Jackson Duggar at 21: The Youngest Duggar Son Opens Up

Summary

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The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast

Episode: Jackson Duggar at 21 – The Youngest Duggar Son Opens Up
Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Jinger Vuolo & Jeremy Vuolo
Guest: Jackson Duggar

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Episode Overview

In this heartfelt episode, Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo welcome Jackson Duggar, Jinger’s youngest brother and the 15th Duggar child, for his first in-depth interview since age 17. Through open conversation, Jackson offers listeners a rare glimpse into his life after reality TV, adjusting to independence at Bible college, spiritual growth, career ambitions, family dynamics, and the unique experience of having literally been born on television. The episode is filled with candid reflections, humor, and the tightly-knit warmth characteristic of the Duggar family.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life After Reality TV & Adjusting to Independence

• Early TV Life & Memories (04:00–07:00)

  • Jackson reflects on being born on air in "14 Children and Pregnant Again," joking about not remembering the moment but feeling as if his entire life was captured.
  • He discusses the odd sensation of "remembering" family moments mostly through old video footage:

    “I have actually have such a bad memory...but I'll watch it and I'll be like, oh, yeah, I remember that. Or someone will start talking about it and I'll be like, yeah, I remember that. And I was like, literally 2 years old.” (06:18, Jackson)

• Family Projects & Los Angeles Visits (02:00–03:00)

  • Jackson visits his sister in LA, helping around the house—demonstrating the “Duggar boys” skill at fixing things.
  • The hosts share playful family anecdotes, like wildlife encounters in their yard, subtly reinforcing the down-to-earth nature behind the fame.

2. Personal Growth, College Life & Career Direction

• Transition to College (09:10–16:30)

  • Jackson updates listeners: at 21, he’s moved on from working in construction and tree service to attending Bible college in California.
  • He shares his new experiences—making friends, participating in choir (“freshman 15”), starring in campus plays, and even being elected class president:

    “I just got voted in for class president of the freshman class.” (14:11, Jackson)

• First Time Living Away from Home (15:43–16:44)

  • Only the second Duggar sibling to attend college out of state, Jackson describes the initial challenges and growth from stepping outside the family ecosystem.
  • “Figured out pretty quick,” he says, about adapting to college and meeting new people.

• The College Food Experience (16:45–17:44)

  • In classic college-student fashion, Jackson humorously rates the cafeteria food, highlighting “ice cream Fridays” as a weekly highlight and joking about skipping Sunday lunch.

• Navigating Future Ambitions (17:51–19:02)

  • Jackson describes initial ambitions in construction, then shifting direction following what he sees as divine timing:

    “I was trying to build a business...It was a perfect timing for me, the Lord, to kind of bring this college into my path...” (18:20, Jackson)

  • He’s considering a potential future in ministry, possibly pursuing a four-year degree or a role as a pastor.

3. Spiritual Journey & Making Faith His Own

• Season of Self-Discovery (19:16–27:01)
  • Jackson shares a transformative recent period, prompted by a friend’s probing question about self-deception in faith and a deep dive into scripture:

    “Could it be that you are deceived? ...That’s the whole purpose of the whole thing of deceit – you don't know it.” (19:16, recounting a friend's challenge)

  • He discusses 1 John 2:15–17 and Jesus’ parable of the sower, relating these to his personal tendency to let “the love of the world” crowd spiritual growth (23:17–24:33).
  • He recalls being saved at five but only truly “making faith his own” after 16:

    “From five till I was about sixteen I really didn’t make it my own...I was living the mediocre...just kind of coasting in my Christian walk.” (25:07, Jackson)

  • Jinger and Jeremy echo these themes with their own scriptural reflections, fostering a warm, spiritual discussion.

4. The Unique Dynamics of Being a Duggar

• Finding His Identity Among Many Siblings (31:29–33:27)

  • As the youngest of ten Duggar boys, Jackson describes years spent imitating older brothers’ traits before seeking his own path:

    “I feel like I did a lot of imitation...I've kind of come back to the point of like, all right, where am I? Like, who am I going to be?” (32:15, Jackson)

  • The hosts note how critical this self-discovery period is, especially when emerging from a large, tight-knit family.

• Homesickness and Family Connections (34:39–35:15)

  • Jackson admits to occasional homesickness, mostly missing his parents and the four youngest siblings still at home, but says busy campus life keeps his mind occupied.

5. Lightning Round: Sibling Dynamics & Memories

• Wildest Brother: James (“quiet but mischievous”), with Jackson admitting to being “the loud one.” (35:29–36:08)
• Funniest Sibling: Jason and Josiah both earn the title for their humor. (36:09–36:28)
• Closest Sibling: Johanna (“I was definitely closest with Johanna”) and frequent playful sibling banter. (37:56–38:02)
• Reflecting on Growing Up on TV: Jackson likens his experience to “The Truman Show”—“Is this like, me? Did they just make this show about me?” (38:41, Jackson)

6. On the Uniqueness & Challenges of Televised Childhood

• Born on TV:

  • Jinger points out Jackson is among the very few people in the world whose life, from birth onward, was documented on camera:

    “You’re in a very select group of people, of unique people in this world...like, your first breath, you're looking at the cameraman.” (39:11–39:19, Jinger & Jeremy)

