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Josh and Jennifer Harrelson
All that exists has a natural order and rhythm created and purposed as part of God’s divine plan and will. Always in awe of this truth, and never doubting, that did not lead to searching for and finding deeper truths, it did so naturally unfold that I would apply this desire for trusting and obeying our Father’s plan to my body.
When the time in my life came that my future husband entered, the Lords grace stirred up in me the sweetest conviction of preparing myself for marriage. This included the ‘searching for and finding deeper truths’ into what the Church teaches. I had a very shallow and immature understanding of natural family planning, but I had a very deep desire and wholehearted trust to uncover its truths. God of the universe did not overlook the details of bringing forth life according to His divine plan.
After several months of dating, and knowing engagement was close, I ordered the book The Art of Natural Family Planning. I read if from cover to cover. Engaged a month later, a wedding date set for 6 months out, the reading and charting and learning were a source of great fulfillment for me. By God’s mercy and grace, He blessed me with a future spouse that, although not Catholic at the time, acknowledged the teaching of our faith and supported natural family planning for our marriage.
Josh and I entered our marriage with a true and pure intent to accept children lovingly from the Lord. This openness to life through NFP has invited the grace and will of God into the most intimate parts
of marriage. The blessings of this way are abundant. The deep understanding and respect a husband learns about his wife’s body and the natural rhythm of abstaining and joining together nurturing love over lust are just two of the beautiful ways God works. There are no sacrifices in natural family planning, only freedom. Freedom to allow God’s natural design for your body to take place. Freedom to place your unborn children into His loving will. Freedom to present your body, pure and whole, to your spouse.
His ways are perfect. Our Father, Lord of all, thought of everything when He created us. I am always in awe of this truth. Natural family planning has been a source of confirmation to my husband and I of God’s power and tenderness.
Jennifer Harrelson
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