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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 Knowing Where to Place Our Faith?

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Faith Faith is having the confidence to place our hope where we are assured that something good awaits us. Can we misplace our faith? I know that sometimes I have. Quite a few years ago, when our oldest son was a teenager, he started down a path contrary to the one we’d hoped for him…

Why Bother Being a Continuous Learner?

Why Bother Sharing Your Story?
Continuous Learner I am a yoga and swim instructor. I teach others what I know, but at the same time, I continue learning from other instructors. How come? I can honestly say, because I don’t know it all. I will never know everything there is to know about yoga or swimming. There is always something…

Why Bother Investigating Our Hurts?

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Our Hurts Emotional hurts are as inevitable as having a rock hit our windshield while driving down the highway of life. When the hurt happens, we have two choices. We can investigate the damage, or ignore the incident all together. Either choice has its consequences. Frankly, when I hear that awful sound of a rock…

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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