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I Will Not Be Broken- 5 Steps of Overcoming a Life Crisis


Book Review
By: Shelia Whorton

Jerry White wrote this inspiring book which provides a strategic plan for overcoming life crisis. In his book, he writes about his journey of overcoming his personal crisis. After stepping on a landmine at the young age of 20, the author loss his leg and nearly his life. Jerry White also enlists the experiences and support of numerous survivors, each of which contributed to this to success of this book. These include Lance Armstrong, John McCain, Nelson Mandela, the late Princess Diana, and numerous unsung survivors who have successfully redefined their lives after catastrophe and unwelcome experiences. Among these contributors are his mother, sister, and close friends Fritz and David (who were with him when the tragedy occurred and saved his life).

I Will Not Be Broken was written with a deep personal awareness of the struggles and difficulties one endures after a life altering crisis. The author notes that one of the most devastating things about the trauma is losing control and dignity. He successfully examines what to do after a crisis, how to redefine our lives, stop living in the past and respond to our new reality with resilience. He writes with force, yet sensitivity, that you must stop feeling sorry for yourself, be strong, believe in yourself and others, and plan to overcome your life crisis. As he writes, “Once you have a plan, you have hope”.

The author writes about his reliance on his faith and people as pivotal aspects in the success of redefining his life, purpose, and learning to live life to the fullest. He shows that by giving back to others, one can do more than live, but thrive in life.

In this book, Jerry White offers insight from experiences as far reaching as Cambodia (a young Cambodian girl with one leg) to, New Orleans (a twenty-six year old Hurricane Katrina survivor), emphasizing that trauma happens to all of us. We all will have a date with disaster. He also includes the experiences of family and friends.

He utilizes the teaching of the bible, statistical research, Alcoholic Anonymous, American Psychology Association, and numerous other references in reaching the goal of his book, and, he does so expertly.

I enjoyed reading this book and agree with the author’s premise: to overcome life tragedies, we must first face the fact the life we knew it has changed. We must choose to live, reach out to family and friends, “no one survives alone,” get moving, “If you want to move, push,” and give back.

With experiencing the deaths of my parents and four of my twelve siblings, I can relate to Jerry White’s experiences as well as the stories of other survivors included.

I would recommend this book not only to those experiencing a loss or tragedy, but to anyone wanting to reassess his or her life. In 201 pages, White provides what we need to know so that we may grow from our past, and welcome the future. While this book was about overcoming a life crisis, it was also about true friendship, faith, trust, and love for our fellow man.

This book provided me with a fresh outlook.


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