Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey Across the Life Line
Authors: Abby Johnson,Cindy Lambert
Tags: #Non-Fiction, #Inspirational, #Biography, #Religion
“A compellingly candid story! Not argument or ideology but data—first-person facts and utterly honest feelings.”
Peter Kreeft—Author,
Three Approaches to Abortion
“As a founder of the National Coalition for Life and Choice, I have always encouraged people on both sides of the ‘life line’ to listen to and understand each other, though they may never agree. Abby Johnson’s sincere and thoughtful story has much to teach both sides.”
Frederica Mathewes-Green—Author,
Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion,
www.frederica.com
“I’m grateful to Abby Johnson for having the courage to tell her story as a former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in
Unplanned
. Though Planned Parenthood provides other services for women, it is the largest abortion provider in America. In this unique and compelling book, Abby shows the compassionate hearts of some of her coworkers, takes responsibility for her own participation in abortions, and shares the journey of how God in his grace and mercy delivered her from blindness. I hope that by reading this story you will be moved to do what you can to offer help and resources to women in need of them, and lovingly tell them the truth about their unborn child.”
Randy Alcorn—Author,
ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments
and
Why ProLife?
“Abby’s story is one of great moral courage in an age that groans for lack of it. Hers is a modern parable of hope for us all, witnessing to the truth that sets the human heart free. A riveting story.”
Marjorie Dannenfelser—President, Susan B. Anthony List
“Abby’s gripping story gives a rare glimpse into the heart that motivates both pro-abortion and pro-life activities. Her book is a refreshing affirmation of the power of truth, which overcomes even the thickest deceptions. Abby’s compelling experience gives invaluable insight both to those involved in providing abortion and those who struggle to see life triumph.”
Donna J. Harrison, M.D.—President, American Association of ProLife Obstetricians and Gynecologists
“
Unplanned
is a powerful and compelling testimony of the power of prayer and love. A story of courage, conviction, and conversion, the book will draw you into Abby’s life and her journey as her eyes are opened to the truth.”
Dr. Alveda C. King—Pastoral Associate, Priests for Life; Founder, King for America; Niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Think love and kindness can’t make a difference in the abortion debate? Read Abby Johnson’s story and find out how a pro-life ministry’s peaceful and respectful witness forever changed the heart of this former Planned Parenthood clinic director.”
Jim Daly—President, Focus on the Family
“Abby understands how good people can be misled, as she was, to support abortion under the guise of helping women. This is the remarkable story of how one director of a Planned Parenthood clinic came to realize the truth about abortion—and what she did about it.”
Eduardo Verástegui—Actor, star of
Bella
“Abby walked out of the abortion industry and into my office just next door. After seeing her transformation from running a Planned Parenthood clinic to joining our efforts to help women and save lives, I believe that
anyone
can change their mind on abortion.”
Shawn Carney—Campaign Director, 40 Days for Life
“Bold, decisive, and a real trailblazer at Planned Parenthood . . . Abby Johnson, when confronted with reality, was courageous enough to admit her compassion for others was misdirected. Her journey of finding a new way to help women in crisis is truly inspiring.”
Bobby Reynoso—Executive Director, Coalition for Life
“Once I began reading this compelling chronicle of compassion, I could not put it down! Abby’s narrative points to Christ’s story of redemption and will inspire readers for generations to come.
Unplanned
shows that God has a plan and purpose not only for Abby Johnson, but also for you and me, because every life matters.”
Brian Boone—President/CEO, Life Centers
“In
Unplanned
, Abby shares intimate details of the happenings that ultimately led her to leave her career as a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic director for ‘the other side of the fence,’ where she now ardently advocates for the rights of the unborn. If you have ever peacefully protested and prayed for an end to abortion, Abby’s story will provide tremendous insights—and encourage you never to give up.”
Tony Perkins—President, Family Research Council
“I could not put this book down. Abby’s honest and riveting account sheds light on the fact that some Christians are conflicted but satisfied with the goal of ‘making abortion safe and rare.’ Abby finally had the courage to face the truth about abortion because of the way Christ’s love was reflected through the prayer, courage, and support of individual Christians.”
Margaret H. Hartshorn, Ph.D.—President, Heartbeat International
“‘Unplanned’ perfectly describes Abby’s book from the very first word to the last. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put the book down . . . . Abby’s incredible story is a must-read for everyone.”
Bradley Mattes—Executive Director, Life Issues Institute; Host,
Facing Life Head-On
(TV) and
Life Issues
(radio)
Visit Tyndale’s exciting Web site at www.tyndale.com.