• Transition Away from the Spotlight:

  • The family reflects on how the world still pictures Jackson as “little Jackson,” highlighting the surreal nature of growing up in the public eye (40:18–40:39).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Memory and TV Life:

  “I have such a bad memory...I’ll watch [old episodes] and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I remember that’…but I was like, literally, two years old.” (06:18, Jackson)

• On Spiritual Growth:

  “That's something the Lord really started working on my heart about. So there were certain things that I had to really start carving out of my life.” (24:33, Jackson)

• On Being Born on TV:

  “I was born at a very young age, you know, as they say.” (05:57, Jackson, joking)

• On Identity Among Siblings:

  “I did a lot of imitation…of my older brothers…I feel like I kind of got a mix of all the boys in me…” (32:15, Jackson)

• Jinger’s Reflection on Growing Up in the Spotlight:

  “You really don’t remember until the last few years a time when you weren’t being filmed…It’s like the Truman Show.” (38:22-38:34, Jinger)

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Timestamped Highlights

• Being Born on TV: 04:00–07:00
• College Life, Class President & Choir: 13:08–15:07
• Reflecting on Spiritual Deception & Growth: 19:16–24:33
• Sibling Rapid-Fire Questions: 35:29–37:56
• Discussion of “The Truman Show” & Unique TV Life: 38:22–39:19

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The tone is candid, warm, faith-centered, and humorous, with a strong undercurrent of genuine family support and encouragement. Listeners gain new insight into Jackson’s personality, aspirations, and the unique challenges (and privileges) of growing up in America’s most famous mega-family. Jackson’s humility, sense of humor, and emerging independent faith make this episode an engaging listen for family fans and newcomers alike.

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Transcript

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[C]

Learn [e-mail] we have another guest in the studio.

[B]

We do have another guest. We have a family member. You guys are going to be super excited.

[C]

We have number 15, my little brother Jackson.

[B]

Welcome to the podcast.

[A]

Thanks for having me. Justin, right above me, always hung out with guys like, you know, he hung out with Austin. He hung out with all the mature older guys. I felt like I was like the cutoff was right at me. I was. I was with the young girls.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And I was always kind of like, oh, Jackson, you got to go with them, you know, oh, you can't sit at the. You gotta stay over here, you know? Yeah, go, Go drink your sippy cup in the corner.

[C]

You know, before we got on, you said you haven't done, like, an interview like this since you were 17.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So give the people an update. How old are you? What's life been like?

[A]

Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, it's been. It feels like it's been like forever ago since I've done any interview at all.

[C]

What's going on, guys? Welcome back to another episode of the Ginger and Jeremy podcast. And we have another guest in the studio.

[B]

We do have another guest. We have a family member. You guys are going to be super excited. We have number 15, my little brother Jackson. Welcome to the podcast.

[A]

Thanks for having me.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Being here, bro.

[B]

Thanks for jumping on.

[C]

We're always excited when you get to come in for a visit.

[A]

Yeah. I love coming to visit you guys. So great.

[B]

It's great. We're gonna put Jack to work today, so we have some projects around the house he was talking about. He's like, if you need any projects done, you know, let me know. And so I started looking around And I was like, oh, there's actually a lot of projects. I feel like that's what you get when you. You buy a house. It's a little bit older. There's always things that are falling apart.

[C]

Yeah. So we're gonna put Jack to work a little bit. Because here's the thing, is the Duggar boys, they know how to do stuff. I am not, like the handyman. And you guys just can do anything and everything so fast. It's incredible.

[B]

I think he's gonna build, like, you're gonna build a side gate for us, right? Yeah, that's one of our gates. Just fell off.

[A]

Put together a side gate. Build, build, y'. All Some things. Cut out some. Cut out a frame and put it all together.

[B]

I like it. Yeah. The kids had nearly escaped out one of the fences. And then another day, we had a coyote come into our backyard.

[A]

Oh, yeah. A little visitor.

[B]

So then I was like, oh, didn't we.

[C]

But the deer just jumped.

[B]

Yes, there was. There were deer in our backyard. Val looked out, our sister, you know, sister in law. She looked out and she. She was like, oh, there's deer in the backyard. One morning.

[A]

So just got a whole zoo, walked.

[C]

A lot of critters, rattlesnakes, coyotes.

[A]

I remember I was out here, saw that bobcat.

[B]

Oh, yeah. In our front yard. It was right next to you.

[A]

It was crazy.

[B]

It was right next to you in the front yard.

[A]

Sitting right there in my truck, just do my Bible time, and next thing I look, look over, and there's a bobcat right there. I was like, what in the world?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's insane. It's so wild.

[C]

Okay. You are one of very few people in the world who can say that. You were literally born on tv. Yeah. How does it feel knowing? Because obviously there's the TV dynamic with the family and all of that, but we were watching an episode, the very first episode, 14 children and pregnant again.

[A]

Again.

[C]

And I did not know that it had your birth. So I'm just watching this episode, and all of a sudden, bam. Jackson is brought into the world.

[B]

And Jeremy, literally, I think he was like, oh, Oh. I didn't know I was gonna show that.

[C]

The whole Caesarean section, everything was there. And then all of a sudden, Jackson shows up.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And you weren't smiling.

[A]

But I was loud, wouldn't I?

