Jim Bob Duggar is the patriarch of the entire Duggar clan. He leads the family in the direction he wishes to go, and his wife submits herself to him. Duggar has been married to his wife Michelle for nearly three decades. The two credit their lasting marriage to having great communication and faith. Everything hasn’t always been sunshine and roses for the Duggars, especially the last two years. Together they have 19 children and six grandchildren.

Recently, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar celebrated their anniversary. The family isn’t big on social media, but they do post on their blog when they have something to share with the world or to praise another member of the family. Duggar took to their family blog to talk about Michelle and their marriage, sharing tips with fans on making it last. According to the Hollywood Gossip, Jim Bob Duggar admitted that after he married Michelle, they decided to use birth control. The couple wanted to wait a while before starting a family, but taking the pill backfired on them. Duggar ended up getting his wife pregnant, and she had a miscarriage. After weighing their options, they decided to stop taking birth control. Now the couple is raising their 19 children and helping out with their grandchildren.

Celebrating 51 years today!! We love you, Jim Bob!! Happy birthday sweetheart!! You are a wonderful husband and a great Father! We are so grateful for your Godly example to us in being a spiritual leader and encourager in each of our lives! I'm so grateful to be married to you!!???? A photo posted by The Duggar Family (@duggarfam) on Jul 18, 2016 at 1:24pm PDT

Fans are shocked by the admission that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar used birth control at all. Their religious views are extreme, and the fact that they took measures in the early days of the marriage to prevent pregnancy has left some people speechless. Social media was buzzing about their hypocritical teachings, especially since they advocate so strongly against birth control. Michelle has openly talked about her experience with miscarriages, and Jim Bob talked about the impact it had on their life and why they decided to forgo using birth control. Duggar and his wife lost a few more pregnancies throughout the years but ended up with 19 beautiful children, some of whom are providing them with grandchildren now.

Sweet Meredith! :) A photo posted by The Duggar Family (@duggarfam) on Jun 14, 2016 at 4:49pm PDT

There has been a lot of talk about Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar in regards to the amount of children they have brought into the world. Since having their show on TLC canceled, there were a lot of questions about how they would make ends meet. Fortunately, TLC decided to pick up Jill & Jessa: Counting On, which has done really well. The girls were featured in a documentary to get their side of the story heard after they were found out to be the victims of Josh Duggar’s unwanted touching. Since then, it appears that the Duggar parents have been shying away from Josh. In the letter Jim Bob wrote about Michelle, he also neglected to mention Josh by name. Could he be the one thing the parents are embarrassed about?

Jill and Jessa: Counting On is returning for another season soon. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have been scarce when it comes to the new show. It appears they are ready to move on with their lives and leave the reality television realm. Their religious beliefs trump money every time, and that is something Jim Bob has been strict about. While many people don’t agree with the way things are handled by the Duggar family, it works for them. They have become more open with their struggles and thoughts in recent years, especially after what happened with their eldest son, Josh. The admission made about birth control seems to have been a big talking point because they represent themselves as heavily religious, and the use of contraceptives goes against everything they believe in. While trying to honor his wife, Jim Bob Duggar inadvertently caused more controversy for his family.

[Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images]