Monday, February 5, 2018

Spend Valentine's Day with the Duggars


How would you like to go on a special Valentine's Day date with your love and meet the Duggars? Well if you live near Lansing, Michigan, that dream could become a reality. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar will be speaking at a marriage banquet in St. Johns on Wednesday, February 14th.

Tickets for the banquet, which starts at 6pm, are $15 each (includes dinner from Litwiller's Catering).

At 2pm that afternoon, Michelle will host a Q&A session for mothers. Admission is free, but due to limited seating, guests must register ahead of time.

Call Kaci (517-651-5729) at the Grove Bible Church office to buy banquet tickets and register for the Q&A. The office is open Tuesday-Friday, 8:30am-1:30pm.

Grove Bible Church is located at 6990 E Price Rd. in St. Johns, Michigan.

**If you're able to attend, we would love to hear about your experience and post your photos. You can reach us at DuggarFamilyBlog@gmail.com.

87 comments:

  1. Isn't Date Night supposed to be just two people?

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    1. People go places on dates, don't they? Are there more than two people in a movie theater or restaurant?

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    2. Not necessarily. It is for a couple to do something (or nothing) together. It doesn't mean they have to be isolated from other people.

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    3. It doesn't have to be. It's whatever the couple chooses.

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  2. Although I do love the Duggars and their strong morals, I believe they often stray from biblical authority. We have to carefully follow all God tells us to do or not do in regards to worship. We can also look at examples of how the first new Testament Christians did things. Eating at church isn't shown to us. Instrumental music in worship is also not found in the new testament...only singing and making melody in our hearts. Although these things may not seem sinful to some people we must remember to never add to or take away from God's Word

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    1. There's absolutely no proof that the Bible is the irrefutable word of God. It was written by a bunch of men with their own agendas, eons ago and in a different time and culture. It's been retranslated, reinterpreted and disputed relentlessly since then. Furthermore, I have a hard time believing that any logical or loving God would have a bone to pick with anyone eating or enjoying music at church.
      No one is ever going to know the mind of God other than, I hope, His love for us. Pervasive legalism is one of the main reasons I gave up on any kind of organized religion decades ago. Your kind of Biblical authority is what leads to strife, bitterness, and competetion among so-called Christ-followers.

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    2. Singing in church is not"adding to the Bible"

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    3. I would like to point out that they are using the church building for a special event, not a church service. I find no place in the New Testament where the church (which didn't meet in church buildings) was told they couldn't eat together unless they were having the Lord's Supper (when they were told not to eat it out of carnal reasons). While I don't think we are to add or take away from God's Word, there are also things that are just not addressed in the Bible. If the Bible doesn't tell us not to do something, then us saying not to do it seems like adding to God's Word.

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    4. 6:15 -- Respectfully, you are wrong. The ceremonial laws pertaining to what is and is not allowed in the sanctuary were fulfilled by Jesus. The New Testament "Church" is Christ-followers, not a building. Any time two or more are gathered, Christ is there. That means during mealtime, as well. Matt 18:20. As to the instruments, they were referred to many times in the Old Testament. Let's not subtract from God's Word.

      If I may respectfully ask, to what denomination do you belong to have these ideas?

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    5. And we must also keep Christ and his church relevant or no one will be open to the word. Legalism does not improve faith.

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    6. Instrumental music is shown in the old testament. Worship The Lord wherever you are and with whatever you do. Jesus didn't start a church, He demonstrated The Kingdom.Free yourself from unholy religious mindsets and find Your First Love.

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    7. The old testament is full of people worshipping the Lord with singing and musical instruments. Psalm 149 and 150 for one example.

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    8. I must respectfully disagree. If you follow those types of rules, do you also live with no electricity? Do you sew your own clothes and only eat what you grow/ raise? That's how the old order Mennonites in my area live and I can respect that. Someone who is on the Internet (a modern invention) yet does not like an organ or piano (modern inventions) is being hypocritical. Please re-think WHY do you cherry-pick certain extreme views and not others?

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    9. I'm surprised they would pick Ash Wednesday as the day to do this. That's not a day Christians should be focusing on having a date. That day marks the beginning of Lent and the time of prayer, fasting, and self-restraint.

