Jana Duggar's Sparkly Accessory Has Fans Speculating About Her Relationship Status

The famous Duggar family of "19 Kids & Counting" has changed a lot since their show first premiered in 2008. Back then, most of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's children were young teens, tweens, and toddlers; now the youngest, Josie, is almost 15. The "counting" has also continued rapidly, with the announced grandchild total currently at 32 at the time of writing. (It's believed there may be some Duggar grandchildren we don't yet know about.) But oldest sibling Jana Duggar stood out in this big family like a sore thumb...mainly because of her single status. 

At 34, Jana is both the oldest daughter and the oldest sibling still unmarried. Normally, this wouldn't be so unusual, but the Duggars aren't your everyday family. Jim Bob and Michelle raised their children under a conservative Christian sect that encourages young marriages and large housefuls of children.

It was thought that Jana might spend the rest of her life as a singleton, helping out on the family farm and available to babysit her gaggle of nieces and nephews. But a new series of photos she posted on Instagram on July 8 revealed an intriguing detail. The pics, taken during a trip to Charleston, SC, showed Jana sporting a new and very visible ring on her left hand. This, of course, set off a flood of comments amongst the fans. 

The Duggar siblings have traditionally been transparent about their love and family lives. Several of the siblings' weddings were highlighted in the original "19 Kids" series and the spinoff series, "Counting On." Jana Duggar, on the other hand, took an extended social media break and showed no indication she was involved with anyone — until she surprised everyone by showing off her new ring bling. 

"Engagement ring?!! Did I miss something?" one fan commented.  Others raised eyebrows at the man Jana was posing with — and were promptly informed this was her twin brother, John-David Duggar. Some of Jana's other followers think the new jewelry is actually a "purity ring," an accessory representing the wearer's intention to save sex for marriage. Some purity rings do resemble engagement bands, diamond solitaires and all. 

If Jana truly is engaged and took the trip to Charleston with her intended, it makes sense John and his wife, Abbie, would come, too. Rather than casual dating, the Duggars believe in courtship: a period of supervised outings and conversations with the goal of marriage. Courtships can take any length of time, but once a couple decides they've found true love, the wedding usually happens soon after the engagement. Either way, Jana's ring sends a strong message about her commitment — whether it's to another person or to her faith.