[C]

During the best mood.

[A]

I was loud then. And I haven't changed much since then.

[C]

No, you haven't. Full of life and energy.

[A]

Yeah. I guess that's why, from what I heard, you know, I was. I was going to be called Judah Benjamin, actually.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Really?

[A]

And, yeah, Judah Benjamin. They were. And they. They said that on the show. They were like, oh, there's a little Judah Benjamin when they were at the ultrasound. That's right.

[B]

Jackson.

[A]

But then later on, you know, whenever they were like, oh, Jackson, he's. You know, Jackson's here now. And it was like.

[B]

But.

[A]

But, you know, they decided to change the name, I guess, because I was such a jumping jack, you know, that's what it was.

[B]

He was. He was called Action Jackson.

[A]

Action Jackson.

[C]

Is that why they changed the name, though? Like.

[A]

Because I'm not sure.

[C]

Is it post?

[B]

Oh, I know why. I know why. So that. That's funny, because I didn't actually think about Judah Benjamin. The reason why was because there are a couple biblical names that they were not sure if they wanted to use, and Judah was one that I remember them saying. A couple friends had kids named with the name Judah, but we had some people who knew the family who were like, oh, Judas. And they were like, they thought it was too similar to Judas.

[C]

That's funny.

[B]

And so Judah and Judas, they were like, if you're not. If you don't know the Bible well, you could think that it was Judas who betrayed Jesus.

[A]

Yeah. And I don't think I'd want.

[B]

I think that's. That's what I remember them talking about in that time was how similar it was. And so I think they kind of wanted to shy away from Judas and Jezebel. Yeah.

[C]

So your middle name is Levi.

[A]

Levi. They went with it. They still had to throw a Bible in there.

[C]

That's strong somewhere, you know. That's strong.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So how was that for you being born on tv?

[A]

Ooh. Well, I was born at a very young age, you know, as they say. And so, yeah, that was. Yeah, I'm not sure it was. I guess I don't remember it. So that was a good thing.

[B]

You know, it's probably better you say, okay, so do you have this happen where you'll watch an old clip, like, it pops up and then you're like, oh, I remember that. And you don't know if it's actually your memory or if it's a clip from the show?

[A]

I do it all the time.

[C]

Really?

[A]

I do that all the time. I, like, I have actually have such a bad memory. I feel like there's so many things about the show and about everything that happened, I just don't remember. But I will, like, I'll watch it and I'll Be like, oh, yeah, I remember that. Or someone will start talking about it and I'll be like, yeah, I remember that. And I was like, literally 2 years old or something. Like, there's no way I could remember. But, like, I don't know. For some reason, just. I. Yeah, I've got a bad memory. But when someone brings something up, I always think I remember it. It's weird how that works. Yeah.

[B]

Because you can see the video. It's different even than pictures. And. And it's like certain trips, you know, you may have heard about, but then it's like, if you remember going to China or, you know, Japan, it's like, would you remember that?

[A]

I actually do.

[B]

Maybe you do, because you're a little bit.

[A]

Suitcase full of snacks. I remember whenever we went into.

[C]

Oh, yeah, we watched that the other day.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

I thought about that. I do remember watching that on the show. But then I also remember. I remember seeing that. Like, I remember vividly seeing a suitcase full of these snacks. And we. We packed our. Our pockets full. Yep. And then we went out and. And like, supposedly ate the meal. And we're over there, like, snacking all these.

[C]

Well, that's because. Because you guys were eating stuff like scorpions.

[B]

Yeah, well, yes, because they. There was that time where they sliced open a tuna, like a fresh giant.

[C]

Tuna, which is incredible, by the way.

[A]

You guys did not take advantage of that.

[B]

If you're. If you're, like, you know, five years old, it's not.

[C]

Country kids from ar.

[B]

You've only had cooked food. And so I think that that's. Those things would have been great.

[A]

Wasn't that, like, on a street corner somewhere? Yeah, I. I do remember.

[B]

Yeah, they, like, cut it open in front of a restaurant, but it was in the street.

[A]

Yeah. And they just.

[B]

They said, cheer for the tuna head.

[C]

And everybody's like, yeah, so probably $100,000 tuna.

[B]

Yeah. They cut it open and they were cutting out fresh pieces of sushi. But we weren't all about it. So that's where your snacks came in handy.

[A]

Wow, that's crazy. I actually.

[B]

How old. I wonder how old you would have been.

[A]

I must have been a young tyke back then, for sure.

[C]

But. Wow. I don't know.

[B]

That's insane.

[A]

I do remember that, though, actually. There's certain parts, like when we mentioned, like, the ducks. I remember eating duck.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Peking duck at that restaurant that I remember that being.

[B]

I remember that too. It was very good.

[A]

That's about all that's. I remember. There's certain Things that I pull back, like the bat, like the bathroom. I remember seeing the toilet. And then I remember hearing Justin talk about how he got sprayed. Oh, yeah, he didn't. Yeah, he pressed the wrong button or something. It was funny.

[C]

Oh, that's really.

[B]

And then all the squatty potties. Yeah, everything when you were walking around. Oh, I remember Bill areas.

