"What if Jesus doesn’t want anything from you? What if instead, he just wants to be closer to you?"
— Natalie Abbott

Today's Episode: What does it look like when Jesus is your life goal? How do we live that out? That's what sisters and Dwell Differently Co-founders Natalie Abbott and Vera Schmitz are talking about on today's episode. Listen in as they share how they've worked to set small goals and create habits to make Jesus the ultimate goal in their lives.

This month's memory verse: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — Phil 3:14

Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about the easy button for Scripture memory, Dwell Differently’s monthly kit!

Support our show: It's really just as simple as leaving a review!

Links from today's show: 

• Check out The Pour Over, Natalie and Vera's go-to source for concise, unbiased news from a Christian perspective.
• Check out Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things: Transform Your Heart and Mind by Memorizing God's Word. 
• Find out more about Jeannie Cunnion's and her book, Closer to God.
• Memorize 11 new verses in Natalie and Vera's book, Dwell Differently: Overcome Negative Thinking with the Simple Practice of Memorizing God’s Truth.
• Dig deeper into this month's verse in our weekly devotionals. Get them sent to your inbox free every Monday!

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"So these became for me my rule of life: I'm going to do Scripture before phone. I'm going to do at least one communal meal a day. I'm going to turn my phone off for at least one hour each evening. And these were counter-liturgies to the habits I already had."

Today's Episode: Listen in as Natalie talks all things "habits" with author and expert, Justin Whitlmel Earley. He tells us that we don't stop bad habits, but replace them with better habits. He calls our attention to all of the bells and dings we respond to throughout our days and asks us to create our own intentional "counter-habits" of bells and dings. He speaks with practicality and compassion about our calling as believers to live out the faith we say we believe by creating habits that will keep us on the right path. It's a compelling, super-helpful conversation—one that will have you putting Justin's books on your reading list this year. 

This month's memory verse: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — Phil 3:14

Today's guest: Justin Whitmel Earley is a lawyer, author and speaker from Richmond, VA. Most of all, he is a husband to Lauren and a father to his four sons – Whit, Asher, Coulter and Shep. But he also graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in English Literature before spending four years in Shanghai, China, teaching and writing. Justin got his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and he now runs his own business law practice under the Earley Business Legal (www.earleybusinesslegal.com). His books include, The Common Rule – Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction, Habits of the Household – Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms, and Made for People – Why We Drift into Loneliness and How to Fight for a Life of Friendship. 

Support Our Show: Leave a review to encourage us and help other people find our show.

Links from today's show: 

• Learn more about Justin at www.justinwhitmelearley.com.
• Memorize and meditate on God's Word in 2025 with a Dwell Differently membership. Sign up by the end of January and still get January's verse kit sent to you.
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things and book, Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"All the gains—gaining Christ, being found in him, eternity with him—all of that, even suffering is on one side of the balance and all of our earthly, temporal gains are on the other side of the balance. Which one is the better deal? Would you make that trade?"
— Natalie Abbott

Today's episode: Have you ever made a trade where you were the big winner? In today's teaching episode, Natalie Abbott helps us see how in Christ we gain everything. The questions she asks again and again is whether we're rightly seeing our earthly gains as losses and seeing Christ as our greatest gain. She encourages us, just like our verse does, to press on to win the prize, which is Jesus himself. 

This month's memory verse: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — Phil 3:14

Memorize with us: Find out more about the easy button for Scripture memory and memorize this month's verse with the Dwell Differently monthly membership!

Support Our Show: Leaving us a review is the best way to encourage us and help other people find our show.
 
Links from today's show: 

• Memorize verses with us in 2025 with the Dwell Differently Membership.
• Check out our beautiful new bracelets. 
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's Bible study and book: Dwell on These Things and Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"It was my instinctive reaction to run back into the darkness...Whereas the more I know Jesus—the more I am in the Word, the more I am running towards the light—the more this life that God has given me just makes sense."
— Felicity Carswell
 
Today's Episode: Today we're talking about the light and life of Jesus with Felicity Carswell.  Felicity talks about the scary reality of being exposed by the light of Jesus and yet the forgiveness that we always find there. She shares about her own first experience of Jesus and coming into the light. But she also shares about the good, daily practice of exposing our hearts to the light and fighting the sin in our lives. She encourages us not only to live in the light but to invite others to step out into the light with the compassion that comes from allowing it to work in our own lives.

This month's memory verse: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” — John 1:4
 
Today's guest: Felicity is from England, but currently lives near Chicago, Illinois with her book-selling husband, Jonathan, and two young sons, Rufus and Billy. She loves to teach the Bible in her local church, and disciple women on a one to one basis. She hosts a podcast with her sister called Two Sisters and a Cup of Tea that seeks to chat through the Bible and drive it to the heart.

