NFP: A Gift from God

Having a child is a lot of work, at least that’s what I’ve been told. When my wife and I got engaged a little over six years ago we did not think we were ready to be parents. We talked about it, prayed about it, and enlisted the help of mentors and friends whose wisdom we trusted. The struggle, however, was how to put our decision into action.

Together we decided we did not want Amy, my wife, to be on birth control. Her family had medical history that was complicated by the use of birth control, and Amy preferred not to take medicine that could have unintended, long-term side effects. Using condoms wasn’t an option we preferred, and any form of short-term permanent birth control was off the table. It was during a conversation with a friend that we first heard the phrase, Natural Family Planning.

NFP, as we later found out it was called, turned out to be a gift from God. We reached out to a local instructor and attended an introductory meeting. There we heard about the Creighton Model method, but, if I’m honest, were a bit skeptical. Could this work? Was this method legitimate? Even more so, could we dedicate ourselves to this method for the next several years?

We decided to give NFP a try. We began meeting with Marcia, our instructor, bi-weekly to learn about the process. Our first meeting was about six months before our wedding so we had several months to learn about NFP, to begin charting via the Creighton Method, before we put it into practice.

It was a lot to learn! Both Amy and I learned about her cycle, began to notice rhythms and patterns, began to be more attuned to the way the human body works. We learned words and phrases like “peak-type mucus” and “mucus cycle score.” At first it all felt foreign, like learning a new language amidst surroundings that seemed familiar yet all of a sudden looked different.

Fast forward six years and Amy and I have been married for five years and have used the Creighton Method successfully to avoid pregnancy. Sometimes Amy does the charting, other times I do it. Together, we’ve become more attuned to the way God has constructed Amy’s body and to the gift that is life. We recently shifted our intention, with the hope of having a child in the near future.

Using the Creighton Method helped us care for Amy’s body, care for our future family, and learn about the intricacies of life. It brought the two of us closer together, and created a deeper intimacy because of being on this journey together. It also gave us a resource that we heartily recommend to family and friends. At first, some friends were skeptical. This was a method that had not previously encountered. Would it work as well as birth control, they wondered. Over time, though, through conversation and experience, others began to see the benefits of NFP. Two other couple friends of Amy and mine presently use NFP, and I know they have recommended it on as well. It took someone they trusted to convince them, but once they saw the benefits of NFP, they were hooked!

When Amy and I first began this process I had not sensed a call to ordained ministry. Over these past six years though, I have followed God’s leading and was just recently ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church. In this capacity I am able to talk to others about the benefits of NFP and to ensure that anyone making decisions about family planning considers it as an option.

Natural Family Planning via the Creighton Model was a gift from God to Amy and me. Through it, our love has deepened, our understanding of the beauty of creation has grown, and our confidence in where God is leading our family has been strengthened. While we do not yet have a child, when the time comes, I know we will both be more ready for all the hard work that goes along with such a responsibility because of this season.