If you had told me when we purchased our homestead that it would be a fairly significant place of evangelization, I would have been quite surprised to hear it. Despite being sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that God brought us to this place, and knowing He had plans for us here, I didn’t know just how much that would impact the people around us. Within the first few months of moving in, His plans slowly began to unfold.

I was once essentially accused of not doing my fair part to evangelize the world because we homestead, homeschool, and at the time, we had neither the internet in the house, nor cell phones. We were being too “reclusive,” our lives were too “hidden,” or so we were told. If you have fears that this may be true for you, I want to assure you that it doesn’t have to be, whether you do all of those things or not. Reclusiveness is a choice. Setting boundaries and living out what you are called to speaks loudly to the world around you, and it challenges people to rethink their understanding of things. That said, there is nothing reclusive about our lives, and little is “hidden” except what is appropriate to remain so. Evangelization doesn’t have to happen on a global scale. We aren’t all called to be famous evangelizers through social media or world-traveling missionaries. Evangelization is often quite personal and local. It begins wherever you live, right now.

Members of the Catholic Land Movement or the homesteading movement in general can tell you what a strong calling there has been to return to the land among all kinds of people. If you’ve been able to move to the land, and you’ve had people come an visit, there’s a good chance somebody will tell you how moved they are by your surroundings, or share joyful memories they have from their childhood of visiting grandparents at the farm. There’s something wholesome about being on and working with the land that people can connect with, even if they don’t feel called to live it themselves. We’ve found that the beauty of the land has a profound impact on people. Even when we see messes and clutter and work to be done, others see something more. Nature has the power to move people in ways that can’t be described, because through it God moves hearts. In the transcendental beauty of nature, we catch a glimpse of the Creator, whether we know him or not.

We found that our homestead was a place for evangelization was simply in having others come visit, particularly in the beginning when I shared how we found our property. I can’t tell the story of finding this place without speaking of God’s work in the matter, because it was truly a God thing. Long story short, I found it listed deep in the pages of Craigslist at a time we didn’t think we had a way to make it happen financially. God gave us everything we sought in a place and more. There were little signs along the way that said “I want you here. This is your new home.” It was simply and unmistakably the work of God. I can’t not share God when I share that story.

We’ve had people want to visit (many of whom work with my husband) because they want to understand how somebody can work a full-time job, have a large family, homeschool their children, and have a homestead. What they inevitably discover is a life lived radically different from the world at large. We aren’t involved in all kinds of extra-curriculars, the kids are expected to work hard and do chores, they’re friendly and loving, we pray before meals and thank God for our guests, and we do our best to share generously with others the blessings we’ve received. In fact, simply being willing to open our homes and hearts to others is far more impactful than I ever expected it would be. It moves people, without forcing anything on them. I’m continually shocked by the impact our lives have on others simply by living the way we do.

As we began to get more involved with our Catholic faith, we found that our homestead opened up new ways of evangelizing. It’s not about creating a homestead that somebody walks onto and goes “Oh, that’s Catholic,” rather, it’s about finding ways we can deepen our faith through the work we do. Yes, many people notice the Mary by the back door, and they catch the signs posted in various areas, like “Hildegard’s Hermitage,” and that can naturally prompt questions, but it’s not forced. It’s a silent witness to what we are trying to live out. When we invite a friend to celebrate with us in some Catholic tradition, like a bonfire for St. John the Baptist or the Martinmas meal, we aren’t forcing somebody to join us in Catholic tradition, but inviting them to build friendships and community. We’ve helped fellow parishioners learn how to butcher animals and lend equipment from time to time, and in the process, we’ve built more community and inspired others (so I’ve been told) to pay it forward. Community isn’t cursory to our faith, it’s central to it.

We have also tried very hard to share the blessings of our homestead with others, from letting friends duck hunt to community garden space, from the sharing of our produce to the use of our land for various things and beyond. We don’t allow ourselves to be walked on and taken advantage of, because there are things we need to protect (our children, our land, our lives, and our privacy), but we recognize that God didn’t give us this to hoard all for ourselves, and whether you homestead or not, if we live like that as Christians, it’s an automatic testimony to the difference in living for Christ. My husband is great at this, and it’s something I’m learning to be better at all the time.

We don’t do this perfectly. There are likely people who have visited and who haven’t been moved, or have had a bad impression left for one reason or another. That’s unfortunate, but it’s reality. We aren’t always perfectly generous or perfect neighbors. There are many times I’ve had a very hard heart compared to my husband, but that’s the beauty of the sacrament of Marriage, isn’t it? We help to sanctify the other. His openness and generosity have taught me so much and have helped to soften my own heart. This is our testimony. We didn’t do anything significant, God did. We are just doing the best we can to be open to His working.

If you are feeling called to live this life, I encourage you to really be open to God. It can be so easy to be closed off, to set boundaries that are far broader than they ought to be, while telling ourselves that it is good. Boundaries are absolutely necessary, and we’re always working to find out what is appropriate (it changes with the seasons of life), but many people use the idea of self-sufficiency and independence as a front to keep others out. Excuses like: we have to get “x” done today; we’re too busy right now; I don’t have the energy to… Sometimes the very reason we claim we need to keep others at bay is the very reason we need to invite them in. Perhaps we’re being prideful and need to ask for help, or maybe we’re being tight-fisted when God is calling for generosity, or possibly we need to be a little self-sacrificial for the good of another. There are times for remaining “hidden” and for saying “no,” but as long as it’s not all the time, it’s okay.

In an age of self-_____ (indulgence, preservation, invention, made-man, sufficiency, etc.), we need to remember that we are never truly alone and that our actions impact the world around us. We witness to our faith by living it sincerely, and by the simple act of being. There are times and places for sharing and expounding on our beliefs, but those often come naturally when we live as Christ asks us to live.

If you homestead and have experienced ways in which you’ve been able to evangelize through the life or your land, I’d love to hear your testimony! Let me know in the comments!

In Christ,
Danielle