[A]

Bill Stefan, our sound. Our sound guy was. He did the karate stuff, you know, so we were walking. I just remember him being able to. He, like, was punching. Punching a tree or like he did a couple. Like he did a couple like, of his. Of his karate stuff while we were there. I remember that too.

[B]

That's crazy.

[C]

Okay, so, Jackson, give us. Before we got on, you said you haven't done like an interview like this since you were 17.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So give the people an update. How old are you? What's life been like? That's been probably like five or six years.

[A]

Yeah, it's crazy. It feels like it's been like forever ago since I've done any interview at all. So. Yeah, just 21. I've been working on different things, doing construction and also did tree. A tree business. I work for Jason. He has a business there. So I did that work for a guy in church. Did. Did some construction with him. And. And for about six months is. Whenever I was finishing that up. And then I just. I got a call from a. From a friend who is a. He's. He's actually a doctor out here at. At a Bible college. And so I. I was praying about that and ended up a week before it started, decided to go out to Bible college. So that's awesome. That's where I'm at now, too.

[C]

We love that because it. It's brought you out to where we are. Yeah. So we've seen you probably three or four times now since you've come out.

[B]

It's so sweet.

[C]

It's amazing.

[A]

Yeah, it's great.

[B]

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[C]

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[B]

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[C]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[C]

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[B]

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[C]

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[B]

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[C]

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[B]

Now back to the episode.

[C]

How are you enjoying college?

[A]

I'm really enjoying it. Yeah. I've got a lot of good friends there now and the campus life is great. Lots of activities, lots of different things and just a lot of Bible. Lots of Bible. I love it. It's a lot of study time. I just finished tons of papers and stuff like that.

[C]

What was your last paper on?

[A]

It was on the immutability of God. I just actually turned that in last night. Wow.

[B]

Did you get any sleep? Are you running on caffeine?

[A]

Well, actually, I had turned it at 10 o', clock, so I didn't like to sleep till, you know, 2:00am finishing it.

[B]

Yeah, that's good.

[A]

Yeah. Doing the old college push.

[C]

So it's got a mutual.

[A]

Yes, definitely.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

That's actually really cool. I love that. That thought, though, of his immutability, his unchanging, his. The unchangingness of his character, you know, if he. If he didn't have that unchangingness, what. What would we hold on to?

[C]

Right? Yeah. It's a steadfast hope with a Christian. That's very cool. And then you. You just got voted something.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Tell your sister what you just got voted.

[B]

I actually don't even know.

[A]

So I just got voted in for class president of the freshman class.

[B]

So let's go, Jack.

[C]

That doesn't surprise you, Noah Jackson?

[B]

No, it actually doesn't.

[C]

He hits the ground running, he comes into college and he's the guy who's immediately getting to know everybody.

[A]

Look at that. Yeah, that's fun. And then they also got. I got on. I'm in the choir and then they had me sing in the freshman 15, which is 15 singers who.

[C]

So the freshman 15 meant something else for me when I was a freshman.

[B]

Something else?

[C]

Yeah, that was freshman 15 is the 15 pound.

[A]

I've heard that and so much that means. So when I. When I said it, then someone else was like, you mean you're going to. You gained 15 pounds already? And I was like, no, no, that's not what that means. No, not here. No, no. Just saying.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then you're also doing. What else? Theater.

[A]

The theater. That's right. The drama. Yeah. I'm in two dramas. So one of them's for. One of them is actually on Thursday, so just a couple days away. And another one will be later on.

[B]

What is that so fun?

[A]

It's a play. It's called the Golden Age. It's about. It's basically kind of paralleling the Riches of Heaven. To the riches of earth and how the riches of earth are just vain and void. And the only thing to live for is the soulsman and the word of God. So. Yeah.

[B]

That's awesome.

[C]

You get to memorize a lot of lines.

[A]

I just have like once. Really? I have like one or two. Like one. One big section. It's a short place. It's not like a 40 minute long, so it's. It's about 10 minutes, 15 minutes long. So we each kind of. It's. We've got like seven or eight people in the. In the play and it's kind of short. So each one of us have our lines and kind of say it.

[C]

Is this the first time you have lived away from home? Because not all the Duggar kids went to college. Joe went to college, and then they've studied. Like Jana and Johanna have done nursing and Jill did midwifery school and all that stuff, right? Yeah, but it's not like. Not every Duggar kid goes off to college.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So are you only the second one who's gone off, like, lived away?

[A]

Yeah, I'm the second one who's gone off for college. And yeah, the other ones. Yeah, Johanna, like you said, Johanna, Jana. They did a little bit of nursing school and stuff like that, but yeah, I'm the second one to go off often.

[C]

The other was Joe, right?

[A]

Yeah, Joe was the other one. And so that's been. That's been kind of. That's been kind of interesting, you know, being the second one and pioneering. I asked Joe a little bit of advice, but really just kind of like, no. No one's like, oh, yeah, here's what to expect. Here's. It's just kind of like, okay, how is it fun? It's been great. Yeah. I didn't really expect everything. I didn't really understand it all.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

At first, but as long as, you know, I just kind of met people, kind of start asking questions. Figured out pretty quick.

[C]

But.

[B]

So how's. How is the food?

[A]

The food?

[C]

Oh, I asked this the other day. Poor guy. So he's. It's. This is public Ginger. So he's gonna speak.