Support Our Show: Leave a review to encourage us and help other people find our show.

Links from today's show: 

• Find out more about Felicity here.
• Struggling with anger? Here's the book Felicity recommended: A Small Book about a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace.
• Looking for a last minute Christmas gift? A Dwell Differently membership starts in January and helps your loved one learn God's Word for months to come (available in 4, 8, and 12 month memberships).
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things and book, Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"I wrote in [my journal] to the Lord, 'Would you wake me up?' I wanna be awake. I want this verse to be real—that I would live a life of light, and that I would believe that Jesus is my life, and that I would be compelled to share it with others...I want to go out there and tell people about Jesus, but I was walking around like a dead person, weak and afraid of what it might mean if I wrote in [my journal], 'Wake me up.'"
— Vera Schmitz
 
Today's Episode: Today's episode with Natalie and Vera is the very thing our souls need. We need to be reminded that Jesus is the light and Jesus is the life. Sometimes we fall asleep to this reality and we need Jesus to wake us up! Listen in as they confess their own tendencies to shrink back from Jesus, especially when things are hard. But he is always right there (especially in his Word) waiting to meet us with arms open wide. May this episode compel you (no matter where you are) to step even more into the light of Jesus and experience his life today!

This month's memory verse: "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." John 1:4

Support Our Show: Leave a review to encourage us and help other people find our show.

Links from today's show: 

• Shop our SALE and give thoughtful, Christ-centered gifts at deep discounts!
• Check out The Pour Over, Natalie and Vera's go-to source for concise, unbiased news from a Christian perspective.
• Find out more about the easy button for Scripture memory: the Dwell Differently membership.
• Need a prayer journal, check out the one Vera uses from Hosanna Revival here. 
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things and book, Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"You can't gather up a bunch of darkness and put out a candle. But you bring in one candle, and it always beats the dark. Light is always stronger. Light always wins."
— Tara-Leigh Cobble
 
Today's Episode: Do you need to be reminded that the light of Jesus always wins over every dark thing? Then this is the episode for you! Listen in as Tara-Leigh Cobble and Natalie bring encouragement, biblical teaching, and hones, practical dialogue about the abundant life we can experience when we walk in the light of Jesus. They talk about the fear of the dark, Tara-Leigh's struggle with sleeplessness, and what she learned in the dark. They also talk about the victory of Jesus over every dark thing in our lives and what it looks like to walk in the abundant life of light. Finally, they discuss how our experience of Jesus should compel us to share his light with others. It's such an encouraging conversation, you won't want to miss it!

This month's memory verse: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” — John 1:4
 
Today's guest: Tara-Leigh Cobble's zeal for Biblical literacy is at the heart of everything she creates. Her goal is to help people read, understand, and love Scripture. Her daily podcast, "The Bible Recap", guides listeners through a chronological 1-Year Bible reading plan. She created and leads D-Group International, which has grown into an international network of 300+ weekly Bible studies that meet in homes, churches, and online. She also writes and hosts a daily radio show called "The God Shot" and leads trips to Israel to study the Bible on site. Her book The Bible Recap and Bible study He’s Where the Joy Is are outlets for understanding Scripture as a whole and the Trinity in particular. She lives in Dallas, TX, where she has no pets, children, or anything that might die if she forgets to feed it.

Support Our Show: Leave a review to encourage us and help other people find our show.

Links from today's show: 

• Find out more about Tara Leigh Cobble here.
• Looking for a last minute Christmas gift, but worried about getting it to them on time? A Dwell Differently membership starts in January and helps your loved one learn God's Word for months to come (available in 4, 8, and 12 month memberships).
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things and book, Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"When the light of Jesus comes on in our dark hearts, the darkness must flee!"
— Natalie Abbott

Today's episode: We want life—real life, lasting life, full life—and this is precisely what what Jesus offers us! Listen in as Natalie Abbott unpacks the metaphors Jesus uses to explain the life he wants to give us. She narrows in on the metaphor of light, helping us see what it communicates about eternal life, victory over sin and death, and the beauty of the Christian life.  This is the message of Jesus: the message of life and light! All we need to do to receive it is to believe it! It's a great episode and a helpful message to share with anyone who wants to know more about what it means to believe in Jesus.   

This month's memory verse: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” — John 1:4

Memorize with us: Find out more about the easy button for Scripture memory and memorize this month's verse with the Dwell Differently monthly membership!

Support Our Show: Leaving us a review is the best way to encourage us and help other people find our show.
 
