Crickets are jumpy little guys, and super loud.⁣

And I don’t enjoy having them in my home. ⁣

This lasted for a couple months before my husband and I realized we were going to need to pay for regular pest control. ⁣

After the company’s first visit, the crickets were completely gone. ⁣

It was like they put up a giant shield around our house, and no bugs could get through. It was awesome! ⁣

Our company continues to come regularly, but I don’t really think about crickets as much anymore. ⁣

I just enjoy a bug-free life without a lot of worry. ⁣

When the Lord spoke with Abram, He sweetly told him: ⁣

“Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield”. (Genesis 15:1)⁣

There is so much that the Lord protects us from. ⁣

Sometimes, it’s dramatic, like the sudden removal of a whole bunch of crickets. ⁣

Like a temptation that doesn’t affect our family. ⁣

Like a scary situation where we are protected. ⁣

But other times, it’s a little more difficult to see the shielding that He does for us, because it seems so normal. ⁣

Do we realize we are missing out on the fear that others are dealing with, because of our faith in Christ?⁣

Do we realize the comfort we feel during the hard times isn’t shared by everyone else?⁣

Do we understand that the Lord is keeping us protected from so many more things than we realize? ⁣

But I also love looking forward: ⁣

When there are dangers, both physical and emotional, headed our way, do we really trust that the Lord will be our shield? ⁣

⁣I realize that the Lord needs a whole lot more gratitude than my pest control guys, no matter how awesome they are. ⁣

There is so much He protects me from, so many emotional wounds.

But I also know there is so much He has shielded from my mortal experience, without me even recognizing it. ⁣

And I especially know that I can look forward in faith, trusting that He will continue to be my shield, as long as I call upon Him for help.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Shielded from crickets first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

You know, that one they did at Stanford years ago where they placed a marshmallow in front of a kid and told them that if they didn’t eat it before the adult returned, they would get two marshmallows. ⁣

(For the record, my mom always said that I was the type of kid who would have waited for the two marshmallows, even from a super young age.)⁣

As I’ve studied about the famous covenant that God makes with Abraham, one thing that really caught my eye is that so many of the blessings of this covenant are for AFTER Abraham’s lifetime! ⁣

The Lord makes promises that Abraham’s seed will know God, and that “unto thy seed have I given this land”. (Genesis 15:18)⁣

His seed were promised land and great spiritual blessings, but most of this would not be during Abraham’s lifetime. ⁣

And yet Abraham still rejoiced in this covenant! ⁣

Not all of our covenant blessings are going to be fulfilled while we are here on the earth. ⁣

Some will, just like Abraham was still given a firstborn son. And certain covenants, such as our baptismal promises to always have His spirit to be with us, are being fulfilled constantly here on earth. ⁣

But there’s also a huge portion of our “reward” that we can barely even imagine right now. ⁣

Promises for our future posterity that won’t be fulfilled until after this life. ⁣

Promises about our own future that won’t be fulfilled until the eternities. ⁣

⁣Blessings of peace and rest that we can get glimpses of now, but that might not be fully realized until much later.

There is so, so, so much good that God gives us right now on the earth. ⁣

It’s like He is giving us one marshmallow and telling us we can enjoy it now. ⁣

But there is also another marshmallow waiting on the other side. ⁣

Probably a million more marshmallows, actually. ⁣

So are we willing to be patient? To look for the blessings filling our life now, but also to expect so much more in the future?⁣

Covenants are powerful and binding and real, and we can count on God to pour out the blessings when we fulfill our portion, even if that means practicing some delayed gratification. ⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Covenants and marshmallows first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“Keeping the peace” is associated with someone who just wants there to be external peace. ⁣

I can think of many times in my life where there’s been an issue with someone else, but I’ve resorted to just keeping the peace.

I’m still upset or sad or frustrated, but I make everything seem fine and say the right words to keep people happy. ⁣

But being a “peacemaker” is associated with someone who wants to help find internal peace for everyone. ⁣

(Which, side note, often ends up in external peace, too, but might take a bit longer to get there.)⁣

As I’ve matured emotionally and spiritually, I’ve learned that sacrificing my own inner peace to keep situations “happy” is NOT the answer. ⁣

Having sometimes uncomfortable conversations about what is wrong, in calm and level-headed ways, inviting the Spirit, is the real way to bring inner peace. ⁣

Abraham and Lot were having some land issues. ⁣

There just straight up wasn’t enough room for both of them anymore. ⁣

No one was being evil, this was no one’s fault. Life is just messy sometimes. ⁣

Abraham DIDN’T tell his herdsmen to just deal with it and be nice. He didn’t pretend like nothing was wrong. ⁣

He had the conversation with his nephew Lot. Maybe it was awkward at first. Maybe Abraham was dreading the conversation. ⁣

But he led with love, with peace, AND with straightforwardness. ⁣

“Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.” (Genesis 13:8) ⁣

He also came with a solution ready to go, one that would require action on both of their parts. They would both move to different lands of their choosing. ⁣

And it worked!⁣

Abraham sought true inner peace for both himself and his nephew who he cared about. He was kind and Christlike. He had an idea for a solution. And Abraham was blessed greatly. ⁣

“To be a peacemaker is not to be weak but to be strong in a way that the world may not understand.” – Elder Stevenson

How can you do the harder, but more rewarding, work of being a peacemaker today?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Peace keeping vs. Peacemaking  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I can think of a few who taught me in Young Women’s, in Seminary, at BYU, and in Sunday School that I will truly never forget. ⁣

They are some of my favorite teachers because they always pointed me to my Savior!

Sure, there might have been other teachers who were more popular or cool at the time…

But they aren’t the ones who still stick out in my mind years and years later. ⁣

These favorite teachers weren’t just always talking about themselves and why they were the best teachers–

They showed it by teaching me more about the Savior with every class. ⁣

I’m sure that Abraham was an amazing teacher as well. ⁣

Right as he was starting his ministry, I love that the Lord gave Abraham this same little lesson: ⁣

“Through THY ministry MY name shall be known in the earth forever”. (Abraham 1:19)⁣

The purpose of Abraham’s ministry was not to spread Abraham’s name far and wide. ⁣

It was to spread the Lord’s name far and wide! ⁣

And that should be our real purpose every time we teach the gospel, too.⁣

To be transparently honest, I struggle with what people might perceive of me on social media when it comes to this. ⁣

If you know me in real life, you know that I’m not pursuing fame here, and I truly have very little “pride” built up by what I do. ⁣

At the end of the day, am I pointing the people who have chosen to follow my account to Cali Black, or to Jesus Christ?⁣

I hope it’s Jesus. I hope it’s always Jesus. ⁣

My ministry is for HIS name.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post My ministry for His name first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.