A Fierce Belief in Miracles: My Journey from Rape to Healing and Wholeness

by Anne Reeder Heck

When faced with overwhelming hardship, what we believe makes all the difference. At age twenty-six, Anne Reeder Heck was attacked by a stranger and brutally raped. Years later, still seeking to heal the remnants of this trauma, Anne stands alone in her living room one winter day and claims her desired belief aloud: “This is my year of strength.” Her clear intention results in a phone call; her rapist has been identified―fourteen years after the crime. Offering all the gripping and uplifting details of a story that sparked national interest―Heck appeared on the front page of The Washington Post and was interviewed by Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America―A Fierce Belief in Miracles lights the way for those seeking to heal from life’s traumas by demonstrating the importance of clear intention and trusting inner guidance, and the transformative power of forgiveness.

Genres: Womens, Spirituality, Nonfiction

232 pages, Paperback

Published September 22, 2020

About the author

Anne Heck is a speaker, healer, and artist devoted to inspiring and guiding women to trust themselves, open to their intuitive guidance, and experience the magic of life through ceremony, positive intention, and a creative and curious spirit. At age twenty-six, Anne was brutally raped by a stranger. In her memoir "A Fierce Belief in Miracles," Anne shares her story of healing—demonstrating the importance of clear intention and trusting inner guidance, revealing the transformative power of forgiveness, and lighting the way for those seeking to recover from their own traumas.

Reviews

[Abby Reeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing with an honest and even stunning vulnerability, Anne takes her readers down the gravel road along which she became the victim of a sudden and ruthless rape one day when she was twenty-six years old. But she doesn’t leave us there on that road. A Fierce Belief in Miracles chronicles the path to healing where grief often surfaces and retreats with the changing seasons. While not all victims of rape discover the freedom that is ours when we choose to forgive, Anne does--even forgiveness of a brutal cold-hearted rapist as was hers that day. The strength Anne found to forgive is rare, remarkable, and accessible to us, too, if we remain open to love in the face of adversity. I highly recommend this deeply moving memoir.

[Fairview Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

by Jill
I could not put this book down! A Fierce Belief in Miracles tells a true story of uncommon bravery, strength and transformation of self as a woman grounded in scientific beliefs learns to trust and believe in the guiding presence of Spirit and intuition in her life. Anne Heck writes about her healing journey with warmth, candor and well-chosen details that carry us along flawlessly from horror to hope. Although Anne’s story begins with the trauma of a brutal rape, her healing journey applies to anyone who has ever suffered trauma. She shows that there is always hope, even though it seems impossible to feel it in moments of darkness, and that miracles large and small can happen when you open yourself to the possibility.

[Christine O'Steen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When trauma is transformed into art, there will always be a paradox at play: The art’s existence is beautiful. But it shouldn’t have to exist at all,” Megan Garber wrote in the Atlantic article, “The Paradox at the Heart of Know My Name.”

Anne Reeder Heck’s memoir is just that: trauma transformed into art—the art of rich-textured fabric woven with yes, the dark thread of pain, but also with thick strands of hope, healing, and discovery, and even the glittery sparkle of magic. Her book is a page-turner. I found myself glued to my backyard Adirondack chair, swatting at mosquitos and forgoing dinner in order to finish it. She is a master storyteller, her prose crisp and clear as that of a journalist. She weaves in light anecdotes and builds suspense, creating a narrative that I found riveting and enjoyable. When I finally put Anne’s book down, I was changed: I was inspired by her long pursuit of true healing and reminded by her gentle transparency that truth-telling is powerful. Anne’s well-told story is definitely one worth reading.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to Anne Reader Heck by her “Treasures from the Trail” posts on Facebook (I love looking through her eyes at the beauty and magic in the woods — it’s like looking through my own eyes, only with sharper and more intuitive vision). For months I’ve been reading various posts on her sites about this book, and finally the time had come. Because I am myself a fierce believer in libraries, I requested that “my” 2 libraries purchase the rights to this ebook. The Nashville library promptly responded, and this morning I finished reading. What a tremendous gift. What a hard and wonderful journey Anne has taken me on. Again, the experience has been one of seeing the beauty and magic of injury and healing through Anne’s heart, which has been like looking through my own heart, only with sharper and more intuitive wisdom.

