GET YOURSELF TOGETHER FIRST

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.