Taking My Life Back

My Story of Faith, Determination, and Surviving the Boston Marathon Bombing

By: Rebekah Gregory, Anthony Flacco - contributor

Narrated by: Rebekah Gregory

On April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory and her five-year-old son waited at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to support a friend who was running. When the blasts of terrorists' homemade bombs packed with nails and screws went off three feet away, Rebekah's legs took the brunt of the blast, protecting her son from certain death. Eighteen surgeries and 65 procedures later, her left leg was amputated.

Despite the extraordinary trauma she underwent and the nightmares she continues to have, Rebekah sees it as just another part of her personal journey, a journey that has led her through abuse, mistakes, and pain and into the arms of Jesus. This stirring memoir tells the story of her recovery, including her triumphant return to Boston two years later to run part of the race, and explores the peace we experience when we learn to trust God with every part of our lives - the good, the bad, and even the terrifying.

Listeners will be moved by the joyous way Rebekah is determined to live her life, seeing every obstacle as part of how God forms us into the people we are meant to be. Listeners will also find comfort in the message that it's not what they can or can't do that makes the difference, but rather what God, in his mercy, does through them despite it all. Life is hard, but with God all things are possible.

©2017 Rebekah Gregory (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A story of courage, inspiration, determination and faith

Rebekah read this as she lived it. From her days in the hospital, her stories of her childhood, her recovery and family life, were all presented in a way which made you feel as though you were right there with her. Times of fear, sorrow, joy and faith- she shared it all. Thank you for allowing us to hear your story.

Taking my Life Back

I thought this was wonderful. Rebekah’s life is compelling, full of agony, disappointment, fear, hope, love and she reveals her unwavering love for our lord, Jesus Christ. I’m so glad I choose this book as my first read, as a new below the knee, left leg amputee.
Thank you Rebekah. YOU ARE a warrior, a champion, brave and a true believer.
God bless you.

Most inspiring story of hope esp in Christ

Never giving up, never giving up hope in the midst of crisis amd holding up to faith was a super read! Graceful voice of Rebbeca makes it even better, bless you amd yoir family, beautiful marration giving hope to a wicked world!!!….loooooved it

Beautiful!

What a beautiful story of overcoming life's obstacles, growth, & refusing to be a victim. Rebekah's story is inspiring and told in a way that makes you feel like you are having a conversation with her.

A Road Honestly Traveled

Rebekah Gregory was one of those whose life was forever changed by the bomb blast at the Boston Marathon. This is her story of upheaval, survival, learning and thriving. She shares amazing acts of kindness, answered prayer, timing gratitude, and even the attacks she underwent after the bomb blast by those who decided all of the victims of the blast were "faking it".

It is a story of courage in the midst of fear, mistakess and successes and overcoming with grace and gratitude.

All glory to God

I’m thankful Rebekah included how very important her relationship with Jesus is . It is so evident that she couldn’t have faced all these trials alone. I wished she would have included some of the scripture she found helpful. I thank her for the encouragement to not give up.

Powerful

What a powerful amazing story you shared of strength joy, loss, loves and new beginnings . I thank you for sharing your hear and soul and your small part in the big world

What a story!!

It was like pulling teeth for me to stop listening to this when I had other obligations, such as work. Wowza!! Rebekah is such a trooper and so is Noah. This book is the epitome of the saying that you don't realize how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. She had to be strong. More importantly, Noah gave Rebekah a reason to want to push forward and she did. She really did! She talks a lot about irony and ironically, Rebekah would not have accomplished nearly as much in life as she already has in my opinion, had she not been injured so severely. She would not have had much more of a story to tell than the rest of us, let alone become a booked up motivational speaker! Like she said, there are always silver linings and she managed to find quite a few, even after having an amputation. Rebekah truly is an inspiration to me and obviously so many others! "Dangle time" is my new thought whenever I start becoming depressed. Five minutes of dangle time made Rebekah giddy. If a mere five minutes out of a 24 hour period can do that much for a person, then my complaints and difficulties are completely unfounded. Thank you, Rebekah. I'm just an average woman who has never done anything extraordinary, but I also have never been injured badly enough to convince myself that I can and unfortunately, that extreme is a requirement for some of us to take that leap. No one willingly requests to endure Rebekah's injuries but we all want to accomplish great things. She has done well and I firmly believe that her "silver linings" will continue because she has been such a blessing and a breath of fresh air to so many others who desperately need it, including myself. Her story is incredible!! God obviously still has a plan and purpose for Rebekah, Noah, and Chris. I am in awe of her faith. ♡

A must read

I'm so thankful to have come across this book. Rebecca is a very talented writer. She is able to make you feel the pain, the joy, and struggles of life. She then shows the strength that god gave her to get through all the struggles of her life (which are much more than the dating of the bombing). A truly Inspiring book of the difficulties of life and how God is faithful.

Honesty is the best policy

This book was one of the best Christian books I have read in a while. Rebekah does not paint the Christian life as sun shine and rose and white picket fences. She is honest and listing to her story encourages you saying your not alone with some of the thoughts and feelings you face daily, like doubt and fear and trust and so much more. Also her victim statement during the trial was powerful! Most do not understand that yes God is a God of forgiveness, which she states, but if there is no remorse for ones actions or no repentance God is also a God of judgment. She so perfectly and clearly conveyed that in her victim statement before the court in the Boston bombing trial.

The only negative thing I would say is that the book is read extremely slow, so I listened to the book at X1.5 the speed.