Not yet released, Abby Johnson’s book is shooting up the charts!
UPDATE, 1/8, 8:10a: This morning unPlanned is at #227! I got up at 3a to read it a couple more hours. Am now 3/4 of the way through. It is so eye-opening, and very current. Abby discusses, for instance, how the other side felt when George Tiller, who she knew, was killed.
1/ 7, 7:44: Abby Johnson’s new book, unPlanned, won’t even be released until January 11, but it is already shooting up Amazon’s bestseller’s list.
I received an advanced copy yesterday and have had a hard time putting it down. It’s excellent – compelling, intriguing, full of insight, and giving me a lot to think about. Here’s a description:
Abby Johnson quit her job in October 2009. That simple act became a national news story because Abby was director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas who, not long after assisting in an actual abortion procedure for the first time, cross the line to join the Coalition for Life.
What happened in that clinic to cause this PP leader and Employee of the Year to take such drastic action? And how did PP react to her abrupt departure? Join Abby as she reveals her full story for the first time in Unplanned: a heart-stopping personal drama of life-and-death encounters, a courtroom battle, and spiritual transformation. Abby’s unique vantage point from both sides of the abortion clinic property line shines light and compassion into the political controversy that surrounds this issue.
For anyone who cares about the life-versus-rights debate and helping women who face crisis pregnancies, Unplanned is a must-read.
Earlier this afternoon Abby tweeted her surprise that her book – not even for sale yet! – had debuted at 404! then 366! then 297! Her excitement was… well, exciting!…
But I just checked and it’s now ranked at #242! Let’s help her break the top 100. Order your copy today!
Also sign up for Abby’s webcast, scheduled for January 10 at 9p EST.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Just bought it for my Kindle! Thanks for the heads-up.
Someone order a copy for Mike Pence. And for every member of congress, for that matter.
Has Abby Johnson ever explicitly repented for working at Planned Parenthood?
I don’t buy anything from Amazon since they decided that carrying How-To guides for pedophiles is a-ok. :(
Where can you see the full list, past #100? The link just takes me to the book itself.
i just finished reading this wonderful book…it was a beautiful, honest and emotional book that blows the cover off of Planned parenthood’s real goal…to provide as many money making abortions as they can…
I couldn’t put it down and read it straight through.
You can order the Catholic version through Ignatius Press…
Cranky,
She’s done a complete 180, she’s helping the pro-life movement and she’s in the process of converting to Catholicism.
She’s advocating for life now. I got to hear her speak (2 different talks) at the Fullness of Truth Conference.
She talked about how she honestly thought when she was working for PP that she was helping women, but once she fully grasped what was REALLY going on, that started her on the path to leaving and converting.
God works in mysterious ways!
Kelsey, I haven’t done a detailed scouring of Amazon but it appears only the top 100 are actually listed. You can see “unPlanned’s” spot by scrolling down on the link I included. This morning it is at #227!
xalisae, Order Abby’s book by clicking the link on her ad, top right. (Not Amazon.)
http://unplannedthebook.com/
I appreciate the fact that Abby Johnson has repudiated her earlier dreadful “work” and is going after Planned Parenthood, BUT let us not now start treating her like a Hollywood movie star. This woman committed and helped commit many, many terrible crimes against unborn children. She has a lot to answer for.
So let us welcome her into the unborn human rights movement, but don’t treat her like a celebrity. Let her deal with and come to terms with the evil that she did.
Joe,
You mean “refudiated”. ;0)
No fair, Jill. The suspense is killing me!
I think it is a heck of a career move – be involved in the abortion industry, do a 180, and then you’re set!
Joe wrote, “Let her deal with and come to terms with the evil that she did.” Joe, before you judge, read Abby’s book.
