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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 Establishing Forgiveness as Our Mindset? Part 2

black and white photo of kids near a christmas tree
Our Mindset  A mindset is a pattern of thought we establish with ourselves. It is how we’ve decided to think about something. Our mindset is based on what we believe to be true. The only time our mindset changes is when we decide that what we once thought of as true, is not.  I’ve learned…

Why Bother Establishing Forgiveness as Our Mindset?

Our Mindset A mindset is a pattern of thought we establish with ourselves. It is how we’ve decided to think about something. Our mindset is based on what we believe to be true. The only time our mindset changes is when we decide that what we once thought of as true, is not.  I’m not…

Why Bother Giving Up Hope for a Better Past?

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A Better Past? “Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a better past,” is a quote from Lilly Tomlin. I have no idea what her past was like, but this quote reminds me that forgiveness is about our present reality, not what happened in our past.  I know from experience, that trauma is nothing that…

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