Ask Jess Anything: Deconstruction, Sex, Motherhood, and Closure

Jan 28, 2026

A candid Q&A covering deconstruction, purity culture, and how those histories shaped sex and relationships. She talks creative burnout, documentary filmmaking, and why she removed a film from public view. Parenting choices around consent and body safety for young twins get frank attention. There is also a look at Patreon, monetisation, and handing a long-running project to new stewardship.

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ADVICE

Treat Patreon Like A Sales Funnel

Get a clear map of Patreon tiers and what each member sees before you launch membership offers.
Use Patreon tools and suggested offers to design funnels that fairly monetize your time and work.

ANECDOTE

Documentary Filmmaking Led To Burnout

Jessica describes post-documentary burnout and a period she calls essentially a nervous breakdown.
She considered other film subjects but says the drive to create has quieted after that intense experience.

ANECDOTE

Sensed Boundaries While Filming Joshua Harris

On-set Jessica sensed Joshua Harris was struggling and offered support including prayer and access to counselling.
After graduation he disengaged and the film's editing continued without his help.

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In this special Ask Jess Anything episode of Where Do We Go From Here?, Jess opens the vault and shares one of the most personal conversations from behind the Patreon paywall.

As Jess prepares to step away from the podcast she founded, she reflects honestly on purity culture, sex, faith, parenting, creative burnout, and what it's like to leave a space you helped build. Listeners submitted their questions with no topic off-limits, and Jess answers them with the clarity, nuance, and vulnerability that has defined the show for the past five years.

In this episode, Jess talks about why she's stepping back from podcasting, the emotional and physical toll of documentary filmmaking, her experience making I Survived I Kissed Dating Goodbye, and her complicated relationship with Joshua Harris and the film's legacy. She also shares how purity culture did (and didn't) shape her marriage and sex life, how her views shifted after her first kiss and first sexual experiences, and how she's thinking about consent, bodies, and faith as a parent to young twins.

Jess also reflects on content creation, Patreon, monetisation, and the tension between integrity and algorithms in today's creator economy. This episode serves as both a thank-you to longtime listeners and a thoughtful handover as EDJ steps into the future of the podcast.

Some sections of this episode have been intentionally edited for public release, with a small number of moments remaining exclusive to Patreon for personal safety.

In this episode, we explore:

Why Jess is stepping away from Where Do We Go From Here?
What an "Ask Me Anything" revealed about her deconstruction journey
Purity culture, sex, shame, and agency
First kisses, first sex, and dismantling fear-based narratives
Parenting without purity culture
Creative burnout, documentary filmmaking, and boundaries
Patreon, paywalls, and the realities of independent podcasting
What happens to the archive and how to access it for a limited time

If you've been with the podcast for a short time or a long time, this episode is a moment of reflection, closure, and gratitude.

🎧 Note: A limited-time archive of previously paywalled episodes is currently available via Patreon before it is permanently removed.

Link for Collections:

Jess & Devi Show - $30USD

Jess & Friends Show - $10USD