Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Next Stop New Zealand!

Josiah Duggar, Jim Bob Duggar, Jedidiah Duggar
 Josiah Duggar, Jim Bob Duggar, Jedidiah Duggar

The Duggars are having a blast in beautiful Southeast Australia. It has been an unusually cold winter at home in Arkansas, but in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, temperatures have reached 100F (37C).

The Duggars got a kick out of the fact that McDonald's is called "Macca's" Down Under. The family's next stop is New Zealand, where they will speak at the IBLP Family Conference that begins January 18th.

A handful of our readers met Jim Bob and Michelle and the kids at Kilsyth South Baptist Church, after hearing about the event on our blog. Will any New Zealanders be able to attend the conference in Marton?

If you enjoy this blog, be sure to visit Ellie's other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com).

Photo courtesy Josiah Duggar/duggarfamily.com

54 comments:

  1. What a neat trip! Have fun!!

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  2. wow! josiah looks like josh here!

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    Replies
    1. I know! I thought so to!

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    2. I thought that that was Josh in the photo at first!

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  3. I never realized these 2 boys look alike until seeing their pictures side by side. Bet they're enjoying a break from the cold!
    Also when are Jessa and Kendra's babies due?

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    1. Jessa has made no pregnancy announcement, but Joy Anna said in a video that Jinger is about 6 months behind her in pregnancy, so if Joy is due around the beginning of March Jinger would be due around the end of August or beginning of September.

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    2. Jessa hasn't made a pregnancy announcement, but if you meant Jinger Joy Anna said in a video thatJinger is about 6 months behind her in pregnancy, so if Joy is due around the beginning of March, Jinger would be due around the end of August or the beginning of September. I would guess end of August based off of when she announced her pregnancy. As for Kendra I don't think anyone knows except their family.

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    3. Umm Jessa isnt pregnant...

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    4. Kendra and Jinger, have not announced their due dates yet. At this point, Jessa being pregnant, is just speculation, as Jessa and Ben, have not made an official announcement.

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    5. They are twins, fraternal twins but twins. That's why the loom more alike than the rest. They were actually born on mine and my twin sister's birthday period December 30th

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    6. Jessa isn't pregnant.

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    7. Josiah is not a twin. Jedidiah's twin is Jeremiah.

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    8. Anon @ 6:17 Josiah and Jed are not twins. Jedidiahs twin is Jeremiah, it always makes me laugh when fans get the siblings muxed up!

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  4. They went to a foreign country and ate at McDonald's? Or just noticed that it was called that? They don't go much for international cuisine, so I wouldn't be surprised if they headed for the nearest Macca's.

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    1. They were in Australia for a few days, if they went to McDonald's once I don't see anything wrong with that. They're traveling with tons of little kids, that may have been the easiest thing to get when they first got off their plane.

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    2. They didn't go there when they first got off the plane. They were on their way to/from an attraction. Still, they could have found a local (regional) restaurant that could have accommodated them all and probably would have been thankful for the extra business. "When in Rome."

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    3. 4:26 Little kids can be picky eaters, sometimes it's easier to go where you know the kids will enjoy the food at an inexpensive price.

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  5. After all the scrutiny surrounding the IBLP and the dangers it teaches---WHY do the Duggars still endorse it???

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    1. Good question, 4:21. Many people wonder why. Sometimes there is power in your associations, whether they be good ones or not.

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    2. My mother always said you are known by the company you keep......

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    3. I've been told the Duggars have close personal ties to Bill Gothard. I think he has some very strange interpretations of the Bible but he remains quite popular

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    4. The paid speaking engagements and additional publicity don't hurt either! ;)

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  6. Josiah looks like Josh. I always thought Jed and Jason look quite a bit alike.

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  7. wow. With that beard Josiah looks like Josh.

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  8. Replies
    1. Why is Josiah poor? He seems very rich in all that matters in life, from what I can tell.

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    2. OP is talking about his hairline. There are hair products you can use to assist thicker healthier hair.

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  9. I'm looking forward to hearing from those of you who went to the conference and how you will apply what you learned in your life.

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  10. Why do they wear t-shirts under their shirts especially in the heat of an Australian summer? You can't see through their shirts so they aren't 'defrauding' anyone, a little excessive imo.

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    1. My son wears t-shirts under his shirts every day,he has sensitive skin and shirts make him itch so he likes his undershirts on first. We all have the right to our own opinions but just know they have their own reasons I am sure,as to why the men wear undershirts. Just as we have our own reasons you and I, as to why we wear what we do!

