"...powerful, inspiring, motivating, and vitally important for families world wide."
Praise for Life Happens - Book
Life Happens caused me to stop and examine my beliefs. Rarely have I met up with someone who so succinctly offers insights into my deepest concerns and helps me see where I sorely lack. But without a guide, mentoring, or modeling, people don't have a clue that they have options to act differently. I probably own and have read over 2500 books as I've considered how others interpret the world. Perhaps I had to live this much of life to recognize how valuable your information is. Your book provides tools that can be keenly and deftly employed to keep my family strong. Thank you, thank you.
- Janet Favero Chambers
President and Founder - National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association
Life happens, doesn’t it? And struggle enters into every life, sometimes nearly overwhelming in its magnitude and intensity. In this insightful and thought-provoking book, Teresa and Taralyn Clark provide us with powerful tools to face personal and family adversity with courage, humor, and grace through story. If you are a member of a family – or a member of the human family – this book is for you: a roadmap to lead you safely (if not unscathed) through the hazards of life.
- Sherry Norfolk
Former Chair - National Storytelling Network, Storyteller, Author, award-winning Teaching Artist
When faced with adversity and hardship, the first feelings are often that of loneliness and despair. In their book, Life Happens: How to Maintain Family Strength and Unity in the Face of Adversity, Teresa and Taralyn share many heartwarming experiences of their own family and those of others that reinforce the powerful message of hope. I highly recommend this book because it teaches families, who have or who will face difficult circumstances that humor, love, touch, and time spent together will triumph over feelings of discouragement and isolation. The result is that families can be fortified through adversity instead of being pulled apart.
- Jared R. Knight
Manager of Programs - Aspen Grove Family Camp
Brigham Young University
Author - 101 Games and Activities to Strengthen Families
Life Happens… is one of those rare books giving us glimpses into the stories of several families persisting and thriving through life’s challenges. The book is filled with sweet moments, love, and laughter. It speaks to the heart, soul and spirit of family as they deal with heartbreaks and find their way through them all. Drawing on faith, courage, love, blessings, and purposeful story sharing they keep going, finding wisdom and inspiration along the way. It is a testament to family and spirit. Everyone will find gems in this book.
- Karen Dietz
Owner - Just Story It
Former Executive Director, National Storytelling Network
Life Happens: How to Maintain Family Strength and Unity in the Face of Adversity takes the reader on an inspiring journey with families who are dealing with the challenge of chronic illness. Rather than being discouraged by their stories, the reader becomes wrapped in the complex web of sorrow, joy, despair, hope, fear, courage and the many other emotions we as human beings feel when faced with the unexpected obstacles of life. Taralyn’s family research experience and Teresa’s gift of storytelling is a happy combination for communicating an important message that can benefit every reader. Life Happens… is a rewarding experience for any reader who loves family and rejoices in hearing a great story. The family storytelling activity suggestions are invaluable for any family.
- Dr. Kari S. Archibald
Department of Health, Recreation and Human Performance
Brigham Young University Idaho
Life Happens… is written in story form, which allows the reader to make their own connections, draw their own conclusions, and take away their own lessons. Taralyn & Teresa's ability to capture their own family history may inspire others to look more closely at and share the stories of their own families and, thus, strengthen those they love. The thread of family strength is evident throughout, and while clearly there were many challenges for so many family members, the common positive link that provided strength was their link to family.
- Dr. Julie M. Hite
Educational Leadership & Foundations
Brigham Young University
Your book was so readable with excellent examples on how families with strength and unity can survive in the face of adversity. Having it in story form made it so easy to follow each family's story. There was so much to touch the heart, lighten your spirit, and bring solace to your soul. I would give it two thumbs up!
- Jana Firth
Volunteer - Utah Fibromyalgia Association, Mother, Grandmother, Sister, and chronic illness Warrior
I felt I was flailing in the rapids. Teresa and Taralyn’s book, Life Happens, pulled me back into the boat and gave me some strategies to survive. The authors teach life lessons with research and real life examples. It is an inspiring, readable book with ah ha moments and truths that are empowering. A not to be missed balm for the soul. Bravo for your courageous work!
