Leaving Planned Parenthood

Abby Johnson was an abortion clinic director for Planned Parenthood for eight years. She considered herself a Christian and believed she was helping women. But her heart was conflicted. As she described it, “I facilitated abortions on Saturday, and sat in a pew on Sunday.”

She was able to rationalize that dichotomy, in part, through Planned Parenthood’s skewed perspective. They never talk about the baby. Their focus is, and always has been, the woman. In fact, Abby was instructed never to refer to the baby at all. If an abortion-minded woman referred to her child as a baby, staff were to respond with the words “fetus” or “tissue.”

Abby entrenched even further into her work after an initial wave of pro-life protesters appeared outside of her clinic. They carried graphic signs and yelled, “Don’t kill your baby!” to women entering the building. The protesters didn’t offer words of help or hope to the women, but of condemnation.

Then Shawn Carney showed up outside Abby’s clinic. He was convinced the pro-life movement needed a new approach that was centered on prayer and that reflected a Christ-like witness. Shawn is the director of 40 Days for Life, a pro-life outreach of peaceful prayer outside abortion clinics. He and his organization faithfully prayed for 40 days for Abby to have a change of heart.

That occurred the day Abby saw an ultrasound image of an abortion as it was being performed. The moment crystalized the truth that abortion isn’t the removal of a fetus or tissue, it ends the life of a baby.

You won’t want to miss our conversation with Abby Johnson on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Leaving Planned Parenthood.”She tells a fascinating story about the power of prayer and how God never gives up on anyone.

This program isn’t graphic, but it’s probably not suitable for younger children, so please use your discretion and occupy your kids elsewhere, or listen later online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.

Abby describes how the faithful prayers of pro-life supporters helped lead her to the momentous decision to leave the abortion industry, a move that made national headlines. Both Abby and Shawn discuss the importance of changing hearts and minds about abortion by demonstrating kindness, love and compassion.

If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy or struggling with painful choices from your past, we have caring Christian counselors on staff, and it would be their privilege to offer you a free initial consultation. Call us, leave your name and number, and they’ll get back with you just as soon as possible. The number during business hours is 1-800-A-FAMILY(232-6459).

Focus on the Family is defending life with broadcasts like this and with our Option Ultrasound program. When a pregnant woman sees an ultrasound, her odds of completing an abortion are greatly reduced. Our program places ultrasound units in pregnancy resource centers. We have helped to save an estimated 425,000 babies over the past 15 years!

In addition to donating to Option Ultrasound, there are other ways you can be involved in the fight for life. Make your voice heard with two calls to action:

First, add your signature to the Declaration for Life.

Second, remember an event Focus on the Family will be hosting on Saturday May 4 in Times Square called Alive from New York. During this live event, a 4D ultrasound of a preborn baby will be conducted and broadcast on the Times Square massive digital screens. I hope you’ll join us for this powerful visual example of the sanctity of human life as we urge politicians to defend helpless babies.

You may also be interested in in the DVD Unplanned, available in our online bookstore, which captures Abby Johnson’s story.

Photo from Facebook via Abby Johnson.