Chris and Summer’s Love Story
Real couples really do use NFP, and we asked them to tell us their NFP story. We will be sharing them here on the blog — the good parts and the struggles. Each of these couples is writing their own love story, and have chosen to do so by following God’s plan for marriage.
Here is Chris and Summer’s story.
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Were you initially skeptical about NFP?
Yes, I doubted the effectiveness of actually being able to postpone pregnancy, mainly because of user error in reading my signs. I haven’t overcome this obstacle quite yet.
How was your class experience and teaching couple?
Great! We took the Self-paced Online course and we’ve found a lot of support from the couple assigned to us.
Has anything surprised you about using NFP?
Yes. The communication and shared responsibility has been great. There are struggles but I am happy with how we are learning to deal with them together.
Who participates in observations, charting and interpreting?
I observed and take temperature. My husband fully participated in the class and interprets the chart. It works best that way because both of us know what’s going on and no one has to turn the other down.
Was it difficult to transition to NFP?
Yes. Pills and condoms were easy to rely on, though I know they aren’t 100%
What aspects of contraception are you glad you left behind?
The hormones!
What changed your mind about contraception and caused you to choose NFP?
The Catholic Church and understanding the meaning of pro-life.
What changes have you seen in the dynamics of your relationship since starting natural family planning?
We talk about things we’ve never talked about before. We have learned boundaries and self-control. We plan new types of dates (less contact) when we know we can’t have sex.
Did you and your spouse ever disagree on NFP?
We agree on why we are doing NFP, so that’s been great. We sometimes disagree on when, but we are learning. There’s a lot of talking through fear.
New from CCL! Your Love Story: A Guide to Engagement and Marriage by William Turrentine. Learn more at www.ccli.org/yls.