Saturday, January 19, 2019

Duggars in Atlanta


Jana Duggar and Felicity Vuolo

This week (Thursday through today) some of the Duggar siblings have been in Atlanta, Georgia, attending the annual G3 Conference. This year's theme is "The Mission of God: A Biblical Understanding of Missions."

Keynote speakers have included folks like Voddie Baucham, John Piper, David Platt, and Phil Johnson. On Thursday, Jeremy Vuolo led a breakout session. Jinger, Jeremy, and Felicity, along with the Seewalds, Jana, and Jeremy's parents, have been in attendance. The Duggars' friend Laura DeMaise also attended.

Photo courtesy theseewaldfamily.com

103 comments:

  1. Jana, everyone's favorite auntie! Praying she'll have a family of her own soon! ❤

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    1. She does have a family.

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    2. Jana may be a nice girl but I seriously doubt that she is 'everyone's' favorite auntie. Instead of praying that she gets married soon, pray that she has a happy life, of her choice, whatever that may be.

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    3. I agree. Jana is the most eligible bachelorette of the year. The guy who finally gets her will be one lucky fella..

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    4. Jana has a very large family of HER own. I don't know why you think she's not a member of the Duggar family.

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    5. I'm a single woman and am happy. I HAVE a family of my own as do most people. I ended up walking away from organized religion simply because of the attitude of the majority of the people in churches that somehow a single woman is a second class person. I'm sorry to see you're going along with the prevailing attitude. From my experiences, it's preached tirelessly in the church. Once it was said by a preacher at a church I was attending that single moms are "social undesirables". Devaluing a woman simply because she's single is WRONG IMO.

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    6. Behind every single mom somewhere is a man who's partly responsible. I wonder what that same preacher thought of irresponsible single fathers, 4:27.

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    7. 4:27, I am sorry you have had negative experiences in church. Unfortunately there are churches that have false teachings. Fortunately, there are churches that do preach the truth. You just need to find the right one.

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    8. Anon 9:27 after going to 10 different churches, I never found the "right one". Enough was enough IMO. I got tired of chasing that particular rainbow.

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    9. Anon 9:27. If a person has had a negative experience as a single woman in two more churches, you can't reasonably expect them to go "church shopping". Women become single parents for a variety of reasons including death of their spouse, abusive husband, being left by their husband, etc., etc. Having a pastor denounce them from the pulpit is outside of enough and a good reason to shy away from attending churches for fear of encountering another such pastor.

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    10. Wow, someone posted nothing but well wishes for Jana, and other commenters tore down everything she said. That was not necessary.

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    11. It's a conversation about what can happen at church (or anywhere) if you're single, 8:28.

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    12. To the lady(ies) who had a terrible experience with ignorant men masquerading as preachers of the Gospel,

      I am so sorry that you had to hear things said from a hateful place in a person’s heart. Jesus never hinted that single people were less-than. When Jesus met the woman at the well who had probably outlived five husbands, he didn’t tell her to go find another husband. He didn’t think it was important for her to marry again. Even Paul said it’s BETTER to be single.

      I am slowly learning that people need a lot of grace from us, because they may be further from Christ than we think, or they may have some sort of blockage in their minds or hearts that make them say/do unrighteous things. They may have been mistaught, and deception and dissonance are hard things to penetrate. People require so much patience and forgiveness—not necessarily trust or friendship—but patience and forgiveness.

      I hope that you can find peace in Christ alone, and I hope that the people who hurt you can find the same.

      -Hayley

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    13. It takes time to get to know people, i really doubt that this single mother wasn't welcome in ten different churches. There are single women in most churches and several have single groups/studied

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    14. Curious as to how long you attended these 10 churches. You can't just visit a few times and judge from that

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    15. 9:12 Yes you can. I've been to some churches only once and that was enough to show that it wasn't for me.

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    16. I know it’s natural to make assumptions based on your own experiences, but it is very plausible that a woman was unwelcome in 10 churches, even if it’s hard for you personally to imagine. (It’s also very “guilty til proven innocent” to claim that the commenter here is lying about it.) My family and I have visited dozens of churches in our area over the years. I can EASILY say that I felt welcomed in three, but only in one of those did people reach out and seem like they wanted to be spiritual family. Churches are full of crappy people with zero interest in God or others, especially others unlike themselves. People can quickly be discouraged from pushing on and finding a God-focused church. My husband and I stopped attending any church for about 3 years due to the discouragement. Don’t be hasty to assume your own point of view is so solid.

      -Hayley

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  2. I'm convinced that Jeremy is trying to get a much bigger and better position than at that tiny church in Laredo. All this travel, all this speaking, all these high-visibility events...

