NFP Has Been a Blessing

Practicing NFP as an unmarried, 24-year-old woman has been one of the greatest blessings of my early twenties.

I wouldn’t describe myself as a very tenacious person. I am not motivated to complete tasks simply from the satisfaction of checking them off my list. My motivation comes from being able to see (or at least visualize) the fruits of my labor. As you can imagine, what would usually seem like a daunting task—charting my cycle every single night—shouldn’t have come easy to me. But it did.

What motivated me? My motivation came from a deep desire and responsibility to share what I had learned with all the women I had the privilege of being friends with. As well as all the people I knew God was going to put in my life in the future.

Through my involvement in youth ministry and college ministry over the past ten years I have been so blessed to be able to help people come to know the truth of who God is, who we are, and the beautiful teachings of our Catholic faith. I have seen God move in very big ways in my life and in the lives of many who have crossed my path over the years.

Living in a time of relativism where it’s okay to “have your own truth,” a common theme that I see amidst our young people is a DEEP yearning to know Him who is Truth. God told us himself that we are all created in His image and likeness. This means that we reflect our heavenly Father, who was intentional in the ways that He created each of us.

My friends and I were talking the other day about how birth control has been thrown in our faces since we first began our period. We go to the doctor for missed periods, painful cramping, acne, etc. and the only “solution” we are offered is birth control.

Practicing NFP for almost two years now has been an absolute game changer in how I view myself. I am now finding treatment for things I just accepted as normal for many years. I just endured things like severe anxiety, feeling like I’m not in control of my emotions, depression, and fatigue in the days leading up to my period. Now I recognize when I should expect to feel low. This helps me, and those closest to me, to be more understanding and patient during these specific times in my cycle.

I know that my Catholic NaPro doctor, Dr. Mary Davenport, is invested in getting to the root of my health issues and healing me. Since I first began meeting with her, I have started taking progesterone which helps regulate my hormones. I take it during a specific time in each cycle which I identify with my charting. I have also learned that I have low blood sugar and am currently trying to find a new routine to be more mindful of the foods I consume and their effect on my body.

I believe with my whole heart that my femininity and womanhood is a gift from God. Learning NFP has deepened my appreciation of this gift, and I feel a responsibility to share what I know with other women.

Through learning NFP, I am better able to care for myself now, and will be better prepared in the future to cooperate with God and my future husband in bringing our children into this world.