Jinjer 54: Three Month Countdown to Evangeline's Arrival on November 22

[WiseGirl]

If anything this discussion just reminds me that "you can put lipstick on a pig and it's still a pig." Despite the pretty coffee pictures, self serving fountain pen and book pictures, Jinger wearing pants, etc. They are still fundies and Jeremy is a bigger asshole than I previously thought.

Who would have thought Derek would be my least objectionable son-in-law? Then again the bar is pretty low. 

[HideousGreenShirt]

Okay, I finally made it thorough their podcast. It was pretty boring but I can recap again if there's one people are particularly curious about. 

Jinger's Story of Faith

The first part of the podcast is just them talking about why they reveal the sex of the baby but not the name. Nothing interesting to report other than they've known the name for two years and tell people the sex so they can get "thoughtful gifts". 

 

Jeremy will share his faith story when Jinger is resting after having the baby unless they can get some of Jinger's family members to share their stories. Oh good; Jeremy might be doing some podcasts alone. 

They share a listener's testimony. Jeremy talks about having faith challenged and purified. 

Jinger grew up in a Christian household. Went to church every week, parents pointed them to Christ when she was very young. Her mom would get her and her siblings to memorise huge chunks of scripture (she says 17 verses/a whole chapter at a time) from the time she could talk. She says this was great foundation being laid in her heart. 

Jessa told Jinger she had prayed with her parents and had become a Christian when Jinger was 5. She wanted to do it too because she and Jessa were close. She went to her parents that day and repeated the prayer and thought she was saved. She held to this for many years but didn't have any "fruit of salvation" in her life. 

She says she was a compliant, peace keeper child so she just wanted to go along with things. She outwardly appeared to be a good Christian girl, but was terrified constantly. She was terrified if she died she would be separated from her family. 

She said that right up until she was 13/14 she was living in deep fear and would run to her parents every night for any reason and her mom would talk and pray with her and give her scripture to help her settle. (*I wtf'd out loud at this - seems like basic parenting to just talk to your child, reassure them and find out what is going on with them rather than just parroting bible verses and sending them on their way, especially if it was such a frequent occurrence.)

She saw in her heart she wasn't saved, she knew she had sinned and hadn't turned from it. Even if she told one lie, she was worthy of God's wrath. Nothing comforted her fears. Any time there was a storm she freaked out, she was incredibly fearful that her family would die in the night, she was terrified to even cross a road. Nothing would comfort her. Her parents knew she was very fearful. 

She says she went to church but was just waiting for the message to end so she could go hang out with friends.

She finally had enough when she was 14 and went to the prayer closet with Michelle to admit that she couldn't go on and wasn't a true Christian and couldn't keep playing the part. She said she didn't enjoy reading the bible, church etc

Her mom told her she needed to "run to christ" so Jinger "cried out to god" to be forgiven and saved from her sins. 

Following this, she understood the depth of the love of the Lord and she wanted to share it with other people. She said it was amazing and she felt her heart change. She couldn't get enough of God's word. It started helping her with her fears. She says she constantly has to battle fears to this day. 

Lots of Bible reading as it ministered to her soul. She started talking to cashiers at the grocery store and inviting people to church and handing out tracts. 

She wanted to do everything to glorify God. She no longer had to play a part, if she messed up now the blood of christ would cover her sins. 

She started talking to friends about the bible and it deepened their friendship. She wanted to pray for her family members who she'd seen struggling and share the hope of christ. 

When she thought about who she wanted to marry, she saw very few men who were serious about God so she prayed that God would keep her single unless he thought she could greater serve him married. 

Some story about doing yard work for some elderly couple that she hated doing but now it was all about selflessly serving and it was beautiful. 

They talk about what being saved is and how it's a struggle for people who grow up in a Christian home to know if it's for them or they're just going along with it. 

