Guide to Categories – Author Interview – an interview with an author, if there is no review from me, I have not read the book and cannot speak to its appropriateness for a school library

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About the Book

Book: Resilient and Redeemed : Lessons about Suicidality and Depression from the Psych Ward

Author: Chris Morris

Genre: Christian Living / Mental Health

Release date: June 11, 2024

God cares deeply about you and your mental health. Author and mental health advocate Chris Morris has battled depression and suicidality his entire adult life. Even coming to Christ didn’t change this, which is something many fellow Christians don’t seem to understand. He still had to face the grief of unrelenting illness, the shame of struggling, and the pain of poor guidance.

In this compassionate and engaging book, Chris shares how he overcame these challenges and invites you to do the same–no matter your diagnosis. Weaving biblical truth and personal stories with thoughtful strategies and hard-earned wisdom, he helps you move past fear and shame to combat the specters of depression and suicidality.

God is still there, even in the darkest of places. May this book be a step in the process of healing and help you find hope in your battle.

Includes reflection questions, Scripture meditations, and a bonus video course.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author – Chris Morris

Chris Morris is a certified mental health coach dedicated to promoting understanding of mental health issues within the church. Because of a lifelong struggle with depression and suicidality, Chris became committed to breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraging others to seek after holistic health.

As a writer and speaker, Chris has shared his personal story and insights with audiences across the country, inspiring many individuals to take control of their own health, break free from poor theological teaching placed upon them, and seek the support they need. He has published several books on mental health, the most recent being Resilient and Redeemed. His work has been featured in a number of media outlets, including CrossWalk, The Mighty, and Fathom Magazine.

Chris is deeply committed to creating a more compassionate and supportive world and church for individuals living with mental health issues. Through his writing and speaking, he is a powerful voice for change and a beacon of hope for those in need.

My Author Interview with Chris Morris

When did you first know you wanted to be an author?  

When I was in high school, I had dreams of being a journalist. That’s not your typical path to publishing books, but it’s what started me down the path. I even went so far as to apply to USC for their journalism program, but God had other plans for me. Instead of USC, I went to a small Bible college and got my degree in biblical studies. This put my dream of being a writer on hold for a few decades.

It resurfaced in the early 2010’s, in the form of my first blog. It was charmingly named Sometimes Hope, and on there I chronicled my journey through being a special needs parent. I talked about a lot of the same themes I talk about now in the context of mental health—finding God when he seems absent, misunderstanding biblical themes about illness, and centering an often-dark life on hope in Christ. I quickly found a decent following, which encouraged me to update my blog and take my writing a bit more seriously. Chris Morris Writes was born.

I independently published my first two full-length books in 2017 and 2018, Perfectly Abnormal and Whispers in the Pews. Both books did quite well, and they led to me finding an agent. The rest, as they say, is history.

What is your favorite genre to read? What about that genre draws you?

I am a bit of a theology nerd, and I actually just graduated from seminary in case you needed proof. Most of the books I read are non-fiction books that center on making some abstract theological concepts very practical. A good example is Start with Welcome: The Journey toward a Confident and Compassionate Immigration Conversation by Bri Stensrud. This book takes the heady concept of welcome and applies it directly to the immigration conversation. Since I live in Arizona, a border state, this is a supremely relevant topic for me. I love the way Stensrud starts with the scriptural mandates around welcome and applies them to a conversation that matters today. This is my favorite type of book. I hope actually that my books are much the same type of book really.

What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

I live in the desert in Arizona. My favorite thing about this time of year is that air conditioning works! ☺

Who would you say is the ideal reader of this book, and why?

This book pretty naturally aligns with its target audience, to be honest. It is written for people of faith who struggle with this mental health, their loved ones, and church leaders who want to better understand the mental health struggles their people are going through. And frankly, the nature of the stories in the book lend themselves quite naturally to those three audiences. 

I do worry that someone who isn’t in my target audience might pick up this book and expect something very different than what the book actually gives them. For example, if they are looking for a quick answer to solve a mental health dilemma, this book won’t provide that. I will say that the reason that won’t be provided is because I don’t believe there are quick answers to mental health challenges. But that’s one example of how someone might be disappointed with Resilient and Redeemed.

If readers have just one take-away from this book, what do you want it to be?

I want every person who reads this book to know three things:

1. God doesn’t love anyone less because of a mental health diagnosis. When Romans 8 says that God is for you, it’s a promise that stands the test of time. Nothing causes God to stand up in the heavens and say, “Oh my Self! I did NOT see that one coming!”
2. God doesn’t disqualify anyone from doing work in his kingdom because of a mental health diagnosis. Many churches might leave you with the impression that you have to have it all together before you can be used by God in any way whatsoever. That’s just not the truth. God specializes in using the busted, the broken, the people with murky motives. It’s all he’s got, after all.
3. God will always be with you, even in your darkest moments. This is my biggest takeaway from revisiting moments in my life when I felt abandoned. God never left my side. Period. The end.

As a former K-12 school librarian (and since this blog is geared toward school librarians) I have to ask – what is your favorite children’s book?

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. I know it might sound cheesy, but the way Shel captured so much imagination in the simple poems made me realize just how much is possible with words. I have never looked back. I have read widely since then, ranging from history to science fiction to biographies and everything in-between. But it all started with Shel Silverstein.

More from Chris Morris

Resilient and Redeemed is a book that the Christian community needs. For too long, those with mental health conditions have been forced to be shamed or to hide their struggles. Especially in a post-COVID world, mental health has to come to the forefront of the conversation. This book details in an unapologetic way my struggles with depression and suicidal ideations. The core message of this book is that God doesn’t write people off because of their struggles with their mental health. No, God is with us and for us no matter what.

Resilient and Redeemed is full of hard-won, battle-tested tools that will help people fight the battle for their mental health. There are no easy answers given, because no two mental illnesses present the same. Ensconced in story, this book gives a full toolbox of practices to support better mental health, ranging from how to find a counselor that will work for you to daily rituals that will ground your days and affirm your agency in your life.

I also put together a video series talking about resilience to accompany this book. As a member of the blog tour, you’ll gain access to over 40 minutes of me talking about resilience. We cover things like where does resilience come from, what does resilience have to do with faith, and so much more. I’m especially proud of the work I did for this video series, and I think you’ll find it incredibly valuable.

Views expressed in this interview/guest post do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog host.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, July 27 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 27

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 28 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, July 29 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, July 30 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, July 31

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 1 (Author Interview)

Through the Fire Blogs, August 2 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 3

Blossoms and Blessings, August 4 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 5

Stories By Gina, August 6 (Author Interview)

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, August 7 (Author Interview)

A Reader’s Brain, August 8 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 9 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, August 9

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Chris is giving away the grand prize package of a $75 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book, and an Audible copy of Whispers in the Pews: Voices on Mental Illness in the Church!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2dbd9/resilient-and-redeemed-celebration-tour-giveaway

Read more Author Interview posts