Jill, you are just an amazingly brave person in all areas of life and a deepest thinker, which is really admirable for such a young person! I am not a homesteader, likely never will be, having grown up in Eastern Europe I am as far from how you grew up as it can be. But I deeply admire you and the life you have created for yourself, your generosity and kindness. Just couldn’t help but finally tell you this after listening to many of your shows. Thank you. You are a true pioneer just like the ones that built this country. ❤

I am firmly of the mind that you do NOT have to fit "a certain profile" to be a homesteader. ANYONE can be a homesteader!!!! Thank you for this message; it's one that needs to be heard much more often!

I love this. I think it is super important for us to be good representatives of what we are doing in order to help all people be more prepared. But not only that, if you attack people that believe differently than you, there is zero change of influencing a change in their opinion. But if you are kind and understanding, they’re more likely to see your side and possibly agree.

Jill, I agree with you wholeheartedly! Our resilience, personal, and community, depends on this. I see transcending polarization as our next big cultural shift. We will look back eventually, and ask ourselves "Whatwere we thinking?" We will see things differently as the cultural conversation moves on. You brought up so many good points. I can't wait to share this video, and explore these ideas further with my friends. Thank you, you have made my day, and it is still morning.

What a great topic and a great message. This will start a good conversation. It will be interesting to follow.

The further we move away from the pandemic, the more I see how it’s impossible to find “like minded” folks. Also, what happens when you find like minded community and then maybe a few change their view on things. Then what? We are supposed to grow and change. It’s absolutely impossible to find people who have the exact viewpoints as you and that stay that way. When looking for community I think there are a few foundational things that you look for. One of them being what you do for fun. My husband and I don’t drink, so naturally we don’t have friends who like to go to bars for their fun. Also, one of the things I did last year was get off social media for a whole year and really invest in my neighbors. If things went sideways, the people who live closest to you will be your biggest assets. I don’t have very many friends who live close to me. My neighbors all have different viewpoints than we do. Some Christian, some not. Some republican, some democrat. We just don’t talk about politics…for the most part. Anyway, this is a subject that I think about a lot. Thank you for speaking on it. 🤗

I live in IllAnnoy, your message is like a breath of fresh air, thanks for your contribution, much appreciated

Thank you for this conversation! I think everyone needs to be thinking about this. EVERYONE on all sides!

There isn't one person on this planet that will agree with me 100% on EVERY topic. If I time travelled, I'd wind up disagreeing with myself from 10 years ago. We need to be able to converse and HEAR each other. The other person just MIGHT have a good point. Thanks for the chat.

So well said Jill, I wish this podcast could be aired on network news for all to hear!

I really enjoyed this conversation. You always challenge me to think and i serve and ponder. Thank you!

Thank you for your message. Definitely food for thought. We just moved out in to the country in south East PA. We don’t know anyone and I’m finding it difficult to meet people. Hopefully warmer weather will help and there is a farmers market starting soon I can go to. At 64 I’m finding it hard to be open minded and if I see someone with pink hair I go the other way. I will definitely think more about your message especially if I want to develop community. Thanks

I wholeheartedly agree! I remember my grandma telling me a story of when she and my grandpa were running a dairy out in a tiny town in Montana. The population was made up mostly of a couple families of various Christian beliefs. Neither of which had a meeting house or chapel. They worked together as a community to raise money for one denomination and then they both used that building for meetings while they worked to raise enough money for the other denomination. The point is, we may not have everything in common but we can find common ground and give grace and exhibit kindness towards others despite our differences.

Agree 💯 ! Differences are needed to learn from one another. Coming from a farm family... Sometimes the only commonality is farming some we get along with others we don't but the one understanding farming is hard hard work but the rewards are so worth it. But in hard times because the community understands one thing is the ups and downs of the life, when the chips are down everyone gathers to help. In good times you gather and enjoy each other's company.. you can have differences and it's ok. And also you can learn from one another with different farms and swapping services. Helping one another. That is the community. Sometimes you agree to disagree and sometimes. You can't and keep your distance😊And a lot of ppl do romantize the life. My mom would fix that by having someone work a day on the farm , their views changed. Quickly. Great video!