Joe, The most amazing truth as a Christian, is how, useless,worthless, miserable sinner I am, and yet how PRICELESS and precious I am. I praise God for her conversion. I praise God for changing Ted (radio voice guy’s ) life. She is a celebrity because of what GOD has DONE amd how He has changed her life! I pray for Ted that he remains humble and thankful for God’s work. I pray for Abby, that she remains humble and thankful for the grace that has been given to her.
The only reason that I, you, Jill are not a PP director is because of God’s grace. God is asking us to pray so that others may have the grace not join it and see the evil that it is. Maybe there is so much abortion because Christians are not praying and fasting enough. It took me a while, but I finally learned that God’s greatest miracle is the conversion of a human heart.
Joe, we ALL have a lot to answer for, not just Abby.
Joe, like Chantal says…
I agree and I will read the book, but still we must deal with the seriousness of what goes on in that “industry”.
Just trying to be an advocate for the unborn who lost their lives.
Then stop slapping your own teammates. Norma McCorvey, Bernard Nathanson, and now Abby, thought it is by grace we are saved, it is by works that we earn it. Their books have amazing power. Pro-aborts can’t argue with Dr. Nathanson’s admission that the inflated statistics of women who died from illegal abortions were a lie. Before Abby typed a word, PP had tried to silence her. She pressed on. That’s good enough for me.
We need so-called “celebrities” like Abby Johnson, Norma McCorvey, and the like because they encourage us to keep going and to keep advocating and standing up for life. However, if we “slap” them because of where they were before, then we are NOT using the gifts we have been given as pro-lifers. These people leaving the abortion industry and becoming pro-lifers and advocating for life and speaking out against places like PP is a big part of what we pro-lifers continually hope will happen. We WANT people to leave PP because of them being a big part of the abortion industry. We WANT these people to do 180 and turn around and say “No, I need to advocate and stand up for life.”
We’ll only shoot ourselves in the foot if we sit there and say “Well they did all these bad things, so just because they recognize they were wrong and are advocating for life, now, doesn’t mean I’m going to welcome them with open arms to the pro-life side.” How does that make us effective?
Anyone who is a Christian will remember the stories of Matthew, Zaccheus, and Mary Magadalene, as well as the adultress woman. All these people did bad things (in fact, the adultress woman was about to be stoned) but Jesus walked in, saw in their hearts they were sorry and repentant and forgave them without asking for a pound of flesh. In fact, Matthew became one of His apostles! Mary Magadelene washed Jesus’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and anointed them when the host (who was supposed to have done that) didn’t. He looked at these people and said “Your sins are forgiven.”
If us Christians in the pro-life movement don’t do the same, then how can we say we love and forgive the way Christ does?
Yes, these people did do horrible things being on the pro-choice/abortion side, however, they saw the error of their ways and left and joined the pro-life side. If they didn’t believe they were wrong, if they weren’t sorry and wanted to do something that would be the opposite of what they were doing because they recognized the other way was wrong, then WHY would they have become pro-life? Why would they advocate for life? What would be the point if they didn’t honestly see they were wrong before? There would be no point. It wouldn’t make sense.
I have met Abby Johnson personally. She’s a friendly, kind, and straight forward person. She says everything in her story is absolutely true. She also said in her talks when she was working for PP she did not think she was doing anything wrong. She thought she was helping people. She went on to say something to the effect that she realized what she had been doing was NOT helping women. That now she wanted to stand up for life. She wants women to realize there is another way.
We’d be fools not to be happy for the fact that people leave the abortion industry and stand up for life. We’d be absolute fools not to be grateful they did and welcome them into the ranks of the rest of us pro-lifers and be glad for their help and support.
Mother in Texas –
Great post. The whole issue to me sort of cheapens the notion that “abortion is murder”. If that is what pro-lifers really believed, then they’d be advocating that we throw these folks in jail, right?
Ex-GOP Voter says:
January 8, 2011 at 11:32 am
Mother in Texas –
Great post. The whole issue to me sort of cheapens the notion that “abortion is murder”. If that is what pro-lifers really believed, then they’d be advocating that we throw these folks in jail, right?
