The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God Every Day by Jinger Duggar Vuolo

The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God Every Day Reviews

• 
  Holly

  Jeremy and Jinger Vuolo (nee Duggar), of course are well known in various circles for two reasons - their ties to the expansive Duggar clan as seen on TV and their religious beliefs. This book gives an inside look into how the couple grew up, met, and got married and how their faith played a part of it all.
  
  For those who are primarily interested in reading about their lives 'behind the scenes':
  There are definitely some new insights to be found within these pages. Mostly the 'new' information centers around Jeremy's life prior to meeting Jinger and the intense lengths he had to go through in order to gain Jim-Bob Duggar's approval to 'date' Jinger (who was 21 years old at the time). Spoiler detail/commentary about why they initially were not allowed to date each other:What really threw me for a loop was that Jeremy was held off by Jim-Bob from being allowed to date Jinger for FOUR MONTHS, and not because Jim-Bob was hesitant about Jeremy's intentions or because he was unsure as to whether Jeremy was a true Christian believer as you might assume. No. Instead, it was because Jim-Bob disagreed about Jeremy's specific theology beliefs. It was never specifically laid out what exactly those theology differences were beyond a passing comment of "...we disagreed on the issue of free will and predesination". However these theological differences led to Jim-Bob stopping his adult daughter from dating a man that was a pastor of a church at the time! It was also never explained how Jim-Bob eventually got over those theological differences. But it wasn't just Jim-Bob who was concerned at the time. At one point Jinger apparently broke off the 'relationship' before it even really began because she was so concerned about what everyone else thought about Jeremy's different theological beliefs.
  
  As for new insights into Jinger's life, she does delve a little more into her background. Specifically, her trials with body image/disordered eating, and her struggles with having a true faith in God as a child. But if you're hoping for more detailed or private looks into the Duggar 'family culture' she grew up in (as they both refer to it in the book) or just more information about her other family members, you'll mostly be disappointed as both are hardly even mentioned. In particular, as I am sure a lot of people are curious about considering the recent child pornography charges that came out this past weekend, Josh Duggar is never even directly named in the book nor what he did in the past. There was just this from Jinger: "One of my siblings had made some sinful choices, but it had all been years ago. It had been awful, but we had dealt with it as a family." There's no other details given of what happened back then, only reflections on how Jinger was feeling at the time when it was all made public. As for Josh's scandal with being on the Ashley Madison website seeking an extramarital affair, it gets only a one sentence indirect mention from Jeremy: "I tried to encourage Ben as hate continued to pour out over social media, as TLC canceled the family's TV show, and as another shocking crisis hit later that summer involving one of the siblings." That's all there is on the topic of Josh. And lastly, yes, Jinger does address her decision to wear pants and goes into her grief associated with the death of her beloved Grandmother and her miscarriage. The latter two of which brought some tears to my eyes.
  
  For those who are primarily interested in reading about their faith/religious beliefs:
  The introduction and the epilogue are the only times that particularly feel like Jinger and Jeremy are actively evangelizing. Don't get me wrong, their faith is a central part of their lives and thus is mentioned frequently. But mostly it's just a part of their life story, it's not directly discussed. However, the epilogue keeps this book from simply being a memoir and changes the focus more towards what perhaps inspired the couple to write this book in the first place: "If you close this book thinking, 'Wow, what a nice couple; too bad I can't have a life like theirs,' we've failed. It our goal that you walk away inspired by what the hope of Christ has done for us, and what it can do for you too." I'm not entirely sure they achieved this goal, but pick up this book and decide for yourself.
  
  Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Colleen Deitrich

  You want an asinine, dull, preachy look into the mind of a PostModern Narcissus and the wife he occasionally impregnates and poses with for Instagram followers? Look no further than this book.
  
  Reading even the first fifty pages left me with an insatiable need to pole dance on a crucifix to Lil Nas X just to prove to myself I'm not JereMeMeMe Vuolo, who constantly claims to adhere to God's word and yet conveniently ignores the one or two (or five) passages explaining that Jesus thinks self-obsessed nincompoops are hypocrites. I have yet to see the guy actually volunteer at a soup kitchen or open a teen center or something a real Christian would do.
  
