Sunday, October 2, 2011

unplanned, or was it?

I just finished reading Unplanned by Abby Johnson.  She's the Planned Parenthood (PP) director from Bryan, Texas, who left her position for the "other side of the fence".  It was an interesting book.  It makes me think about words and how I use them.
One thing Abby said was she noticed how carefully PP chose their words.  Calling a baby in utero, a pregnancy.  Calling it fetal tissue.  Dehumanizing it.  Using words to make a case for the plight of women, never babies.  It worked for Abby.  For eight years she worked in and finally directed that particular clinic.  All the while, God was growing a movement called Coalition for Life, also in Bryan, Texas.  Coalition for Life volunteers would stand outside the fence of Abby's PP clinic and pray for her and the others working and visiting the clinic.  They prayed for her for eight years.  Then one day  she experienced something that opened her eyes.  She was God-changed.  She left.
I think her story is amazing.  What impresses me the most about this story is the faithfulness of those Coalition for Life folks who prayed for her for so long.  God answered their prayers.  It just took some time.  That is an encouragment to me.  I have also seen God answer prayers that have been long prayed for. 

One thing I do think she got wrong was the name of the book.  I don't think any of this was unplanned.  It just wasn't planned by her.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Psalm 139:16

A man's heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Many are the plans in a person's heart,
But it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21 NIV

2 comments:

  1. These are very powerful thoughts, Holly. We need to continually work and pray for the life of the unborn child and those who would seek to choose death for them. May God have mercy on our country.

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  2. "I don't think any of this was unplanned. It just wasn't planned by her." ---NICE! and true.

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