Being reared by her grandparents who were respected
members of the community, Gaváta (Vá) lived in a fine
home, had lots of love, attended good schools, and had
everything she needed—everything except her mother,
Regina. A seasoned crack addict, Regina came in and out
of Vá's life, and each time that she arrived lurking nearby
was a shadow of some sort of deceit, conflict and trouble.
Trouble that Vá found herself caught up in at a young age, as she learned
first to steal to support her mother's habit, which eventually took her own
life on a downward spiral.
Sexual abuse soon followed and Vá's life to continue to lose footing. By
junior high, trouble seemed to find her quickly, and the root of that trouble
was usually sex, money, men, or relationships. She eventually became a
fifteen-year-old mother who was making the worse decisions of her life.
Both Regina's and Vá's illegal activity landed them in the bowels of the
streets enduring the consequences thereof, but thankfully this was only the
start of the story.
Get Yourself Together First: Events from the Diary of a Child of a Crack Addict
by Gaváta is a powerful story of the depths of sin and the height and power
of God's grace and mercy. This mother and daughter change their lives;
they overcome their demons to live a healthy life in Christ. The takeaway
for readers is this: the power of emotional healing, restoration, love and
forgiveness is alive and well.
This book is written for a mature audience, as some content is explicit.