You can have friends out of your religious vriewpoint. It makes me mad sometimes that people believe that. I was a religious study major with emphasis on Christianity. It says not allow others to change your beliefs and you can be friends with a Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist, you just shouldn’t perhaps talk about religion with them out of respect for the other’s beliefs. We can guard our hearts and minds with boundaries that don’t barricade away other thought processes. God wants us to live to the full and throw love and kindness around like confetti at a wedding.

Thank you for this, I have been feeling drawn in this direction for some time. Of greatest importance to me is to respect and allow others the freedom to be where they are... it's a much more peaceful place to be.

Jill, I'm male and former military, I super respect your life work and message, Semper Fi

It is good to get out of your boundaries and experience different cultures and ideas.

I totally loved this episode. Thank you for sharing all that you did!

Great message! I appreciate you speaking about it. The theme is something I have being speaking on to folks in my community of home steadiers and emergency preparedness minded people. I look forward to listening to more of your podcasts.

Oh my, you are such a great talker! And very brave too! I agree a lot with the things you say, but I offen feel, there´s no a lot of people around me feeling that same way. I´m not giving up - but it really is a fight!

You have a great point . This is so true , we are all made in Gods image and are all his. Even if they don’t know anything about God they are still made in his image and by his hand . Our relationship with the people around us reflects our relationship with God towards them . And it’s there most powerful influence. They can only see the light if we carry it to them by treating them as equals in Christ and slowly through our example, lifting them up to there potential. Persistence and determination and prayers are necessary to bring some one to God . We don’t have to in-brace there bad habits for us to treat them as a neighbor. Never reaching out and keeping to ourselves insures that what they see is a cold and distant existence that is not what they are looking for . I never understood the parable of the talents till I realized that a hidden reflection is a hidden talent and setting in our own world and not reaching out is digging a hole and placing it inside . Sometime we set alone for a time or season to learn to be the light the Lord needs us to be . Sometimes a fire has to smolder to dry out enough to catch up and burn it to its full potential. The least in his kingdom needs reached out to the most, he left the 99 just to reach for the one . The last thing we really should ever do is push away or push down anyone that might be interested in learning of God . Our relationship with the ones around us makes up our testimony and when it is finished here on this Earth, all we have is the record of how we reflected our life on to others around us .

Hi I'm a new listener. So far I'm liking it.

I completely agree with you and this viewpoint. I would say I am more like you. However I have many friends who have completely opposite view points. Some will still have an open conversation. Unfortunately many will not discuss politics or worldviews with us. So we have agreed to disagree and don’t discuss those topics. Are we as close with us as the other friends who are open to everyone’s ideas.

I lived in a small town for twenty years and was able to build a very supportive community - even though I realized we were all "crazy" in our own ways! But times have changed. Sadly, there's a lot of brainwashing and propaganda going on today, and just being myself "triggers" a lot of people and I am finding it impossible to create a supportive community here in NW Washington state. I don't know if moving to a new area would help at this point??

Fantastic video! 💙

Thank you for sharing.... To your point we are to be influencers and ambassadors... I find that on the tough stuff I just ask a lot of questions. If you can't hold a civil conversation with others, that's a lack of skill on your part. Last thing to the crowd who says to separate themselves off from anyone who doesn't agree with them.... Jesus was condemned for spending so much time with prostitutes and tax collectors....