- Jan Smith
Storyteller, Educator, andworkshop presenter
- Janet Favero Chambers
President and Founder - National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association
Life happens, doesn’t it? And struggle enters into every life, sometimes nearly overwhelming in its magnitude and intensity. In this insightful and thought-provoking book, Teresa and Taralyn Clark provide us with powerful tools to face personal and family adversity with courage, humor, and grace through story. If you are a member of a family – or a member of the human family – this book is for you: a roadmap to lead you safely (if not unscathed) through the hazards of life.
- Sherry Norfolk
Former Chair - National Storytelling Network, Storyteller, Author, award-winning Teaching Artist
When faced with adversity and hardship, the first feelings are often that of loneliness and despair. In their book, Life Happens: How to Maintain Family Strength and Unity in the Face of Adversity, Teresa and Taralyn share many heartwarming experiences of their own family and those of others that reinforce the powerful message of hope. I highly recommend this book because it teaches families, who have or who will face difficult circumstances that humor, love, touch, and time spent together will triumph over feelings of discouragement and isolation. The result is that families can be fortified through adversity instead of being pulled apart.
- Jared R. Knight
Manager of Programs - Aspen Grove Family Camp
Brigham Young University
Author - 101 Games and Activities to Strengthen Families
Life Happens… is one of those rare books giving us glimpses into the stories of several families persisting and thriving through life’s challenges. The book is filled with sweet moments, love, and laughter. It speaks to the heart, soul and spirit of family as they deal with heartbreaks and find their way through them all. Drawing on faith, courage, love, blessings, and purposeful story sharing they keep going, finding wisdom and inspiration along the way. It is a testament to family and spirit. Everyone will find gems in this book.
- Karen Dietz
Owner - Just Story It
Former Executive Director, National Storytelling Network
Life Happens: How to Maintain Family Strength and Unity in the Face of Adversity takes the reader on an inspiring journey with families who are dealing with the challenge of chronic illness. Rather than being discouraged by their stories, the reader becomes wrapped in the complex web of sorrow, joy, despair, hope, fear, courage and the many other emotions we as human beings feel when faced with the unexpected obstacles of life. Taralyn’s family research experience and Teresa’s gift of storytelling is a happy combination for communicating an important message that can benefit every reader. Life Happens… is a rewarding experience for any reader who loves family and rejoices in hearing a great story. The family storytelling activity suggestions are invaluable for any family.
- Dr. Kari S. Archibald
Department of Health, Recreation and Human Performance
Brigham Young University Idaho
Life Happens… is written in story form, which allows the reader to make their own connections, draw their own conclusions, and take away their own lessons. Taralyn & Teresa's ability to capture their own family history may inspire others to look more closely at and share the stories of their own families and, thus, strengthen those they love. The thread of family strength is evident throughout, and while clearly there were many challenges for so many family members, the common positive link that provided strength was their link to family.
- Dr. Julie M. Hite
Educational Leadership & Foundations
Brigham Young University
Your book was so readable with excellent examples on how families with strength and unity can survive in the face of adversity. Having it in story form made it so easy to follow each family's story. There was so much to touch the heart, lighten your spirit, and bring solace to your soul. I would give it two thumbs up!
- Jana Firth
Volunteer - Utah Fibromyalgia Association, Mother, Grandmother, Sister, and chronic illness Warrior
I felt I was flailing in the rapids. Teresa and Taralyn’s book, Life Happens, pulled me back into the boat and gave me some strategies to survive. The authors teach life lessons with research and real life examples. It is an inspiring, readable book with ah ha moments and truths that are empowering. A not to be missed balm for the soul. Bravo for your courageous work!
- Jan Smith
Storyteller, Educator, andworkshop presenter
Praise for Life Happens - Workshop
You've given me so much to consider! I'll use this information in my work as well as with my family.
Wow. This class was fantastic! I am going to buy their book. They were very well organized, had good visual content, and presented the material so well. I took 3 pages of notes.
Helps to understand how unforseeable events shape our lives and how necessary it is to adapt to the situation and to make the best of it. It showed that even with a bad situation, both good and increased love can result from it.
This was a great class helping us to understand the importance of storytelling in families and the link between the stories we know and our history. It has inspired us to use this as a base for our girls camp theme of 'You are Amazing The Way You Are'. Glad I took the class!
I was sad that I came in late for this one. This focused on the Story@Home aspect of Family History including how FH storytelling can make current families a more cohesive unit and bring coping mechanisms. I look forward to checking over my notes and finding ways to apply this not only at work but also in my personal life. Plus the Clarks were dynamic presenters.