I’m always grateful for an opportunity to get to know more about an author before I sit down to open up his or her book. Today, I’m thrilled to interview Natalie Abbott and Vera Schmitz about their new book, Dwell Differently: . If you attended our most recent TGCW conference, you might remember the memorization graphic they shared with us! I’m excited for Natalie and Vera to share simple, practical strategies we can use to turn our desire to hide God’s Word in our hearts into a regular practice. Dwell Differently releases May 14 and you can order a copy here!
Can you tell us a little about yourselves? What is the best part of working together as sisters?
Here’s the best part: everything. No, but seriously, mostly everything. We just love each other and love working together. We share so many similarities and passions, so it’s easy to know where we stand and what decisions we should make. Because of our shared history and experiences, we have this short-hand, easy way of talking and joking with one another. It is truly so much fun!
Here’s the hard part: Sometimes we have too much fun. It’s true! It can be hard to focus on the task at hand, because as sisters, we don’t feel the same pressure we would with a coworker or a boss. We can really get side-tracked, which is a blast, but super unproductive!
What led to your passion for scripture memorization?
It all started on the track for me (Vera). I would write Bible verses on my wrist in Sharpie marker in high school and recite them out loud to my teammates as we lined up to run repeat 400m reps. After college, I continued to train to try and make the 2016 Olympic team in pole vault, all the while continuing to memorize Scripture as I trained and competed. I didn’t make the Olympic team, and that whole next year I struggled with anxiety. I couldn’t sleep, and to be honest, I was afraid of my own thoughts. It was during this season that I developed a deep love for the Word. Truly, it became my life, my bread, my everything. God’s Word lifted me out of my pit, and I knew I wanted to help other people know the power of God’s Word for their every need.
In the book, you talk about the simple practice of replacing our negative thoughts with God’s truth. Can you tell us a little about how you’ve seen this work in your own life?
There are seasons in my life (Natalie) where I’ve desperately clung to the truth of God in the face of hard realities. One verse I hold particularly dear is 2 Corinthians 4:16. It says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” There was a season when I spoke those words over myself multiple times a day, reminding my heart not to give up. Yes, on the outside, things were wasting away and falling apart. Yet inside, it didn’t have to be so. The One who holds all things together was holding me up—renewing me day by day, giving me strength and courage and faith to believe that his ways, his plan, and his timing are perfect. God’s truth is the very thing I needed (and still need!) to help me look beyond the outward things that eventually all fall apart to the deeper truth: God himself is renewing my heart and will ultimately renew all things.
What do you hope readers will take away from Dwell Differently?
God’s Word! Can you imagine?! We’re going to help readers actually memorize 11 Bible verses (in a shockingly simple way). This is our greatest passion and the goal of our book. Long after Dwell Differently is in the recycle bin or sitting next to DVDs at a garage sale, we hope that God’s Word will still be bearing fruit in the lives of our readers.
What does that look like? It looks like waking up at 2 a.m. with worry and reciting how Jesus has overcome the world. It’s telling yourself that God loves you lavishly when you feel insignificant and uncared for. It’s coming to Jesus for rest when you’re weary and burdened. It’s remembering to give your anxieties to Jesus because he cares. This is our hope: that our readers would speak God’s own words into their situations and lives, thus growing in intimacy with him.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to incorporate habits of scripture memorization but is struggling to get started?
Just start with one verse. Truly. God has the power to completely transform your life through his Word—even through just one verse. What is the one thing you are repeatedly struggling with or up against in your life right now? Write that thing down, and then search the Scriptures for God’s truth about that one thing. And then, use our system! Take the first letter of each word in that verse, write it on a notecard, and tape it to your bathroom mirror. I promise you, you will be amazed at the way the Lord will work in your life as you get his Word into your heart and mind! That being said, I want to share right here one verse design from the book to get you started. Screenshot the image and save it as your lock screen on your phone. YOU CAN DO THIS!
Can you share a few of your favorite quotes from the book?
“Jesus is not disappointed with you. He knows your burden fully, and he wants to bear it with you.”
“What we store up in our heart will pour out of our heart.”
Here are some endorsements:
“Vera and Natalie’s words feel like wise counsel from a kind friend.”
—Jen Oshman, author, podcaster, and women’s ministry director
“Dwell Differently is an invitation we all need—to know, love, and apply God’s Word to our everyday lives. . . . This book is sure to encourage your heart, mind, and soul.”
—RUTH CHOU SIMONS, Wall Street Journal bestselling author
What is something surprising that people might not know about both of you?
We love homemade tortillas with BOATLOADS of butter pooling on top. Our Abuelita and Abuelito immigrated from Mexico in the 1950s and among all of the wonderful gifts of this part of our family history, the tortilla recipe is arguably our favorite treasure.
Natalie Abbott is the cofounder and chief content officer for Dwell Differently, a company that helps people memorize and meditate on God’s Word. Natalie cohosts the popular Dwell Differently podcast and writes and oversees the weekly blog teaching the context, content, and application of every verse they memorize. Natalie is a true lover of words. She started following Jesus in college when someone gave her a Bible. She’s never put it down and has been memorizing verses ever since.
Vera Schmitz is the cofounder and chief creative officer for Dwell Differently. Vera oversees all the design work at Dwell, and she cohosts the Dwell Differently podcast along with her sister Natalie. Vera loves seeing God’s words come alive artistically in every Dwell design. More than that, she loves seeing people’s lives impacted as they memorize them. Vera developed her passion for memorizing God’s Word through the rigors of her professional pole vault career. Since retiring from the sport, she’s learned that having a strong mind grounded in God’s truth is even more important for “real life” than for athletics.