[A]

No, but everyone. Every college kid there is like, yeah, the food, the food. Yeah.

[B]

That's just what they say.

[A]

But that's the ice cream on Fridays. Ice cream on Fridays is really good. Okay. And then I think it's. Saturday is pretty good. There's certain days that are better than Sunday. Sunday lunch is.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

No, no, don't do Sunday lunch.

[B]

Just go out. You're like, go out and get something.

[A]

Go out or just fast. Take that day to just fast. But really though, they have, they have. They actually do have some pretty decent food on the. On some. Most of this.

[C]

Yeah. So that's a rite of passage in college. You have to eat at the college calf.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And it's cafeteria food. And the food could be great, but it's still cafeteria food.

[A]

Yeah, exactly.

[C]

They're serving a thousand people.

[A]

Exactly. And it's every single day.

[C]

So imagine making lunch for a thousand people. It's not gonna be easy. Yeah. Wow, that's cool. So you're in the one year Bible program.

[A]

Yes. Yeah.

[C]

So you're just gonna be an absolute Bible machine after this.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, you know, never know.

[C]

What do you want to do with your life?

[A]

Well, I've been praying about that. I kind of have some goals. I was back home, I was trying to build a business maybe. Well, just working on that. I say I was building a business more. So I was just. I was getting started with a construction business of my own. I was praying about that.

[C]

Like as a general contractor.

[A]

Yeah. Trying to. I was trying to get to the place where I could build. Build homes and do things like that. But I. I don't know. Just around that time, it just, it was a perfect timing for me, the Lord, to kind of bring this college into my, into my path. And so at that exact. At the exact time, I was like in the middle of trying to make that all happen. I got a call to come here and so I decided that's where I was going to be. But I've been praying about that because I don't know if I go for the one year Bible and I decide to go back home, then I'll probably just go back and try to finish up with the construction business and keep working in that and making that, growing that business. But if not, then I'm praying about maybe doing four years.

[B]

Oh, wow, cool.

[A]

Maybe maybe doing something in pastoral or something along those lines.

[C]

You'd be so good at that. So you're such a people person and you have a passion for the Word. So that's the making of a good minister. So, okay, down that vein, you've been digging into the Bible, you've been digging into the Word. What has the Lord been showing you recently from his Word?

[A]

Yeah, well, I feel like I've kind of gone through some things recently that just kind of really opened my eyes to just some different things. I had a friend who called me up and we were talking about some different things. But one of them was deception and believing a lie and all of that. And as he started talking with me about it, he was like, Jackson, could it be that you are believing a lie? Could it be that you are deceived? I'm like, well, no, I'm not deceived. And he's like, well, that's the thing if you're deceived. That's the whole purpose of the whole thing of deceit is you don't know it. You don't know that you're deceived if you're deceived. And so as we were talking about it, he began to tell me something that he thought would be really good for me to do. And it was something along the lines of basically he kind of took me through some different passages, but one of them that really came to my mind was first Corinthians. I believe it's chapter 10 where Paul's talking about the unbelievers eyes are blinded lest the glorious light of the gospel should shine unto them. And as I was thinking about that verse and kind of meditating on it, I started asking the Lord, alright Lord, is there an area of my life where I'm deceived?

[B]

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[B]

Now back to the episode.

[A]

Is there a place in my heart that I have kept from you something that I really don't see it? Maybe I'm thinking, oh, this I'm good, I'm walking with you. Or I. Or I'm faithful to you in this area. And yet you would say, you're not walking with me, Jackson, that's not the place I want you to be. And so I started praying, lord, open my eyes. Help me to not be deceived anymore. I don't want to be deceived. I want to walk in your ways. I want to honor you. And so I started praying that and I started watching as the Lord opened up my eyes to different areas in my life. Just things that I had been keeping from him, or things that I had been like, oh, that's okay, like, I can handle that or I can do this. And I struggled with a lot of different things whenever I was younger and just different vices that I would hold onto or let hold on to me. And so I think recently the Lord has shown me some things, and especially through first John, chapter two, verse like 15 to 17 especially, that really hit me. The verse 16 says, love not the world, neither things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Then it says, here's the works of the flesh, and they're manifested, which are these? It's the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Yeah, these are not of the Father, but they are of the world. And then it reminded me of the parable of Jesus when Jesus said, the sower went out to sow and he cast all the seed everywhere, right? But the 111 of it, one specifically fell on the thorny soil. And all of that thorny soil, he said the exact same things were mentioned. What was it that choked out the word of God? What was it that choked out what God was trying to do in that person's heart. It was those exact same things. It was the other lust. It was the pleasures of this world, the riches of this world, and all these things that just crowded in and took over. Not that those things are in and of themselves. Not that, like, okay, like, to have certain things or to do certain things, it's not the evils themselves, but the love of those things. And that's something the Lord really started working on my heart about. So there were certain things that I had to really start carving out of my life.

[C]

Have you felt like this has been a season for you to kind of come into? Because obviously you grew up in a home with the Bible. You grew up in a home with very clear direction. And so you're always going to church. I mean, that was a major part of your life. But do you feel like this was a season or has been a season for you? Of. Is this the wrong term? Like coming into your own? Not like making your faith, making your faith your own. But you've been a believer for a while, but because you've always been, you've always had strong conviction and love the Lord from the time I've known you. But has this been a season where the Lord's been particularly shaping you?

