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

by Claire Culwell, Lois Mowday Rabey (Contributor), Steve Rabey (Contributor)

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.

Raised in a loving adoptive home, at age twenty-one Claire Culwell decided to meet her birth mother. That's when she got the shock of her life. Claire's mother, Tonya, confessed that when she was pregnant with Claire, she'd gone to a clinic for an abortion, but afterward her belly had continued to grow. What both Tonya and her doctor had missed was that she'd actually been pregnant with twins. The abortion that terminated the life of Claire's twin had miraculously spared Claire.

Upon learning this shocking news, Claire quickly offered forgiveness and love to her birth mother and embraced the unique opportunity to share her story with the world. But when she faced her own unplanned pregnancy out of wedlock, she was met with censure and rejection from pro-life and Christian organizations. Altered by the experience, Claire reshaped her message, vowing to extend grace and offer empathy to women in pregnancy crisis, while challenging churches to radically support women and truly live out their value for life by promoting adoption.

A unique voice in the pro-life movement, Claire demonstrates how God can turn bad into good, and invites readers to generously offer love and compassion toward women and men struggling with unplanned pregnancies.




RUNNING TIME => 7hrs.

©2021 Claire Culwell, Lois Mowday Rabey, and Steve Rabey (P)2021 Random House Audio

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Contemporary, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir

Audible Audio

First published April 27, 2021

Reviews

[Kaitlyn S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in. tears. you guys! The redemption and grace and forgiveness in this story . . . our God is great, ya'll, and He can make beautiful things out of the ashes and mistakes and broken things in our lives.

This is the story of Claire, who survived an abortion, is adopted by loving parents, realizes that once-upon-a-time she was a twin, and becomes a voice for the unborn. Instead of being filled with hate and malice and bitterness, she allows her heart to be filled with forgiveness and love and empathy for the young women who find themselves in a similar situation to what her birth mother found herself.

Guys, I've been active within the pro-life movement in small ways. And I've come to the same conclusion that Claire Culwell has come to: the pro-life movement is filled with plenty of unbalanced views.
Yes, the pre-marital sex that creates a baby is sinful -- but the child itself? That child is a precious life.
Yes, both the mother and father have an obligation to fulfill, and will have to face consequences of their actions -- but that doesn't mean we need to throw them out to deal with this on their own.

See, in our public school sex-ed classrooms, it's no wonder so many are ending up pregnant outside of marriage. And if all they've been taught is that the thing inside them is a problem and there's an easy way to take care of it, it's no wonder that so many abortions happen.

There's a fine balance we must strike: condemning the sin, allowing consequences for the sin, but also showing a bit of mercy and love and understanding. We need to condemn the sin, yes. We need to allow the hardships and consequences the Bible promises to come true, absolutely. But we need to love the mother and baby, and the father, and let them know abortion isn't the ONLY answer.
Let them know the thing inside them is a child, precious, complete, with a living soul.

I've seen a 22 week old baby, when my baby sister was born prematurely, and it was that event that showed me just how evil abortion is. She was undoubtedly a fully formed baby, and I was able to watch her develop OUTSIDE of the womb, and that was a miraculous thing to see.
And so many people would tear her apart, limb from limb, and throw her away if they decided the pregnancy was a bother.

And I love how Mrs. Culwell addresses fathers in this book, 'cause all too often fathers are left out of the abortion debate. It takes two to create a life, ya'll, and it's high time we women allow -- even encourage -- them to weigh in on this issue. The child is half theirs, too. And I think we forget that.

I enjoyed reading how she reaches out to those who had abortions. So often young women find that this is the only alternative open to them, and the least shameful way to deal with this, or maybe they just didn't know the emotional trauma they'd go through, and the sympathy this author exhibits is a beautiful thing indeed.

This was a powerful story written by an abortion survivor, and working with the pro-life movement over the years, this was a GREAT read! Know I thoroughly recommend it, and am absolutely advocating for you to pre-order a copy!

I received a copy of this book through the publisher via NetGalley for my enjoyment -- I was not required to enjoy the book, merely to give an honest opinion.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

{I received this book to read through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.}

A few months ago I saw the interview Claire had with Lila Rose and I could see the sweet spirit of this beautiful lady pour out through her words. Reading her book made me feel like I was sitting with her and hearing her story as she talked to me. This is an extremely important book for our time, full of forgiveness that Jesus offers and the truths of how Christians must deal with the reality of abortion in this day and age. Claire's story is one of God's beautiful purpose, a reminder that the unborn is precious God's eyes and has an amazing purpose in this world.

A must read, and one that touched my heart.

