Jinger Duggar And Her Husband Break Silence On Navigating 'Betrayal' In Their Marriage

Jinger Duggar and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, are opening up like never before, this time, about a painful chapter in their marriage.

In the latest episode of their podcast, the couple reflected on the emotional fallout of a betrayal they faced shortly after tying the knot. 

Jinger Duggar's husband has been her anchor through her break from the strict teachings of her upbringing since they got married in 2016. 

They opened up during a conversation with newlyweds Lydia Plath and Zac Wyse, hoping to encourage other couples to stay grounded when things get rocky. The couple revealed that the season marked by "betrayal," ultimately shaped their bond and spiritual foundation.

Jinger described the period as a time of desperation that drove her to lean into prayer and her connection with Jeremy.

She noted that the "pain and hardship" was "so deep, and you're just so desperate for the Lord to help you and to draw near to you. And then also for us as newlyweds, it was huge because we were able to draw closer to each other in that." 

Jeremy shared on the Wednesday episode of their "The Jinger and Jeremy Podcast" that "the betrayal wasn't even family," but rather individuals he was excited for his wife to meet. Still, the situation quickly turned into a hardship that tested them both. 

On the same episode, Jeremy also shared that during that time, he and Jinger were entirely on their own, with no strong support system around them. Jeremy recalled his wife's tears as they sought guidance from their pastor, and one piece of advice stuck with him.

"He said, 'Jeremy, I think the Lord's teaching you how to walk alone.' And not alone like me away from her or us from the Lord, but the two of us having to be dependent upon him," the 37-year-old shared.  However, that is no longer the case. In his words:

"We have friends who are family to us, we have a deep community that we're invested in, involved in. We have everything we didn't have in that moment. And yet, those years were necessary." 

Their ability to weather that storm makes sense, seeing as back in 2023, Jinger made it clear just how much she valued Jeremy's steady support throughout their marriage.

At the time, The Blast reported how Jinger opened up about her beau's steady support as she worked to rethink the teachings and lifestyle she grew up with under her parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.

Jinger, who was brought up in an ultra-strict household, said she had been taught to act and dress a certain way and follow a narrow belief system. But being with Jeremy changed things. Over time, she said, she began to see that she could make her own choices and be at peace with them.

She did not sugarcoat how difficult the process was, either, stating, "He's been so patient with me because I know it must be so hard for him to see these wrestlings. There are long days where it's just emotionally taxing and hard, and he has only been there to support me, to help me, to cheer me on."

It is no surprise Jinger needed time and patience to unpack the beliefs she grew up with. Just a month before thanking her husband for his help, The Blast noted that she opened up about spending her childhood gripped by fear from the teachings of the Institute in Basic Life Principles.

"Fear was a huge part of my childhood," she said, recalling how she believed things as simple as wearing pants or listening to certain music could anger God. At times, her fear of making the wrong decision was so strong, she worried it could lead to tragedy. 

Living under that constant pressure, Jinger explained, left her mentally exhausted. "The fear kept me crippled with anxiety. I was terrified of the outside world," she shared.

All of that history may have played a part in her decision to pass on joining her family's tell-all documentary series.

The Blast shared that in June 2023, Jinger revealed she was invited to participate in the tell-all project focused on the Duggar family's ties to the controversial teachings of disgraced minister Bill Gothard. 

But instead of joining the lineup, she opted to step away and speak for herself, in her own time. Her decision was in part due to the release of "Becoming Free Indeed," a book detailing her breakaway from the teachings of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). 

For Jinger, writing the book was about more than exposure; it was about doing it thoughtfully. "I wanted to be able to share it in a way that was, like, God-honoring and hopefully sharing my story in a balanced way," she said.

Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo may have been tested, but it laid the foundation for the strong bond they now share.