[A]

Yeah, for sure. I would say especially whenever I was. Because I got saved when I was five. Okay. So, I mean, I, I, I got saved when I was five. And honestly, from five till I was about 16, I really didn't make it my own. And I really was just kind of doing. I was living the mediocre. The mediocre just kind of coasting in my Christian walk. Which is, which is another passage of Scripture that really touched me. Was Philippians 1:7 or 1:10 or 7? I can't remember which one it is. But it says, approve things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Jesus Christ. And the reason that, why that verse touched me so much was because of Excellency, I had been living in this. I can just kind of make it through in my Christian walk. I can just kind of. You know, I would never say that, right. Because I thought I was living enough. But in reality, the Lord kind of showed me, jackson, you have not been living an excellent life. And that's why when you live in mediocrity, you will choose evil. The Christian life is not the fight between the good and the evil. The Christian life is made up of the decisions between the excellent and the good.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And that's something that the Lord showed.

[C]

Me through that well, Hebrews 12 calls us cast aside weights and sins and so much. It's like the sins can be so obvious and we can say, you know, those are sometimes appear to be less of a threat. But it's the weights and distractions. You know, Satan is content to keep us distracted because it just keeps us off course and off mission.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Do you feel like, you know, as you're talking about, you're at the stage of life, you're 21, so you're thinking, what am I going to do with my life? And you see a lot of your brothers who are doing excellent work, whether it's real estate, whether it's construction, whether it's cars, whatever it is, John's flying people all over the world.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Do you feel like the Lord is kind of putting into focus and defining for you what your future looks like as. As he's working on your own heart with, you know, studying the Word, convicting you of things, giving you direction? Do you. Do you feel. You mentioned a minute ago about ministry. Do you feel like that's coming into sharper focus?

[A]

I feel like a little bit, yeah. Which I've never really. I haven't really, like, explicitly said it, but I think really that is something that the Lord's really been. I mean, ever since I was a kid, I remember just. I had. I had a friend who I. I was eight years old. He was eight years old. And I just remember coming alongside him and just all the things that we'd been learning in wisdom booklets, or all the things that we'd just been learning in general, just from mom and Pops and studying the scripture, I remember everything he was saying was exactly what I'd been learning and just pouring out the scriptures to him just from what I'd been learning. And so ever since that age, I just remember being like, whoa, this is real and this is what I want to do.

[C]

Does that surprise you about your brother, that he would be, like, investing in others in that way?

[B]

Oh, no, for sure. Yeah. Jack has always been, and I think you're always, even temperamentally, an outgoing person, which is really sweet. So some people, they have to really force themselves to, like, okay, I'm gonna go talk to that person across the room. And I think that you have, like, for one, a care for others and a connection. And then from that, like, overflow, you have the side that you've been. God made you an extrovert. We know that. So you have that working for you too. Sometimes you have to. But then I think that's awesome. Because you're using those talents and gifts that God's given you to reach out to others and to help. And I think that that's really sweet to see.

[C]

It's good to see, too. In our age, I think there's an awakening and an enlightening to young men needing direction and recognizing. You know, I work with college students, your age group, and we've never been so privileged in the sense of living in the west with wealth, with opportunity, with entertainment. You know, entertainment is a privilege of a peaceful land. Right. If you're fighting to, like, eat to survive that day, you don't get to entertain yourself. I've been actually doing some discussions and study on, like, we've made this dichotomy between leisure and work, and we. We look at, like, education as work. Like, ugh, I got to go to class. Well, for most of humanity, having the opportunity to sit and read a book or to engage your mind was leisure.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

Because it meant you weren't fighting for food that day or you weren't fighting another, you know, tribe coming to take you over. Like, if you got to sit for two hours and work on your brain, that would have been just to fill your mind with knowledge. That's leisure. So we have been so spoiled by leisure, by peace, I should say that we've separated leisure from work. And it's really sad. And even our educational pursuit, we look at it like, oh, I got to study. No, that's a privilege and a joy to study. But I guess my roundabout point is saying, with all of these privileges, we've never been more depressed as a society. And that demographic, your demographic, never been more aimless and depressed. And so to see a young man like yourself really trying to say, okay, Lord, where would you have me? How would you have me expend my energy? You've got, you know, the world is your oyster in the sense of, like, you could do it anything you want. You have opportunity, you have energy, you have resources. And so for you to dedicate yourself and say, okay, I want to go study the Bible, and I want to explore. Even though if you don't know exactly what that's going to be, I want to explore the idea of ministry. That's encouraging. That's encouraging to see.

[A]

Yeah, I've been praying about it.

[C]

There's a lot of guys, your demographic who are just kind of wandering, you.

[A]

Know, I do feel like for a while there, I felt like I was wandering just kind of, like, aimlessly. Like, I don't really know where to go. So that's why when this kind of came up and when my friend called me about it, I was thinking, wow, like this is. Yeah, this is kind of what I've been praying for. And it kind of really, within the past six months, I felt like the Lord really, really got a hold of me again. Yeah, I was kind of like doing a little bit of doing my own thing for, for a bit.

