FAITH NEWS SERVICE – “The lifetime emotional, social, and financial consequences experienced by individuals with schizophrenia have significant effects on their families. Family responses to having a family member with schizophrenia include: care burden, fear and embarrassment about illness signs and symptoms, uncertainty about course of the disease, lack of social support, and stigma,”[1] says Noreen Brady, PhD, RN, CNS, LPCC.

Georgia Morris began to experience these effects firsthand when her husband began exhibiting unusual symptoms of behavior on their honeymoon. In a new release, Unfailing Love: Freedom from Abuse, Shame, and Control of a Schizophrenic Spouse (Redemption Press), Morris shares how he controlled every aspect of her life, cut her off from her family and friends, and didn’t allow her to finish her last quarter of university or even play and sing at her beloved piano.

Her coping mechanism became a total dependence on God as the mental and physical abuse escalated and her husband was diagnosed with manic depression at first, then schizophrenia, and was often hospitalized.

When times were at their worst during those seven years and she feared for her safety and their two young sons, she learned to battle with prayer and worship. She says continually practicing forgiveness set her free and gave her a song in her heart. Morris comments, “We don’t need to remain victims of our circumstances but can learn from them and flourish in freedom and faith instead.”

In Unfailing Love, Morris shares hard-won truths of her dependence on God to fight her battles.

Those who have family members or friends suffering with mental illness or going through trying times in a family relationship will be encouraged by this memoir of a woman who learned that God was faithful to carry her through.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Georgia Morris has a BA from Eastern Washington State University and an MA in education from Whitworth University. She has taught in both Christian and public schools, primarily as a K–12 music specialist and choral director, while also giving private voice and piano lessons. She and her now husband, Wes, have been married thirty-four years and enjoy traveling, walking, cooking, music, involvement with friends and church, and spending time with family. The couple has four adult children, two daughters-in-law, one son-in-law, and seven grandkids, and reside in the Seattle, Washington area.

contact email: georgia@unfailinglovebook.org

Website: unfailinglovebook.org

Suggested Interview Questions

1. Unfailing Love is your first book and a very personal story. What is your goal for sharing the details of your seven years with your schizophrenic husband?
2. What advice would you give to someone who has a family member diagnosed with schizophrenia?
3. How did going through those years change your own relationship with the Lord?
4. You describe in the book how you leaned into the Lord and would pray and worship when the situation got really rough. Can you describe an instance or two when that made all the difference?
5. Often mental illness in a family takes a toll on the children. Can you tell us how your sons are doing?
6. Did your husband’s situation ever stabilize? How is he doing currently?
7. This is not just a story of struggle but also of a new love found. Can you share a little of your own story?

[1] Brady, N., McCain, G. (November 29, 2004) “Living with Schizophrenia: A Family Perspective” OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, vol. 10, no. 1, https://ojin.nursingworld.org/table-of-contents/volume-10-2005/number-1-january-2005/articles-published-with-hirsh-institute/living-with-schizophrenia/.