On her first day working at Planned Parenthood, Abby Johnson encountered a chilling moment.
Walking past the Products of Conception lab, she asked a colleague what was in the freezer. With a giant laugh, he said, “We call that the nursery.” The freezer was where the bodies of aborted babies were kept until picked up and disposed of by a medical waste company.
All attendees were deeply moved as Abby Johnson, a pro-life advocate, author and international speaker, shared her journey from working at Planned Parenthood to becoming a passionate advocate for life at the CFL Life Lessons Box Lunch at Park Cities Presbyterian Church and again that evening for the CFL Young Leaders for Life Dinner at El Fenix.
She recounted how, as a Texas A&M student, she was recruited by Planned Parenthood at a job fair with the promise of helping women in need. “I knew what I was doing was wrong because I didn’t tell my parents I worked at Planned Parenthood for a year and half.”
Years into her tenure, everything changed when she was asked to assist in an ultrasound-guided abortion. Watching a 13-week-old baby’s heartbeat on the screen, she was struck by the undeniable reality of life. The image reminded her of the ultrasound she had seen of her own daughter—how could this not also be a baby?
At the Young Leaders for Life Dinner, Abby bravely recounted her own abortion story, offering an honest reflection on the consequences of sin and the profound redemption she found.
Speaking directly to a group of over 80 young adults, she emphasized the importance of making life-affirming choices, urging them to learn from her experience rather than follow the same path. “This life that I live and this story I tell—this is not the story you want.”
Her testimony was a moving reminder of the power of grace, transformation, and the hope that comes with choosing life.
We are grateful for Abby’s courage in sharing her experience to both our Life Lessons lunch event and at our Young Leaders for Life Dinner.
We are also grateful to all of our attendees and Council for Life donors. Thank you for being a bold, brave voice for the voiceless— the innocent unborn, each made in the image of and cherished by our Creator.
Special thanks to:
- Life Lessons Co-Chairs Kate Gouws, Brittany Graft and Cindy Harlan who planned and executed all the details of Life Lessons Box Lunch with such grace and excellence.
- Young Leaders for Life Co-Chairs Alyssa Heffley, Olivia Krog, Grant Pierce, and Addie Crimmons for their leadership and enthusiasm in spearheading the YLFL dinner
- Paul Goebel, PCPC Associate Paster and Mickey Friedrich, Watermark Church Elder, for their touching opening prayers at the Life Lessons Box Lunch.
- Father Kevin Kolker, Chaplain and Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU, for opening the YLFL event with prayer and hope.
- Park Cities Presbyterian Church for their kind assistance and hosting us in their beautiful Fellowship Hall.
- Festive Kitchen and CEO Sandy Korem for generously donating delicious box lunches for our Life Lessons guests.
- El Fenix for their excellent food and their courteous and kind staff.
Life Lessons Gallery
Young Leaders Gallery
