Welcome,

I'm so happy you're here

Now Available

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 Home?

house
Thinking About Home During our formative years, beginning in infancy and ending when we finally fly the coop, we are influenced by our family.  As we take the time to regard our formative years instead of disregarding them, then we understand ourselves a little better. Understanding ourselves a little better can lead to making more…

Why Bother Regarding Character?

Never Settle For A Ripple When You Can Make A Wave
Character Traits During our formative years, beginning in infancy and ending when we finally fly the coop, we are shaped by our family. The choices we make as adults are strongly influenced by how we were raised.  When we take the time to regard our childhoods instead of disregarding them, then we can understand why…

Why Bother Understanding the Differences?

group of people standing near a old car
Understanding the Differences We are better adults if we can understand that each sibling and parent relationship is different. No two are the same. No two are equal.   Of course the relationship that I had with Mom and Dad was different from the relationship my brothers and sisters experienced. Though I didn’t get around to…

Blog Categories

An Elderly Women Eating Salad in the Kitchen
Communication
two women walking together outdoor during daytime
Relationships
Family
Woman Sitting on Gray Rock Near Body of Water
Mental Health
Person Jogging
Health
selective focus photography of woman holding yellow petaled flowers
Faith