| Why exactly did Jen and Rachel go south? Because up until the respective Hollis and Hatmaker divorces, they were pretty BFF-ish. |
| Can someone please explain the Hollis story to me in a nutshell? I’m only vaguely familiar with them |
| The two couples were buddy buddy once upon a time. Traveled together and endorsed each other. Similar platforms of “semi-faith based” marriage and family life with working moms at the center. Divorces happened roughly about the same time and seemingly for similar reasons, except Rachel was rumored to be the Hollis cheater. Dave and Jen would later allude on social media to their shared experiences and how they loved talking to each other about all the details and opinions they couldn’t share publicly. Not sure if Brandon kept in touch with Rachel or Dave at all, but Rachel and Jen seemed to be done with public acknowledgment of each other. That likely makes it tricky for Jen now in figuring out how to respond to Dave’s death. |
So true, and Dave had been in rehab last year related to alcohol. I'm not suggesting anything nefarious, just noting he apparently had heart issues along with this. Still, he was so young and it's very sad and I feel for his family, especially the kids. |
| Jen posted. It’s “Jen and Dave”-focused as predicted above. And it mentions his “family” as a whole, but not Rachel (who’s an ex, so that’s not odd or inappropriate to omit her — but if Jen and Rachel were still close, it would have made sense to say something to the effect of “holding my dear friend Rachel in deepest thoughts and care as she figures out how to love their beautiful children through grieving their father’s death. Divorce is complicated on many levels, but there are shared memories and experiences and responsibilities and human-children that always connect people — even in loss — or maybe especially in loss.” |
I’m from the Franklin TN area where Gwen’s church grew and she was infamous around here, probably much like I’d imagine Jen is in Buda. This is a very interesting comparison, including how their preached messages changed with passing years, and their divorces and strange next partners, and people questioning their parenting, and even how looks changed over time for each of the women too. Intense, both of them. Just, wow. |
Please don't start with the anti vaxxer crap again! |
Just ignore it. The rest of us did. Don’t feed the trolls. |
| Where is a photoshopped image of Gwen’s hair on Jen’s face when you need one?! Might be the levity this day needs. |
Oh. I'm out of it. I thought you-know-what was suicide. |
I can picture it. And even imagine Jen trying it. Being from Texas, she’d probably pull it off though. |
| She alluded to nasty behavior in private with Tyler that would get them both canceled (Grand Marais video with him) and now in the post devoted to Dave. You don’t have to think she’s a nasty person, she tells you! The sassy, sweet sister Jen feels so phony because it is. Girl wash that facade off your face! |
| Being unfamiliar with Dave Hollis, I looked him up on Facebook. He has 135,000 followers, but he only follows one person. Heidi Powell. Is that his girlfriend or just a workout lady of whom he’s a huge fan? Or his personal trainer? They don’t seem to be in each other’s posts. Just curious as they are all new to me. His photos and writings about his kids and even the holiday post about divorce are all very nice. |
Me too. Especially because today was his birthday. |
Indeed. Jen Hatmaker and Rachel Hollis and Tyler Merritt (and Gwen Shamblin Lara too! LOL, good call!!!) were definitely all cut from the EXACT SAME narcissistic and predatory cloth. Dave Hollis and Brandon Hatmaker were separately cut from their own same-cloth; one that is far less opportunistic and fake, but still a little bit of both. More likely just family-men who got dragged into influencer-world by their wives and then started to enjoy it. Still, these two managed to keep some sense of self-awareness and touch with reality, unlike that first batch of nonstop yikes. |