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

About Claire Culwell , who is an abortion survivor, and is an adoptee who had loving adoptive parents. She didn’t know she was an abortion survivor until later in her life when her birth mother, Tonya confessed it to her. It’s a great story of love, hope, and forgiveness. A book that encourages life, and love and belief in God who loves us all and is willing to forgive us if we just accept Him into our hearts. She tells us about her life, how her adoptive parents loved her and her sister, how she found her birth mother and finding out she was an abortion survivor. Very good book. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers of #Survivor for the opportunity to read and review with my honest opinion.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a great story! It’s amazing to see how her life was spared from abortion. It’s a story of grace and forgiveness. She had to figure out how to process her tragic birth story. She showed forgiveness towards her birth mother. Through a long journey, her birth mom found forgiveness and peace in Jesus Christ.

One of the things that I didn’t like was the fact that she talked about morals and yet still got pregnant outside of marriage.

It was interested to see how God took her from just a normal, adopted girl, to someone who was able to speak up for those babies who may be aborted.

[Christabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful testimony of what God can do with heartbreaking circumstances. Culwell’s message of redemption is powerful and moving and completely uplifting as she offers grace and hope to those around her. She embodies the forgiveness that is so needed today. How beautiful and so worth the read!

[Anna Boatwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one reason the memoir is my favorite genre. The beauty of getting to read Claire’s TRUE story told in her on voice is so so beautiful, and it touches me every time. This is a story everyone needs to read - it’s such an incredible witness to God’s faithfulness even through difficulties, and evidence that EVERY life has value. This was a re-read, but I’ll be reading this one a third time later, i’m sure!

[Krista Pilon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the first half was good and then when she switched to her going out and speaking about her story, I felt like it took a different turn. It was very focused on her and when she stumbled she didn't see it as anything but a hiccup and like it wasn't a problem. She excused it and moved on, almost proud of what she did. It made it a struggle to finish after that point.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a very interesting read! The author had an incredible story, one that I did not even realize was possible! Claire was adopted as a newborn into a loving family. She always need that she was adopted, but she had no idea that her mother had an abortion that ended the life of her twin. But, she survived! Claire not only forgives her birth mother and develops a relationship with her, but also shares her story on a large scale. She becomes a spokesperson for the pro-life movement. Claire is kind, loving, and forgiving to women who are considering or who have gone through an abortion. She also shares different ministries who help women both before and after the births of their babies, offering support that many women considering abortion need. Her message is one of forgiveness and unconditional love. I recommend this book if you want to read an uplifting story, and see God's heart for women, no matter what choices they have made in the past.

[Rachel Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My lived experience amplifies the message I give whenever I speak: Every human life is precious. 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.”
Quote from Survivor by Claire Culwell

Claire Culwell never gave much thought to her adoption, until the opportunity to get to know her birth mom came and she learned the truth; Claire survived an abortion that took the life of her twin sibling. Through forgiveness, grace, healing, and support, Claire is now a prominent voice for the Pro-Life movement and a strong advocate for adoption. You will have to read her book, Survivor to learn the details.
If you have adopted a child, or thinking about adoption, are adopted, or even wanting to learn more about adoption, Claire’s story is a great example to read.

I graciously received an advance e-copy from Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

[Caroline David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually had the chance to meet Claire Culwell in the summer of 2019 when she came to visit North Carolina to defend a bill that would protect babies born alive after a botched abortion. I was excited to hear more of her story as she only spoke briefly at the event. Her story is one that many are told isn't true or has never happened. I appreciate her sharing this story that is, no doubt, difficult to share. The writing was easily digestible and the perfect mixture of looking into the past to tell the story of her life versus present-day activism.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Claire's story is very important. The book is written for a Christian and pro-life audience, which I understand is the primary audience Claire speaks to. I think there is a case to be made for another version of the book that would appeal to a mainstream audience fascinated by the existence of an abortion survivor, even if pro-choice. I understand her primary motivation is to inspire pro-life people to be more involved in the movement (which is badly needed!), but a version of her story that would draw in people who don't already share her conclusions could possibly change hearts and minds to value prenatal humans for the first time. I don't think it has crossed most people's minds that abortion survivors exist, and I just hope Claire's story gets an even larger reach. I appreciated the narrative arc of her coming out of her shell as an introvert to become an international speaker. I'm introverted as well and go on campus outreach with Justice For All occasionally. Pro-life work is not easy, so her story was indeed inspiring. Her story left me with some questions: Did Tonya ever tell Claire anything about her father (he was never mentioned)? What, exactly, was the medical risk to Tonya that saved Claire from the second abortion attempt? Maybe some of these facts were intentionally left out to respect Tonya's wishes. The story of their reconciliation was very sweet.

[Regina Chari · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author has an incredibly unique and powerful story. I wanted to LOVE this book, because the story itself offers much to be excited about. However, the writing just isn't great. I struggled to get into the book and had to force myself to finish it. With such a powerful story, that was surprising. If I am totally honest, the author (who I know nothing about,) comes across as pretty unlikeable. If I had better been able to connect with her, I think I would have appreciated this book much more.

