About NLQ

March 7, 2019

Dear Friends,

Over the ten years that I’ve been involved with No Longer Quivering, the site had gone through changes. The whole landscape of all things Quiverfull shifted as people learned what Quiverfull meant as its leaders (Bill Gothard, Voddie Baucham, Doug Phillips, etc.) rose and fell. That shift changed the nature of the things we discussed here at NLQ.

Most people do not know about other factors that drastically changed the blogging world and how that changed the requirements for writers who use blogging platforms. Major internet-wide changes in Google’s analytics and algorithms that track website views accounts for shifts in this evolving medium. Even Facebook has had to adapt so that it wouldn’t be left behind as the social media world changes.

Sometimes when changes take place you must also stop looking back and only consider what moves you forward. Our old Quoting Quiverfull feature changed, requiring us to expand them into longer articles. Google’s blog ranking system even changed our practice of publishing other authors who wrote important information on their own blogs that the readers of NLQ could also read here. While I miss those days, we only move forward.

Vyckie Garrison did a praiseworthy, amazing thing when she started NLQ. At that time there weren’t many outlets for women in particular who’d been spiritually abused to congregate and feel supported in their struggles to recover. During the first three years of NLQ Vyckie helped many women while the site changed and evolved. There would not be an NLQ without the vision, drive and hard work of Vyckie Garrison.

Nine years ago when Vyckie began experiencing increased health struggles I took over the day to day duties at the site. We moved to the Patheos platform shortly thereafter and the journey of No Longer Quivering took the site to a different place from it’s starting point. As many others also know, the changes in web traffic analytics also turned blogging into a labor of love only, dropping the profits down to 5% of what blogging once paid. At that point, Vyckie decided to move on from NLQ, and I took over all aspects of it as I worked with Patheos to keep up with their changes and growth.

No Longer Quivering’s path is poised for change yet again. As all of you know nearly two years ago I packed up everything I owned and moved to Pacific coast of Costa Rico. Six months ago I had a minor stroke. Both of these things were very bad to deal with, meaning I had to struggle and forge a new reality for myself. I’ve cried during my personal journey many times now, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

For a time I considered shuttering No Longer Quivering, handing it off to someone else, a host of options because my passion waned in the middle of my life challenges. But I have decided to do neither. I will be changing things up, bringing in different people to help, working with unique voices to bring their perspectives to NLQ. I’ve meet and been friends with a group of wonderful Christian women that oppose some of our most unBiblical female cultural enforcers. They may make an appearance.

My participation with No Longer Quivering was never about money. The small and ever dwindling amounts one can earn writing aren’t enough to support anyone. Writing must be about more than earning money. You must have passion for writing, for your subject, or you’ll never be able to keep moving forward.

During the last nine years at No Longer Quivering Vyckie and I have been like two streams, flowing side by side, coming together at times, diverging at others. Over the years, the streams have flowed away from one another until I’m standing literally a continent away. That is a good thing as it’s healthy to change, grow and move on.

Vyckie Garrison has a strong voice, and has advocated for abused women for many years. I’m sure she’ll continue to exercise her voice for the benefit of others and wish her well as she does so. I look forward to seeing what path she takes in helping others in the arena of recovery from abuse. We’ve shifted away from abuse stories at NLQ but wish Vyckie nothing but the best as she forges a new path.

Thank you for being part of our journey, for the many wonderful thought-provoking comments and friendship. It’s meant a lot to me personally. I love you all.

Suzanne E. Titkemeyer

Below is more information on the beginnings of NLQ.

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Who are we and why are we no longer quivering?

Vyckie Garrison started No Longer Quivering to tell the story of her “escape” from the Quiverfull movement. For many years Vyckie lived the Quiverfull lifestyle, seeking to have as many ‘blessings’ (babies) as the Lord would allow her. Vyckie suffered high risk pregnancies and soon found she couldn’t continue on any longer, realizing the damage this type of religious lifestyle can bring about. It took a near tragedy for Vyckie to see her way out.

Suzanne Titkemeyer found Vyckie and the entire NLQ community after her own disastrous years in Quiverfull. Unlike Vyckie she was unable to bear more than two children, but found herself equally broken after many miscarriages and the cruelty of those surrounded her in her faith community.

It is not uncommon in Quiverfull to find oneself going against medical advice and nearly losing one’s life on several occasions. Most of us here did all the right things while attempting to birth a quiver of mighty warriors, all the proper things that fundamental patriarchy deems a righteous quivering woman should do. Home schooling, supporting the principles of the Quiverfull movement, raising obedient Christian children and submitted to our husbands. Until we just couldn’t any longer.

Over time, NLQ has developed into a valuable resource of information regarding the deceptions and dangers of the Quiverfull philosophy and lifestyle. Several more former QF adherents are now contributing their stories to NLQ and our collective voice makes these Quiverfull warnings impossible to dismiss or ignore.

The chorus of voices here speak of a different reality than those from the pulpit. It’s about kid collecting, self-righteousness, self-sacrifice and control along with a host of other things. A sort of perverse collective narcissism that demands you chuck all logic and reason.

Forum Member Jemand said it best – “What the quiverfull movement doesn’t have is satisfaction. It casts itself as only looking for “blessing” but in many cases it seems to go far beyond that to reach the collectors’ mentality which bespeaks more of greed, grabbing for every child you can, and if you don’t do that, you fail spiritually. It’s an insidious teaching and my only regret in accepting my atheism is knowing that there will be no ultimate reckoning where those who promoted and gained from this teaching do not face what they have created and see it for what it really is. The quiverfull movement claims to welcome every child, but it never allows you to be happy with just what you have already. Satiety and peace are foreign to it.”

NLQ is a gathering place for women escaping and recovering from spiritual abuse. It’s a safe place of mutual understanding and healing. We support one another in our struggles to recover from the spiritual abuse we’ve suffered while trying to be good little Quiverfullers.

You can always connect with NLQ on Facebook and Twitter

You can contact No Longer Quivering through Suzanne Titkemeyer at suzanne.calulu@gmail.com.

There is no “You” in Qivering

NLQ Recommended Reading …

Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment‘ by Janet Heimlich

Quivering Daughters‘ by Hillary McFarland

Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement‘ by Kathryn Joyce