Wow Jill, so interesting. Many good points. Understandably we do feel better when around people who align with ourselves. But engaging respectfully with others who do not, does feel like what my God wants me to do. Loving thy neighbor as thyself. Man how anyone has gotten to today and not been able do this is beyond me. We all have close family or people in our inner circle who do not agree with us politically and of course i will not cut them out of my life. It has made me grow so much in acceptance. But! When I can clearly see where the head of a party that is blatantly working to divide our country there needs to b a cutting off of that and definitely needs to b rebuilt. This is very scary times for our country. I am a grandparent, and i feel experience is telling me this is different and alarming. I have always gone with my gut on voting by listening to each party leaders, so i have voted for each party, never just one or the other. Unfortunately choice is never one way is exactly what i want, but for sure i know that in the last elections i know what i do not want and needs to b shut down. I believe its like that hard line u talked about.

I know we have different opinions but I really wholeheartedly agree with this post.

Thank you for making me think. Great topic and worth pursuing ❤ Debs from Western Australia.

AMEN. It's not always easy, but it is the only way to grow.

Can't say I disagree with too much that was said. I definitely see the polarization that is happening mixed with the segregation to keep folks in their own camps, whether that be by design or simply human nature. And because of it, respectful discussion does not happen a lot these days and unfortunately resorts to name calling - it becomes a viscous circle that only serves to further entrench the polarization. Rather, most conversations are simply built around each trying to sway folks to their way of thinking so they feel validated. Good podcast.

Thanks for putting this concept into words. You are definitely on the right track.

people should start just in their own neighborhoods - sit on the front porch and speak to the people walking by with their dogs, share things you've seen happening in your neighborhood, notice when an ambulance stops in three houses down, etc.; your neighbors won't be your very best buddies necessarily, but hopefully they'll lend a hand when your fence blows down or you need a jump-start etc.

Fantastic points made!!!

I think you are right and I’ve been guilty of this. It’s not easy going outside our comfort zone. The Lord Jesus went and fellowshipped with the unchurched. He didn’t avoid them, however the religious leaders rejected him and them. Good points. I agree with you. Val C

Questioning your own beliefs is a part of critical thinking; social media is taking away people's ability to think rationally and critically on both sides of the argument.

True!! We all need to be stretched.

Spot on

Great message!

Do as Jesus did… He had his ‘circle’ AND was loving, patient and kind while amongst the ‘sinners’

Chugwater? As in chili??♥️

Spirituality does not need to be affiliated with a "religion"; knowing God is personal.

Thank you

Great video. I just subscribed.

I have noticed that people assume “homesteaders” are doing it for religious reasons.

Politics is a distraction. I challenge you to speak to me in person to prove you can talk to someone completely at odds to you and I can see right through this kind of content you just listening to things you don’t agree with is just a front to act like you are good. Polarisation is because some people know the truth and can see lies very easily. They can see through the facade. What’s interesting is more people find influencers and social media’s attempts to cause polarisation hilarious because most people are feet intelligent. Too intelligent to believe the mantra they are spewing up. It’s dangerous to suggest people should discuss and ask questions about sensitive things. Moloch desperately sitting on your tongue….

Polarising content is a distraction.

Definitely don’t want to create an echo chamber… it is my opinion that the evangelical community helped usher in the SJW ultra-woke movement. Take a look at all the churches of various denominations advocating sin and sinful behavior and practices.

I’m so sorry but what is happening with the reference piece on the wall????? I don’t agree with guarding against that. It requires judgement to avoid persons like that. You simply need to love another person. Choosing to only be around people who give you something and fill your cup is why this world is so hard. Please 🙏 become the person who will not try to influence them, from a place where you think you need to help them. If they ask you can but you cannot assume that someone else is not the same or that they are vastly different. I really think the problem with church is that not being friendly with non church people is massive control of church and not of god. Murderers go to church, rapists show up at church. Politics is just a smoke screen and the mentioning of hitler as though he was evil is also interesting. You can’t force people to associate with people who believe what you were trained to push or believe. Black and white thinking is a hard line because some people can read others and have that gift. I can see how dangerous it is to be around people who you sense there isn’t something good in them. If there’s someone you can help and what is in them is goodness-then it’s safe to help.

Great video. I just subscribed.