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    2. I work with lots of men in my office who are not religious in any way but feel it is "proper" to wear a t-shirt under their shirt so they don't sweat through the shirt.

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    3. Probably to keep their clothes from sweat stains. That's my guess.

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  11. I have been following the Duggar journey for a few years now, always wishing for them to come to Australia. Recently seeing that they are here Down Under, I got excited. But I doubted that they would be here in Melbourne, especially so close to where I am. Seeing that they were at Kilsyth South Baptist Church got me devastated that I couldn't come see y'all. I have recently been going through a hard time and have put my trust in God. You have been my encouragement and I would have loved it so much to be able to come hear you guys speak, because I feel like our Lord Jesus Christ has lead me to your wise and encouraging words. Unfortunately, I didn't know about your appearance in Kilsyth and wasn't able to make it. If I had known sooner, I would have certainly come. But I sure hope that Lily and Ellie will show you this, and it would mean the world to me if I got a reply after this message has been viewed by the Duggars themselves. They must be commended for their work, because they are the reason I get up in the morning.
    Please reply, because I need the encouragement from people like you.
    Thankyou,
    Alarna

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    1. There must be some local clergy who can help you. Call or go to a church and talk to someone in person.

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    2. Please find people close to home that you can talk to- from your own church, loved ones, friends, or therapist. Depending on reality TV personalities as a reason to get up in the morning is not being fair to yourself, or them.

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    3. Alarna I read your post and in spite of what you are going through you still took the time to say kind words about the Duggars which I know when they read what you wrote it will be such an encouragement to know they have blessed you. You my friend have a gift of encouragement and you should go to a local Church and be a part of it so you can have a group of God's children come along side of you to help you through your hard time, but also you can use your gifts to bless them too. Remember what God said, I will Never leave you or forsake you and that is God's promise to you, so it's all going to turn out alright.

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    4. As everyone else said, contact someone locally. There are good, caring, helpful people all over the place. If you are unable to leave the house, they can come to you. The Duggars are not the only people who can help you.

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    5. Alarna, I can't add any more to what these wonderful commenters have already said, but I will say that I have prayed for you and hope that you find God's peace.

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    6. As I was reading this blog,I was touched by your message. I hope that You realize that your message can be an inspiration to others. Just as the Duggars say about wanting to be a help/inspiration to people in need. They are special. But, You Are Special too.God may be using you to light the path for those of us who are in a darker spot,than you are right now. Please don't ever give up hope or feel alone. My Mom used to tell me that when she couldn't be with me in person. *Just close my eyes and think of her and about a special time that we shared.It really is amazing how this exercise truly works. She's been dead for three years and I still can feel her with me. In times of need and in times of joy. Please close your eyes and think of "your special person/memory. God Bless You!Thanks for helping me.

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  12. lol yes us Aussies love to shorten everything. It's been a hot couple if days here in Melb Vic. Tomorrow it's going to be 42C!

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  13. Good for the duggars! How fun it would be to hear them speak in America! Do you know if they have any events planned in America?

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  14. The adult male Duggar offspring all have the same hair line. Strong family resemblance there.

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  15. where are Josh ans Anna's pictures along with their children? Are they not considered Duggers anymore?

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  16. @Alarna. Keep putting your trust in God. Read HIS word and pray. I'm glad the Duggars are an encouragement for you.
    I will be praying for you.
    From: Caring in Canada

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  17. It's so sad how every Duggar boy loses their hair at such a young age... Even Jason who is like 16 has the hairline of a 40 year old.

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    1. It makes me wonder if Jim Bob's great hair is really a rug??

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    2. Poor Josiah will soon have more hair on his face than on his head, but at least they can't tease each other, as they are all in the same boat!

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    3. Anon @ 4:56 Had to laugh at your post, the mental image I get when someone refers to a toupe as a rug lol. Male pattern baldness is inherited from the mothers side of the family so the boys can blame their moms genes for their receeding hairlines.

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    4. It's actually from the mom and the dad. Someone explained this recently Here's how it works. b stands for bald B stands for not bald. Your parents can carry either a b or a B gene, if the mom has B and the dad has b, the son can still be bald. If the mom and dad both carry the B gene the son will not be bald. If both mom and dad carry the b gene daughters can get female pattern baldness!

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  18. There are no exciting details about this trip. They ate at McDonalds, checked out gift shops, posed with orange plastic kangaroo, posed with a carved wooden bear. Did they get to experience or absorb any of the local culture?

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    1. You can’t expect 2 women who don’t know the family and weren’t there to know exactly what happened on the trip. They did lots of things while in Australia. I was there so I know.

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