Links from today's show: 

• Read more of Natalie's thoughts in her post, Light to All! Life for All! The Best Christmas Offer.
• Shop our SALE and give thoughtful, Christ-centered gifts at deep discounts!
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's Bible study and book: Dwell on These Things and Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"Our feelings are important. But at the same time, we can't hang all of the weight of our being and our confidence on that, because they're going to vacillate, man. We've got to have something that's rock solid. And that's the Word of God. That's the presence of God." —Carlos Smith

Today's Episode: Natalie is chatting with Vera's pastor, Dr. Carlos Smith. It's such a great episode about the love and faithfulness of God. Listen in as they discuss being disappointed by our broken human relationships and our need to experience the love and faithfulness of God. Pastor Carlos shares with insight and compassion about finding healing, reorienting our feelings with truth, and experiencing God's presence both in his Word and through his people. 

This month's memory verse: "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." — Psalm 100:5
 
Today's guest: Dr. Carlos B. Smith has a deep passion for Jesus, his Word, and his people. He is the Lead Pastor of Refresh Community Church, a thriving, multiethnic, multicultural, and multigenerational congregation serving the Greater St. Louis Area.  

Support Our Show: Leave us a review! We'd love to hear what you think and it helps others find our show.
 
Links from today's show: 

• Learn more about Carlos: check out his church and podcast!
• Shop our SALE and give thoughtful, Christ-centered gifts at deep discounts!
• Find out more about the easy button for Scripture memory: the Dwell Differently membership!
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things and book, Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

The everlasting love of God frees us from the fear of messing up and from hiding away from him when we do mess up (which is constantly). He's always that warm and loving Father who...even though your "wrecked the car"...says, "I am going to pay for that. My arms are open wide and I will love you regardless."
— Natalie Abbott

Today's Episode: Do you ever try to earn God's love for you? Or do you doubt his love when you mess up? Well, here's the best news, God's love isn't dependent on you. Today, Dwell co-founders Natalie and Vera are talking about the joy and relief of knowing that God is unchanging in his character. You'll be encouraged as they relate stories of how they've seen God's love, goodness, and faithfulness in their own lives.

This month's memory verse: "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." — Psalm 100:5

Memorize Scripture with us: Find out more about the easy button for Scripture memory, Dwell Differently’s monthly kit!

Support our show: It's really just as simple as leaving a review!

Links from today's show: 

• Check out The Pour Over, Natalie and Vera's go-to source for concise, unbiased news from a Christian perspective.
• Check out Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things: Transform Your Heart and Mind by Memorizing God's Word. 
• Memorize 11 new verses in Natalie and Vera's book, Dwell Differently: Overcome Negative Thinking with the Simple Practice of Memorizing God’s Truth.
• Dig deeper into this month's verse in our weekly devotionals. Get them sent to your inbox free every Monday!

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.

"The reality is, we see God's goodness all the time—when we wake up in the morning and there's light streaming in through the window and the rains fall and water the earth—there are these things that are happening all the time that we can miss that are displays of God's goodness and his sustaining grace."
— Tina Boesch
 
Today's Episode: You won't want to miss today's episode about the amazing goodness of our God! Listen in as Tina Boesch and Natalie share personal stories of God's goodness. They encourage us to find and recount God's goodness in hard times. They relate stories about how we can experience goodness through God's people. Through it all, they relate how we see the nature of God's goodness as it's expressed throughout the Bible. You will walk away encouraged to recount God's goodness all the time, because he is good all the time, even when we don't quite see it.   

This month's memory verse: "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." — Psalm 100:5
 
Today's guest: Tina Boesch serves as manager of the Lifeway Women's Bible Study team. For fourteen years, she and her husband and their three kids—Lois, Micah, and Naomi—called Istanbul, Turkey, home. Now they've settled north of Nashville, but she still misses steaming cups of Turkish tea. Tina is the author of Given: The Forgotten Meaning and Practice of Blessing and has written for publications like Christianity Today and The Gospel Coalition. She earned a Master of Arts in Theology from Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. You can find some of her stained glass window design and writing on travel, art, Scripture, and life together at tinaboesch.com. 

Support Our Show: Leave a review to encourage us and help other people find our show.

Links from today's show: 

• Find out more about Tina at TinaBoesch.com.
• Shop our SALE and give thoughtful, Christ-centered gifts at deep discounts!
• Find out more about the easy button for Scripture memory: the Dwell Differently membership.
• Dig even deeper into God's Word (and memorize it!) in Natalie and Vera's new Bible study, Dwell on These Things and book, Dwell Differently. 

Support the show

Follow Natalie & Vera at DwellDifferently.com and @dwelldifferenly.