Jeremy takes over and talks about humans being selfish and following Jesus as him being presented with a piece of cardboard when he wants a juicy steak. But you have to make the sacrifice and not live for yourself. Being saved is having God change your heart and being set free to follow him. 

Jeremy waffles on. It's boring and repetitive. Jinger says she appreciates all the childhood bible memorising. Jeremy tells her she only had an intelect faith but then God transformed her and she fell in love with God and her faith became real and transformed her actions. 

More Bible quoting. 

Felicity is being made to memorise scripture which they think is awesome and sweet. They pray for her salvation and want to show her the "loveliness of christ". They want the world to see they have a relationship with Christ. Jeremy brings up Jinger's fear and says it was so long ago but Jesus forgives you for it even if she isn't over it. 

He talks about fake Christians who are showing how good of a person they are and how awful that is. *(major side eye, talking about yourself or your in-laws, Jeremy?) 

Jinger says it's all about seeing how weak humans are and how it's humbling and amazing and beautiful. She says the more you see christ, the smaller you become. 

They look forward to the promise of christ and when they can live in glory forever. The joy of their life as Christians is knowing jesus. They have hope and are looking beyond this life. 

Jeremy is thankful for babe sharing her story. She says they struggle on a daily basis and don't have it all figured out but they want to know God more and share it. 

Jeremy doesn't know what storm is coming next but he knows who's in the boat with him. The shepherd is with them. 

It is their hope that your hope would be in christ alone. 

And that's it. 

[Idlewild]

@HideousGreenShirt thank you for that - hope it didn’t leave you too nauseous.My initial thoughts - having a baby memorise scripture is not sweet and ‘thoughtful’ gifts? Greedy buggers! 

[front hugs > duggs]

The fear of the storms and of dying and being separated from her family sounds really familiar-- was this also kind of the same thing that both Tori and Erin Bates said in their recent testimonies? 

[SassyPants]

Her family went to church every week...on the couch? 

[Jinder Roles]

29 minutes ago, front hugs > duggs said:

The fear of the storms and of dying and being separated from her family sounds really familiar-- was this also kind of the same thing that both Tori and Erin Bates said in their recent testimonies? 

   This is actually common for many Christians...it was for me. I can't adequately describe the slow-burning fear that consumes you.

You constantly feel unsafe and then guilt-ridden for not "trusting God" as you're told. Most of all, you feel like you can't tell anyone about this as they will make it their mission to save you...which can create even more anxiety. 

Basically, being an evangelical Christian makes you feel like you only have one choice, even if you don't really want that for yourself. And they make you feel like a terrible person for being skeptical. 

[Coconut Flan]

They did attend actual churches for much of Jinger's childhood.  The living room church began after Josh's issues.

[SassyPants]

Just now, Coconut Flan said:

They did attend actual churches for much of Jinger's childhood.  The living room church began after Josh's issues.

Brick and mortar? I did not know that. Churches? As in plural? Church shopping?

[Coconut Flan]

I don't know how much church shopping they did, but they were basic SBC when they married and attended Cross Church or whatever it's name was at the time.  At some point they joined an IFB church and that name I've forgotten.  It was at that church that Josh was taken before "the elders."  There may have been other churches in between those two.  Michelle in particular was upset by the treatment Josh received from the church.

[Marionette]

11 minutes ago, Coconut Flan said:

I don't know how much church shopping they did, but they were basic SBC when they married and attended Cross Church or whatever it's name was at the time.  At some point they joined an IFB church and that name I've forgotten.  It was at that church that Josh was taken before "the elders."  There may have been other churches in between those two.  Michelle in particular was upset by the treatment Josh received from the church.

I could be wrong, but for some reason I think those events occurred when Clark Wilson was their pastor. Could have totally made that up out of nowhere, though. I think the Wilsons and their church are discussed briefly in JB&M’s first book. 

[jljohnson527]

Backing up a bit: Jeremy doesn’t have an internet browser on his phone? Or any internet at all?