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    1. Accusing Jeremy isn’t very loving especially if you don’t know his true motives for simply attending a conference. G3 Conference is a wonderful, biblically sound conference, and I’m sure it was a great encouragement to Jeremy, as a pastor, and to the other Duggars who attended. :) G3 Conference 2019 will be uploaded to YouTube eventually, so if you’re curious to know what the Duggars listened to over the weekend, check it out! :)
      G3 2018 and G3 2017 are already uploaded.

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    2. He does seem always traveling, for the main pastor of any church.

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    3. What is wrong with having ambitions, good for him if he's trying to grow in his career/mission.

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    4. Our pastor travels quite a bit, and it's a source of contention. Being the pastor of a church congregation means that you're around to teach and pastor your flock.

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  3. Is this a Baptist organization and are all the speakers like-minded Baptists? How does IBLP/ATI fit into this, if at all?

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    1. I'm not sure it does. I've known Baptists that embrace Gothard's teachings but most don't. These conferences tend to be open to all comers.

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    2. You'd have to research each speaker and see where they stand, what they've said before, and what tenets they hold. Bear in mind that you are known by the company you keep, so if you find an IBLP connection with one speaker, the other speakers must know that and must be OK with it to agree to be there, too.

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    3. I don't think IBLP was a factor in this trip. It seems more like a show of support for Jeremy and his speaking engagement.

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    4. Piper and Voddie (loved his earlier stuff but had to disconnect) are Calvinists, so the G3 is in that direction, but there is a division about that in the Baptist Church. 'Not sewing any discord folks, just answering a question.

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    5. I don't know if they are all like minded Baptist or not but John Piper is reformed Baptist (Calvinist) and Ben and Jeremy are Calvanist too so it might very well be like-minded Calvinist Baptist.

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    6. Jeremy isn’t apart of the IBLP

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    7. G3 conference is not affiliated with IBLP/ATI. However, it is a wonderful biblically sound conference which will eventually be uploaded to YouTube. If you’re interested, you can check out G3 Conference 2018 and G3 Conference 2017. All the sermons have been posted on YouTube, and I’d highly recommend them. :)

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    8. It is a parachurch organization. Many of the speakers that I recognize are noted Evangelical teachers and speakers that present in other Christian gatherings such as the Gospel Coalition that my own church is a part of. My church is not Baptist.

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  4. Voddie Baucham is one of my favorite speakers. We missed the conference this year.☹

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    1. I really like Voddie Baucham, as well. I’m looking forward to the conference being uploaded to YouTube so I can listen. :)

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  5. Felicity is so cute! I hope the conference was recorded. We weren't able to this time go but hopefully next year we can make plans to go.

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  6. Seems like the duggars are always going on expensive trips! Like more than once a month the blog's caption for the day is: the duggars are traveling to Chicago. Or something like that. Seems like a same old same old scenario to me. Travel. Travel. Travel.

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    1. It seems to me they can afford it and why shouldn't they? For many years Michelle was at home rearing her children. If it offends you, don't read the blog.

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    2. They're rich, why shouldn't they travel?

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    3. Some one is jealous!🙄

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    4. A lot of them are speaking at different conferences.

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    5. yes, they do travel a lot because they have the money to and their is nothing wrong with that. plus, they are a big extended family and the trips are for different adults and little families. Some trips are the vuolos, some john david, ect., each have their own income and travel choices. It's not one big single family anymore with just one couple paying the bills.

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    6. Amen to that thought! If they can afford to travel then why shouldn’t they?!

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    7. Yes but there's also people that try to say they don't travel and see the world enough.... At this point who cares. It's starting to sound like jealousy on both sides.

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    8. The Duggars are at the point in life where they are financially able to travel, why shouldn’t they? It takes nothing from your life so why complain about it?

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    9. Haha, I've never heard travel described as same old, same old. Usually it's the opposite! And their trips aren't all necessarily expensive.

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    10. They have money, so why not?

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    11. I don't think Michelle and Jim Bob were there. I don't think they are Calvanist.

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    12. Anon 2:44, I would hardley call a trip to Atantla luxiousious(it's a 10 hour car drive from Tonitown). And they are there for a biblical conference about missionary work and spreading the message of Christ. The Duggars spend most of their time spreading His love and His message.That's what their main goal is, and Duggar fans admire that.

      Also, I agree with Anon 4:56. Nobody here wants to read derogatory comments. If you want to leave a negative comment, you can go on any number of sleazy media sites like Celebrity Insider or US Weekly. Please leave this blog for actual Duggar fans.

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    13. Travel is a pain on many levels. I doubt anyone is "jealous" of dealing with airports, TSA, delayed flights, cramped planes, mangled luggage, etc. etc. etc.

