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Perfectly Abnormal: Uncovering the Image of God in Chronic Illness
Why is God silent in my illness?
Living with a chronic illness is tough enough on its own, but it can become an overwhelming burden when we believe widespread myths about chronic illness. without a strategy to overcome this lies, we can descend into a listless existence, even as people of faith.
In Perfectly Abnormal, Chris Morris tears down the erroneous and misinformed beliefs surrounding chronic illness. With a combination of biblical teaching, stories from many in the chronic illness community, and practical application, Perfectly Abnormal paves the way to a fulfilled life, regardless of any chronic illness or special needs.
From the unique standpoint of being both a parent of a special needs daughter and having a seizure disorder himself, Chris guides readers through difficult terrain as he shreds the eight most common myths the chronic illness community faces. Then he begins the conversation of developing a better theology of illness, with the intent of bringing his readers to a place of intentional excellence in spite of their conditions.
Living with a chronic illness is tough enough on its own, but it can become an overwhelming burden when we believe widespread myths about chronic illness. without a strategy to overcome this lies, we can descend into a listless existence, even as people of faith.
In Perfectly Abnormal, Chris Morris tears down the erroneous and misinformed beliefs surrounding chronic illness. With a combination of biblical teaching, stories from many in the chronic illness community, and practical application, Perfectly Abnormal paves the way to a fulfilled life, regardless of any chronic illness or special needs.
From the unique standpoint of being both a parent of a special needs daughter and having a seizure disorder himself, Chris guides readers through difficult terrain as he shreds the eight most common myths the chronic illness community faces. Then he begins the conversation of developing a better theology of illness, with the intent of bringing his readers to a place of intentional excellence in spite of their conditions.
124 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2017
5 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Chris Morris
6 books73 followersWelcome to my Christian mental health website. This is a safe place for followers of Jesus dealing with depression, anxiety, and every mental illness under the sun. If you’ve asked yourself, “if I’m a Christian, why am I depressed?“ or, “where is God when my life is falling apart?“, or “How do I overcome depression biblically“, you’re in the right place. Everything here is written as Christian help for those in the mental illness community as we redefine normal and rediscover hope together.
Let’s talk about these two things for just a moment. What does it mean to redefine normal? It means that nobody but you gets to tell you what’s normal and what’s abnormal. You are the arbiter of your own life, and you get to decide that.
For you, maybe a normal day is not getting out of bed until noon because of chronic pain, and having to carefully calculate where you spend your limited energy. If so, I honor your normal here. How about rediscovering hope? So many of us struggle to fell there’s any objective reason for hope in our lives, because, to be honest, our lives stink a lot of the time. It’s full of difficulty and complexity, hard conversations and unmet expectations.
But we can find the keys to having hope despite all these setbacks. I spend a lot of time talking the nuts and bolts of hope from a biblical perspective, so it’s more tangible, meaningful, and applicable to real life.
Let’s talk about these two things for just a moment. What does it mean to redefine normal? It means that nobody but you gets to tell you what’s normal and what’s abnormal. You are the arbiter of your own life, and you get to decide that.
For you, maybe a normal day is not getting out of bed until noon because of chronic pain, and having to carefully calculate where you spend your limited energy. If so, I honor your normal here. How about rediscovering hope? So many of us struggle to fell there’s any objective reason for hope in our lives, because, to be honest, our lives stink a lot of the time. It’s full of difficulty and complexity, hard conversations and unmet expectations.
But we can find the keys to having hope despite all these setbacks. I spend a lot of time talking the nuts and bolts of hope from a biblical perspective, so it’s more tangible, meaningful, and applicable to real life.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 25, 2024
“…every single person is both slightly irregular and a perfect reflection of God’s creativity.”
I thought this was a good look into the chronic illness life -from fibromyalgia to anxiety and autism to epilepsy- they were true descriptions. I found the myths to be ones I have experienced and that helped me feel not alone. There were a couple exercises given in the later chapters that I thought were interesting. I appreciated the attention to how the church should treat those with special needs. We are all God’s masterpieces!