I advocate for changes of heart. For people to see how wrong abortion truly is. When a person does see that, when they leave the abortion industry and advocate for life, my heart rejoices.
I was absolutely delighted that Abby left PP and become a pro-lifer. I LOVED the 2 talks of hers I heard. Meeting her was a treat. She was very nice to me, and was straight forward in everything she said. (Especially the one she did with Shawn Carney, who worked for the Coalition for Life when Abby was working for PP…they were on opposite sides of the debate, but when she was leaving PP and becoming Pro-Life she went to the Coalition and asked Shawn many questions. Even when they were on opposite ends they were still respectful of each other, but they became good friends when she joined the pro-life side…they were incredibly funny and informative in their talk. She’s a lovely woman with a great sense of humor, strong faith and a real sense of advocating for life).
I think we pro-lifers have to be grateful for changes of heart, if not, what’s the point in advocating for life and an end to abortion? If we don’t want people to realize how wrong abortion is and to stand up for life from the very beginning to a person’s natural end, then what’s the point of being in the movement?
We have to take every “conversion” as a gift. As a victory for life. If we don’t, then how do we expect to affect a positive and good change in society?
To everyone:
If you’re interested in hearing the talks she gave at Fullness of Truth Conference, you can purchase them here. You’ll need to arrow down towards the end of the page: http://www.fullnessoftruth.org/HOU10.htm#Main
I’m not arguing at all your point.
I’m just saying that if abortion is truly murder, and everyone treated it as such, I don’t think the arms would be so open.
Mary Magadelene washed Jesus’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and anointed them when the host (who was supposed to have done that) didn’t. He looked at these people and said “Your sins are forgiven.”
Well, the Bible never states that the woman who washed Jesus’s feet with her hair is Mary Magdelene…but point taken. :)
Arguing that people should be imprisoned for doing something that wasn’t a crime when they did it is pointless. It’s legally unfeasible. Abby Johnson’s not going to end in prison for working for Planned Parenthood, so why should we focus on “she should be in prison!” and not focus on her role as a pro-life activist?
I’m just saying that if abortion is truly murder, and everyone treated it as such, I don’t think the arms would be so open.
Abortion IS murder. That isn’t an “if” that’s a “IS”.
However, it’s important for us pro-lifers to recognize that when people see that abortion is murder and wrong and decide to become pro-life and advocate for life and help the pro-life movement that we welcome them into the ranks as fellow pro-lifers. We will get nowhere if we don’t allow those who realize how wrong abortion is (and that it is murder) to help us in the pro-life movement to advocate for life then we’re just shooting ourselves in the foot.
Well, the Bible never states that the woman who washed Jesus’s feet with her hair is Mary Magdelene…but point taken.
Maurader,
If I remember correctly, it’s Catholic Tradition that the woman is Mary Magdalene. We recognize that the Bible never names the woman, but it’s a moot point.
In any case, you grasped what I was saying :-)
Marauder,
I’ve often wondered if Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, weren’t one and the same. Maybe she met Jesus and the disciples at Magdala, and wasn’t actually from there.
Anyway.
It’s sometimes hard not to assume a malevolance on the part of the other side. But I’m just glad I didn’t grow up the son of a plantation owner in the 19th century, or in the Deep South 60 years ago. Who knows what my attitude towards blacks might have been?
Do we condemn fine posters who are post-aborters, like Carla?
I’ve never understood how anyone could inhale smoke on purpose. That puts me at odds with half the country right there! :)
Conversion is not an easy process.
“We’d be fools not to be happy for the fact that people leave the abortion industry and stand up for life. We’d be absolute fools not to be grateful they did and welcome them into the ranks of the rest of us pro-lifers and be glad for their help and support.”
Definitely!
~ ~ ~ ~
Ex-GOP Voter says:
January 8, 2011 at 11:32 am
Mother in Texas -Great post. The whole issue to me sort of cheapens the notion that “abortion is murder”. If that is what pro-lifers really believed, then they’d be advocating that we throw these folks in jail, right?
