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For Terese Luikens, a picture-perfect childhood it was not. Frequent moves. An emotionally absent mother and an alcoholic father. Suicide.

The sixth of seven children, Terese grew up in an unstable and chaotic household—invisible to her mom yet cherished by her alcoholic dad, who took his own life when Terese was thirteen years old.

This heartfelt memoir documents the chain reaction of a tumultuous family history. From her stormy childhood to the far-reaching effects of her father’s suicide, Terese shares her inspiring journey to escape the shame of her past, find healing and love, learn to trust, and discover faith in a real and personal God.

Terese Luikens

Meet the Author

Writer Terese Luikens contributes articles for Mother Earth News, The Secret Place, Decision Magazine, The Upper Room, Hearts at Home, and the Epoch Times and publishes her own blog, Why Bother? A schoolteacher and a yoga instructor, Terese lives in Sandpoint, Idaho, with her husband and enjoys being mother to three grown sons and grandmother to her much-loved grandchildren.

Latest Blog Posts

Why Bother Thinking About What We Think About?

Thinking About What We Think About A few years ago I purchased Dr. Caroling Leaf’s book, “Switch On Your Brain Every Day.” Now, I read one of her 365 Brainy Tips every morning. She supports what she writes with a Bible verse, some science, and a dose of practical application.   For instance, today she quoted…

Why Bother Keeping Good Orderly Direction?

bible and a dictionary
A Good Orderly Direction I love reading the quotes I’ve collected over the years. They remind me of the past seasons of my life and in some ways, those quotes still apply to my life today. More than twenty years ago I picked up Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. It was the first time…

Why Bother Understanding Resentment?

man on top o a mountain
Understanding Resentment If you want to read an insightful book about how our body reacts to the emotions we harbor, check out When the Body Says No, by Gabor Maté. One of the statements he makes is about resentment. He says that, “Resentment is soul suicide.”   Resentment is a killer. It causes stress in our…

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