dispelled—righteousness is coming. Death is being dispelled—life is coming.” — Jason Abbott
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 22 Dec 2022 | Anticipation and Awe // Vera Schmitz | 00:07:42 | |
“So often we get so caught up in our own individual lives that our heads are down and we’re doing all the things and we forget that we have God’s light in us and that we can shine—that we are called to be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, and we are to point other people to Jesus.” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” — Isaiah 60:1
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 26 Dec 2022 | BONUS EPISODE: How to Read the Whole Bible in One Year // Tara-Leigh Cobble | 00:10:24 | |
“You can read the whole Bible in a year in about 12 minutes a day…it’s 1% of your day that’s going to change the whole other 99%.” — Tara-Leigh Cobble We are so excited to share this special bonus episode with you today!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 29 Dec 2022 | Behind the Scenes with Dwell in 2022 // Vera & Natalie | 00:28:12 | |
“We’re not just putting verses on stuff to put verses on stuff. If it’s not going to bring life and push forward the Word for the good of God’s people, then we’re not going to do it.” — Vera Schmitz
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 12 Jan 2023 | How God’s Word Brought Light into the Darkest Season of My Life // Lauren McAfee | 00:51:40 | |
“To be able to look to Scripture in the dark times, and look to Christ in those dark seasons of my life, gave me hope that brought light into the darkness and really was just a foundation for me when it felt like the earth beneath me was shaken and shattering.” — Lauren McAfee
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 19 Jan 2023 | Training for the Olympics, Training for Life // Kelsie Holahan | 00:33:06 | |
“God’s Word is this lamp, it’s a light. It makes a way in the darkness. It shows you the path where you should be going.” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” — Psalm 119:105
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 26 Jan 2023 | Words That Bring Light // Vera Schmitz | 00:07:47 | |
“For each of us—no matter who you are, no matter how mentally tough you are—there are things in our lives we are believing that are not true. Or maybe we need guidance in our life. And God’s Word is saying here in this verse, in Psalm 119:105, that his Word is the light and the lamp for our path.” — Vera Schmitz This month’s memory verse: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” — Psalm 119:105 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 01 Feb 2023 | Good News in the Midst of Our Mess // Natalie Abbott | 00:17:44 | |
“This is a verse not spoken in a place of perfection and goodness and righteousness…but a place of mess and of need and even of God’s rebuke. In this midst of their sin, God says this to [his people]: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.'” — Natalie Abbott
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 08 Feb 2023 | Love That's Bigger Than Our Rebellion // Cindy Bultema | 00:41:57 | |
“It was then, in the midst of my mess, that I encountered Jesus. And I kept thinking, ‘How come no one ever told me? How come no one ever told me about God and his unbelievable love—even for a messed up woman like me?’” — Cindy Bultema
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 01 Mar 2023 | James 1:22 Deep Dive // Do My Everyday Decisions Really Matter? | 00:20:49 | |
What is God’s Word supposed to do in our lives? And is my obedience really that important? We’re so glad you’re here today as Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, unpacks James 1:22 for us, answering important questions, digging into the context, and helping us avoid 2 common dangers when reading this verse. Our prayer is that you would see James 1:22—which can feel a little bit like a kick in the pants—as a kindness from God, convicting us where we need it, and inviting us to live life in community as we seek to follow Jesus in our everyday lives. As Natalie says, “I hope that it brings us to a place of repentance and restoration, which is God’s heart for us as his people.” This month’s memory verse: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” — James 1:22
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 15 Feb 2023 | Do You Believe You Have To Earn God's Love? // Vera & Natalie | 00:22:07 | |
“Sometimes I think we think this promise is something that we earn, or that we get when we're good enough, or when we’re doing all the right things. But the beauty of this promise is the context of the promise: when we fail, when we are faithless, God is still faithful. God still loves us. He draws us with unfailing kindness—the kind of kindness that doesn’t fail. That’s who our God is.” — Natalie Abbott
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 05 Apr 2023 | How Do I Talk to My Friends about Easter? // Rebecca McLaughlin | 00:47:02 | |
