The Jeubs Meet the Duggars

Five of the 15 Jeub kids and Wendy (far right) meet Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar.

I’m jealous of my wife. While I was away in Keller, Texas, fathering the teenagers through a debate tournament, Wendy was able to visit with the Duggar family (stars of TLC’s hit show 19 and Counting) in their visit to Focus on the Family. I so wish I were there for that.

Jim Bob and I have talked on the phone a couple of times, but this was the first time for our two families to (partially) connect in person. When I returned home late last weekend, Wendy and I talked about our similar testimonies.

Jim Bob and Michelle married young, but have few regrets about it. Wendy and I met and married in 10 months.
They valued faith in their courtship, more than other “compatibilities.” Our first days of dating have the same testimony.
The Duggars, believe it or not, were on the pill early in their marriage. We weren’t on the pill, but we tried to avoid pregnancy. Our testimonies are the same: We both regret our early resistance to children.

Notice the similarity? All three bullets are contrary to conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom says (1) delay marriage and family as far into the future as reasonable, (2) faith is low on the list of more-important factors in marriage, and (3) by any means possible, avoid children, especially in the early years of your marriage.

The Duggars are pioneers in a most basic conviction on millions of parents’ hearts: Love Another Child. We are able get a glimpse into the busy life of a family of 19 children on television, but it’s just a glimpse. Wendy was able to see more than just a TV glimpse: She saw love for God and for others. We (and 3 million viewers every week) see a lovely family.

I hope to meet them someday. Oh, I’m so jealous.

Andrea

Oh, to be a fly on the wall @ both your house & The Duggar’s! I think my head would spin w/all the activity… but it’d spin in a good way.

Pax!
http://twitter.com/Mother211 Debi

Glad your families met (part of you anyway).
My husband and I met you, Chris, in Keller at the tournament. We have 11 children and LOVE to meet big families! There are so many of us ‘out there’. We appreciate your voice on our behalf.
We all agree – what the Duggars are doing is a wonderful tribute to family life.

Chris Jeub

I remember you guys! I hope you enjoyed our book. See you at NITOC!

Janetkiessling

WOW…….both you all & the Duggar family are an inspiration to us all out here!!! Thanks for sharing all that you do!! Your cookbooks, books, blogs, EVERYTHING – your LIFE!!! Thanks for being a Blessing to us all!! ((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))) ))))))))))

Anonymous

((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS BACK)))))))))))))))))))))))

Wendi

My husband and I, and 7 of our 11 children also were able to meet the Duggars at Focus on the Family. We so enjoyed their presentation and waited in line for 3 1/2 hours to meet them and speak with them. So worth it!! After signing their autographs and smiling for pictures for 3 1/2 hours without a break, they warmly treated us like we were the first ones on line. Such a gracious and encouraging family:)

Anonymous

Very cool! Wendy was in the same line as you guys. It was a long wait.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=727780392 Sonya Lillis

i would love to meet them as well. i’d also love to meet your family. i wish there were more families around here that believe as we do, but even my husband is a bit “iffy” as to weather he wants to keep having more babies. we have 5 and our last one was delivered in the car. it scared him pretty bad. everything turned out fine, but he is afraid of having more.
i keep praying for him, and praying for as many blessings as God wishes to give us.

Anonymous

You would love our book, Love Another Child. Chapter 5 “Fear of Childbirth” specifically.
Roddma

Children have become objectified in modern culture. They are children not collector items.

http://nobirthcontrol.blogspot.com Mom of Many

I’m jealous too!! Such a God fearing family and an inspiration to me.
Flutenwooten

Me too Chris! I would love to meet the Jeub Family and the Duggars some day. My husband has resigned as pastor here in WI and we are looking to move somewhere by June 1. So who knows, perhaps our paths will cross. Families like yours are such encouragement to me! Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, Rejoice! <3 Kathy Wooten
HH, Jr.