  If you find yourself spiraling into an existential nightmare where down is up, right is left, Family Guy is funny, and Republicans have morals, and you are in desperate need of self-assurance, know that somewhere in this world, someone spent $25 on a hardcover toilet paper dispenser of their own free will, and you will be amazed at how much better you will feel about yourself.
• 
  Barbara Powell

  I was able to read this in just under 2 hours and while I don’t think I learned anything new about them after watching the shows and following on social media, I enjoyed learning about things that happened in theirs lives from their perspective as compared to how the editors and what not wanted it to be shown. They are strong in their faith and I admire that.
  Thanks to Worthy Books and Netgalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
• 
  Charlotte

  Not as bad as I thought it would be, but definitely missing any parts that made it interesting instead of just... sad.
  
  Like, I'll pray for them. That's the nicest way I can put it.
• 
  Florence Phillips

  I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the conversation style. Those who seek sensationalist revelations about a reality TV pair may be disappointed, but anyone who wants to hear about a couple faithfully seeking God and welcoming his work in their lives cannot fail to be inspired. I’m not a fundamentalist Christian, far from it. I’m a secularly minded British Anglican, but Jeremy and Jinger spoke to my heart and uplifted me. The hope they hold is my hope too, even if our lives couldn’t be any more different. Their tone is gentle and their kindness and humour shine through even the most Bible-focused passages. I recommend this book to anyone who follows Christ, and to anyone interested in an insight into a God-led life.
  I must add the book is beautifully written by their partnering author.
• 
  Hannah

  I adored this book! 😍 I’ve watched the Duggar family on TV since they had ~only~ like 16 kids. 😅 I’m around the same age as some of the older girls so it’s been fun to watch them grow up and enter life stages at the same time as me.
  
  Jeremy and Jinger have a unique story of how they met and started dating. A chance meeting and a very long questionnaire from Jinger’s dad are just some of the things involved. 😉 I loved hearing their story from each of their perspectives! These two are truly doing their best to live their lives biblically, and I appreciate that so much! Life can be so hard, but I love how positive and peaceful the Vuolos look at life and its challenges. I learned so much about Jinger and Jeremy in this book, and there are a lot of takeaways for how I can view life and try to live turning to the Word and not the world. ✝️ Definitely a must read!
• 
  Shantelle

  4.5 stars
  
  This was an excellent read! Jeremy and Jinger (Duggar) Vuolo have a very sweet love story and it was fun to see how it played out through the pages of this book. I loved how they kept going back to their hope in Christ and the foundation of their faith, in both the highs and lows of life. You can see God's hand in their lives all along - drawing their souls to Himself from a young age, calling Jeremy to be a pastor, bringing them together in marriage, using them as a couple to minister in such beautiful ways! One of my favorite things is to see Christian couples thriving in marriage and ministry. Living their lives for the Lord. Always seeking to become closer to the Lord and closer to each other. It seems like Jeremy and Jinger are doing that and reading their story of hope blessed me. It ended with me rejoicing in the fact that as a child of God, I ALWAYS have hope. Because my hope is Christ.
• 
  Liralen

  Jeremy and Jinger Vuolo have carved out a carefully curated public image since the end of Counting On, and this is a continuation of that careful curation. I haven't seen either of the Duggar family's shows, but I'm familiar enough with the (publicly available information about the) family—my background is different enough from theirs (exception: my parents also kept the TV in a closet, which might be the only thing I have in common with the Duggars) that I find it weird but fascinating—to have a good sense here of what is 'new' information and what they're leaving out.
  
  In short: while I'm not sure what was on the show proper, there's not that much in the book that hasn't been reported in (sold to?) various magazines. More background on Jeremy's life pre-Duggar, and a better sense of what Jinger's dating restrictions looked like. Some of it makes a bit more sense in context (when you're on national television on the regular and there are a lot of people who think fame makes a very sheltered, naïve girl desirable, it's not the worst idea to have someone else—in this case, her father—do a bit of initial screening). Some of it left me scratching my head: apparently the thing that kept Jim Bob Duggar from approving their courtship—for four months—was a disagreement about free will. Details are very vague (though I'm sure someone more Bible-literate than I am could make some inferences), so I have to guess that the Vuolos found it politic to not go into why Jeremy thinks Jim Bob is wrong and what Jinger believes.
  
  What I found most telling, though, was this passage, from Jeremy's perspective (no page numbers because Overdrive is terrible):

  "So, what does this passage mean to you?" the [Bible study] leader asked.