How can we talk with unbelievers about the truth of the resurrection in a way that makes sense? We all know it can be difficult—and sometimes intimidating—to talk about, but Jesus’s resurrection from the dead is central to the Christian faith. Join Natalie Abbott and Rebecca McLaughlin as they talk about how they connect with unbelievers when initiating conversations about the resurrection of Jesus, how the resurrection offers us great hope, what Jesus accomplished for us in his death and resurrection, and an important question Jesus asks in the Gospel of John that we should all be asking. The truth of our verse this month makes all the difference, and we know this episode will be an encouragement to you as you prepare to celebrate the reality of Easter and have conversations with others about the true hope offered in Christ! This month’s memory verse: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” — Matthew 28:6a
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 22 Feb 2023 | 3 Barriers to Receiving the Everlasting Love of God // Vera Schmitz | 00:08:03 | |
“It’s not about me, it’s not about what I say. It’s about what God says about you and about himself. He loves you with an everlasting love.” — Vera Schmitz
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 08 Mar 2023 | Do You Really Believe God’s Word? // Tara Sun | 00:44:27 | |
If you took inventory of your day-to-day choices, would they reveal you're following after Jesus? Or are you merely listening to the Bible but not believing it enough to live out what it says? Those can be hard questions to sit with (for us, too!), but they’re important. We all know the struggle to live out what we know to be true, but there is hope for us! In this episode, Tara Sun joins Dwell Differently co-founder Natalie Abbott to dig into what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, how to prioritize the right things in our busy lives, how we tend to get tripped up when we read this verse, and the good news about where our justification from God really comes from. As Tara says, may you know God’s Word, love God’s Word, and live God’s Word. We’re here alongside you for the journey! This month’s memory verse: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” — James 1:22
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 15 Mar 2023 | Help! I’m Struggling with the Same Things Over and Over | 00:20:19 | |
Our verse this month is not a call to just pull up our “good Christian bootstraps.” And that is good news! Join Natalie Abbott and Vera Schmitz, co-founders of Dwell Differently, as they share their real struggles with living this out, talk through practical questions we all have, and discuss real-life application for James 1:22. Are our good works what save us? What do we do when we find ourselves struggling with the same thing again and again? What does it mean to live in the Spirit and rely on God to help us? If you ever wondered those things, you won’t want to miss out on this honest conversation!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 12 Apr 2023 | Matthew 28:6a Deep Dive // This Is Central | 00:16:22 | |
This month, we are memorizing beautiful words about a promise fulfilled—words on the lips of an angel. Words spoken to women who were desperate and mourning the loss not only of their friend, but of the man whom they had believed was the Messiah. The truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith, but it can sometimes be hard to wrap our minds around its implications—not just for the past, but also for our present and future. Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she unpacks this incredible truth and explores 4 things that we can learn from the resurrection. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 22 Mar 2023 | Are You Seeing Yourself Clearly? // April Harper | 00:07:04 | |
April Harper, CEO of Dwell Differently, is today’s podcast host! Listen in as April reflects on what she’s learned from this month’s verse, James 1:22. She shares a great quote from Paul Tripp’s book Do You Believe?, talks about how this verse intersects with what the Lord taught her this year at IF:Gathering, and prays over us all, that we would know what God wants us to know and do what he wants us to do. You won’t want to miss it! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 29 Mar 2023 | Get Your Heart Ready for Easter with These Readings | 00:11:47 | |
Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, wants to read God’s Word over you today. As we prepare to celebrate Easter, hear the truth about why the resurrection matters; slow down to remember that this good news is for us today; and meditate on the promise, power, and hope we have because Jesus is alive! If you want to follow along, open your Bible to 1 Corinthians 15:1–8, 12–28, 50–58; Romans 6:1–14; and Ephesians 1:18–23. This month’s memory verse: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” — James 1:22 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 19 Apr 2023 | Resurrection Every Day | 00:20:18 | |
As Christians, the resurrection can sometimes seem like something we only focus on at Easter, but the resurrection of Jesus has implications that reach far beyond an Easter Sunday church service. Join Vera Schmitz and Natalie Abbott, co-founders of Dwell Differently, as they talk about why the resurrection matters and makes a difference in our everyday lives. Don’t miss Vera’s book recommendations and the question about the resurrection she has for Natalie—maybe you’ve wondered about it before too!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 03 May 2023 | 1 Peter 4:10 Deep Dive // Why Serve? | 00:18:59 | |
