Saturday, October 10, 2020

Cross Addicted (1)

About the Book

Paula was broken, traumatized, and bound by many addictions, but today she is free. And that is God’s desire for you, too!

Paula Jauch’s life was controlled by trauma and addiction. Born into neglect and addiction, she inherited self-destructive patterns and emotional prisons she could not escape She experimented with crack at age thirteen, became pregnant at fifteen, was initiated into a Hispanic gang, and bore her second child by the time she was eighteen. Starved for acceptance and worth, she began cutting her body, and developed a near-fatal disorder for twenty years.

Cross Addicted follows Paula’s raw, stumbling journey toward freedom. You will find renewed hope and practical steps of recovery.

Recognize that there is nothing wrong with you.
Learn how to forgive yourself and others.
Understand addiction and trauma and the healing process through recovery.
Find freedom by understanding what Jesus did on the cross.

Click here to get your copy!

MY REVIEW

Reading this book was difficult for me because of personal reasons. I appreciate how the author was very open with all she went through. It is easy to understand how trauma and addiction can cause your life to spin out of control. It’s a vicious cycle of trying to run from the pain yet wanting someone to love and accept you. For some of us we feel damaged and therefore not good enough for a healthy relationship.

Like the author, I feel like I missed my childhood. Oh I remember every detail of it, but it was far from a normal happy childhood. I’m not sure I totally agree with this statement from the author, “Children, who have experienced trauma in their lives from any kind of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or who have grown up in addiction are usually confused about what they have seen or what has happened to them.”I have never been confused about what happened to me so I think that statement is more of a broad one that is something she believes. I do know that our mind protects us from trauma that is very difficult . It is a way to protect us from reliving a very traumatic event but at some point it will come out. That is when we need to be prepared.

I did like how the author uses scripture to guide readers to the Word and help heal our broken hearts. Survivors of abuse and addiction heal in different ways. We may seek out professional help, group support or other resources. Theses are all good and help us realize we are not alone. The author writes a book with great encouraging words and through her testimony will reach others who feel hopeless and alone.

As I finished the book I stopped to pray. I wanted to pray from this woman who has exposed an ugliness the world tries to hide and shares God with us as a place of refuge and hope. Her prayers at the end of each chapter are good and I like that she suggests we seek help so we can heal. The enemy would like nothing more than for us to stay where we are, but God wants to heal us and set us free from bondage of our past.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

About the Author

Paula Jauch’s life experience enables her speaking and writing to empower people from all walks of life. She shares her inspirational story all around the world through speaking and radio. Her goal is to carry this message to the forefront. She loves encouraging and motivating her audiences to live a life of freedom in Christ. She is a happily married mother of four and a proud Nana. In her spare time, you might find her at a favorite Mexican restaurant. Paula lives in West Michigan.

Paula’s work experience led her to realize she needed healing from childhood trauma after growing up in abuse and addiction. After she graduated from an alternative education high school and had two children by age eighteen, her heart was drawn to jobs to help children like herself. She worked seven years at the Juvenile Court Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, and five years at the Clark County Department of Family Services, as a juvenile service assistant, working with troubled teens. In 2004 she relocated to Terre Haute, Indiana, where she worked for two years at Gibault Inc., as a youth specialist, working with teen boy sex offenders. After leaving the Gibault home, she worked a few months at the Vigo County Courthouse as a bailiff, but decided to leave her job when it became uncomfortable, because her family name was well known in the court system.

What she learned through all of her work experience is that if these kids didn’t get the proper help they needed, they would get involved in a gang, addicted to drugs or alcohol, land in prison, or even face death. Paula knew she was being called to take a step of faith and action and get the help she needed so she could help others who experienced similar childhoods.

Even though Paula’s story and passion centers around youth, men and women of all ages will be inspired by her story of restoration. Connect with Paula www.paulajauch.com or follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @paulajauch.

More from Paula

Why did you write the book?

After graduating from an alternative education high school and having two children by the age eighteen, my heart was drawn to jobs to help children like myself. I started out by working seven years at a Juvenile Court Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, and five years at the Clark County Department of Family Services, as a juvenile service assistant, working with troubled teens. In 2004, I relocated to Terre Haute, Indiana, where I worked for two years at Gibault Inc., as a youth specialist, working with teen boy sex offenders. After leaving the Gibault home, I worked a few months at the Vigo County Courthouse as a bailiff. However, I eventually decided to leave my job within a few months because it became uncomfortable since my family name was well-known in the court system. My work experiences led me to start asking questions and made me realize I needed my own healing from childhood trauma after growing up inabuse and addiction.

What I learned through all of my work experiences and my own life struggles is that if kids don’t get the proper help they need, they will either get involved in a gang, become addicted to drugs or alcohol, end up in prison, or even death. I knew God was calling me to take a step of faith and action to get the help I needed, so I could help others who experienced similar childhoods.

Trauma may be the greatest mission field of the 21st century, and the most misunderstood issue of our day.

My healing journey began when I could no longer pretend everything was okay. After being stuck in my trauma and my own addictions for years, I knew I needed to write a book and let others know there is a way out. My book was birthed out of my healing process. Cross Addicted: Breaking Free from Family Trauma and Addiction offers a hopeful path to recovery for those who are hurting and traumatized.

One in four U.S. students will witness or experience a traumatic event before the age four, and more than two-thirds by age sixteen.