Conventional wisdom suggests avoiding children in marriage? Most of the married people I know either have kids, want kids, or can’t have kids because of infertility.
Roddma

Some studies indicate a baby early in marriage causes much stress on couples. You usually don’t know how the other person is until you have lived with them a while. All couples need an adjustment period and have fun being newlyweds. Yes it may work for some but not everyone. In my world, you promise to love honor and cherish not love honor and have children. Couples have enough pressure on them without pressure from potential grandparents or religion to reproduce. Isn’t it better to wait and bring kids up in a stable marriage instead of divorcing with children involved?

Jennifer (Mom to 8)

Ideally, if a couple doesn’t think they would be ready to handle having children right away, it might be better for them to wait on getting married….. even couples who “plan” to wait are surprised with a baby sooner than expected. It would be better to wait until both were mature enough to handle WHATever comes with marriage, than to go into it thinking that it must all be planned out a certain way and then not be able to handle those changes…. I think that is partly why there are so many divorces….. people seem to think that if things don’t go their way, then the marriage falls apart. The point of marriage is to be COMMITTED to working through whatever comes…. children, bankruptcy, infertility, illness, etc. and those things might come two months into the marriage or ten years down the road…. more forethought before getting married would be a better plan than birth control to “plan” the “right” time to have children… Trust me, there is no “right” time except God’s time.

Anonymous

VERY good point. Wow…we have to add this to our list of rebuttals.

Tammie

You will meet them !!!! .. and I KNOW IT !

and I think that the Duggars would love to meet you as well !!!
http://www.facebook.com/terricamp Terri Sween Camp

You were in Keller?!?!?! Okay, I know that comment is unrelated, but I live in Keller, TX. I could have done a live interview with you. Well, next time you’re here – you have to let me know. Maybe it was exciting for Wendy to meet the Duggars, and I’m sure it was. But my desire is to meet all of you.

Anonymous

I didn’t know you moved to TX (it has been a long time). If the Lonestar repeats itself next year, we’ll be there! Maybe the whole clan.

Kathy

Our testimony is similar also, although we were both previously married and divorced, both with 2 children each from those marriages. Then we both got saved and met at church, married and now have 4 more children together. We “planned” when to have children together early on and absolutely regret those children we probably missed. I was on the pill also for some of those year and knowing what I know now, may have even miscarried during that time without knowing it. We’ll find out when we get to Heaven. We decided to trust God with our fertility when pregnant with our 2nd last child. Our youngest is now 4 weeks old and I had a rough time after the birth with a massive blood loss (more than half the blood in my body). Baby is perfectly fine! I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. The way I see it, how can we push aside the blessings of God, which is what children are, and yet still expect God to bless us in other areas, such as a nice big house or a new car?

I’m also jealous that Wendy got to meet the Duggars but at least we’ll get to meet them and all of you in Heaven. We’re in Australia, so not likely to happen this side of going home hey? LOL
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Robynn

I just wanted to add, that I think above all things, a family’s choices should be led by the Holy Spirit….and He will lead families to do many different things within their gifts He has given them. And that is as personal and different as each person He created. I think many families focus too much time on being the “perfect Christian family” (whatever that is) and not nearly enough time loving and serving others in our society who desperately need it. I see so many families making their kids and their families idols and worshiping what “they” are doing in their family….forgetting about Jesus calls us all to do…..which is serve others, love others….the verse that I love and have displayed is, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition but in humility consider others better than yourself”. Philipians 2:3
whether you have 1 or 20 kids it doesn’t matter, it is your heart for the Lord you serve:)
enjoy reading your blog btw:)
Anonymous

What a lovely photo! Your families are inspiring!

Cxx
Mindy

I like the Duggars but meeting the Jeubs is first on my list!
Ing85857

I would love to see the Duggar kids involved in speech and debate (I think it would make for an interesting episode, and more),but I understand they are busy with the show and their schooling..maybe someday?