Motive is everything. One cannot assume that every pro-lifer wants to put aborting women in jail. We don’t have enough jails for one thing… Abortion kills – that’s scientific fact. The civil penalty is whole different issue and not in the forefront of the abortion issue. Pro-choicer/aborts need to realize this.
Hi, Cranky! :) I recently had the opportunity to read the first chapter of Abby’s book. If you at all doubt her sincerity, I highly recommend reading the book whenever you are able. Put it on hold at your local library now.
Praise be to God, we are all able to live in His Fullness without having to truly “deal with” our sins. Although we have trouble humbling ourselves to His Word, we are blessed that His Word was made flesh; He humbled Himself for us. If He has forgiven Abby Johnson, Norma McCorvey, Bernard Nathanson… if He has forgiven even such infamous figures as George Tiller, who are WE to refuse them such forgiveness? They have only to come asking it with a contrite heart.
Of course, there is the subject of sincerity. Are they contrite? “You will know them by their fruits.” -Matthew 7:16 What are the fruits of Abby Johnson’s labors? Can we honestly doubt her sincerity?
Mary Magdalene was “possessed of evil spirits” from which Jesus cured her. She was from a town along Lake Galilee who’s name is pronounced like “migdol” or “magdal” and it’s from a word that means tower-to-make-smoked-fish. It is likely that her family made their money in the fish trade, it is less likely she was a woman of ill repute. Many fictional movies and stories combine female characters in the Bible for brevity.
Mary sister of Martha and Lazarus grew up in Bethany, just over the Mt of Olives from Jerusalem. Her brother Lazarus worked an olive press and that is where their families money came from. He would trade the work of pressing your olives for a share of the oil, which he then traded to perfumers and other people. That would explain how Mary could afford the costly perfumed oil with which she annointed Jesus’ feet. There is no evidence that she was a lady of ill repute either. There is a church built on the site of Lazarus’ home. I also visited the town where Mary Magdalene grew up.
Just a little Biblical trivia for fun.
I’m surprised that none of the pro-choicers responding to this entry have brought up this article and that the story behind Abby’s conversion have some inconsistancies:
http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2010-02-01/letterfrombryan
ninek,
What you posted may well be true, but I should caution you that much of that information is based on tradition, not scripture. We know that Lazarus and his sisters were friends of Jesus, but we don’t know whether that friendship was three years or decades old.
To open another can of worms, have you heard of the notion that many of the twelve disciples were actually relatives of Jesus? That, especially, Peter and Andrew, and John and James were second or third cousins? This would go further towards explaining their immediate decision to follow him, since they would have heard the Nativity Story all their lives.
Absolutely, several of the disciples were cousins. If you read all 4 gospels carefully, you can piece it together. It is interesting to piece together how Mary wife of Cleopas and Cleopas were known to Jesus, how they didn’t recognize him on the road, that the Blessed Mother’s sister was also at the foot of the cross with her, etc. I find it really interesting and rich.
I don’t need to be cautioned about Tradition, as I’m a practicing Catholic. Tradition doesn’t contradict the written Gospel. If it did, it would be something else entirely. It doesn’t matter how long Lazarus knew Jesus. The important points being made in the Gospel are: Jesus was personally upset by the death of Lazarus. Even though his resurrection was imminent, it couldn’t have been easy for him to witness the grief of his sisters and family. Imagine how he must have felt when both sisters accused him, “if you had only been here, my brother would not have died.’
I find it interesting that modern people often assume if a woman wasn’t highly regarded, she was a prostitute. Women weren’t commonly known to travel around with male disciples, helping finance their ministry. That would have plenty to raise the hackles of the Pharisees, without having anything to do with the ‘world’s oldest profession.’