This month on the podcast, we’re talking all about gifts. God tells us in his Word that he has given all of us gifts, but in a world where we are bombarded with messages to live our best lives, focus on our own happiness, and put ourselves first, we can easily miss the why behind the gifts God has given. Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, walks us through the context of 1 Peter 4:10, helping us understand what this verse is saying and what it means for how we live our lives. If you’re stuck living with a scarcity mindset or just need a bit of encouragement to rediscover the joy of using your gifts to serve others, you’re in the right place! This month’s memory verse: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 26 Apr 2023 | Remember Who Won | 00:10:37 | |
We know that Jesus raised from the dead, defeating sin and Satan and death. And we know that if we are in Christ, Jesus’s victory is true of us too. But all too often, we don’t live like Jesus has already won—we slip into being stressed and fearful and discouraged as our situations loom large in our minds. Join Vera Schmitz, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she shares a story from her own life about this and points us again to the reality of the gospel and the real difference Jesus’s victory makes in our day-to-day struggles and stressors. We are a forgetful bunch of humans, but there is hope! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 10 May 2023 | Stepping into Your Gifting // Heather MacFadyen | 00:33:14 | |
Have you ever felt unsure of how God has gifted you? As Heather MacFadyen says, we’ve all been called to make disciples, but the where and how will look different in everyone’s lives—and that is freeing! Join author and podcaster Heather MacFadyen as she talks with Natalie Abbott about how to identify what God has uniquely equipped you to do, why God gives gifts to his people, and how to not miss out on the goodness that God has for you.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 17 May 2023 | How Can God Use Me? | 00:20:21 | |
Have you ever felt afraid to use the gifts God has given you? Have you ever thought you were inadequate, or maybe even that the ways God has given you to serve others feel mundane and insignificant? We can relate! Join Vera Schmitz and Natalie Abbott, co-founders of Dwell Differently, as they remind us that in God’s economy, there’s no small thing. As stewards (not owners) of these gifts, we can trust him as the gift giver to equip us with all we need to serve where he’s called us. It’s all from him and for him! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 24 May 2023 | Let Others Shine by Letting Go of Control | 00:07:15 | |
Today on the podcast, Dwell Differently co-founder Vera Schmitz is asking one question: Are your control issues keeping others from using their gifts to serve God and serve others? It can be hard at times to take a step back and invite others to use the gifts and abilities God has given them, and Vera walks us through what this has looked like in her own life. We pray this episode will spark a renewed excitement for the ways God has uniquely gifted all believers and calls us to work together for his glory and our good!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 31 May 2023 | How a Simple Act of Generosity Can Change a Life // Jonathan Almonte | 00:25:46 | |
You won't want to miss hearing the story of Jonathan Almonte’s life—born in poverty in the Dominican Republic, unable to attend school, burdened with medical challenges, and contemplated becoming part of a gang—all interrupted in the best way by God caring for him through a local church, Compassion International, and his sponsor. Not only was Jonathan’s life changed, but his family came to know Christ as well. And all this came about because of the way God used a woman from Michigan named Jamie, who chose to sponsor a child in her 20s instead of getting a new car. How can you share what God has given you to bless others and point them to Jesus? We’d love to challenge you to consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International as a way to practically love others. Sign up here and receive a bonus Dwell Differently kit! This month’s memory verse: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 07 Jun 2023 | Psalm 27:1 Deep Dive // How You Can Overcome Fear | 00:21:42 | |
Would you like to know how to overcome fear in your life? Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she shows us what God’s Word says about how we can conquer our fear. In Psalm 27:1, King David gives us 3 images of who God is as a way to battle against the fear that is threatening to overwhelm him, and we can do the same thing today! As we understand and remember who our God is, our fears fall into the proper place, losing the power to overwhelm us. In whatever battle you find yourself in today, take heart remembering that God defends his children. He is our light, our salvation, and our place of safety.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 14 Jun 2023 | Be Strong and Take Courage // Jamie Ivey | 00:33:31 | |