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    10. Methods of worship have changed over the years, just as clothing has. If Christians stopped having potlucks at their churches they'd be losing members.

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    11. 8:31 - Lent is a tradition, not something taught in the Bible, so not all Christians observe it.

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    12. 8:31 Some Christian religions, not all, choose to place customs and practices on the period of time they call Lent and the day they designate as Ash Wednesday. These are customs that some people choose to follow. There is nothing wrong with that; but it is not something that is biblically prescribed. So your view of expecting ALL denominations or individuals to be observant misplaced.

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    13. Since Jesus ate with his followers, I'm not sure why you think the New Testament doesn't teach Christians should gather for meals together. A church building is used in order to accommodate all the members.

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    14. 6:15 PM, what about the loaves and fishes. It's one of the best stories in the Bible!

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  3. Will they be coming to San Diego or Southern California this year?! :)

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  4. Sounds good can't come so once again Iam still single. Time 10:16pm

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  5. So wish we could spend this special day with Jim Bob and Michelle!!! These two wonderful Christian people have really taught us a lot over the years and I would love to be able to tell them how much they have meant to me and my hubby (we were married same year as Jim Bob and Michelle). They both have so much Godly wisdom and love to share - whoever gets to share day with them will be blessed.

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  6. Iam really upset! I just learned that tlc cancelled Counting On because Derick voiced his opinion about Jazz the transgender show. I hear tlcgo is showing season 7 of Counting On and that app is worthless! Is what I found out true or not? I hope not! Thank you.

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    1. Not true, the show starts back up again on the 26th😊

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    2. Perhaps you should check in on this blog more often. A new season of Counting On will start soon.

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    3. Counting On comes back Feb. 26th on TLC.

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    4. Einstein once said not to believe everything you read on the internet. It has not been cancelled. The new season starts soon!

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    5. Anon @ 6:26 Just wanted to say that Albert Einstein died in 1955 long before the internet, so I don't think he ever said that lol!

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    6. 6:26 - LOL! 🤣🤣

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    7. Einstein! Funny

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    8. Bingo Anon @ 9:42! I was hoping I made my point!

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  7. I would ask them why they devoted so much time to producing so many biological children, when there is a severe shortage of foster care and loving homes available to adopt older children. Kudos to them for taking in a relative, but why stop there? If your mission is to criminalize abortion, you'd better be ready to step up to the plate in a big way and be a part of the solution, rather than just preach about what you think women facing unwanted pregnancies should do or not do. It will be interesting to see if any of the next generation walks the talk. Somehow, I think they'll be too busy with pregnancy announcements and gender-reveal parties.

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    1. But it's impossible for you to decide what God's will is for their lives. God's plan may not be for every person who abhors the violent practice of abortion to adopt a child themselves. If they are sincerely praying about adoption, God will lay it on their hearts if He wants them to adopt.

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    2. How many children have you adopted? It is very expensive and time consuming. There are also issues of the biological parents wanting the children back or the children just wanting to go back to the biological parents even if they were mistreated. Adoption is difficult and is not for everyone. Part of the solution is also financially helping those who promote life and helping mothers with unplanned pregnancies. We have seen them get gifts and things together to give to prolife pregnancy centers. They probably donate to those as well. There are other ways to help than just adopting.

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    3. When is intentional murder of an innocent person not criminal?????

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    4. They are fostering a child right now (Tyler). Also, the current foster/ adopt system is psychologically extremely difficult as the bio mom and dad have so many 'rights' that they can take the child from a safe loving home with no warning. The entire system is a disaster right now. No one is looking out for the children.

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    5. The woman facing the unwanted pregnancy got herself there and she alone is responsible, not this family or any other. Troubling that you have a problem with those against killing babies.

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    6. 6:19- You're making conventient excuses. There are many older children who are available for adoption. Just who do you expect to take care of these kids? Someone else?

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    7. The woman ALONE is responsible?? Biologically impossible.

