After the Pill...Where Do We Go From Here?
Now that you have read and heard of the dangers of modern birth control methods, you ask yourselves, "Where do we go from here?" Right now, all you know for sure is that you want to stay away from anything that could hurt a small and growing life in the womb. This godly fear is good. In this realm of God's creation, you have started at the beginning, where "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." But you wonder where to go next. You want to move to a place of real spiritual growth instead of continually trying to find the edge of what is permissible but not edifying.Natural Family Planning
There is a practical answer. Many couples have found freedom through the use of Natural Family Planning (NFP). NFP brings a greater appreciation for, and joy in, the sexuality of your marriage relationship. NFP by definition does not involve the use of any artificial forms of birth control, or barrier methods. There are several groups that teach couples how to recognize the signs and seasons of a woman’s fertility. Each of these groups has its own unique approach which addresses the different ways of learning and several specialize in specific medical needs. In addition to the purely technical and educational helps of these groups, they can also be a great source of spiritual encouragement.Four major NFP organizations you can contact are:
The Couple to Couple League International PO Box 111184 Cincinnati, Ohio 45211-1184 Main Number: (513) 471-2000 Charge Orders: (800) 745-8252 http://www.ccli.org Billings Ovulation Method Association - USA P.O. Box 16206 St. Paul, MN 55116 (651)699-8139 boma-usa@msn.com http://www.boma-usa.org/ Creighton Model Pope Paul VI Institute 6901 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68106-2604 Phone (402) 390-6600 http://www.creightonmodel.com/ Family of the Americas PO Box 1170 Dunkirk, MD 20754 Phone (301) 627-3346 http://www.familyplanning.net
A Special Calling
Another path that you can take which also stays away from birth control, and to which God may be calling you specifically, is the path where you are led to leave everything up to God. This includes giving up complete knowledge of your fertility at all times in order to rely on His special gift of faith for you in determining the exact timing and number of children you should have. This is a path that a couple needs to be jointly convinced of, before the Lord, that this is God's special desire for them.Do Not Fear
Whatever path God may be calling you to, guard your heart. Don't let your heart be gripped by fear for the many questions you still have. Some questions will be easily and quickly answered through the resources and friends of those who have gone ahead of you, and others will be answered in due time with God's peace. Remember that the Lord is faithful and will always direct you on the path of righteousness if you begin with immediate steps of obedience on what you already know to be true and right.Who Can You Talk To?
We are Jonathan and Renee Harris. We have been practicing NFP our entire marriage. We have five children: Jonathan Jr, Caleb, twins Nicholas and Noelle, and Gideon. Jonathan grew up as the son of missionary parents in France, where his father is now semi-retired as a Protestant pastor. Renee grew up in a Christian home in Northern California and attended BIOLA University in Southern California. We currently live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. For more help in where to go next, email us directly at NFP@neetje.net