Today’s guest, Jamie Ivey, digs into Psalm 27:1 with Dwell Differently co-founder Natalie Abbott. Listen in to hear some of Jamie’s biggest fears, when this verse became a lifeline for her, and what it really means that God is our light, our salvation, and our stronghold. We know you’ll be encouraged as Jamie and Natalie remind us that Jesus and his Word are never changing in our ever changing world, and we pray that you would have victory over your fears today as you remember who our God is! This month’s memory verse: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” — Psalm 27:1
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 21 Jun 2023 | Why Do We Get So Afraid? | 00:24:16 | |
Why do we get so afraid? And what is our first response when we feel fear? Join Vera Schmitz and Natalie Abbott, sisters and co-founders of Dwell Differently, as they talk all about fear—their irrational fears, their real fears, and where fearfulness is actually rooted. They look at two responses to fear, and share Scripture passages that have been helpful when they experience fear and anxiety. There is hope to be found today, right in the middle of our battles against fear, as we remember who God is!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 28 Jun 2023 | A Prayer for When I Feel Afraid | 00:06:05 | |
Surprise! This month’s wrap up comes from Natalie Abbott (Vera will be back soon)! We know you’ll be encouraged as Natalie prays the truth of Scripture over us today. May God's peace be present as you remember who he is and how he has been at work in your life. Because our God is our light, our salvation, and our stronghold, we can face whatever circumstances come our way with courage, knowing that we are not alone, but are held and protected by the God of the universe. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 05 Jul 2023 | John 3:30 Deep Dive // Are You Jealous of Jesus? | 00:20:01 | |
As humans, we have a perennial tendency to focus on ourselves. We are all hungry for glory, and can try to put ourselves in the spotlight instead of Jesus. And John the Baptist's words in John 3:30 help us to see this sneaky tendency we all have—our longing for greatness—and put it in its proper place. John understood who he was, and he understood who Jesus was, and that made all the difference. Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she unpacks the context of John 3:30 for us today, helping us see the starting point for our humility, and how dwelling on the true greatness of Jesus is the antidote to our struggle against focusing on ourselves. This month’s memory verse: “He must become greater; I must become less.” — John 3:30
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 12 Jul 2023 | How to War against Pride // Trillia Newbell | 00:29:31 | |
Do you catch yourself being more prideful than you'd like to admit? Pride is a difficult battle for all of us, and today Trillia Newbell and Natalie Abbott help us learn from Scripture how we can war well against pride. Looking at John the Baptist's famous words in John 3:30, they walk us through their own struggles with pride, why John the Baptist was able to say what he did about Jesus, and the freedom awaiting us when we worship the Lord for who he is and see ourselves as he sees us: covered in Jesus's righteousness. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 19 Jul 2023 | Where Is Your Spotlight Shining? | 00:24:36 | |
You won’t want to miss today’s episode with Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, and April Harper, Dwell Differently’s CEO, as they dig into John 3:30 and what they’ve been learning this month. Natalie and April share how this verse is convicting them, a prideful moment April wishes she could take back, what we should be asking ourselves after an accomplishment, and how we can live lives that give glory to God. This month’s memory verse: “He must become greater; I must become less.” — John 3:30
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 26 Jul 2023 | What Do You Evangelize About? | 00:04:08 | |
What does it mean to make Jesus great in our lives? April Harper, CEO of Dwell Differently, asks us some super practical questions today to help us identify what we are holding up as great to those around us. What do you functionally act like you're more excited about than Jesus? Would others see his greatness by what you say, or are other messages coming through more clearly? If we believe that Jesus is our greatest good, how can our words and actions reflect that? Praise God, he is at work to help us as we seek to magnify him!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 02 Aug 2023 | Colossians 3:12 Deep Dive // Chosen, Holy, and Dearly Loved | 00:22:40 | |
Do you ever wonder how God sees you? If you’ve trusted in Jesus, the beginning words of our verse this month are balm for our souls: chosen, holy, and dearly loved. Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she walks us through the context of this verse and the vital place we need to start before we try to tackle living out the virtues listed in Colossians 3:12. There is freedom awaiting us when we rely on God as we seek to live as he’s called us to! This month’s memory verse: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” — Colossians 3:12
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 09 Aug 2023 | Redefining "Be Who You Are" // Glenna Marshall | 00:34:48 | |
