First a disclaimer. This is not meant to be a post trying to say why the Catholic Church teaches against artificial contraceptives or how NFP works. So if you are reading this wanting to know either of those two things I can't claim that I can speak clearly enough to answer you. This instead is about my relationship with NFP now and over the years.
When I first started learning about Natural Family Planning (NFP) in youth group I quickly decided that that it was weird and it was just going to be one of those things I didn't agree with the Church about. Oh how young, naive and lost I was. However as I learned more and more about the truth of our human sexuality, the sacrament of marriage, and NFP I couldn't help but fall deeper in love with the Church and the Truth it proclaims.
As a nursing major at a passionately Catholic school I have learned so much about the science AND theology of NFP. When I graduate I plan on becoming a Creighton Model Practitioner because we need more individuals who are trained to teach NFP to single women and couples so that NFP can be more accessible.
Personally I try to chart using the MyFertilityMD app but I am not good at consistency. I try to chart both so that I am more comfortable with my own cycles and fertility but also so that I can be prepared to begin my Practitioner education. However, I am not always good about charting and I NEED to get better about that. (Ladies hold me to it!)
There is so much more I could say about NFP-Pope Paul IV's encyclical Humanae Vitae, the dignity that it gives women, the trust it brings to marriage, the mind set about seeing children as gifts from God and the fact that you aren't filling your body with harmful chemicals. Oh I could go on and on. However could I suggest that you go visit 1Flesh. It is a great website that answers questions and encourages and inspire those who already accept the truth of human sexuality, and so much more. At 1Flesh you can learn so much more than I could ever say. If you want to know more information please comment, google and seek out more information.
I want to end this post with this great quote @Carrots for Michaelmas I stumbled upon after I began writing this post. I just love that last line and it inspires me so much for the future and the gift of future children. I think some of you will also like it.
"When Baby 3 arrives someday (hopefully), we’ll need a new vehicle because three car seats won’t fit in the back seat of our Camry. But if we believe that God became man and dwelt among us, died for us and was resurrected, surely we can trust that he can get us a van… "
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