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Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader’s Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line
Copyright © 2010 by Abby Johnson. All rights reserved.
Cover photo by Stephen Vosloo. Copyright © by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Designed by Jennifer Ghionzoli
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible,
New International Version
,®
NIV.
® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Johnson, Abby.
Unplanned : the dramatic true story of a former Planned Parenthood leader’s eye-opening journey across the life line / Abby Johnson with Cindy Lambert.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-4143-3939-9 (hc)
1. Pro-life movement—Texas. 2. Abortion—Moral and ethical aspects—Texas. 3. Johnson, Abby. 4. Planned Parenthood Federation of America. I. Lambert, Cindy. II. Title.
HQ767.5.U5J65 2010
363.46092—dc22
[B] 2010043109
To my parents,
who have always stood by me and supported me,
no matter what crazy ideas I have fallen for.
There are no better parents in the world.
To my husband and daughter,
whom I always hope to make proud.
I am so thankful that we are on this journey together. I love you both more than sunshine.
Table of Contents
Chapter Two: The Volunteer Fair
Chapter Three: The Power of a Secret
Chapter Five: The Bond of Compassion
Chapter Six: 40 Days and 40 Nights
Chapter Seven: The Code of Conduct
Chapter Eight: My Enemy, My Friend
Chapter Nine: Irreconcilable Differences
Chapter Fourteen: The Wrong Side of the Fence
Chapter Sixteen: Keeping Confidence
Chapter Seventeen: The Right Thing to Do
Chapter Eighteen: Facing Forward
Chapter Nineteen: The Injunction
Chapter Twenty: The Red Carpet
Chapter Twenty-One: The Unexpected Gift
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Hearing
Chapter Twenty-Three: The Ruling
A Note from Abby Johnson
My story is not a comfortable one to read. I think it’s only fair to warn you of that up front. Not comfortable, but honest and true. As you are about to discover, I’ve spent years on the front lines of the face-off between prochoice and pro-life advocates. Which side? Both sides. You are about to enter my journey from naive college girl to director of a Planned Parenthood clinic to advocate for families in crisis, including the unborn members of those families.
I reveal my story not because I am proud of it. I am not. But my thinking and choices are not unlike those of so many people I have encountered. And until we each set aside our own preferences for how we
wish
others would think and behave, or how we
assume
others think and behave, we won’t be able to understand those with whom we differ in order to engage in real dialogue and discover truth.
I’ve done my best to be true to my thinking and reasoning
within
each of these stages of my journey—no matter how faulty, how embarrassing, or how politically incorrect—so I suppose that at times you will ask the same questions I’ve been asked time and again.
Were you really so gullible? Were you really so inconsistent between your values and your actions? Were you really so ambivalent, so naive, so foolish, so . . .
you get the picture. My answer:
Yes
. I’ve also been asked,
Were you and your prochoice coworkers really driven by compassion and tenderness, by motives of truly helping women and making the world a better place?
Again, yes.
I often find that people don’t like my answers.
That is understandable. My story is not neat and tidy, and it doesn’t come wrapped in easy answers. Oh, how we love to vilify our opponents—from both sides. How easy to assume that those on “our” side are right and wise and good; how those on “their” side are treacherous and foolish and deceptive. I have found right and good and wisdom on both sides. I have found foolishness and treachery and deception on both sides as well. I have experienced how good intentions can be warped into poor choices no matter what the side.
To this day I have friends on both sides of this polarizing debate. We all long for a story that shows that “our” side is right and good, and “their” side is wrong and bad, don’t we? But I testify that there is good and right and wrong on
both
sides of the fence. And even more shocking—we have far more in common with the “other” side than we might imagine.
But don’t slam this book shut because of what I’ve just said. Read it for that very reason. Read it to understand the surprising hopes and motivations on the “other” side. I was loved from one side onto the other. My hope is that many more thousands will be loved into truth as well. Maybe you will be the one loving someone on the other side of the fence.
So what side of the fence are you on? In all likelihood, as you look through the fence, you see faulty thinking and harmful behavior on the other side. Here’s my question for you: are you ready to look through the fence and see goodness, compassion, generosity, and self-sacrifice on the other side?
Did you just feel yourself squirm? If so, welcome to my journey.
Special Note
The names and distinguishing details of some people in this book have been changed, including all Planned Parenthood volunteers and staff. While describing the events in this book, I relied not only on my memory, but on my personal correspondence and interviews with others involved.