We are thrilled to have Glenna Marshall back again to talk about one of her favorite hacks for prioritizing Scripture memory in her life, the 3 things Colossians 3:12 reminds us are true of believers followed by the 5 virtues we are called to put on, and what to do when we try to obey but fail. We are right here with you, seeking to memorize God's Word and live the way he's called us to, and we know this episode will be an encouragement to you!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 16 Aug 2023 | Jesus > Others > You | 00:13:12 | |
Where is your gaze today? If you’re anything like us, you might be finding your gaze is far too often on yourself first instead of on Jesus. Listen in as Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, and Lindsay Tully, Dwell Differently editor and writer, look to God’s Word to offer hope when we’re struggling to put on the new “clothes” this verse calls us to wear. They take a look at how Jesus specifically describes himself with some of the attributes from our verse in the book of Matthew, talk about a helpful framework for how to prioritize who and what we focus on, and reflect on Tim Keller’s helpful definition of biblical humility.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 23 Aug 2023 | Does Living Out This Verse Feel Impossible? | 00:04:36 | |
Does it ever feel impossible to clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility, and patience? On today’s episode, Dwell team member Lindsay Tully is sharing a story about how God has used this month’s verse in her family’s life. Tune in to hear where to start when we realize we’re failing, a creative way to remember this month’s verse, and an encouragement to remember you’re not alone as you seek to put on the new clothes Christ give his people. This month’s memory verse: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” — Colossians 3:12 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 30 Aug 2023 | BONUS EPISODE: What If Creativity Was an Others-Focused Activity? // Ashlee Gadd | 00:28:17 | |
We are so excited to share this special bonus episode with you today! This month’s memory verse: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” — Colossians 3:12
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 06 Sep 2023 | Luke 6:27 Deep Dive // This Is A Non-Negotiable | 00:22:24 | |
Is loving our enemies really a non-negotiable for Christians? If we're being honest, our verse this month is a hard one to live out. What is Jesus calling us to believe that we aren’t believing? Why is it a non-negotiable to love our enemies? And how can we live that way? Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she walks us through the context of this passage, looking at the 2 ways of living Jesus talks about, why loving our enemies is non-negotiable, and the difference it makes when we consider the mercy of God and his kindness toward us. We pray this verse would take root today, encouraging you to live in a way that is beautiful and otherworldly and, most importantly, like our Father.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 13 Sep 2023 | How This Missionary Loves Ukrainian Refugees and Their Enemies // Madison Perekotiy | 00:32:14 | |
We are so glad to have Madison Perekotiy on the podcast today to talk about what it means to love our enemies with the love of Christ. Madison and her Ukrainian-born husband Yuriy have been full-time missionaries since 2018, first in Ukraine and now in Romania. In this episode, she and Natalie talk about what it’s like to have enemies in an ongoing war, how the character of God helps us to make sense of difficult circumstances, why the gospel is so important to remember when we are tempted to hate instead of love, and why the future restoration of all things offers great hope in the here and now. This month’s memory verse: “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” — Luke 6:27 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 04 Oct 2023 | Psalm 48:14 Deep Dive // Tracing God’s Presence with His People | 00:20:56 | |
Have you ever wondered how modern believers should view the Old Testament and its promises? What can we learn from Israel’s talk about the City of God? Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she walks us through the context of Psalm 48, zooms out to look at God’s presence with his people from Genesis through Revelation, and helps reflect on the good news that this God—the God who dwells with his people—is our God for ever and ever. This month’s memory verse: "For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end." — Psalm 48:14 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 20 Sep 2023 | Love Like Jesus | 00:20:57 | |
Vera is BACK and she has an exciting update to share! Today Natalie and Vera are talking all about our verse this month and how this hard call to love our enemies is really just loving the way Jesus loves. They talk about what to do if you can’t easily think of an “enemy,” how Jesus has been turning enemies into friends since he called his first disciples, and how when we remember that we were once God’s enemies who are now his friends we can extend his otherworldly love to others.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 27 Sep 2023 | 3 Things I’ve Learned about Loving My Enemy | 00:07:49 | |
