c. 2008 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) Anyone who has watched “Jon and Kate Plus 8” on TLC has seen Jon and Kate Gosselin attempt to create some semblance of order and peace in a house of eight energetic kids _ one set of 8-year-old twins, and one set of 4-year-old sextuplets.

The Gosselins’ new book, “Multiple Blessings” highlights their test of faith as they faced infertility, the birth of their twins Cara and Mady, and their sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel.

Kate, 33, grew up in a non-denominational church, and Jon, 31, was raised Catholic. The family now attends an Assembly of God church. Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Anyone watching your house on TV might describe it as controlled chaos, yet your kids are remarkably polite. How do you instill values in your kids?

A: It’s important. Manners are important. Jon and I are not always perfect displays of that. I don’t think any parents are. I get a million requests a day of “Mommy fill my cup!” And I won’t fill it until they say “Please Mommy, will you fill my cup.”

Q: What do you do to talk to your kids about faith or God?

A: Jesus, God, he’s in everything. The kids will say “Who made that?” and I’ll say “Jesus made it.” So now the kids walk around the house saying “Jesus made my shirt. Jesus made this house.” Their at this fun age where they know when they’re afraid of the dark that Jesus is there to protect them. God is in control and he’s the one there to help me through this day and it’s really why we could do what we are doing.

Q: When you initially set out to have kids, you wrestled with infertility. What did you say to God during those times?

A: I was busy trying to control my own life. I knew God was there controlling it but I had trouble owning it. I was trying to do it on my own. But, by God’s grace I got pregnant. I hadn’t learned the lesson I think he had wanted me to learn.

The second (pregnancy) was too big for us. I try to control everything _ you know that if you watch our show _ but I am not in control. God is, and he’s there.

So when people ask for infertility advice, I tell them that it’ll happen in God’s timing and you have to accept it.

Q: You say in the book that you relied on science to treat the infertility, but yet had to place your faith in “the sovereign plans of an almighty God.” What did that experience teach you?

A: It taught me that these things can work, but the bottom line is God. Science can only do so much. The outcome is God’s decision, which is why I think people around me struggled with me having sextuplets. This is what God chose for us.

Q: First you had twins, and then sextuplets. So God must have a really funny sense of humor.

A: People joked that way. The way I look at it, many people learn experiences through horrible, horrible things, but God chose babies to teach us ours.

Q: On those days when eight kids are driving you absolutely nuts, what do you ask God for?

A: Obviously patience, but you’re never supposed to pray for patience. I do lose my temper. When you yell in my house, it’s because you have to, but we are trying to not yell unless we absolutely have to. I’ve given up hoping for quiet because it’s never going to happen when you have eight kids.

Q: You talk in the book about “praying in a new way.” What do you mean by that?

A: I think I realized that our prayers are real. I had been praying that maybe, sorta, kinda, some of the babies wouldn’t be on the ultrasound. But after we saw them, we were praying for every single one of our babies. We walked out of there totally and completely different; our focus was completely different, our prayers were completely different.

Q: Do you have a favorite Bible verse that helps you get through the crazy days?

A: Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 40:31 _ the one that says those who hope in the Lord will run and not grow weary. Unending strength, that’s what I need.

Q: Some viewers might be shocked by the blunt honesty you show in your marriage, and in the book you describe it at one point as a “thin crust of ice on a frozen pond.” How has your faith helped you keep it together?

A: It’s the reason we are still together. Stress, as much as it can pull you apart, it can also pull you together. Thank God that he pulled us together. Even though you can see Jon and I be gruff and grouchy with each other, he’s the only one that’s been there from the beginning. At the end of the day he’s the only one who really understands.

Q: If there was one lesson that you hope your kids would carry with them the rest of their lives, what would it be?

A: All of them: God is in control. Trust him. He loves you. Give him the glory and the praise. If they could take those lessons in life, they will do well. My hope is that Jon and I can show them even just one small thread of each of those lessons as an example.

KRE/RB END MCGLONE950 words

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