[C]

Yeah. But you're going to be like, that's the cool thing about you. You do have energy and that was never a question. You have, you have a sharp mind, you're a people person. And once the Lord takes that and, and puts it in a direction and kind of channels your focus, whatever you, whatever you end up doing, wherever he ends up taking you, you're going to be really effective. So that's exciting to see.

[B]

It is, yeah. I think little Jack is not. I know, I can't believe it.

[C]

I was just thinking too grown Jack.

[B]

Part of the challenge too though probably is it's interesting because I didn't have this because I'm one of the older kids. So I mean, I had, you know, five above me. But it's probably interesting for you trying to figure out what you're gonna do. Cause you're the youngest of ten boys.

[C]

Oh man. Yeah.

[B]

And so. And you're lower down. You're number 15 of all the kids, but you're the youngest Bo. So you've seen all the older ones do their thing. You've seen what works, you've seen what doesn't work. You see what you don't wanna do, you've seen what you don't wanna do probably just by like tagging along with them. And so that's a different dynamic that maybe a lot of people haven't experienced.

[C]

Was that disorienting for you? Did you feel like you had to have some self discovery of like. But what do I wanna do?

[A]

Yeah, I feel like I honestly did a lot. Like I would see how Justin would do and I would try to like imitate him and then I would see how like Jason would work with certain things and I would try to imitate. I did a lot of, I feel like I did a lot of imitation. Like just when I would see any of my older brothers or anyone do any, I would, I would try to imitate that. So I really do feel like I kind of got a mix of like all the boys in me just from all the imitations I've done. Especially James, whenever he started, he became really funny. Within the past, I Don't know, six years or whatever that just he had like this new side of him come out. And I don't know, I feel like I imitated that a lot or tried to in a way. I feel like all of us have.

[B]

And then you're like, wait, who, who am I? Who, Jackson? What's my temperament?

[A]

So that's where I kind of, I feel like it kind of, yeah, I've kind of come back to the point of like, all right, where am I? Like, who am I going to be?

[C]

You know, that's, that's the moment you're in right now. Like this season of being away from Arkansas, being on your own at Bible college, a lot of that will become clearer for you. You know, I mean it's learning those things are for the rest of your life. But this kind of coming of age and understanding, like, okay, who am I? What is my passion? What do I want to do? And I wouldn't be surprised if you go a different direction than any of the other brothers.

[A]

I do love people and I love helping people. And I was just talking with a guy last night in the dorm there. He was just telling me about some things that he's going through and I just was trying to give him some Bible, give him some scripture. And it was just. But it was a fulfilling time for me. Anytime I get to talk with anyone, anytime I get to pray with them, it's just, it's so fulfilling. And I think maybe that's kind of where the Lord's leading me. But yeah, I don't know. And then like you were saying, you asked me a question earlier about like, what do you think this, like, have you ever had a time where you stepped away? I think I've had a couple times where I went off to missionary, like a training camp for three weeks. I've had a couple things like that. But this is definitely probably the longest time I've been away by myself. I mean I've done, I've done a lot. I've done some long, long times away. I've done like two months or two and a half months away, but I've.

[B]

Been focused and study too, which is different in that setting where you're like having to keep up with the classes and all of that.

[C]

Yeah, but it's also, when you say away, a lot of people, I mean people have tight families, but there's like an ecosystem of the Duggar world. So like there's always someone to do something with. And you guys are so tight knit as a big, big Family, that. To step away from that. It is a shock.

[B]

It's a shock to your system, I'd imagine. You miss everyone. Do you get homesick?

[C]

Who do you miss the most?

[A]

Yeah, I think. Okay, so I think you said, do I get homesick? I think I do get homesick somewhat, but I just have. I don't have enough time most of.

[B]

The time to think about it. Think about it. That's prob.

[A]

Which is good. So I'm working a lot on papers and all the stuff, so I don't really have enough time to think about it. And when I do, then I'm over talking with someone else, and it's like, you know, I just. I'm always busy. But the other question you said, what was it again?

[C]

Who do you miss the most?

[A]

Who do I miss the most? I mean, I honestly think I just miss mom and pops and the four. Four youngers is probably just who's there?

[B]

That's. That's your family who lives at the big house all the time. So. Yeah, that's crazy.

[A]

And I don't know, maybe. I definitely like James and Jason because they're also there too.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

All right, here's a couple questions. Maybe some rapid fire questions. Growing up with nine brothers, who was the wildest brother?

[A]

Ooh, you. Okay. I was the crazy. I was probably the crazy, like, the loud one, Right. But James actually was the one who was the just.

[C]

He.

[A]

He wouldn't talk. He wouldn't, like, tell you. But he was honestly just the craziest. He would just. Because he had the. He had the. The temperament of, like, he's quiet, right. But then the mischievous that you just didn't see coming until you hear an.

[B]

Explosion out front and you're like.

[A]

And you're. Oh, he just caught himself on fire. Great. Awesome. Well, that's. That's.

[C]

Who's the funniest sibling?

[A]

The funniest. Oh, okay.

[C]

It keeps you laughing.

[A]

Honestly, I think for me, Jason's been pretty funny because I worked with him and I kind of learned his humor. Yep. Jason's been the funniest. But Josiah, definitely Josiah was the funniest for a long time. I feel like Lauren really helped him help him kind of, you know, get. Get.

