For more than two decades, I have had the sacred privilege of serving as pastor to Dr. Morris Isara and his family. Pastors often say they walk with people “from the cradle to the grave,” but what we really mean is that we walk with them through the peaks and valleys that define a life. With Morris, those moments have been many—celebrations that filled rooms with laughter, and sorrows so heavy we could only carry them by the grace of God. Over the years, I have watched him persevere, pray, learn, grow, and pursue the call of God with a steady determination forged in the furnace of suffering and in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

I’ve observed up close the journey that led to this book—his years of education and his training in pastoral and transformational counseling, and, far more importantly, the countless hours he has invested in sitting across from brokenhearted men and women who believed their stories were beyond redemption. He has listened to their pain, honored their courage, and lifted their eyes toward the healing heart of God. If Shelley Only Knew is born out of those sacred conversations, those holy encounters where the gospel of Jesus Christ meets the deepest wounds of the human soul.

This book is not theory. It is not detached scholarship or abstract theology. These pages carry the weight of real stories, real scars, and real hope. Contributing author Sherilyn Neudauer is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who was once a victim and now an overcomer of abuse. No longer silenced, she openly shares her healing journey with a message of hope—from woundedness to wholeness, and from pain to peace—through her faith in Jesus Christ and the life-transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

What you hold in your hands is a work shaped by someone who has seen the devastation of sexual abuse up close, and who has also witnessed the miracle of lives rebuilt—not by ignoring pain, but by confronting it with truth. Morris writes with the compassion of a shepherd, the insight of a counselor, and the faith of a man who has watched God turn victims into overcomers.

Part One: Aligning Our Hearts and Minds with Truth, lays the foundation every survivor desperately needs—a restored vision of God, an honest reckoning with wounds and lies, and a path toward reclaiming the true self God intended. Morris guides the reader from lament to liberation, from silence to a biblical cry of the heart that God always hears.

Part Two: Overcoming Lies with Truth, courageously names the boulders that bury so many lives—broken trust, guilt, shame, unforgiveness, anger, and fear. These chapters are not rushed nor simplistic. They acknowledge the darkness but insist on the light. Every lie is confronted with Scripture; every stronghold is challenged by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Part Three: Moving Forward, reminds us that healing is not the finish line—it is the starting point. Reconciliation, therapy, boundaries, and life-giving community are not afterthoughts; they are part of the ongoing restoration God intends for His children. Morris invites survivors not just to survive, and not merely to heal, but to flourish in connection with God and others.

I am deeply grateful that Morris wrote this book. I’m grateful not only as his pastor but as a friend who has witnessed the authenticity of his life. His compassion is hard-earned. His wisdom is Spirit-formed. His voice is one I trust, which, combined with Sherilyn’s impactful testimony, will bring freedom to many.

As you read these pages, may the God who binds up the brokenhearted meet you with His truth, His love, and His unrelenting presence. May you discover what countless others have found through Morris’s counsel: that the wounds of your past do not have to define your future; that the lies spoken over you can be replaced by the truth of God; and that the same Jesus who wept with the wounded still speaks hope into every shattered place.

I entrust to you the wisdom, experience, and pastoral heart of my friend, colleague, and congregant, Dr. Morris Isara. I have no doubt—your life will be enriched, encouraged, and transformed.

Dr. Bryan Jarrett
Lead Pastor, Northplace Church
Founder, The RVSL Foundation and Lonesome Dove Ranch