The day of my father's funeral, my brother expelled me from the family as my other family members stood by and did nothing. He was right about one thing. I had made some bad choices for which I would pay dearly. Divorce, abuse, abortion, excommunication, chronic illness, homelessness, death, bankruptcy, sibling rivalry, adultery, single parenthood, drug addiction, low self-esteem, depression--some people suffer from one or several of these in their life; others deal with them daily. What makes the story in When Ties Break different, exceptional, and inspirational is that the author has lived through each one of these challenging, sometimes terrifying problems. Through God's help and her own courage and perseverance, Margaret not only thrived after loss but came out on top with a new energy, a renewed spirit, and a sense of worth.