  What does it mean to me? I didn't know what that meant. I didn't grow up asking questions like that about Scripture. God's Word is his authoritative self-revelation to the world. I had never thought to ask what it meant to me, but simply, what does it mean? Up until that point, I'd assumed that everyone understood it the same way I did. I was only twenty-two years old, certainly not the oldest or most mature person in the room, but I felt that I had to speak up.

  "Well..." I said slowly, searching for the right words. "What does it actually say?"

  I could feel the rest of the group staring at me. This wasn't the kind of question they were used to discussing.

  I kept going. Without realizing what was happening, I was suddenly digging into the passage, explaining what it meant with an authority I didn't know I had.

  Read this line again: Up until that point, I'd assumed that everyone understood it the same way I did. It's telling to me, and rather sad, that the takeaway here does not seem to be 'so I started to explore what other people believed and why, whether or not my own beliefs changed' but rather 'so I used it as an opportunity to try to convince people of the beliefs that I'd never questioned'.
  
  So...if you're at all familiar with the brand they're building for themselves, there aren't a lot of surprises here. I don't begrudge them the decision to keep a lot of private things private (living a semi-public life should not rob you of privacy, and it feels particularly unsurprising that the various scandals brought about by Jinger's oldest sibling are discussed in only the vaguest and most fleeting of terms). I'm not sure who the target audience is here, but it's probably not me.
• 
  Penny -Thecatladybooknook

  Wonderful. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
  
  Jinger and Jeremy tell in alternating chapters how the Lord worked in their lives separately and then together to bring them to the place in life where they are in now. Both explain from their childhood in their families, their relationship with the Lord, and how He grew them as individuals and then as a couple who is honoring Him with the decisions in their lives. This is such a sweet testimony to the Lord for His faithfulness and how He worked in their lives. I love reading testimonies like this and experiencing through their words just how faithful the Lord is when you have a relationship with Him.
• 
  Melanie

  I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the authors, and I liked how they alternated reading. It was interesting to hear their story and the hope throughout their journey. I liked how vulnerable they were in sharing their story. I learned some things I didn't know and it was an easy read.
• 
  Abi

  Listened to this through Libby, and it was cool to hear their story, unfiltered by a television show, in their voices. Really enjoyed it!
• 
  Rebekah Morris

  I read this book in one sitting. Well, in one afternoon since I did take a break half way through to get up and move a little. But I enjoyed it. I already knew some of Jinger’s story since I had followed her family and knew them before they were TV stars, but I didn’t know all of the story between her and Jeremy. I also didn’t know Jeremy. Getting to read the story of their faith and hope, the story of their relationship and love was encouraging. It was written in a style easy to read, yet not dull or boring.
  No, this is not a tell-all about the Duggar family, nor does it dwell on most of the other family members, Jinger and Jeremy are the focal point of this book, as you might guess, and it’s a story of them.
• 
  Alexa

  I am not at all religious so I'm really not the target audience for this book, but like so many people, I have a deep fascination with the Duggars and their beliefs so I had to pick this up. That being said, please read this review with the understanding that I am NOT their target audience.
  
  My own opinions on religion aside, this book was mediocre at best. There was little substance. It was more breadth than depth, and Jinger especially touched on some topics that really warranted some depth. Aside from some anecdotes from Jinger's childhood, there wasn't really anything new. I mean, I guess some of Jeremy's sections provided new information, but I wasn't very interested in those. It was a quick and easy read, but everything about this book was just so preachy and boring.
• 
  Marjorie

  Who would have thought Jeremy would have received so much pushback from Pops Duggar over his reformed theology? I certainly didn’t! I loved picturing the theological debates Jeremy described with Ben and Jessa Seewald, as well as the hospitality Jinger encompassed with routinely opening her home up to church members for fellowship. You could tell the book was very gospel centered, especially with the ending chapter.
  
  I loved the part when Jinger plied Jeremy with food while he was stressing in sermon-prep. It reminded me of my own husband and his penchant for tunnel-vision in his projects.
  
  A very light read, not heavy—despite the chapter on Jinger’s MC and Grandma Duggar’s drowning.
• 
  Alex

  Jinger is the only Duggar I have any patience for, so I decided to read this out of simple curiosity.
  
  I still like Jinger after reading this, but Jeremy kind of skeeves me out a little now. I also think it's so sad that her parents come across so protective here, yet did nothing to help her as a child with her gross older brother. She still sees them with such rose-colored glasses, and it's a shame.
  