It wasn’t an accident that it took Jesus as long as it did to visit the home of Lazarus. He let some time pass so that it was solidly established that Lazarus had dies before He performed a miracle. God’s timing,perfect as ever.
Yes, I’d forgotten to note that I agree with you about the wrongful conflating of Mary Magdalene with the woman caught in adultery – or that she was a prostitute.
Being of a Protestant background, perhaps I more accept traditional history backed by written history from early Christians and Romans. They complement the historicity of Scripture, and put the lie to the idea there isn’t even evidence that Christ lived.
(See also my comment on the “Quote of the Day”)
Speaking about Cleopas, how about the idea that his companion on the road to Emmaus was Peter? Paul later said that the risen Christ appeared first to Simon, and then the other disciples.
And I believe that Jesus joined them looking somewhat like His crucified self (as he did to Mary in the garden [war veterens and disfigured men were often relegated to being gardeners]) He then transformed to his “normal” visage when “their eyes were opened”.
And I don’t hold to the idea that He is frozen in His wounded body. He can clearly go to those two forms, but His actual Self is as described at the Mount of Transfiguation and in the Book of Revelation.
MaryRose,
And since He could raise Lazarus after four days, why couldn’t they believe He could be raised after only three? :)
Hans,
My meaning was in reference to the fact that Lazarus’s death wasn’t completely sudden. He didn’t make it to his sick bed, but rather waited until Lazarus was dead & buried to raise him. I meant it in response to ninek’s comment about Mary & Martha’s ‘accusations’ of a sort to Christ.
Understood. I believe that famous, shortest verse: “Jesus wept.” was about the sisters’ grief, not that they lacked faith in Him. And I was really referring to the disciples’ cluelessness that He would be raised.
There had been a few raisings from the dead before Christ, but no one had ever walked out of the tomb on his own. I can’t imagine I would have understood Christ’s remarks before he was risen. Hindsight is 20/20, even to the disciples. I believe it was Cleopas’ wife that was his companion. Mary M brought Simon to the tomb, so he was there before Jesus walked on the road with Cleopas, which happened later in the day. Incidentally, there is a tomb in Emmaus that resembles Lazarus’ tomb. There isn’t a street right in front of it, so it looks more old-timey than Lazarus’ actual tomb does today and it gives you a good impression of what it must have been like in the 1st century.
One of my favorite books on the bible is written by Bruce Feiler, “Walking the Bible.” It’s not a scholarly tome, but a man’s personal journey to the places of the old Testament. I highly recommend it. It’s too bad it doesn’t touch on the New Testament, but I love it’s personal touch anyway.
Ninek and Hans,
I’m enjoying y’all’s conversation (yes, I know I said “y’all”…as my name suggests I’m in Texas and that’s a common contraction we use).
Like Ninek, I’m a practicing Roman Catholic and Sacred Tradition never contradicts the Bible.
What I find interesting is that some Gospels cover some things more in depth than others. For instance, John is the ONLY Gospel that the Wedding At Cana appears (John, Chapter 2), and Luke’s Gospel is the only one that contains Mary, Jesus’s mother’s Magnificat (Luke, Chapter 2) And Matthew covers Jesus’s Baptism way more in depth than of the other 3 (Matthew, Chapter 3). And Mark is the shortest Gospel. We really do have to take them all together to get all the details.
Anyway, just my two cents about it.
Is the reason her book climbing the charts so rapidly because Newsmax is going to to give them away just like they did with Palin’s and others’ books?
I purchased it, Peter.
Hi MotherinTexas! With everything I’ve learned, read, and seen, I am strongly inclined to believe that Luke knew the Blessed Mother personally, perhaps when she was older.
I encourage anyone who’s had the dream to see the Holy Land to save up and do go while you can. It takes a lot of stamina because there is a lot of walking involved on such a tour, but it’s so worth it. Standing on the edge of Galilee with my toes in the water, the Gospel was alive all around me. I watched sparrows dart under the eaves of a chapel and thought, “Are they descended from the very sparrows that our Lord described?”
