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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 Adopting a Spiritual Parent?

old black and white photo of a man and a kid
Religious Education My parents introduced me to God in the best way they knew how. Both Mom and Dad were raised Catholics, so of course, they raised their offspring in the same way.  Part of the Catholic religion included infant baptism. I have a picture of being held by my Godparents while a gentle stream…

Why Bother With a Tutor?

This picture goes with my post Why bother taking hopeful actions.
Educate Me Please I returned to college in my late forties to earn a bachelor’s degree and a public school teaching certification.  Of all the required courses, I was most challenged with math. Often, while attempting to  read, understand and work my way through equations in a math class, I’d later dissolve into a puddle…

Why Bother to Begin at the Beginning?

brown wooden pathway towards green tall trees
 Beginners I teach different levels of yoga; from beginners, to advanced. The other day, a man came late to one of my advanced classes. I didn’t have time to ask him about his previous experiences with yoga, but while teaching the class, I noticed the grimaces on his face, his gasps for breath and forcing…