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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 to Lighten Our Load?

man on top o a mountain
Unlike a pack animal, humans are not made to be beasts of burden and yet, sometimes we act as though we are. Life is hard, but the choices we make can make our lives harder or easier.   Keeping Our Life Light  I used to have a neighbor who was more than a good neighbor,…

Why Bother Selecting?

woman at the beach with a hat
How we live our lives is based on the selections we make. In turn, these selections shape our lives. The freedom to choose who and what influences our decisions is nothing to take for granted, rather to be considered carefully.    The Consequence of Our Selections By far, the most life changing, transformative and relevant…

Why Bother Loving Yourself?

photo of 2 girls with their nose touching
When we know how to love ourselves, we will know how to love others.   Be Nice How well do I treat myself? Do I respect myself as well as someone else? It would seem that we would automatically take care and handle ourselves as we would a good friend, but sometimes we are our…

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Communication
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Relationships
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Mental Health
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Health
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Faith