[C]

Josiah's the kind. I think I've said this on the podcast before. He's the kind. Like, last time we went back to the big house, I walk into the kitchen and I see Saya. I go, hey, what's up, Sia? He goes, this guy? Yeah. Then he'll wait for the Response. Yeah. And you're like, yeah, got it. Just. I. Thank you.

[B]

I love that.

[C]

Classic Josiah.

[A]

Yeah. He's got.

[C]

It's funny.

[A]

But Jason. Yeah, Jason's kind of kept me laughing.

[C]

That's cool.

[A]

Just kind of his. His little. His little jokes. And James, too.

[C]

Who were you closest with? Like, I know you guys had buddies and you were the second half of the siblings. And it's funny, like, you guys have different experiences as we were the olders, we were the youngers. Who were you, like, real tight with, or was there a few? Would it have been the younger girls?

[A]

So I was Justin right above me, always hung out with guys, like, you know, he hung out with Austin. He hung out with all the mature older guys. So he. He was very mature, and he was put in a mature group. In the mature group. I felt like I was like the cutoff was right at me. I was. I was with the young girls.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And I was always kind of like, oh, Jackson, you got to go with them, you know. Oh, you can't stay outside the kids. You got to stay over here, you know. Yeah, go, go drink your sippy cup in the corner, you know, like. But then again, like, with my temperament, I feel like that just kind of makes sense. I was very kind of just immature.

[C]

That's so funny. I want to ask Johanna about that, because I remember when Johanna did the kids album.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And the girls. The four girls did it, but she was just at that age where she was like, 16 and definitely having thoughts of, like, I'm too old for this.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And so there's like, that. That interesting.

[A]

I remember that, too. But, yeah, Johanna, I was definitely closest with Johanna.

[C]

Yeah. And she's fun, though.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

She'll keep up with you.

[A]

Oh, yeah. And Hanni and I would always. I mean, all the interviews. You see all the interviews of Hanni and I just going. Going at it, you know, poking fun at. At each other, and then also just. I'm just having a great time.

[C]

Do you ever go back and watch the show?

[A]

I do, yeah. I sometimes with the girls are normally the ones who are watching it. I'll come in it, you know, after work, and I would go in and watch it with them.

[B]

But, yeah, it's so fun.

[C]

That's wild. You really don't remember until the last few years a time when you weren't being filmed.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because your whole life. Yeah, you are.

[A]

You are born on the first show.

[C]

It's like the Truman. You are the Truman Show.

[A]

Exactly. Yeah.

[C]

What was his name in the show? Whatever. Truman.

[A]

Yeah, Truman.

[C]

You've seen that, right?

[A]

Yeah, I have, yeah. Do you.

[C]

Do you feel like an affinity for that guy?

[A]

Actually, whenever I was. We were done watching that show, the first time we were watching, I was like, is this like, me? Did they just make this show about me? I was like, are they watching me?

[C]

You know? So you kind of are like, I looked up, I googled the other day, like, people born on tv. And there's always been. Because I was thinking about you. And there's always been, like, documentaries where kids are born on TV but then not followed. So I want. I think you're one of the only people in the world who was born and then life followed until you were 17.

[A]

That's actually crazy to think about. I never.

[C]

It is crazy to think about. Wow. Like, you're in a very select group of people, of unique people in this world.

[B]

Like, your first breath, you're looking at the cameraman.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Who are you?

[C]

And I watched it, brother.

[B]

Unfortunately, he watched it. He was not ready for it.

[C]

There was no warning. Like, and now no the C section.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

It's just like, I was actually like, like skipping through it. Yeah.

[A]

That is. I think it just. I haven't seen it a while, but I'm pretty sure. Yeah, it just kind of like pops up.

[C]

It was a medical documentary, so it wasn't like TLC at that point. It's Discovery Plus. It was a medical. Discovery Health. Discovery Health, yeah.

[A]

That's.

[C]

Discovery plus is a stream.

[B]

That's the new thing.

[C]

That's like the new thing.

[B]

And there's a plug.

[C]

Jackson, you are the man. Thanks for coming and hanging out. Yeah, we should get more time with you on the pod, but.

[B]

But now go build the fence for us.

[C]

So, so glad where the Lord's taken you. So glad where you're at in life. And it's cool. I. I know a lot of people will just appreciate getting a life update from you because people are so. We're so invested. They. They followed it along. They watched you grow up. And it's funny. Like, we stick people in a time period.

[A]

Yep.

[C]

And like, oh, he's little Jackson or little Josie. And then you realize, like, it's kind of like my aunt that would always send me gifts in the mail throughout the years. And I'd be like 13, but she'd send gifts for like a 6 year old. And it's like, hey, we're growing up, you know, and to see you at 21, strong head on your shoulders, you know, the Lord is teaching you so much. It's exciting to see where the Lord's.

[B]

Taking you, so it's very sweet. Thanks for sitting down with us, Chad. Yeah, thanks for having me. It's been so fun.

[A]

It's been great.

[C]

Awesome. All right, guys, well, we will see you next week. Be sure to like and subscribe on the YouTubes so you stay up to date with what we're doing. Subscribe and we'll see you next time. Limu Imu and Doug. Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

[A]

Uh, Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.

[C]

Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com savings. Very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.

[B]

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