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    14. Their hotel costs must be high even if they stay at the cheaper hotel recommended (at about $119 per night). The other hotels are as much as $199 a month plus you pay $29 for parking, a night. That is at least three rooms for 4 nights, not including a room for the parents. Add food to that and we are not talking about a cheap trip.

      It is their money to spend.

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    15. A lot of non-Christians watch the show. Are you saying they should be banned from the blog? Because they question the Duggar beliefs? Is that what Jesus would do?

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    16. 9:28, this is a fan blog, it doesn’t make sense to come on here and bash the Duggar’s lifestyle. Just because you aren’t a Christian doesn’t give you an excuse to be rude to a Christian family.

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    17. I don't care how much this family travels, but I do wish they'd stop pretending they're "just folks" and an average family that lives from paycheck to paycheck like must people do. The cost of food and lodging for so many people has to be very large even if they travel on their own plane which they claim is "cheaper" than commercial flights (it might be if you ignore the costs of owning and operating a private plane). I think they should just enjoy their money and let it go at that.

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    18. 12:11 Just because a family is Christian doesn't automatically make them perfect and objects of adoration! Too many people categorize big Christian families as perfect without looking closer. In fact, the show was built on the hopes that the audience would do just that.

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    19. Anon 12:11 I don't think everyone having the same opinion would be a very interesting blog. I for one enjoy the different opinions and remarks people make. People can be fans and still not agree with everything a Duggar does. I don't think people should be put on a pedestal and idolized, God is the one we idolize not people.

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    20. 4:25, the parents don't really comment on their lifestyle anymore since 19 Kids was canceled and they're hardly on the current show. What pretending are you referring to?

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    21. @12:11- I would think that Christians would welcome a dialogue with non-Christians and those not affiliated with any church. Doesn't it give them an opportunity to set an example, share their testimony and explain what doctrine they follow? Just because someone questions the Duggars' beliefs or lifestyle does not automatically make them rude. Besides, the blog administrators have comment restrictions and don't post anything insulting or derogatory.

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  7. Did Jeremy go to Arkansas with Jinger and Felicity? Or did they join him at the conference in Atlanta?

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    1. Jeremy, Jinger, and Felicity were all in Atlanta at the G3 Conference.

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  8. It’s great that your showcasing Jana so much. I suspect she is in a courtship

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    1. I hope Jana & friend, Laura, both find men worthy of them.

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    2. If she is, you'd think her guy would go on this trip like Lauren went on the Australia/New Zealand trip.

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    3. They always showcased her and the others.

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    4. Why would you suspect that?

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    5. That would be great

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    6. Enough with the courtship speculation. The woman is 29. If she wanted to get married, she would have done so before now. So, please, stop speculating and let it be!

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    7. I've always wondered why it's so important to Duggar fans for Jana to get married. I don't see that marriage somehow validates her as a person.

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    8. "If she wanted to get married, she would have done so before now" - ????? Like 29 is some magic cut-off age and if you haven't decided before then, too bad, the game's over? No.

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    9. Why does Jana need to be in a courtship, get married and have children? I find the attitude that if a woman doesn't marry and have children she is somehow "incomplete" and doesn't "have a family" annoying. Jana should make her own decisions and do what makes HER happy.

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    10. @ 11:29, Plenty of people get married after 29. not everyone gets married as a young adult.

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    11. @4:50 You are assuming too much in what I wrote. I did not say the "game is over" as if getting married is a competition or game. Nor did I imply that she was over the hill. I got married when I was 34. I wrote that because I remember people commenting on my single status as if that was the most important aspect of my life. At 29, I had no interest in getting married to anyone. If marriage was important to me, I would have married years earlier. I was living my life, which could be the same with Jana.

      So, enough with this constant talk about Jana courting or not courting. Leave the poor girl alone or do you think that only married women are of value?

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    12. How much "too much" can one assume of a statement saying that if someone wanted to get married by 29, they would have by then?

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    13. I sense a bunch of feminist.... There is nothing wrong with being a wife and mother. Jana will find her soul-mate soon enough. Feminist fear marriage because truth it makes them feel like they aren't equal. In their heads they believe a wife is a low-grade. It doesn't matter if they are getting paid the same amount a money as their husband, it's the wife status. They are stuck in old times where woman did had to obey their husbands. When it comes to children, they think that lowers their rank even further because they feel like it's all on them to take care of them and that is untrue. If your husband isn't helping you take care of the children and not spending any time with them, that's definitely problem. But for those who aren't experiencing that problem and have children, don't assume it makes you sole caretaker. Let's start acting like we are in 2019. We are not in the 1950s and anything further back.