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    8. Anon 5:46 There are thousands of people in waiting lines who want to adopt babies. There are countless homes ready for them. But a large section of society has decided that instead of given the unborn what is rightfully theirs, the right to LIFE, LIBERTY, and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS, they have decided that the DEATH PENALTY is perfectly ok because the person in the womb cannot protest. We are trying to get laws past to stop this slaughter of these unborn American Citizens. There are families waiting to love and cherish them if the Mom can't.

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    9. Because God has blessed the Duggars with many children, why second guess them following what God has for them?

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    10. 9:20 I don't agree that a woman facing an unwanted pregnancy got there alone. Last I knew it takes a man to get the woman pregnant! A woman who's assaulted didn't get there alone! It's just wrong to blame the victim if an assault resulted in pregnancy! In the interest of full disclosure, I'll also say that I personally would never have an abortion, however, I thinks it's wrong to make that choice for others. I'm pro choice. If abortion was outlawed, we would just have unsafe abortions instead of safe abortions!

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    11. Anonymous @2:02- So, it's ok to kill the baby because an unsafe abortion might kill the woman? What kind of "fuzzy" logic is that??? How safe is the abortion for the baby??? According to the principles that Science uses to define life (any life, animal or plant), a baby in utero meets all of them. Science defines life forms as: containing DNA; having a method by which they extract energy from their surroundings and convert it into energy that sustains them; the ability to sense changes in their surroundings and respond to those changes; having the ability to reproduce; and containing cells that also reproduce themselves.

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    12. I come to this blog to read and comment on the Duggars not be preached to about pro choice, pro life and who should adopt. These are passionate topics and there are many other outlets online to carry on that conversation.

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    13. Anon 2:02 pro-life means you believe in the right of all children to be born. You mentioned that if abortion was outlawed that we wouldn't have Safe abortions? There is nothing safe about abortion, someone dies every single time it is performed. I challenge anyone who might be straddling the fence on whether abortion is a right or humane way to end a pregnancy to check out images of aborted fetuses to see what your saying you are ok with.

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    14. 2:02 PM -- It's not wrong to make a choice for others if that choice means killing an innocent person, which abortion does.

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    15. The one thing that I haven't seen in the comments is about the fact that The Duggars are in their fifties. They have been raising their family to the best of their abilities. But, still people constantly complain about the way they parent. Same people want them to adopt.My personal opinion is that they have passed the time of raising more children. If they adopted a baby now. They would be in their Seventies by the time the kids are 18 years old!That's not fair to either one of them. Some of the Duggar kids have said they want to adopt. That's the blessing.

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    16. I am appalled with some of these calloused comments by those who seem to place a higher priority on a zygote, embryo or fetus over a living, breathing human being. To suggest that a woman alone is responsibile for an unwanted pregnancy is absolutely shameful. It takes two to tango, friend. There is also the hard, cold fact that criminalizing abortion will not stop it, but rather lead to desperate women seeking unsafe procedures, as was the case prior to 1973. And there will always be those desperate women in this imperfect world.
      Regarding fostering or adoption, I am not of the mindset that we need to wait around for a tap on the shoulder from God in order to make decisions for ourselves. He gave us a brain and free will. If you are the advocate for life that you claim to be, don't stop with the unborn. Make a foster or adoptive home for a child in need, of which there are many- especially older children. For the record, I am an adoptive mother and am also pro-choice. (The process was not as difficult as some here claim it to be.) There isn't a day that goes by that I am not profoundly grateful that my children's birth mothers chose to bring them into the world. However, I am also very thankful that they were not forced to do so under the threat of a punitive law, written by self-righteous people who have little regard for the right to privacy or the life of a child after it's born.

