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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 Growing?

man on top o a mountain
Expanding Since I am no longer a public school teacher, my life has expanded in ways I never imagined. My days are no longer constrained with a commute to and from work, restrictions imposed by strict standards surrounding the work of a public classroom teacher, or remaining within the confines of a building for 8-10…

Why Bother Considering Our Value?

woman at the beach with a hat
Worth I graduated from high school in 1976 and made one of the largest purchases in my lifetime as a single woman. I bought my first car, a used 1967 Volkswagen. It wasn’t much to look at. It did not sparkle or shine, but it was mine. The motor purred, the transmission was smooth and…

Why Bother Striving Toward Harmony?

black and white photo of three friends
Joyful When… Though my husband and I never discussed the number of children we wanted, we both knew we wanted more than one. About the time I began feeling confident as the mother of one child, we began thinking of trying for our second child.  I harbored a few concerns with having a second child;…

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Communication
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Relationships
Family
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Mental Health
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Health
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Faith