How the Dwell Scripture Listening App Helped My Dyslexic Teen

Article by Sarah & Anya Koontz

Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

God has woven each of us together in a beautifully unique way, and He wants to meet us right where we are!

Some of us learn by reading.
Some of us learn by doing.
Some of us learn by hearing.

And most of us learn by doing a combination of these three activities.

For this reason, our team is dedicated to sharing resources that help you learn God’s Word in a way that works for you.

Whether you are a visual learner, a kinesthetic learner, or an auditory learner.

God has woven each of us together in a beautifully unique way, and He wants to meet us right where we are! Click to Tweet

It’s easy for me to understand and meet the need of the readers because I am a reader myself. When I read God’s Word, it sticks with me, and I can recall it with ease.

Studying God’s Word is my passion, my relief, my joy.

Then I meet someone like Jenna from Scribbling Grace. God’s Word is most powerful and alive to her when she is drawing or painting in her Bible.

She needs to get her hands dirty and create art out of the truths she’s learning.

And finally, I think of my husband and daughter, who both have dyslexia.

Reading is work—really hard work—for them.

They struggle to recall the things they’ve read because they learn best with their ears.

My husband’s faith has grown so much since he acquired an audio version of the Bible a few years ago.

And my daughter’s life was completely transformed when we pulled her out of the traditional educational environment and crafted a homeschool program to meet her unique needs.

We are all so beautifully diverse!

I have firsthand experience of how powerful audio content can be for people whose brains are wired differently than my own.

That is why I am so excited to partner with my 13-year old daughter to offer a thoughtful review of the Dwell Scripture Listening App for people with dyslexia. 

Although there is a free version of the app available, my daughter has been using the fully-functional paid membership for the past twelve months.

**We received a free sample of this product for review purposes.**

My husband and daughter both have dyslexia. I have firsthand experience of how powerful audio content can be for people with dyslexia. Click to Tweet

This Audio Bible App Is Perfect for Our Dyslexic Daughter!

I have a beautiful daughter named Anya.  

She has blonde hair, blue eyes, and a tender heart.  

She is my firstborn, the answer to many fervent prayers after a long season of infertility and loss.

Reading has always been a heart-wrenching battle for our girl.  

Frustration, anxiety, fear, and confusion are just a few adjectives that come to mind when I think back on the hours we spent trying to teach her how to read. 

Thankfully, with the encouragement and support of my parents, we chose to begin the process of tutoring her in an Orton-Gillingham based method developed for people with dyslexia.  

She worked with a wonderful tutor for several years and has developed the skills necessary to read without too much difficulty.

That said, she still prefers to learn with her ears. 

I am constantly amazed by how much more information she can retain when she doesn’t have to decode the written word.

This is why I was so excited to find the Dwell Scripture Listening App!

My daughter has been faithfully using the app for the past year, and it has made a huge difference in her devotional life.

This powerful tool helps my dyslexic daughter cultivate a habit of listening to the most important book in history: the Bible.

This beautifully designed app is easy for her to navigate and the reading plans are engaging and simple to follow.

Anya keeps the Dwell Scripture Listening App icon right on her iPhone home screen and tries to listen to the audio Bible before bed every night.

This powerful tool helps my dyslexic daughter cultivate a habit of listening to the most important book in history: the Bible. Click to Tweet

Dwell Scripture Listening App Review by Anya Koontz

Here is Anya’s review of the Dwell Scripture Listening App:

“Listening to Scripture on the Dwell Scripture Listening App helps me start my bedtime routine with something positive. God’s Word gives me peace and helps me focus on truth rather than lies. I can listen to the Dwell Scripture Listening App even when I’m tired from a long day of school and sports. Without the app, I probably wouldn’t be reading the Bible as much as I am. I struggle with my thought life, and this app has given me something helpful to turn on when fearful thoughts enter my mind. I think this App is perfect for people with dyslexia because it takes the hard work out of reading Scripture. It has helped me focus my energy on growing closer to God and applying His Word, rather than using all my energy just trying to read the Bible for myself.”

Anya Koontz, age 13

Here is a compilation of Anya’s favorite things about the Dwell Scripture Listening App and a few things she’d love to see improved upon in the future.

Favorite voice: David from the NIV (because I thought he sounded like what Jesus would sound like if He was reading me the Bible)

Favorite background music: None (because it distracts me from listening to the words)

Favorite reading plans: 

• Through the Psalms Plan: This was my first plan, and I loved how I could listen to one Psalm in just a minute or two. This really helped me start the habit.
• Straight Through Plan: I used this plan to listen to the New Testament (except for Revelation), and it feels really good to know that I have listened to most of the New Testament.
• Faith over Fear Plan: I struggle with fear, so this plan was a great help to me!

The Dwell app is perfect for people with dyslexia because it takes the hard work out of reading Scripture. It has helped me focus my energy on growing closer to God and applying His Word, rather than using all my energy just trying to read the Bible for myself. Click to Tweet

Benefits of using the app: 

1. Easy to use.
2. I can use it when I’m tired.
3. Always available.
4. Helps build a habit.
5. Reminders on my phone.

Favorite things about the app: 

• I like how it’s just the Bible, not someone teaching about the Bible.
• I like how they put certain verses together in collections to help with specific problems.
• I like the different voice options to choose from.

Things I would change about the app:

• I wish there were more reading plans available.
• Sometimes it’s slow/glitchy.
• I wish I could start in the middle of the plan (without notifications reminding me to go back and do the beginning).

Start Your 7-Day Free Trial of the Dwell Scripture Listening App Today!

Access all of the Bible online or offline by signing up for a free 7-day trial of the Dwell Scripture Listening App. Download Dwell now and transform the way you experience Scripture.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH DWELL?

DWELL SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS:

Dwell offers either an auto-renewing subscription or a one-time, “Lifetime” purchase of the app:

• Dwell Annual: $29.99 per year (after the free 7-day trial)
• Dwell Lifetime: $149.99 (one-time purchase)

These prices are for US customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. Your Dwell subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can go to your iTunes Account settings to manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew.

Access all of the Bible online or offline by signing up for a free 7-day trial of the Dwell Scripture Listening App. Download Dwell now and transform the way you experience Scripture. Click to Tweet

BONUS: Free Audio Bible Studies from Living by Design

We understand how busy life can be and are committed to sharing and creating free tools and resources to help you succeed at Bible Study.  

We are excited to announce that we have included an audio version of the daily devotionals in many of our free Bible studies—making it easier than ever to learn with your ears.

Here is a complete list of our free studies that include audio versions at this time:

• JoyFULL: A Free 3-Week Study of Philippians
• Unlocking the Promises of Psalm 119
• RescYOUed: A Free 30-Day Study of God our Rescuer
• Before I Go: Jesus’ Final Teaching and Prayer
• Wisdom Whispers: A Character Study of King Solomon

All of the daily Mp3 audios are less than 10-minutes long and include both the Scripture reading and devotional. 

We want Bible study to become the highlight of your day, not something you have to force yourself to do “just to keep up with the homework.”

We believe that the audio version of our studies makes it easier than ever for women to grow their faith on the go!

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