{What's On Your Kindle?} Terese Luikens on A Heart's Journey to Forgiveness

 

For Terese Luikens, a picture-perfect childhood it was not. Frequent cross country moves, an emotionally absent mother and an alcoholic father who ends his life by suicide when Terese is just thirteen years old. 

The sixth of seven children, Terese grew up in an unstable and chaotic household–invisible to her mom yet cherished by her father. 

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 live, learn to trust, and discover faith in a real and personal God.  

A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness is available at Amazon.

Book Information

Release Date: November 3, 2022

Publisher:  Redemption Press

Kindle eBook: 4380 KB; $9.99 (FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Journey-Forgiveness-Terese-Luikens-ebook/dp/B0BJXQKDZ8 

 

 

Terese Luikens has been married for forty-four years to the same man, although she is on her third wedding ring, having lost one and worn out another. She lives in Sandpoint, Idaho, enjoys being mother to three grown sons and grandmother to her much-loved grandchildren. She is the author of A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness, a Memoir of her inspiring journey of emotional healing from her father’s suicide. She facilitates retreats and workshops focusing on forgiveness, and publishes her own blog, Why Bother? 

You can visit her website at www.tereseluikens.com.

 

 

Welcome, Terese! Your memoir, A Heart's Journey to Forgiveness, sounds absolutely awesome. Can you tell us the story behind that intriguing title?  

Terese: The title was inspired by the women in my writer’s group. These ladies critiqued my story, chapter by chapter, and when they finished critiquing they helped me come up with a title. The title fits the story because it truly is my heart’s journey to forgiveness. 

After it was written, did you ever have a moment to reflect and almost do a double take on whether you wanted to get your story out there because of the pain you endured during your childhood? 

Terese: I did a double take after it was written because I worried about what my siblings would think. We all shared the same tragedy, our dad’s suicide, but we’d never talked about it. The book actually opened the door for my siblings and I to talk about what we’d never talked about. 

How did you find the strength to write it?

Terese: It was easy to recall and write about the events that surrounded my dad’s suicide, but it was difficult to convey all the emotions that were wrapped around the events. I found the strength to write about those emotions because I knew I had to if I really wanted to write the book. And I really wanted to write the book. 

What part would you say was the hardest to write about?

Terese: Recalling those feelings of how I felt when my dad committed suicide and when my mom lied to me was very difficult. But, I knew that I had to feel what I’d felt so that I could write authentically about those feelings. 

If there was one thing you wanted people to know about your journey, what would that be?

Terese: Unforgiveness is a cumbersome load to carry in life. Resentment, bitterness and anger are the tagalongs of unforgiveness. This bundle binds and impairs us in so many ways. We become emotionally and mentally consumed with thoughts about our offender (s) and we find ourselves alone, lonely and terribly unhappy. But, over time, when we forgive our offender(s) our load lightens and consequently we find joy once again. 

What's next for you?

Terese: I am writing a second book; 52 inspirational writings for those who have survived the loss of a loved one by suicide. Also, I facilitate workshops entitled: Emotional Healing by way of Forgiveness.