Less than one month ago, John-David Duggar announced he was courting Abbie Grace Burnett. The second-oldest Duggar son, who turned 28 this year, posted a sweet photo of the couple on Instagram with a quirky caption.
"Bachelor 'til the rapture" is a common phrase in the Christian community, referring to a man who seems like he'll remain single forever.
Jim Bob and Michelle also expressed their excitement on the family website.
We are so excited to announce the courtship of John-David and Abbie! John-David brings our hearts so much joy and we've watched him faithfully pray, wait, and trust God for the right girl to come along! Now, a beautiful relationship has blossomed between the two of them. We can't wait to see what the Lord will do in the future.
John-David and Abbie were often seen spending time together and getting closer over the last few weeks.
Rumors also swirled that the couple had started to avoid church since they started dating.
"They're always missing from church when they've started dating," an insider said.
But it's entirely possible that the couple was missing service in order to plan their upcoming wedding! That's right, John-David and Abbie are ENGAGED!
The couple announced their big news on the Duggar family website, sharing cute pictures from the special moment.
Wow! We are engaged! This feels even more real than before! It was a special moment to share together. The proposal and the "˜YES' really solidified that we want to spend the rest of our lives together. One of the most amazing things about following Christ is being able to trust Him to direct your path and lead your life. We are so thankful that He led us to one another. Now we need to start thinking about a wedding!
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar also posted their excitement.
"We are thrilled to announce the engagement of John-David and Abbie!" the statement read. "They are a wonderful match and make a beautiful couple! Abbie is a lovely young woman, full of tenderness and compassion. She has a deep love for the Lord and we are so delighted that John David has asked her to be his wife! We love weddings in this family and can't wait for this next one!"
The Proposal
The actual proposal itself was pretty romantic! John-David, a pilot, set it all up in an airplane hangar. He had a sign that said "Abbie, Will You Marry Me?" along with a pile of rose petals.
The engagement may seem quick, but the couple have known each other for years after meeting through a church event in Oklahoma. They both know that engagement is different than courting, but they're ready.
"Engagement is very different than a courtship because engagement actually says, "˜Okay, I'm committed to this person to marriage for life,'" explained Duggar. "A courtship is more of a I'm getting to know this person with the idea of the possibility of marriage. But now it's actually that commitment towards marriage."
"We've been ready for this step for a little while, but it was really just I had a lot of things I wanted to get done to make it really special," said Duggar. "I don't know if I succeeded or not, but it was a lot of things."
"He succeeded," said Burnett, who works as a nurse.
John-David will be the eighth Duggar child to get married. In case you lost count, here's a refresher:
- Josh Duggar is married to Anna Duggar (neé Keller), and they have three sons and two daughters
- Jill Duggar is married to Derick Dillard, and they have two sons
- Jessa Duggar is married to Ben Seewald, and they have two sons
- Jinger Duggar is married to Jeremy Vuolo, and they have one daughter
- Joseph Duggar is married to Kendra Duggar (neé Caldwell), and they have one son
- Josiah Duggar is married to Lauren Duggar (neé Swanson)
- Joy-Anna Duggar is married to Austin Forsyth, and they have one son
Jana Duggar, John-David's twin sister, is still not courting anyone, but she's trying to accept that sometimes things take time.
"I don't really know what the next five years look like," she said after her sister Joy-Anna announced her pregnancy. "I guess in some ways [I've] got hopes and dreams like, 'Well, maybe I'll meet the one, and get married and have kids.' I'm not just out to get married to the first one that comes along. I mean, sometimes it can be tempting. ... [Especially] in those moments where your siblings, who are married and have little ones, are going out on dates and doing their things."