I thought this was a good look into the chronic illness life -from fibromyalgia to anxiety and autism to epilepsy- they were true descriptions. I found the myths to be ones I have experienced and that helped me feel not alone. There were a couple exercises given in the later chapters that I thought were interesting. I appreciated the attention to how the church should treat those with special needs. We are all God’s masterpieces!
November 1, 2017
Deb’s Dozen: You’re Perfectly Abnormal and God Loves You Just the Way You Are!
I’ve always felt I was normal–until recently when two conditions came crashing in on me. The first was osteoarthritis–probably inherited, but nonetheless debilitating. I needed a hip replacement and both knees need replacing too. The second is congestive heart disease–discovered during the pre-op for my hip replacement. These two diseases threw me headlong into the realm of chronic illness and into the realm of being abnormal.
Chris Morris has written a wonderful book, Perfectly Abnormal: Uncovering the Image of God in Chronic Illness. Chris suffers from seizures and his daughter, Cynthia, has epilepsy and autism. His wife works in a pediatric oncology unit. Chris is clearly familiar with chronic illness and how too often we feel decidedly abnormal.
In the book, Chris discusses the issues that face those of us with special needs or chronic illnesses (SN/CI): why we feel less than enough, myths others tell us, myths we tell ourselves, and moving beyond myths into wholeness. I highly recommend anyone who has or knows anyone who has (SN/CI) to buy and read Perfectly Abnormal.
Chris tells us with blunt honesty what life is like for those of us who are “not normal.” He tells us the with great transparency how his heart has been broken at some of the attitudes, statements, and questions he’s received from those who don’t understand or don’t care to understand. He shares illustrations from his life and those of some SN/CI friends to show us what hurts can arise. But Chris also shows us the joy-the choice we have to be joyful and to find meaning in our lives as they are.
I found healing in this book. I acknowledged I do have a chronic illness. I have chemo-induced cardiomyopathy-congestive heart disease caused by the chemo I was given for breast cancer seventeen years ago. I can no longer do all the things I used to do because of this disease, but that doesn’t make me less of a person. Chris has shown me that I’m perfectly abnormal and God loves me just the way I am. Five stars, Chris, and a must read!
Chris Morris is a Certified Public Accountant who works with many authors and small businesses. “His writing is founded on the belief that circumstances don’t prevent thriving, but create opportunities for God to demonstrate his goodness.” Chris exemplifies that belief and gives that hope to others as well.
Chris Morris gifted me with a copy of Perfectly Abnormal, but I was in no way obligated to write a review.
I’ve always felt I was normal–until recently when two conditions came crashing in on me. The first was osteoarthritis–probably inherited, but nonetheless debilitating. I needed a hip replacement and both knees need replacing too. The second is congestive heart disease–discovered during the pre-op for my hip replacement. These two diseases threw me headlong into the realm of chronic illness and into the realm of being abnormal.
Chris Morris has written a wonderful book, Perfectly Abnormal: Uncovering the Image of God in Chronic Illness. Chris suffers from seizures and his daughter, Cynthia, has epilepsy and autism. His wife works in a pediatric oncology unit. Chris is clearly familiar with chronic illness and how too often we feel decidedly abnormal.
In the book, Chris discusses the issues that face those of us with special needs or chronic illnesses (SN/CI): why we feel less than enough, myths others tell us, myths we tell ourselves, and moving beyond myths into wholeness. I highly recommend anyone who has or knows anyone who has (SN/CI) to buy and read Perfectly Abnormal.
Chris tells us with blunt honesty what life is like for those of us who are “not normal.” He tells us the with great transparency how his heart has been broken at some of the attitudes, statements, and questions he’s received from those who don’t understand or don’t care to understand. He shares illustrations from his life and those of some SN/CI friends to show us what hurts can arise. But Chris also shows us the joy-the choice we have to be joyful and to find meaning in our lives as they are.
