An Abortion Survivor’s Story of Forgiveness

Tonya was 13 when she became pregnant and aborted her baby.

She endeavored to move on with her life as if nothing had happened. Yet, in the weeks that followed, something still seemed to be happening inside of her. She soon discovered that she had been pregnant with twins, and one of the babies had survived the procedure. A few weeks later, Tonya gave birth to the child and put her up for adoption.

Twenty-one years later that child – now a grown adult named Claire – called the adoption agency from where she had been adopted. The woman who answered the phone told Claire, “I remember you. I’ve had your picture on my desk for 21 years.”

Claire and Tonya reunited and developed a friendship and a deep reverence for life together. Their story is a powerful account of forgiveness and restoration.

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “An Abortion Survivor’s Story of Forgiveness,” we’re talking with Claire and Tonya about their remarkable journey. You’ll hear difficult, yet heartwarming stories of God’s redeeming work in their lives. Listen on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or on our free phone app.

Many abortion-minded women have told me that it’s hard for them to consider giving their baby for adoption. I urge them to believe that life is a much a better choice – obviously for the baby, but for the woman as well. A better choice with fewer regrets.

Claire says, “God is bigger than our circumstances, and his plan is always bigger and better than our own. That’s what I found. Even in my valleys where I was questioning the things that were transpiring in my life, I knew that he had gone before me, that he had a plan, and that he was going to make something good out of something that was evil and hurt so bad.”

Details for our pro-life event See Life 2021 are coming together. This 6-week digital experience kicks off on Friday, July 16, with new episodes every Friday across Focus on the Family’s social media channels. And it all culminates with a live, in-person event that will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on August 28 and will be streamed on Focus’ Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram channels, as well as at https://www.focusonthefamily.com/see-life/. Mark your calendars!

If pro-life conversations touch a tender spot for you, I want you to know that Focus on the Family has a caring Christian team of counselors, and it would be their privilege to offer you a free 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).

Before I close, one of the best things you can do to support life is to participate in our Option Ultrasound program. Abortion clinics are interested in abortion. Pregnancy resource centers are interested in the woman, the man, the baby, the family. They minister to everyone involved.

Focus supports these centers through our Option Ultrasound program, which provides grants for sonogram training and technology. To date, more than 800 ultrasound machines have been placed around the country, and nearly 460,000 babies have been saved.

We’re working hard to raise that number to one million babies saved sometime in the near future. With that in mind, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. What’s amazing is that it only takes $60 to save a baby’s life by providing ultrasound machines and additional resources.

You might also be interested in Wait No More, our foster adoption effort here at Focus. Over 3,500 families have started that process, usually adopting more than one child.

You can read Claire and Tonya’s full story in Claire Culwell’s bookSurvivor: An Abortion Survivor’s Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption, which is available when you become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. Visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459) for more information.

Photo from ClaireCulwell.com