Like, are all the schmoopy love posts written by Jinger, for both parties?

[Idlewild]

11 minutes ago, jljohnson527 said:

Backing up a bit: Jeremy doesn’t have an internet browser on his phone? Or any internet at all?

Like, are all the schmoopy love posts written by Jinger, for both parties

So he’d have to submit all his posts through Jinger? Or he’s lying. I go with the latter. 

[Bobology]

3 hours ago, HideousGreenShirt said:

Jeremy is thankful for babe sharing her story. She says they struggle on a daily basis and don't have it all figured out but they want to know God more and share it.

All this following of jesus and living their lives for jesus... and they are STILL struggling every single day with this living-for-jesus business and trying to figure it out? Something is very wrong with their faith. They are ridiculous.

[Giraffe]

6 hours ago, Iamtheway said:

?

I want to be VERY clear about the fact that I wrote the word ”devil” to find that emoji and that Jeremy does not appeal to me in any way.  
And also that when it comes to emoji-use I am obviously pretty much illiterate. 

I didn’t know ? can mean horny until this thread. 

[SassyPants]

9 minutes ago, Bobology said:

All this following of jesus and living their lives for jesus... and they are STILL struggling every single day with this living-for-jesus business and trying to figure it out? Something is very wrong with their faith. They are ridiculous.

I agree. And with repeated struggles, I think the only way you could figure this out is if you walked away for a bit to see if you were more content, at ease and productive, and were being more honest with yourself and those around you. More of them might be faking it than we realize. Maybe it’s like pants wearing and using birth control. Maybe it’s not a one size fits all belief system.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

I was lucky my parents made me go to church, but didn't worry about whether we kids really believed or not. I was raised Catholic, although I also struggled with moments of inadequacy as Catholic/Christian. 

 

[SassyPants]

9 minutes ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I was lucky my parents made me go to church, but didn't worry about whether we kids really believed or not. I was raised Catholic, although I also struggled with moments of inadequacy as Catholic/Christian. 

 

I think every believer has struggled with this at times.

[Anna Bolinas]

I feel so bad for child!Jinger because I know what it's like to be so afraid and anxious all the time. I was an extreme scaredy-cat as a child, and while my fears and anxieties have evolved over the years, I still struggle with general overwhelming anxiety. Fortunately my parents actually tried to parent me, rather than just handing me Bible verses and telling me to pray. And I don't think that Jeremy turning her into an "accountability partner" who needs to worry constantly about him "cheating" on her is helpful. 

[HideousGreenShirt]

I found the coffee incident for those curious. It's at the 7.28:44 mark. 

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/hurELSwuTto

 

[Oh_Dear!]

Looks like the Vuolos are coming out with a book in May 2021.  I don't know how I feel about this.  

https://www.amazon.com/Hope-We-Hold-Finding-Promises/dp/154601585X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=vuolo&qid=1605660814&s=books&sr=1-1

[SassyPants]

25 minutes ago, Oh_Dear! said:

Looks like the Vuolos are coming out with a book in May 2021.  I don't know how I feel about this.  

https://www.amazon.com/Hope-We-Hold-Finding-Promises/dp/154601585X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=vuolo&qid=1605660814&s=books&sr=1-1

$26.00- pretty pricey. 

[OrchidBlossom]

2 hours ago, HideousGreenShirt said:

I found the coffee incident for those curious. It's at the 7.28:44 mark. 

  Hide contents

https://youtu.be/hurELSwuTto

 

This video isn't available where I am, what episode is it meant to be?

[Bad Wolf]

I think I'll keep my $26.

[Oh_Dear!]

$26 is pretty standard for a new hardcover.  But I definitely will be spending mine on anything else. 

[baldricks_turnip]

What on earth can they even have to fill a book? I doubt they will be doing any kind of tell-all about her life growing up, so that ground is already covered by the show, various books and interviews. They met, married and had 1.99 kids. So what?