I found healing in this book. I acknowledged I do have a chronic illness. I have chemo-induced cardiomyopathy-congestive heart disease caused by the chemo I was given for breast cancer seventeen years ago. I can no longer do all the things I used to do because of this disease, but that doesn’t make me less of a person. Chris has shown me that I’m perfectly abnormal and God loves me just the way I am. Five stars, Chris, and a must read!
Chris Morris is a Certified Public Accountant who works with many authors and small businesses. “His writing is founded on the belief that circumstances don’t prevent thriving, but create opportunities for God to demonstrate his goodness.” Chris exemplifies that belief and gives that hope to others as well.
Chris Morris gifted me with a copy of Perfectly Abnormal, but I was in no way obligated to write a review.
August 27, 2017
This is such a timely book. For those living with chronic illness or those who love/care for someone with chronic illness or special needs, this book will make you feel seen and heard. It addresses the myths about chronic illness that are damaging relationships and offers practical advice for individuals and the Church to recognize and support those dealing with such challenges. Whether you need to know you aren't alone, or you want to learn how to better love the members of this group, it is an important read. It's the kind of book you'll find yourself buying extra copies of to pass around.
September 19, 2017
I dove into this book expecting great things. What I got was invaluable advice on how to deal with my own chronic illness and how to communicate better with others who have their own. This book will challenge readers to change their mindsets on illness, and does a phenomenal job of dispelling the myths that surround CI. Most importantly, Morris approaches these sensitive topics with a gentleness and humor that other such books lack. This is a must-read!
October 26, 2019
I recently heard Morris speak at a conference I attended. After hearing his presentation, I knew I needed to read this book on chronic illness … and I’m glad I did.
If you or someone you love deals with a chronic illness, this is a book you should read. It provides a basic introduction to chronic illness mixed with a faith element.
Morris addresses a number of myths that are common in our society (and in the church). He points out that we live in a broken world. Chronic illness is not a punishment, and it’s not our fault.
Everyone is “perfectly abnormal,” so this book is a great reminder that you’re not alone. The author and his daughter suffer from chronic illnesses, so he’s speaking from experience.
If you or someone you love deals with a chronic illness, this is a book you should read. It provides a basic introduction to chronic illness mixed with a faith element.
Morris addresses a number of myths that are common in our society (and in the church). He points out that we live in a broken world. Chronic illness is not a punishment, and it’s not our fault.
Everyone is “perfectly abnormal,” so this book is a great reminder that you’re not alone. The author and his daughter suffer from chronic illnesses, so he’s speaking from experience.
July 22, 2019
Good read
Well written and helpful. Would recommend to anyone dealing with a disability. We are accepted and loved by the Lord.
Well written and helpful. Would recommend to anyone dealing with a disability. We are accepted and loved by the Lord.
April 12, 2020
Although I have a chronic illness, this was not a good choice for me.
January 13, 2018
This book is a great comfort.
Morris deconstructs misconceptions about chronic illness and reconstructs a "theology of illness" that is much needed in Christian fellowships. Too often communities don't know how to handle people with chronic illnesses. We're great at coping in crisis, but when illnesses are incurable and will last the rest of your life, it's easy for people to either write you off or forget that you're actually not able to do everything — or as a lot of us hear it, "you don't look sick." This book will help those with chronic illnesses cope not only with their illness but with people who don't understand. And it will help others learn to rightly relate to people who have chronic illnesses.
Morris deconstructs misconceptions about chronic illness and reconstructs a "theology of illness" that is much needed in Christian fellowships. Too often communities don't know how to handle people with chronic illnesses. We're great at coping in crisis, but when illnesses are incurable and will last the rest of your life, it's easy for people to either write you off or forget that you're actually not able to do everything — or as a lot of us hear it, "you don't look sick." This book will help those with chronic illnesses cope not only with their illness but with people who don't understand. And it will help others learn to rightly relate to people who have chronic illnesses.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews