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Survivor

An Abortion Survivor's Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption

Claire Culwell & Lois Mowday Rabey & Steve Rabey

About Survivor

An abortion survivor and leading pro-life spokeswoman tells her inspiring and sometimes surprising story of redemption, healing, and forgiveness, offering grace and support—not shame—to women facing the most difficult decision of their lives.

“Claire’s heart-wrenching and inspiring story is exactly what our world needs today.”—Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action, author of Fighting for Life

Foreword by Abby Johnson, bestselling author of Unplanned, and afterword by Josh McDowell, founder of Josh McDowell Ministry
 
Raised in a loving adoptive home, Claire Culwell, at the age of twenty-one, decided to meet her birth mother—and got the shock of her life. Claire’s birth mother, Tonya, confessed that when she was pregnant with Claire, she’d gone to a clinic for an abortion. Yet, after the abortion, the pregnancy continued to progress. What Tonya’s doctor had overlooked was that she’d been pregnant with twins. The abortion that terminated the life of Claire’s twin had miraculously spared Claire. 
 
Claire embraced the unique circumstances, soon sharing her story with the world and urging her listeners to understand how abortion takes the life of a child. When Claire faced her own unplanned pregnancy as a single woman, she embraced the added opportunity to step into the shoes of those she advocates for. Her heart grew bigger on the issue of life, which increased her extension of empathy and grace to women in pregnancy crisis. At the same time, she began to challenge churches to truly value not just the unborn but also the women who face unexpected pregnancy. 

Survivor is Claire’s incredible story of surviving abortion and advocating for life—the lives of unborn babies as well as the lives of their mothers. Her powerful message of grace speaks louder than politics or controversy or shame as she inspires each of us to choose life wherever we are.

Praise

“Claire Culwell is living, breathing proof that each and every preborn life is sacred. Not only does she have a powerful story to share about surviving an abortion attempt, but she also exemplifies Christlike compassion and forgiveness for women who have sought abortions—including her own biological mother. This inspiring book has the potential to change hearts and touch lives!”—Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family

“Claire’s life, and almost lack thereof, is one full of shocking revelations that are certainly worth telling—but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy story to share. She does us all a great privilege by sharing the raw, vulnerable, and deepest parts of her life, bringing light to darkness and a lens of mercy to our nation’s most divisive topic. Claire’s perspective as an abortion-attempt survivor not only tells her own powerful story but also shows how every family member’s journey is intricately woven together to reveal God’s great love and plan for us.”—Catherine Hadro, host and managing editor of EWTN’s Pro-Life Weekly 

“Claire’s heart-wrenching and inspiring story is exactly what our world needs today. She bears witness to the beauty and gift of every life, and the transforming power of forgiveness. We would all do well to learn from the story of Survivor and let Claire’s example convict and encourage us in the fight for life.”—Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action and author of Fighting for Life

“The beauty of Claire Culwell’s story is that it’s not just about surviving an abortion; it’s about helping others survive too—through unplanned pregnancies, difficult circumstances, and past regrets. While some might have been tempted to let the pain of what happened define them, Claire made a different choice. She allowed God to use her journey to bring a message of hope and healing to a country in desperate need of voices like hers. In a culture that wants us to believe miracles like Claire don’t happen, she is living proof: every life has the potential to change the world.”—Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council

About Lois Mowday Rabey

Lois Mowday Rabey is an acclaimed author, speaker, and encourager who has been inspiring audiences nationwide for more than fifteen years. Her areas of expertise include women's issues, relationships, and spiritual motivation. Lois has written articles for Discipleship Journal, Decision, Youthworker Journal, Single-Parent Family, and Mood. Her books include Daughters Without Dads and Coming of Age. She has been a guest on TV's "The 700 Club" and "Straight Talk" and has been featured on such radio programs as "Family Life Today" and Moody Broadcasting's "Midday Connection." Lois is the mother of two grown daughters and the grandmother of three. She lives with her husband, writer Steve Rabey, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

About Steve Rabey

STEVE RABEY has written two thousand articles and authored/coauthored three dozen books on spirituality, religion, and culture. He lives in Colorado.
www.steverabey.com

