If you found us, then you are here to learn more about the Natural Family Planning lifestyle. We assume that you need no convincing of the morally and physically degrading way of living that chemical and non-chemical birth control command, yet the road ahead may seem a little unknown. We hope that in your attempt to avoid the wrong, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the numerous benefits that Natural Family Planning provides.

Our Story

When we were engaged, we both had the expectation that as a Christian couple, we would have a family and would decide together how we would raise our family. I (Renee) came with the common mentality that putting off children and going on birth control was as much a part of wedding planning as choosing the flowers. Jonathan, on the other hand, was taken by surprise that I would be so quick to make that decision and so there stood our first crossroad as a young, engaged couple. When I looked at my choices before me, I saw a man with a Spiritual track record who was always willing to take the road less traveled if it it meant following a godly path, and a much larger path showing people who based their decisions on worldly wisdom and selfish ends. Thirteen years and 7 children later, I am so thrilled that I joined the man with the track record!

What Happens in this Lifestyle

Read any NFP literature and right away you'll learn about the differences between men and women. You already knew that, but get down into the biology of our bodies, and wow! there are some serious differences! If husband and wife go through this together, the art of communication is set and the fun begins. With NFP, the husband is more in tune with the wife's cycles and can behave accordingly, decisions are made each month together, and the couple learns to appreciate each other's differences. NFP alerts the woman to hidden physical maladies, and “off” cycles can reveal stresses that the couple may not have identified as such. NFP sets your family apart from the world, which may be uncomfortable at first, but you'll come to realize that with a strong family bond, you'll really enjoy the fruit of your labor. 

Here's the Best Part

Could it possibly be that maybe God would like to teach you something through the lifestyle of being open to life? Every month the couple is faced with the question: Are we open to having a baby? If the answer is “no,” the question then becomes, “why not?” Some common responses....

• finances

• health issues

• stress of child(ren)'s behavior

• pressure from family and/or friends

• spouse is not on board

• fear of appearing different

If God wants to teach you something, maybe it's:

• how to budget

• how to enjoy my children and raise them to be a joy to be around

• how to lose weight/get healthy

• how to put my spouse's needs first

• how to say no to unimportant requests

• how to find friends who support this lifestyle and not get bogged down by people who distract our family's direction

We have learned to do all of the above and more, and it's been a stretching, and rewarding, experience.

We encourage you to move from “do no harm” toward “be more generous.” Click on our links (top, left) to find the path that applies to you as you look for helpful resources, and if we can be of assistance, don't hesitate to contact us. 

Jonathan and Renee Harris

Cottonwood, California