That's how Relevant magazine recently described Shelley's new book. Here is their full book review:

Shelley Lubben's new book, Truth Behind the Fantasy of Porn, could and should be in the running for most culturally relevant autobiographies for 2010. Every sex therapy counselor (secular or Christian), pastor, sex ed teacher and father should have a copy of Lubben's book on their shelf. One cannot deny the dense impact the sex industry has on the entire world, not to mention the deadly affect it has on the Church and her leaders. Considering that nearly every major cultural shift is in someway touched or affected by sex, it would take a very, very special story of life, death, and rebirth to not just address this worldwide addiction epidemic, but in every way to tear the lid off the can of lies that feeds the porn industry and it's brainwashed users. Lubben's book accomplishes all of that in spades.



Appropriately edited into six "Acts", "Truth" captures the gritty foundation of Lubben's life and struggle in the first two. Beginning with her childhood—negligent father, verbally/emotionally abusive mother, early childhood sexual abuse, teenage prostitution and stripping—the reader is quickly taken into the gut wrenching journey of a traumatic fall from grace. And just as the reader is catching their breath thinking, "It can't get any worse than this,” it does.

Act Two introduces the public to a world so few truly know but yet are unfortunately all too aware of as consumers: the life (or near death) of a porn star. Shelley graphically depicts unimaginable physical, psychological and spiritual horrors even the most committed therapist would find inexplicable. She unflinchingly details everything from her first film, to contracting herpes, to being kidnapped by hustlers for sex slavery in brothels in Mexico (think the film Taken). The list and the shock and the pain continue. Yet, right when the dialogue gets to a point of no return: Jesus shows up and Hope is born.



What is remarkably intriguing about Shelley's story is not that she has lived to tell about it (thought that is a true miracle in and of itself), but it's the pure Hope and Faith that, albeit messy and unorthodox, stands as a monument upon the ash heap of Satan's attempt on her life. It's crystal clear that it is only by the power of Jesus Christ that she is alive today sharing her story and that truly is the saving Grace of her book.



Lubben gracefully walks the reader through the pain of experiencing true love from not only Jesus but from her future husband at the time, Garrett. She recounts the pain of unintentionally conceiving her first child by a "trick,” her wedding day (court house, raining, black dress) and being unfaithful in her marriage and wondering whether she conceived another child in adultery.

Thankfully, the story does not end there. It would have been very easy for her to "sell the dirt" on the porn industry and simply write a near graphic novel about the sex trade and probably make a lot of money off of that. She doesn't. She keeps the dialogue going, detailing how Jesus has healed her family and how they started The Pink Cross Foundation, which offers adult industry workers emotional, financial and transitional support.

While "easy" to read, Truth is by no means easy on the heart. Something profoundly deep, emotional and spiritual is exchanged when reading it. Pace yourself with a strong cup of coffee. Absorb the words. Let them sink to the depths of your soul. Mourn over the truth. Then pray. Pray first for yourself that any blinders would come off regarding pornography. Second, pray for Shelley, her family and her ministry. Third, pray that pornography would once and for all be destroyed: forever.