Anna Duggar posted a cryptic message about forgiveness only days before reports surfaced revealing her husband Josh's past as a child molester.
"The three most beautiful and liberating words in the English language are these: 'I forgive you,'" she posted on her Instagram on May 17.
A photo posted by Anna Duggar (@annaduggar) on May 17, 2015 at 10:29am PDT
Four days later, InTouch released the police reports that showed Josh had molested five young girls as a teenager. One of more of his younger sisters may have been victims.
The oldest Duggar child then released a statement apologizing for his past actions. He also explained the steps he took after coming clean to his parents and the police which included counseling.
"I acted inexclusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends," he said in the statement to People.
His parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, and his wife Anna also commented on the report. Josh's wife revealed that he had confessed his "past teenage mistakes" to her two years before he proposed.
"I can imagine the shock many of you are going through reading this. I remember feeling that same shock," she stated. "For Josh, he wanted not just me but my parents to know who he really was -- even very difficult past mistakes."
Josh and Anna have three children and a fourth one on the way.
The same day Anna posted her quote about forgiveness, Josh also posted a quote to his Instagram by Sam Houston, the former Texas governor and military hero, about doing the right thing. "Do right and risk the consequences," the quote read.
A photo posted by Josh Duggar (@joshduggar) on May 17, 2015 at 4:31pm PDT
Josh has resigned his position with the Family Research Council. TLC and Hulu have pulled his family's show, "19 Kids and Counting," from their programming but the show has not been cancelled.
