FAITH NEWS SERVICE – A mother’s story of endurance offers hope for families facing mental illness and relentless hardship.
Gilbert, AZ – April 27, 2026 — When the struggle doesn’t ease, and the answers don’t come, many parents and caregivers are left quietly asking how to keep going. In “The 12th Mile: When Hard Becomes Harder Still” (Redemption Press), Louise Ann Gibson shares her deeply personal journey of walking alongside her daughter through chronic mental illness while facing her own health challenges, revealing how God meets us in the moments that demand more than we feel we have left to give.
As conversations around mental health continue to grow, the reality for many families remains isolating, exhausting, and filled with uncertainty. This memoir speaks directly to those carrying the hidden weight of caregiving – parents who feel unseen, whose faith has been stretched thin, and who are searching for both reassurance and a way forward. Through the powerful metaphor of endurance running, Gibson offers a perspective shift: that the hardest seasons are not signs of failure, but places where resilience is formed and God’s presence becomes more tangible than ever.
Hard is not failure. It is formation! A steady and hard-won truth for readers in the middle of their own “harder still.” Gibson underscores that even when outcomes don’t change, a caregiver’s presence matters, and God is faithfully at work in ways they may not yet see.
Blending honest storytelling with spiritual insight, The 12th Mile extends an invitation to weary readers: to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to lift their eyes to Christ, and to discover that even here … especially here … they are not alone.
Louise Ann Gibson’s paperback will be available on April 28, 2026; with the e-book free to download on Amazon for 5 days through May 2, 2026. Early readers are already sharing how much the story has touched them—here’s what a couple of reviewers have said:
Deborah W. France
5 Stars A Different Take on the 12th Mile
A compelling story of how the author grew and learned through her own physical challenges as well as her daughter’s mental health struggles. Louise is open and honest about what she and her family faced. She took up running during this time and she shares how running helped her through those 12th miles. Her faith was also an integral part of the journey. Many chapters include suggestions on how to look further into mental and physical health and how to look up to grow closer to Jesus. The 12th Mile would be especially helpful to anyone in the midst of difficult times.
Kelly
5 Stars Our broken mental health “care”
Louise is a gifted writer. She keeps you turning pages as you learn of the struggles her family endured while walking through the pain of mental illness. In the midst of the story there is a beautiful hope woven through and an obvious deep faith. If the broken mental health “care” system has let you down too, and if you need some fresh hope, you’ll want to read this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Louise Ann Gibson is a passionate storyteller, caregiver, and runner who has spent nearly fifteen years walking alongside her daughter through chronic illness while navigating her own epilepsy diagnosis. With humor, honesty, and faith, she shares how God uses unexpected tools—like running shoes—to equip us for life’s hardest miles. Louise Ann has taught, spoken, and served in schools, churches, support groups, and military bases. She lives in Michigan and loves encouraging weary hearts to persevere.
For interviews, review copies, or speaking inquiries, contact:
Louise Ann Gibson: louiseannruns@gmail.com
Website: www.louiseanngibson.com