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    14. 11:32 - No, feminists don't fear marriage or having children. They do expect that their husbands will view them as equal partners in their union. I know married feminists who take pride in raising strong daughters and strong sons who believe in themselves and treat others with respect. They do expect equal division of labor in terms of raising their children and helping around the house. I agree with you that we are in 2019, I just don't know any feminists who have the retrograde mindset you describe.
      In terms of children lowering a woman's rank - A lot of this has to do with the difficulty for working mothers in the workforce. They love their children but find obstacles to affordable, quality childcare and employers who don't accommodate motherhood (and fatherhood). It's not that motherhood lowers them as a person, it's that they strive to make the work/homelife balance the best it can be for their children and themselves.

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    15. @11:32. No one said that there is anything wrong with being a wife and mother. Even feminists are wives and mothers and not all work outside of the home. Please DO NOT assume what others think. Feminists DO NOT fear marriage. Many are happily married, in long lasting marriages. They married spouses who were also feminists (and yes, men can be feminists).

      Yes, let us stop acting like it is 2019 and not the 50s. Give up the Disney version of a princess waiting for her prince charming.

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    16. @11:32, do you really think you can't be married and a feminist at the same time?

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    17. 11:32- You have a very jaded and misinformed view of feminists. Frankly, I don't like the term because of the stereotyping, such as in your comment. I've been married a long time, raised two great kids, enjoyed a career and am now enjoying my reitrement. The average "feminist", such as myself, simply wants to be treated with respect-without any expectations that my gender must follow certain traditional roles. Certainly, I've encouraged my daughter to not settle for a guy who thinks he's smarter or that he should be telling her what to do. Marriage should be a 50/50 deal.

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  9. I wish all of them a wonderfull time.
    What a beautiful baby Felicity is!
    Greets from Holland (it's freezing here but no snow I'm glad ;-))

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  10. Jana is such a beautiful woman with such a gentle tender nature, her nieces & nephews must just adore her.

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    1. No doubt you're right. Jana is being showcased right now but I'm not sure why.

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  11. Felicity is adorable and it's good for her devlopment to have so many experiences and be around so many different people!

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  12. Sweet pic of her and Felicity!

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  13. Jana is beaming with an inner glow shining!

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  14. That sounds like a very beautiful, and powerful conference!! God is great and moving hugely for such a time as this

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  15. This is a great conference with very good speakers. I'm glad they were able to attend. These are not strictly Baptist speakers, though some may be.

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    1. This seems to be an interdenominational event. It was an honor for Jeremy to have a speaking role in it.

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  16. Love the photo of Jana and Felicity. Two beauties. God Bless.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

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  17. Maybe she is content being single!

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  18. What does the acronym G3 stand for? Just wondering, sounds like a great conference.

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    1. A friend told me it stands for "Gospel Grace Glory". I can't keep up with all these acronyms as they appear more and more often.

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  19. Jana is an attractive young woman, but she's not required to get married. Some people just LIKE being single.

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    1. One day. People are just mad because they thought Jim Bob arranged the courtships. This was put to rest by Jessa and the fact that Jana is 29 and unmarried. Now they are calling it, they need her to take care of the children. How is that when she's in Atlanta right now? lol.

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  20. The Duggars are a wealthy family who serve God by appearing on a reality TV show, going on mission trips and speaking at conferences, meetings and events. There's nothing wrong with doing that. I see no reason to criticize their lifestyle.

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  21. Jana has such a radiant glow always. Her hair, her face, and her personality are all lovely.

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  22. Jana is so pretty!!!!

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  23. I have a problem believing that any preacher would call single women undesirables. And it's strange that this person attended 10 different churches and felt unwanted in ALL of them? Strange.

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    1. Obviously you're not a single woman who has had to deal with the prevailing attitude in many churches. I had a pastor who informed the single people in the congregation that he was going to do a series of sermons on marriage and how to enhance yours and it would be for six weeks on Sunday mornings. Churches are a social organization and mostly cater to married couples and their offspring.

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    2. Yes I am single. So a single person should feel offended because a church wants to have classes on how to enhance your marriage? There is nothing wrong with that. People get offended too easy nowadays and they are way too sensitive

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    3. Anon 1:13. Churches often have marriage seminars but they rarely do thing during Sunday morning services because it excludes those in the congregation that aren't married. Like widows, widowers, younger people who are not old enough to marry, etc. It does seem rather odd to me for a pastor to do something like that.

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    4. 1:13- It sounded like the Sunday sermons would be aimed directly at an audience of married couples for six weeks. That would leave out the single people for quite a long period of time. If I were single person in that church, I'd say 'so long, folks!'. BTW, it's not up to you to decide who has a right to be offended about something or how they should feel.

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    5. Anon 4:26 I agree with your assessment. Perhaps the pastor had been asked to do a marriage seminar and that was his way of complying with the request. IMO it was a bad idea to have the seminar during Sunday morning services. It should have been held at another time.

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