Unconditional

In Unconditional, Suzanne Roragen shares her journey of parenting her rebellious teenage son—and how she fought to save him from self-destruction.

How far would you go to save your wayward child from the edge of the abyss?

After the long-awaited birth of Suzanne Roragen’s son, Nick, her life took on new purpose and meaning. As her husband’s military career moved them across the country and the world, she poured herself into her relationship with her child, infusing as much carefree fun as possible into every experience. On the carousel of new locations, she was his loudest cheerleader, staunchest advocate, and most steadfast source of stability.

But as Nick transitioned into his teen years, the seemingly unbreakable bond they shared was tested to the breaking point. Throughout high school and college, he slipped further into destructive behaviors, and further away from her. During the years-long ordeal, Suzanne struggled to maintain her grip on her son—and on her sanity. Would Nick’s rebellion destroy him? Or would it destroy her first?

Ultimately, Suzanne acknowledged that as an imperfect parent raising an equally imperfect human, conflict with her child, and the subsequent heartbreak, were inevitable. But as she’d learn, the journey teaches us not only about ourselves and our shortcomings but also about the Heavenly Father who loves His children unconditionally.

Regardless of your current season of parenting—whether you’ve had your share of turmoil and parenting failures or your child is approaching the teen years—Unconditional will give you hope and remind you that grace, forgiveness, and love can allow you to emerge on the other side of the struggle.