It's been five years since Abby Johnson walked out of her Planned Parenthood abortion facility on October 5, 2009 in Bryan/College Station, Texas -- the very place where 40 Days for Life started. I will never forget that day.

I'm listing the top five things that I have learned about Abby Johnson since she crossed into uncharted water and came knocking on our door.

2. Abby is stubborn

There was a comical scene in the hearing where Planned Parenthood tried to sue Abby and me after she left her job. I was sitting between our lawyer and Abby, and he and I were calmly exchanging notes as Abby's former employees (and friends) testified against her. Going in, I knew this would be difficult for Abby. But we told her she needed to stay calm and maintain good composure for the judge as they ripped her to shreds.

How naive was I back then? Abby calm in this situation -- are you kidding?

She of course was fuming and kept violently stabbing her pin to click it, write a note to me, and then violently click it again -- over and over again. Her scowl was in full force. Everybody could see she was boiling over. I personally felt sorry for the poor pen!

Afterwards, as the judge threw out Planned Parenthood?s case against us within an hour, I was able to poke well deserved fun at her and we had a good laugh. She had a lot at stake that day, but that could not stop her emotions -- they were on public display. I'm Irish -- we are loud at dinners, mad when things are fine, and happy when possible disaster seems to be approaching; so her behavior in the courtroom drove me crazy.

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Abby is stubborn and stubborn people are easy to like and easy to dislike. At times, God has used her stubbornness. Like all of us, our gifts can also be our vices. But Abby's passion, when channeled, has been disastrous for the abortion industry across America. Imagine being in a board room for Planned Parenthood trying to predict what she will do, say, or reveal next. That is not a good place to be.

The abortion industry fears her because she has chosen to use her gifts to help end the gruesome work she was part of. Because she was part of it and knows how it operates, her stubbornness is a huge obstacle for them.

NEXT ... #1. Abby is blessed



Abby Johnson is the director of And Then There Were None and the author of Unplanned.

Shawn Carney, President/CEO

In addition to co-founding 40 Days for Life, Shawn is one of the most sought-after pro-life speakers, addressing audiences coast-to-coast and internationally. He has executive produced award-winning pro-life documentaries. Shawn co-authored the #1 top-rated Christian book: 40 Days for Life: Discover What God Has Done ... Imagine What He Can Do and also wrote The Beginning of the End of Abortion.