IT'S ALL BEEN WORTH IT!

ARISE, SHINE, FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD RISES UPON YOU. — ISAIAH 60:1

I’ll never forget packaging up 33 memberships in December of 2017. 

32 of those first 33 memberships were for my family and friends. They had signed up on a homemade website featuring phone photos that I had edited in Photoshop at a local library. Their tattoos were bundled in small plastic baggies and were sent in brown paper envelopes I’d bought at Hobby Lobby. I’d hand written every address and slid them in the small mail slot at our condo’s community mailbox. I remember saying to my husband Matt that if just one person’s life was changed by one verse, then this would all be worth it.  

Fast forward 5 years, and it has been beyond worth it. Every month, we labor to bring you God’s Word because we really do believe it is the greatest treasure we could ever give another human being. One verse can—and does—change everything. And time and time again, God does it: he gives us himself through his Word, moving us to peace and love and forgiveness and beauty! The privilege and honor of helping tens of thousands of people memorize God's Word is not lost on us. And you are part of that! Wow.  

Just a few days ago a friend jokingly told me, “Dwell is big-time now.” Sometimes, I think about what Dwell has become, and it seems like, “Yes!”  So much IS happening! New products, and cool partnerships, and an amazing team…it’s so exciting, and it’s all been such a blessing!  

But let me share the real heartbeat of Dwell, the thing that causes us to cry in our small team meetings, the thing that spurs us on—it’s YOUR messages of how God is changing your lives through his Word. When one of you DMs us, or replies to an email, or shares in the Facebook group about how God is meeting you, it is ev-er-y-thing!  Our mission is the same as it was on December 1, 2017. We still feel like if just one person’s life is changed by just one verse, then it’s all beyond worth it. So today, I leave you with a DM a member sent. It is the best part. May it bless you the way it did us. And if you have a story of how God has met you this year, please share it—with a friend, with a stranger, with us. Jesus is our treasure, and it is our privilege to share our treasure with any and all who would join us. 

"I wanted to share and celebrate what God has been doing. I came across Dwell Differently and started to imagine if these tattoos would be helpful in teaching my students Scripture. The first night I showed them my tattoo and how I was learning the verse. Immediately they asked if they could get one. This rowdy group of 5th to 7th graders were looking at their tattoos and raising their hands to have the opportunity to recite the verse. I had goosebumps as I saw God at work. I was even more blown away the next week as they were able to remember and recite the verse. Thank you for this tool to help get the Word of God in the hearts of my kids. We are so blessed."