[Jacquetta Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the event that was the start of anne’s journey was traumatic; I feel the path followed and the wholesome outcome is amazingly able to be looked at as uplifting and inspiring. Anne’s words can give us all hope that we can find our way back to being a complete person again after any traumatic life changing event whether it be rape, the death of loved ones, a destroyed marriage, a loss of a child or anything that stole our joy. Her approach to figuring things out and the major role forgiveness plays in solving our heart’s pain is spoken so deeply in her book. Thank you Anne for your bravery in sharing the hardship of your journey but also for sharing your beautiful inspiring way of believing and listening to your inner soul to find your spirit and joy in learning to live again.

[Dori Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling and inspiring story
It’s every woman’s nightmare—a brutal rape by a stranger on a remote gravel road. Yet in this memoir, author Anne Reeder Heck takes us as readers past this nightmare, through a long and uncertain journey of healing, to a safe place. As she shows, every survivor has a unique journey, and hers involves self-defense training, answering calls at a rape crisis center, firewalking, applied kinesiology, soul retrieval, drumming circles, prayer, and creation of hand-made dolls that symbolize emotions. Through it all, she learns to rely on intuition, family, resolve, and inner strength. A compelling and inspiring story that will leave readers with a strong sense of the healing power of miracles.

[Gretchen Cherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of us has known someone who’s been raped. Each of us hopes that it will never be us. Ann Heck’s harrowing and courageous and tale of coming to terms with a rape when she was 26 and finding forgiveness for her perpetrator is both well lined up and provides the reader with a path toward reclaiming one’s love of life and personal joy. I found Ann’s descriptions of the occurrence itself and her movement through the legal process especially moving. The book, while touching on a tough subject, is not tough to read. And her search for her own recovery provides universal markers for any of us who have suffered trauma. Kudos to Ann for bringing her story to light.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Fierce Belief in Miracles” is an honest, intimate, & inspirational exploration of Anne Reeder Heck’s long-term healing journey following sexual violence. As a Survivor myself, I found this book super helpful. I checked it out from the library, but quickly bought my own copy so I could mark it up and make notes.

It is a justifiably well-reviewed memoir that has an important place within the trauma-recovery and healing genre. I saw myself in her words, and that was super-validating for me. I also felt (positively) challenged to look at healing through different lenses and was reminded of the breadth of ways to heal; there is no, definitive cookie-cutter approach.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an incredible story of hope, forgiveness, surrender, strength, and following one's inner guidance. It is so beautifully written, I could hardly put it down- I finished the book in 3 days, which is a very rare occurrence for me!

The author, Anne, is a guiding light. Her book is not so much a story about her experience as it is an inspirational guide in regards to what is possible.

This book is such a beautiful offering from the heart. It is a book about personal alchemy, and is a testament to the power that lies within each of us.

[Marilyn Sue Michel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Heck is very brave in telling her story, especially her recovery and healing. On July 26, 1990, she went down a gravel path, walking her bike. But she could have been on her bike on the nearby paved road, and the monster who attacked her could have hit her with the stolen car he was driving, resulting in even more severe injuries. When a predator is looking for prey, watch out. Heck is much stronger by the end of the book.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Anne Heck’s new book "A Fierce Belief in Miracles," which is a gripping account of her brutal rape by a stranger and her road to physical and emotional recovery over fourteen years of difficult emotional and spiritual work. Heck reveals how she was able to forgive her attacker—and herself—and see her life transformed in the process.

[Sally Cole-Misch · Rating 5 out of 5]

In so many ways, Heck's story is universal for women as we all are threatened with and endure pain, fear and sadness and must fight to regain our sense of self. Her focus on positivity, optimism and turning her experience into growth and happiness provides an essential lesson for all women in today's world.

[Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom is 90 years old and does not use a computer but she wanted me to post how moved she was by A Fierce Belief in Miracles. She cried, she marveled at Anne's strength and determination, she feels that Anne's story transformed her own understanding of forgiveness and gratitude.
We both love this book!

[Elizabeth Hanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book that made me, cry, laugh & brought back wonderful memories with Anne's family growing up. What a courageous story of healing, love & finding one's self. A must read!!! Thank you Anne for sharing your journey.

[Jo Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional journey

Anne's willingness to share her journey of healing is a gift to others. This book is an inspiration for others that are on a path of healing. It is exceptionally well written.

[Liz Kinchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful story of trauma and healing, told with courage, honesty, and grace. Thank you, Anne, for sharing this with the world.