A Newlywed Story
On October 12, 2024, McKenna and John Lunger danced the last slow dance of their wedding to “Forever” by Noah Kahan. “Our close friends and family joined in,” they said. “We both knew how special the day was. We got to look around and see how happy everyone was, dancing and feeling the intimacy of the moment.”
A few weeks later, the newlyweds sat down with CCL to share about NFP’s role in their story so far. The two met at Franciscan University of Steubenville, a Catholic college where the topic of NFP seemed so normal, they said. “I learned about NFP freshman year through my human embryology class,” said John. “Little did I know, I already knew some of the information through conversations with my mom and sister who practiced NFP for years.”
Enthusiastic Tracker
For her part, McKenna — and some friends — became enthusiastic about tracking fertility when one friend got engaged. “I think we owned Tempdrops before our own engagements because we were fascinated by the signs our bodies tell us during each phase of the cycle,” she said.
While McKenna initially worried John might be uncomfortable talking about fertility, she found not only was he great at discussing fertility, but he quickly picked up on interpreting charts when they took an NFP class during engagement. “I’ve been surprised by how much I am able to help with tracking on the PeakDay app and looking up information,” he said. McKenna added, “It’s great to know it all isn’t just on me.”
Another pleasant surprise for McKenna was how NFP strengthened her relationship with John’s sister and mom, who had taken Couple to Couple League International (CCLI) classes. NFP has given them a “common language,” McKenna said. “John’s mom has told me how much CCLI has impacted her, and she even showed me her old book and charts that she has saved!”
Though early in their journey, the two point to connections they have already discovered between NFP and marital health:
Mental Wellness
“Being aware of how my hormones are affecting me at certain points in my cycle has helped me understand myself more,” said McKenna. If she feels more anxious than usual, she can often identify patterns on her charts. “It reminds me to rely on God and that those moments will pass.” John added that making time to destress and enjoy simple pleasures – like walking – helps them maintain healthy mindsets while supporting fertility. In fact, top on the couple’s bucket list is a long walk: walking the Camino in Spain!
Physical Wellness
“Charting has shown the importance of a balanced diet,” said McKenna. “It is important to us to make sure I am cycling healthily, so we are eating things that are nutritious and benefiting my body. We also learned how important it is for the husband’s fertility to be optimized, so we are in it together.” Planning meals and cooking new recipes has become a healthy bonding activity each week.
Spiritual Wellness
Leading up to their wedding, John was on a months-long job hunt. “We were really relying on prayer,” said McKenna. “As the wedding neared, we had to discern what was right for our family. That is something we really appreciate about NFP: the conversations and decisions we have to make together.” The week of the wedding, John received a job offer, which McKenna called “one of the best wedding gifts God could give.”
John added, “Still being new in our NFP journey together, we are discovering new things. I have been doing a lot of praying for acceptance of God’s plan and asking Him to prepare us to be open to life at any moment. It was difficult not knowing what God would bring us right away in marriage, but after receiving a job offer, we both know more that He has been listening and that has helped us abandon ourselves to His will.”
Written by Savanna Duca for Family Foundation magazine. Savanna is a writer and creative strategist with a special interest in art, film, and entrepreneurship.
Fertility Science Institute can provide resources, information, and classes to help you better understand your cycles and fertility. The FSI Directory will connect you with physicians, scientists, and experts from other methods to provide the best instruction and support possible.