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    17. Don't usually like to be too windy, but here's a bit of food for thought…

      1. We all know the facts about babies in the womb: the heart starts beating 22 days after conception, which is before many women know they’re even pregnant. The brain is formed by around day fourteen to twenty-one. By just nine weeks they can suck their thumbs in the womb. Pain is felt in the first trimester. How is this not a human life?
      2. Why is it that someone can be fined up to $250,000 dollars for destroying eagle eggs (https://www.fws.gov/midwest/eagle/protect/laws.html), while American women can “abort” their babies without any fine? (The government recognizes that a baby bird in an egg is still a baby bird, so why is a baby in the womb still not a baby?)
      3. Twenty weeks is considered the “age of viability,” yet 3.2% of abortions are performed after 18 weeks of age. (http://abort73.com/abortion_facts/us_abortion_statistics/)
      4. Abortion is not healthy for moms: suicide rates among moms who have had an abortion are nearly 154% higher, at nearly 34.7 per 100,000 women. (Mika Gissler et al., "Suicides after Pregnancy in Finland, 1987–94: Register Linkage Study," BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal), Dec. 7, 1996)

      2:02 If we used your logic, why could we not just say that we should legalize euthanasia of the elderly because if we don’t legalize it, then people will do it in “unsafe” ways? Abortion is unsafe for the baby, and in many cases, unsafe for the mom.

      In the hospital, when we are taking care of high-risk moms, we are told to be advocates for both mom and baby. The goal is to prevent harm to either…. UNLESS the mom wants an abortion. Then suddenly we’re not supposed to be an advocate for the baby, and we’re supposed to only be an advocate for the mom. As a nurse, it’s frustrating to see the complete double standard that is set.

      As for adoption and fostering, it’s not for everyone. It’s a huge commitment financially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Kudos to those who do, and to those who can’t, it's wise of them to recognize it ahead of time.

      Blessings!
      -Grace

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    18. 4:55 AM Try telling a woman who has had a miscarriage or a stillbirth what you just said.
      I've lost babies and those lost babies were not tissue as you seem to be !

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    19. One of you prochoice people, please enlighten me. When does a baby become a baby and not just "tissue"

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    20. 4:55 AM -- Have you ever seen what a baby in utero looks like? Go see the BodyWorlds exhibit or google photos. Open your eyes. You've been sold a bill of goods!

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    21. 8:25 Experiments on embryos are allowed up to 2 weeks of development. Before 21 weeks, this "life" of dividing and developing cells could not survive outside the womb. Different states have different abortion timeline limits, so even your lawmakers can't agree on that question you asked.

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    22. 8:25 & Good question. Journalist Patrick S. Tomlinson has this to say: “Whenever abortion comes up, I have a question I've been asking for ten years now of the 'Life begins at Conception' crowd. In ten years, no one has EVER answered it honestly,”
      He goes on to explain a scenario whereby you are in a fertility clinic when the fire alarm goes off. Before you escape, you have the option to save either a five-year-old child who is pleading for help, or a container of 1000 viable human embryos.

      “Do you A) save the child, or B) save the thousand embryos?“ he asks.

      There is no 'C.' 'C' means you all perish.

      Can you answer his question honestly? Is a human child, who's already born, of more value than an embryo, or a thousand embryos?

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    23. Grace -- That was good. Hopefully you can change even just one mind with those facts.

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    24. 1:16- The "situational ethics" type question that Mr. Tomlinson presents is highly unlikely in the first place, so of course nobody would answer it. What is the likelihood that you would be in a fertility clinic alone? What is the likelihood that you would have a five year old with you at a fertility clinic who cannot walk on their own? And the silly questions go on. Life is not a multiple choice question where only one option is available and correct. Thankfully, we are living, thinking human beings and can usually think creatively. Not to mention, Christians are promised that they will not be given a temptation greater than they can bear.

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    25. 1:16 You probably won’t get a lot of answers to your question because not all Christians believe it is ok to freeze embryos. The Bible says that God knows us in the womb before our members were formed. Life begins at conception. God already knows who we are and already has our members(body parts) written in his book. He has a plan for each life even those conceived in rape or incest situations. God hates the sin or rape and incest, but he loves each person and each one formed in the womb. Thou shalt not kill is one of the Ten Commandments. Adoption is always an option if someone is not equipped to take care of a baby.

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  8. I wish they would come to Pennsylvania!

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  9. Darn!! I live in Michigan but I have to work. I'll be praying for you. Hope to come next time you visit.

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  10. It's hard to believe that such good Christians would choose Ash Wednesday, a day of church services, fasting, and repentance, to have a "date night" and a catered dinner. Didn't they realize what day that was when they organized this?