Product Details

224 pages | Published by WaterBrook

On Sale Date: Apr 27, 2021

Trim Size: 6 x 9

Carton Quantity: 24

Sneak Peek

Start reading the first chapter An abortion survivor and leading pro-life spokeswoman tells her inspiring and sometimes surprising story of redemption, healing, and forgiveness, offering grace and support—not shame—to women facing the most difficult decision of their lives. “Claire’s heart-wrenching and inspiring story is exactly what our world needs today.”—Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action, author of Fighting for Life Foreword by Abby Johnson, bestselling author of Unplanned, and afterword by Josh McDowell, founder of Josh McDowell Ministry Raised in a loving adoptive home, Claire Culwell, at the age of twenty-one, decided to meet her birth mother—and got the shock of her life. Claire’s birth mother, Tonya, confessed that when she was pregnant with Claire, she’d gone to a clinic for an abortion. Yet, after the abortion, the pregnancy continued to progress. What Tonya’s doctor had overlooked was that she’d been pregnant with twins. The abortion that terminated the life of Claire’s twin had miraculously spared Claire. Claire embraced the unique circumstances, soon sharing her story with the world and urging her listeners to understand how abortion takes the life of a child. When Claire faced her own unplanned pregnancy as a single woman, she embraced the added opportunity to step into the shoes of those she advocates for. Her heart grew bigger on the issue of life, which increased her extension of empathy and grace to women in pregnancy crisis. At the same time, she began to challenge churches to truly value not just the unborn but also the women who face unexpected pregnancy. Survivor is Claire’s incredible story of surviving abortion and advocating for life—the lives of unborn babies as well as the lives of their mothers. Her powerful message of grace speaks louder than politics or controversy or shame as she inspires each of us to choose life wherever we are.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lisa Beech, Asst. Publicity Director
lbeech@penguinrandomhouse.com /(719) 268-1917
Leslie Calhoun, Publicity Associate
lcalhoun@penguinrandomhouse.com / (719) 268-1932

One of the Only Documented Survivors of a Twin Abortion Shares Her Story of Choosing Forgiveness in the Face of Adversity and Finding Redemption in Owning Her Unique and Surprising Story

“Claire Culwell is living, breathing proof that each and every preborn life is sacred. This inspiring book has the potential to change hearts and touch lives!” — Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family

As political tensions in our country continue to rise and more lines are drawn in the sands of ideology, morality, and religion, knowing where and how to make a stance on controversial issues such as pro-life versus pro-choice is a decision that has proven to cause more divisions than it once did. Fortunately, abortion survivor Claire Culwell is no stranger to conflict and bravely shares her own journey of overcoming fear in order to become a voice for the voiceless in her new book Survivor: An Abortion Survivor’s Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption (4/27/21, Trade Paper, WaterBrook). In this raw and never-before-seen glimpse into her complete story, Culwell invites readers into a new perspective and encourages them to stand in a gap that often suffers attacks from both sides. Ultimately, she urges readers “to love women where they are, empower them to choose life, [and] help make choosing life possible by walking alongside them.”
Culwell’s story began when, after being raised in a loving adoptive home for twenty-one years, she decided to meet her birth mother—and got the shock of her life. At their second meeting, Culwell’s birth mother, Tonya, confessed that when at thirteen she’d discovered she was pregnant, she’d gone to a clinic for an abortion. Yet, after the abortion, the pregnancy continued to progress. What Tonya’s doctor had overlooked was that she’d been pregnant with twins. The abortion that terminated the life of Culwell’s twin had miraculously spared her.

Embracing the unique circumstances, Culwell soon began sharing her story with the world and urging her listeners to understand how abortion takes the life of a child.
“Many people’s minds and hearts are already made up on issues surrounding abortion,” notes Culwell. “At times the whole debate can take on an abstract or theoretical tone, as if these issues don’t have any connection to our daily existence. But I’m not abstract or theoretical. I wasn’t supposed to be alive, but here I am.”


When she faced her own unplanned pregnancy as a single woman, she embraced the added opportunity to step into the shoes of those she advocates for. Her heart grew bigger on the issue of life, which increased her extension of empathy and grace to women in pregnancy crisis. At the same time, she began to challenge churches to truly value not just the unborn but also the women who face unexpected pregnancy.

“Every human life is precious,” she writes. “Every human life is a unique, valuable individual designed by God. Every human life is deserving of love, respect, and a chance at a full and vibrant existence. When I say these statements, I come across as more than an advocate for an idea, more than a mouthpiece for a particular point of view. Looking at me, many people can see a personification of the millions of lives that could have been but instead never were.”


Survivor is her incredible story of surviving abortion and advocating for life—the lives of unborn babies as well as the lives of their mothers. Her powerful message of grace speaks louder than politics or controversy or shame as she inspires her listeners to choose life wherever they are.

“I still find myself asking God, Why me? Are you sure you want the most introverted person who ever existed to keep speaking publicly about the most controversial topic of our time? So far the answer seems to be yes.”
The book also includes the following resources:
   •  A Vision for Churches
   •  Practical Tips on How to Get Involved
   •  A List of Resources and Ministries for Going Deeper
   •  Culwell’s behind-the-scenes experience at Alive from New York in Times Square
   •  A Foreword by Abby Johnson, bestselling author of Unplanned, and afterword by Josh McDowell

For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com or http://www.claireculwell.com/.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Claire Culwell is an author, host of the “Called To Be Bold” podcast, and international speaker, represented by the Ambassador Speakers Bureau. She Focus on the Family, communications and public policy committee for the Texas Alliance For Life.

Lois Mowday Rabey is a popular speaker and the author of numerous books. Steve Rabey has authored or coauthored fifty books and written more than two thousand articles for publications including The New York Times and Christianity Today. Lois and Steve have been married more than thirty years and live in Colorado.

Contact Publicist

Lbeech@penguinrandomhouse.com