  Overall, though, this was a quick and pleasant read. There's nothing life shattering here, but it's sweet.
• 
  Brianna Flores

  When I first heard about the announcement of this book, I was going to read but had really low expectations with this book. I wasn’t a fan of Jinger’s last book she had written with her sister because I thought it was a preachy preachy self help kinda book rather then a memoir. I didn’t get that with this book, not only were Jinger and Jeremy were spreading the gospel but they shared their story and how their faith helped build the relationship.
  
  There were some things that I was surprising like Jeremy’s life before he met Jinger, Jinger dealing with body image issues and basically her parents not respecting their kids boundaries (when Michelle tells Jinger to be friends with people that clearly only cared about being on tv to be loving to them is where I have a big issue among other issues). Also the fact that Jim Bob rejected Jeremy at first because of Theology differences and the Jinger rejected him because she was scared of how her family was going to think about her dating someone with different views was basically a roller coaster ride I didn’t know I was going to go on even though I know they are married lol.
  
  
  If you were expecting to go into this book in hopes of mentioning of Josh Duggar and the whole scandal back in 2015, don’t be too excited. They don’t even mention his name in the book, they only mentioned how they were told about and that’s it. I can respect cause why would they talk about Josh in this book when it’s about their relationship. I do feel for them now because of Josh Duggar’s recent arrest.
  
  I liked that after Jinger married Jeremy she branched out by being ok with making her own choices for herself. She evaluated her beliefs that were instilled in her growing up with her family and researched in the Bible if she was going to break her faith by wearing pants and showing her shoulders. She came to the conclusion on her own, made the decision for herself, and Jeremy was supportive.
  
  Not going to lie, I cringe a couple of times when they mentioned Kirk Cameron and John MacArthur cause those people have been VERY outspoken when it comes to the lgbtqia+ community and just rubs me the wrong way. I know Jinger and Jeremy definitely has similar views but still.
  
  They did go into basically a revision of everything that we’ve seen on counting on so be prepared to hear stuff like that.
  
  I thought this was fine overall. If you’re a fan or have guilty pleasure in watching the show, feel free to read this.
  
• 
  Sam Toombs

  I assumed I would like the book-but what was surprising was how much I enjoyed the book. Both of The Vuolo’s have strong writing voices, which made this book an interesting read. Honestly, out of all the “Duggar” books I have read over the years, this one may be the most well written and my favorite. As a Lutheran, my views on certain viewpoints differ from Jinger and Jeremy’s, which made it hard at times for me to connect with their convictions . However, the book makes it clear that The Vuolo’s truly desire to share their faith and offer a message of hope in Jesus.
• 
  Mikayla

  I greatly enjoyed reading Jinger and Jeremy's story. I appreciated the writing style reflecting each of their unique voices while the book came together as a cohesive, polished story. Fans of the show Counting On will find more to learn about this sweet couple through their book, and those that have never heard of them will read a story of how two people were raised, met, fell in love, and how they live their lives together with the hope of Christ as their foundation.
• 
  Darleen

  Absolutely beautiful story. I listened to the audio version, Jeremy and Jinger read their book, fantastic job.
  
  Yet through their beautiful story they share they encourage us to all rely on the hope that lies in Jesus.
• 
  Kaitlin

  The book's title was a bit of a misnomer, given that it wasn't about the authors' beliefs on hope and peace, but rather a memoir of how they came to believe and how they came together. However, it was still an interesting read!
• 
  Alayna Eder

  Very cool to learn more about their story as a couple and individually!! Their testimonies are encouraging as is their hope!!!
• 
  Jackie McGee

  If you have read it. Do it!! I truly loved this book.
• 
  EA Kellogg

  sweet and powerful story of two people who trust God and take Him at His word. not just in their empty words, but from their story — they truly trust him!! i was encouraged by this book & my faith felt a recharge
• 
  Sarah

  My college roommate got me hooked on a bunch of TLC guilty-pleasure shows, including the first TV specials about the Duggars. Any family that is 19-kids strong is fascinating, and especially given the scandals they have survived, I was curious to see what it was like to be one of the kids that broke away a bit more. The overall feeling I walked away with was sadness -- that it must have been pretty hard to grow up in a family as big as Jinger did and to be prevented from getting to know a potential partner because of "doctrinal differences." It was clear in their words how much they loved one another and how they were able to persist. Even if you don't share their faith (which I don't) it was interesting to hear their story.