Join Vera Schmitz, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she reflects on what she’s been learning this month from Luke 6:27. She shares 3 takeaways from her own life about loving her enemy, and reminds us that because Jesus loved us when we were his enemies, we can also love our enemies. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 11 Oct 2023 | A Guide You Can Trust // Elizabeth Woodson | 00:29:57 | |
How do we know who “this God” from Psalm 48:14 really is? And how can we be sure that he will be our God for ever and ever? Join Natalie Abbott and Elizabeth Woodson as they zoom out to help us see the big picture of what Scripture says about the faithfulness of God. They dig into why God's faithfulness is a theme in our verse, why it’s such good news that God is faithful (even when we are faithless), what it means that God is our guide, and how we can pass this declaration along to the next generation. May memorizing and meditating on our memory verse this month help you declare this pledge of faithfulness to our God who is faithful! This month’s memory verse: “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” — Psalm 48:14
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 18 Oct 2023 | Not Our Faithfulness, but God's | 00:17:25 | |
What motivates our faithfulness? What can we learn about being faithful to God from the lives of other Christians? And what do we do when we realize that we've failed? Join Natalie Abbott and Vera Schmitz, sister and co-founders of Dwell Differently, as they talk about these questions and more! Want to learn more about the discussion questions they talk through today? Check out the Dwell Differently Membership—all members have access to unique questions every month to help apply the memory verse and have God-centered conversations with family and friends!
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 25 Oct 2023 | How Has God Shown Up in Your Life? // Sadie Robertson Huff and Christian Huff | 00:37:36 | |
You won’t want to miss today’s episode with Sadie Robertson Huff and Christian Huff! Together with Natalie Abbott, they talk about why God is worth basing our whole life on, the overarching storyline of the Bible and how we see God’s faithfulness on display in it, how Sadie and Christian have seen God’s faithfulness in their own lives, and a word of hope to anyone listening who is struggling today. As we wrap up this month’s memory verse, may we be people who see the faithfulness of God and declare, “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end” (Psalm 48:14).
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 01 Nov 2023 | Matthew 6:21 Deep Dive // The Safe Place for Your Heart | 00:18:12 | |
“Is your heart wrapped up in something right now that it cannot lose? Something that's lasting, something that's dependable, something that won't break it. Is your heart confident, rested, and secure? Is your heart set on the incorruptible, unfading, forever treasures of heaven? Or, is your heart filled with something that it dreads losing?” — Natalie Abbott Join Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, as she walks us through the context of Matthew 6:21, helping us see the contrast between earthly and heavenly treasures, evaluate what our hearts are really treasuring, and see Christ as the ultimate safe treasure for our hearts. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 08 Nov 2023 | What Are You Chasing After? // Jerrad Lopes | 00:34:26 | |
What comes to mind when you think of “treasure”? More importantly, what does Jesus say about it? Join Jerrad Lopes, founder of Dad Tired, and Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently as they dig into our memory verse for the month: Matthew 6:21. They take a look at the context of our verse, dig into what the Bible has to say about treasure and blessing, and share honestly about ways they are convicted by God’s call to treasure him more than any earthly thing. We hope you’ll be heartened by the beautiful truth that delighting in Jesus will offer far more treasure than all the other things we are chasing after—true and lasting treasure that can never be lost! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos or vinyl stickers, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 15 Nov 2023 | Is Your Heart in Danger? | 00:23:01 | |
Do you find yourself more afraid of losing earthly treasure than your spiritual health? Ouch. If we’re honest, we all find ourselves there sometimes, and today Natalie Abbott and Vera Schmitz want to help us reorient our hearts toward our greatest treasure: Jesus Christ. Tune in to hear them talk about the story behind this month’s verse design, an antidote to worry, and an encouragement to ask God to help us all treasure him first. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 22 Nov 2023 | How Do I Know If Jesus Is My Treasure? | 00:08:52 | |
Vera Schmitz brings us a heart check-up today: If we truly take inventory, are we just wanting the blessings of God, or are we wanting God himself? Tune in to hear a powerful quote from John Piper, the story of Vera’s battle with anxiety and what she learned in that season, and some helpful questions to evaluate what your heart is truly treasuring today.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 29 Nov 2023 | Dads Who Dwell Differently // Jerrad Lopes and Matt Schmitz | 00:27:11 | |