Again, her story is a powerful one. If you are a pro-life activist, you will likely be able to overlook the challenges with this book. If not, you might also find yourself struggling to get through it. With a few changes this could have been a book that would have been wonderful even for those who advocate for pro-choice legislation.

The publisher made a copy of this book available for review, this is my honest opinion.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Survivor" is a story of an abortion survivor, and also the the kind, who had a twin that did not survive it. Claire Culwell knew as a child, that she was given up for adoption, but all the details came out much later, when she met her birthmother. There was a great deal of emotional healing on both parts, but the wounds remained. That was one half of the book, the other half was about the author's activism in the pro-life movement. Even though I like this story and appreciate the testimony, the book did not feel complete. The author shared some safer and peachier moments in abundance, but some uncomfortable ones were scrapped into one page. Also the message of the whole book was not clear. Was it for the people who are thinking about abortion issues or a little bit of ministry advertising, or some soul searching on the activism part? It was a bit confusing.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Culwell has a unique story to tell. She was to be aborted, but was not while her twin was. She relates her upbringing as a happy, loving adopted child of two very religious parents. She met her adopted mother at 21 and learned about the failed abortion. The author has a pro life ministry. Before reading this book I had never heard of an abortion survivor. Culwell never expresses any negativity about her story or toward her birth mother but I had to wonder that she had to have some anger at some point. The book is very religious so that may be a turn off for some readers. I focused on her story the most and thought it was an unusual angle. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read.

[Aurelia Mast-glick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claire has an amazing survival story- she survived an abortion that killer her twin, was adopted by parents who poured their life into her. She was a preemie and did not realize her amazing survival story until she was 20 or so. Her birth mother was 13 when she became pregnant with Claire and her mother ran the show and made the decisions. Today, there has been reconciliation and Claire goes around speaking at pro-life events and churches and etc. It is amazing to see how she is telling her story on a large platform.

What troubles me a bit about this story is that Claire did go on to become an unwed mother statistic. Yes, she married the baby's father and took for her own his three children, but it feels like God was not as much of the equation as He should have been. In grappling with her identity, dating a divorced man was probably not what she should have been doing while figuring it out. And while the child deserved love just like anyone else, living an almost proud, triumphant life in the midst of her pregnancy just bothered me. The book almost focuses more on her speaking than on her life struggles after she found out about the attempted abortion. I was looking for more realness to the story maybe.

I received this book from Waterbrook via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Emma Filbrun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing story. I found it very inspiring to read about how God orchestrated all the events of Claire's life, from before she was born, to bring hope to many people. This book helps to put a face on the abortion controversy—Claire was supposed to have been aborted, but instead, she lived to become an advocate for life.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

[Brittany Atkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story of Claire's life is incredible and redeeming. The amount of full circle moments that can only be credited to our Creator made this read worthwhile.

I remember walking through a book store over a year ago and seeing this book. I wrote it down immediately to get at a later time and I'm very glad I was able to finish it.

(My rating is simply for the style of writing and storytelling and not for the content.)

[Christy Chermak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy and quick read- engaging story of Claire’s life and how God has used her story in the pro life movement. I appreciated her approach to the topic of abortion and focus on caring for post abortive men and women as well as advocating for a changed perspective on abortion. The fact that her life was so changed by finding out this part of her story is intriguing too.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story of a girl adopted by a loving family, who later discovered she was a twin who survived the abortion to took her sister's life. Hard challenges and struggles led to deep transformation and changed life.

[Sara Stopulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fountains of tears reading through these pages of Gods goodness. This book is so so good and is the most beautiful testimony of a Christlike person living among us. I will be thinking about Claire’s words and story for years to come!

[Becky Filipek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick and easy read. It's an important story to share, as our country continues to disagree over abortion. The babies are real people. The mothers are real people. There is a large support network for those who would be brave and seek it out.

[Joan Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire is the survivor of a failed abortion. Interesting account of her adoption, finally meeting her birth mother, and her continuing involvement in the ProLife movement. Gives an open plus complicated side of abortion that is usually not told.

[Michelle Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and real. I had the honor of hearing Claire tell her story at a banquet and that combined with her book has spurred me on to become even more active in assisting women facing unplanned pregnancy.

[Robin Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story! This book shares the honest perspective of someone who is loved by God and has a plan for their life. Nothing that the enemy can do to stop it will work.

[Sharon Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent life story!

[Krystal Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read. Very sad but also uplifting. I will recommend.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Survivor: An Abortion Survivor's Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption to be an intriguing read. Five stars.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story. Another testimony of how God turns what the enemy intends for evil to glory for Him and for His people!

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. An abortion survivor writes a book! Her story is tragic but also beautiful. No matter which side of the debate you are on this is an important read. Her voice matters too.

[Kimberly Lunna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely one that gets all in the feelings. It brings to life how abortion can absolutely alter one's life....especially if the baby survives. Very well written and read.