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    1. That's not their traditions and certainly not mine. Isn't that Jewish? We don't follow that

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    2. Ash Wednesday is a man-made tradition, not something taught in the Bible. The Duggars (and many other "good" Christians) do not observe that tradition.

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    3. Ash Wednesday just happens to fall on Valentine's Day and there is no New Testament command to observe Ash Wednesday.

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    4. Ash Wednesday is a Catholic invention to mark the beginning of Lent (another Catholic invention). Most Protestant religions ignore these "holidays" as there is nothing in the Bible to support them

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    5. I'm a imperfect Christian who doesn't observe Ash Wednesday. I have never read anything in my Bible about it. It seems to be a man-made tradition as mentioned by the comments above.

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    6. That's for Lutherans and Catholics. They are neither.

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    7. I was raised Methodist, I am now Church of God we do observe Lent. Most Protestants DO observe Lent.

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    8. The Bible is my authority. Where does the Bible talk about Ash Wednesday?

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    9. More religions than just those two observe Lent. Look at how many observe Easter, and Advent, the time leading up to Christmas.

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  11. That "Dream" could become a reality..lol. No thank you,once we had kids Valentine's day became a family day filled with Valentine gifts and goodies shared among us and our children and family.

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  12. I would love for them to come to Phoenix.

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  13. Should we all wear robes and live in tents because it's in the Bible? God accepts true worship and He alone detrmines what that is. If you read Psalm 150 not only does "every breath" praise the Lord, many instruments also praise the Lord.

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    1. Musical instruments were used in the Old Testament before Jesus came. After He died, in the New Testament, there is no word of the early Christians using musical instruments, only singing from their mouths.

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    2. 9:03 while it's true, musical instruments are mentioned I don't think it's a sin to have them.
      I've worshipped with conservative Mennonites who sing in four part harmony without intruments are they sinning?

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    3. We just need to be careful when it comes to our worship. I think most everyone has the best intentions when having potlucks, social events,concerts with instruments,etc. However remember when Uzzah had good intentions when trying to move the Ark of the Covenant? He wasn't trying to sin necessarily but he touched the Ark of the Covenant to prevent it from falling and he was instantly struck dead by God for disobeying. Now o course today we r under New Testament law and we won't be struck dead when we sin but the moral of that story is that we always need to hold fast to our laws and new testament examples so that we don't sin in regards to worship. We should fear God just as much as we love him

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    4. Sounds like you have tossed out the OT as irrelevant. That's very troubling.

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    5. 9:03 PM --Respectfully, to what denomination do you belong? I'd like to know who is teaching you this wrong doctrine. Whomever it is will answer to God some day for teaching the wrong thing.

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    6. 10:33 AM -- Where are you learning these ideas? What denomination? There is FREEDOM in Christ, not the same rules as in the OT ceremonial laws. Christ FULFILLED those laws!

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  14. I love you guys come to Cleveland ohio ill be there untill then stay blessed

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  15. Everyone just needs to be honest and say I judge. The duggars do it I do it and everyone does it. Everyone points the finger but turn that hand around before you point at others first

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  16. Oooh I live in Mi but further south. Hope they have a good visit. We've had lots of snow and are supposed to get more.

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  17. How old is that picture on the poster, neither of them look that 'fresh' any longer (especially Jimbob), although Michelle looks well for her age.

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    1. No, that looks like them back in the 19 Kids and Counting show days.

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    2. This comment section was the scariest one I have ever seen. Christians! Stand strong! I can only say that God wrote the Bible and not all women want to kill their babies. Some of the comments made me sick to my stomach!!

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  18. My Mom and I were able to go to the Ladies Q & A session with Michelle (and Jim Bob was there too!) it was wonderful! They are so sweet and just real down to earth people. I was so blessed by Michelle’s talk and answers. Thank you for posting it on your blog or I wouldn’t have known they were going to be so close!

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Thanks for leaving your comments! We answer as many of your questions as we can, but due to the number of comments we receive daily, we are unable to answer every one. Our aim is to post all points of view, but we do not post anything that is profane, insulting, derogatory, or in poor taste.