Mary Rose, people purchased Palin’s book, too. But, 90% or more of them (as well as Ann Coulter’s books) were given away by outlets such as Newmax.
Mother in Texas and ninek,
You should read a Harmony of the Gospels (there are several on line). The narrative fits together rather nicely. And for those who nitpick about what words are chosen – well, why couldn’t the centurion have said: “Surely this was the Son of God!” and: “Surely this was a righteous man!” in the next breath?
Luke may well have been one of the 70 disciples sent out.
The Napa Valley in California looks much more like the Holy Land then than as it does now. A Mediterranean climate with more rainfall. It was deforested by the Ottoman Turks. And Lake Tahoe looks more like the Sea of Galilee then than now. The shoreline was a mile further out at that time.
So Hollywood productions should film biblical epics right in their own backyards, not in the Moroccan desert! The wilderness Jesus went into was like Daniel Boone’s wilderness (wild with trees, bushes, and grasses.)
Climate changed a lot before those 19th century smokestacks!
ninek says:
January 10, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Hi MotherinTexas! With everything I’ve learned, read, and seen, I am strongly inclined to believe that Luke knew the Blessed Mother personally, perhaps when she was older.
Ninek,
From what I understand it is a common belief that Luke actually talked to the Blessed Mother. I’m willing to believe that, myself. Luke and John are my favorite Gospels.
I encourage anyone who’s had the dream to see the Holy Land to save up and do go while you can. It takes a lot of stamina because there is a lot of walking involved on such a tour, but it’s so worth it. Standing on the edge of Galilee with my toes in the water, the Gospel was alive all around me. I watched sparrows dart under the eaves of a chapel and thought, “Are they descended from the very sparrows that our Lord described?”
At the moment I don’t think I’ll be saving up to go there. Yes, I’d like to, but not now. (For a variety of reasons). But that’s awesome you got to go!
Hans Johnson says:
January 10, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Mother in Texas and ninek,
You should read a Harmony of the Gospels (there are several on line). The narrative fits together rather nicely. And for those who nitpick about what words are chosen – well, why couldn’t the centurion have said: “Surely this was the Son of God!” and: “Surely this was a righteous man!” in the next breath?
Hans,
In at least one of the Gospels I believe he says “Surely, this was the son of God.”
If you watch “Jesus Of Nazereth” the same Centurion who asks Jesus to heal his servant (without coming to his house) is the one that says “Surely this was the son of God.” in that movie. I thought that was cool (and could’ve happened for all we know).
I’m also rather fond of the series, “A.D.” which covers ACTS through the martyrdom of Christians by Nero. They took some Historical license for artistic purposes, but I’ll tell you what, I adored the one who played Peter in it.
My younger brother and I saw it as children–we thought the guy who played Thomas was so hysterical when he said “You didn’t see him–thought you saw him” that we rewinded the tape like 2-3 times just to watch that part again.
The woman who plays Mary in this series was wonderful…right at the Holy Spirit scene (right before the Descent) she’s telling the apostles a story about Jesus as a kid. I can imagine Mary having really done that. To be in the presence of His mother must’ve been an awesome thing.
Peter,
90%, huh? You have proof of this assertion? That’s an awfully big number to just be handed out freely.
Mother In Texas,
“Peter and Paul” was a quite good two-part movie along those lines. With Robert Foxworth and Anthony Hopkins.
Jesus of Nazareth was probably my favorite telling of the life of Christ. Though it’s ridiculous that Zefferelli skimped on the Resurrection because he couldn’t understand it. Yeah, and he understood the loaves and the fishes?
I think the best Biblical epic was Ben-Hur. And it only tells of Christ tangentially!
I love JESUS OF NAZARETH! I am badly in need of a DVD upgrade….I only have VHS and don’t use my VCRs anymore.
I plan to purchase the Kindle edition of Abby’s book.
Peter is just making that up!