Tune into this raw conversation between Jarred Lopes of Dad Tired and Matt Schmitz (husband of Dwell Differently co-founder Vera Schmitz) as they offer real encouragement and hope for dads who want to find their identity in Jesus, be spiritual leaders in their homes, and walk in the freedom of the gospel. And for any men who long to live like this, but don’t (and for the women who love them), don’t miss the end of the episode where Jarred shares the miraculous story of how God rescued him out of the darkest time in his life and marriage, giving him hope and putting his feet on the right path. This month’s memory verse: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." — Matthew 6:21 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | The Impact of Memorizing Scripture // Randall Goodgame | 00:33:29 | |
Randall Goodgame of Slugs and Bugs joins Natalie Abbott to talk about how memorizing Scripture has impacted his life. They dig into how he found freedom in pointing his kids to Jesus as a dad, the mercy and kindness of God in Titus 3:4–5a, and the ministry the Lord has given him to help families have fun and learn Scripture together! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos or vinyl stickers, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 06 Dec 2023 | Titus 3:4–5a Deep Dive // The Christmas Message You Need to Hear | 00:13:12 | |
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the Christmas things, this episode is for YOU today! Listen in as Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, walks us through the context of this month’s memory verses, highlighting 3 things from the book of Titus: who we were, who we are, and being who we are. Jesus came—and he came for us. This is the kindness and love of God our Savior. This is "good tidings of great joy" for all people! This month’s memory verse: "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. " — Titus 3:4–5a
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 20 Dec 2023 | Jesus’s Perfection = Our Freedom | 00:22:24 | |
Do you feel like you have to get everything right all of the time? On today's episode, Natalie Abbott and Vera Schmitz talk about the freedom Jesus offers us when we trust in his perfection instead of relying on our own performance. Vera shares honestly about her regular struggle of trying to prove her worth and how verses like Titus 3:4–5a help her refocus on the truth of Christ throughout her day. There's so much encouragement and practical advice in this episode not just for perfectionists, but for us all. Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 27 Dec 2023 | 2023 Wrap Up and 2024 Sneak Peek | 00:26:15 | |
Join Vera and Natalie, sisters and Dwell Differently co-founders, as they look back at 2023 and take a sneak peak into some exciting updates for Dwell Differently in 2024. They talk about which verses impacted them the most, their favorite podcast guests of the year, and what they're looking forward to in the new year! Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 22 Dec 2023 | Discover Everything You Long For // Tara-Leigh Cobble | 00:35:01 | |
Tara-Leigh Cobble is convinced that everything we long for in life is found in knowing God and reading his Word—but she didn't always feel that way. In today's episode, she shares with Natalie Abbot her own story of how God moved her from a place of not wanting to read the Bible to actually loving it. She talks about being surprised and encouraged by some totally weird parts of the Bible, and shares about her passionate commitment to helping people understand the Bible on The Bible Recap podcast and other resources. Tara-Leigh also shares some practical advice for people on the fence about reading through the whole Bible. It is such a great episode, you won't want to miss it! Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos or vinyl stickers, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 03 Jan 2024 | Romans 12:12 Deep Dive // How to Wait Well | 00:20:43 | |
Are you good at waiting? Do you want to be? Our verse this month is all about waiting well. In it, we're encouraged to be joyful and patient and faithful in the unrealized and even difficult parts of our lives. But how do we do that? Tune in as Natalie Abbott walks us through the book of Romans, looking at the themes we see in Romans 12:12, and pointing us to the God in whom we can have confidence while we wait. This month’s memory verse: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." — Romans 12:12 Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||
| 10 Jan 2024 | When I Don't Know What to Pray // Andrew Peterson & Doug McKelvey | 00:42:36 | |
Have you ever wanted to pray but couldn't find the words? In today's episode, Natalie talks with Andrew Peterson and Doug McKelvey about prayer—how we find time to pray in the midst of our lives, how we find words to pray when words are elusive, and how God wants to meet us in all of our emotions and situations with himself. Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about Dwell’s monthly kit with temporary tattoos or vinyl stickers, a display card, a key tag, and more to help you know and dwell on God’s Word.
Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly. | |||