'I Wish this Show had Been on 30 Years Ago'

Our family will be offline during the week-and-a-half surrounding Ellie's wedding (June 20th-July 1st). During this time, we will be posting the stories you emailed to us about how the Duggars have impacted your lives.

The first is from a reader in Escondido, California:

We are a family of four with a 23-year-old son and a 25-year-old daughter who was born with cerebral palsy and autism. To most folks, she might seem very “normal,” but she has many learning challenges. Although she is able to read, she doesn’t really absorb the meanings of the words or the content. 

The only book she has ever read (aloud) from beginning to end, is A Love That Multiplies. She used to read it to me while we were driving to her special school, and I did my best to encourage discussion after each paragraph, but typically, that’s when I lose her attention.

The combination of the TV episodes, along with that book, have served as a mentoring that she can understand and apply to her life. She has probably watched every episode at least 100 times! We currently have over 100 episodes on our DISH DVR. 

She has heard about Jesus her whole life, and we have always tried to instill Christian values in her, but truly, the Duggars have been able to convey the Bible teachings in a way that she can absorb, better than many other approaches we have tried. They have been a HUGE blessing to our family and friends. 

When I am stressed, I often turn on an episode to hear Michelle speak; she is so inspiring and so calming. I wish this show had been on 30 years ago! What an awesome mentor she is. Our daily prayer is that this wonderful family stays strong through the challenges they face and that they know there are millions of people like us who love and cherish them and their show.