EP #61 - How Elvin & RuthAnn Zimmerman Chose The Simple Lifestyle | Plain Values

When you hear the name RuthAnn Zimmerman you think of homesteading. In today’s episode of the Plain Values Podcast, we hear the full story behind RuthAnn and Elvin’s journey to becoming one of the leading voices of influence in the modern homesteading movement.

Long before social media and RuthAnn’s millions of followers knew of her, both Elvin and RuthAnn grew up in Pennsylvania in the Old Order Mennonite church, though they did not meet there. As teenagers, both Elvin and RuthAnn seemed to have rebellious spirits and their parents decided it best to send them away for a time. The two rebel hearts connected in Iowa and were soon baptized and married in the church there. 

RuthAnn was a school teacher for a few years there, so once they had their own children, she had the know-how to homeschool. She soon became friends with some non-Mennonite women in her homeschool group and she started to see things a bit differently. The Holy Spirit was calling Elvin and RuthAnn into a real relationship with Him. 

One particular weekend, they both had a revelation that if Jesus was here today, He would not be allowed into their own church. Jesus was calling them to follow Him, but they were scared to lose their community.

Already feeling on the fringes of their church because of their liberal thinking and uncommitted rule following, the decision came to a head when RuthAnn was denied communion in front of the church because of an incident with her frizzy hair. 

Though they left the Mennonite church and embraced the modern conveniences of the world for a time, they quickly saw consequences. They all felt worse than ever from the grocery store food and their daughter especially became quite sick. So they turned back to the skills they learned from their upbringing and grew their own food again. They knew, though they had the freedom to choose any convenience they wanted, they could choose the simple lifestyle without the religious oppression. 

Today, Elvin and RuthAnn are intentional about teaching their children to follow Jesus even if it goes against the world, their community, or even their parents. The freedom to choose our lifestyle and to choose a relationship with Jesus is the gift of the Gospel for everyone on earth. 

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