There’s always something I should be doing, right?⁣

I remember, after being in school for years, going straight to BYU, immediately getting a teaching job and teaching for 4 years, and then quitting…⁣

I suddenly had a newborn to care for, and nothing else to do. ⁣

Sometimes, the newborn took a lot of attention. ⁣

But other times, the newborn didn’t need anything while she napped for a long time, and I felt like there wasn’t anything for me to do. ⁣

No homework to finish, no lesson plans to write, no papers to grade… Just, nothing. ⁣

And I felt so guilty just doing nothing. ⁣

Was I supposed to organize my kitchen now? Redo the laundry room? Prep dinners? Scrub a toilet?⁣

I now look back and think: “Oh, I wish I would have enjoyed that more and just relaxed, guilt free!”⁣

But I still struggle with thinking that the only reason I can truly relax is because I don’t have anything on my to-do list. ⁣

But what happened during the Creation?⁣

“And the Gods concluded upon the seventh time, because that on the seventh time they would rest from all their works which they (the Gods) counseled among themselves to form; and sanctified it.” (Abraham 5:3)⁣

The day of rest was PLANNED. ⁣

It wasn’t just “Wow, we totally finished everything ahead of schedule! I guess we can take a day off to do nothing, since there isn’t anything else important to do!”⁣

It was deliberate— a day set aside for the ESSENTIAL purpose of rest. ⁣

What a concept. ⁣

So, if you are like me, and feel that weight of guilt that you always need to be doing something, let’s take a hint from the Lord God’s example: ⁣

Plan for rest.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Plan for rest  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight”. (Genesis 2:9)⁣

I think of God, and Jesus, and Adam, and possibly others using their priesthood powers of creation to bring plants, trees, oceans, stars, birds, and so much more into existence. ⁣

And we have been given the power to create, too. ⁣

Not just with a canvas and a paintbrush, because honestly, I don’t do great creating there. ⁣

Being “creative” is usually seen as the composer, the drama teacher, the artist, the quilter, the chef…⁣

But we each have so much that we are able to create each day. ⁣

We can create what our attitude is like. ⁣

We can create the family culture in our home. ⁣

We can create love and acceptance where there wasn’t any before. ⁣

We can create strong testimonies by studying areas we wish we knew more about. ⁣

We can create time to make God a priority in our life. ⁣

We can create memories with those we love. ⁣

We can create stronger relationships by choosing to serve others. ⁣

We can create peace even when surrounded by chaos. ⁣

We can create laughter while doing hard work at the same time. ⁣

We can create unity where there was judgment and division. ⁣

Creation is powerful. ⁣

It’s the opposite of being a victim of our circumstances.

We realize that we have the power to create real results in our life. ⁣

And it can all be tied back to faith. ⁣

Faith, placed correctly in Jesus Christ, can give us the courage and the strength to create these moments and these feelings each day. ⁣

“A most wonderful thing is that our Heavenly Father extends to us an invitation to participate in His creative work.” – Elder Gerald Causse

The great Creator can even guide us in what to create, and when. ⁣

So, what have you created today?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Create with God first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

But my biggest hang up has been “how”?⁣

How do I know what to keep and what to eliminate?⁣

I’ve heard the fantastic advice about “good, better, and best”.⁣

But even that can feel a little vague at times. ⁣

How do I actually know what things are “good” and which are “better”? 

One word really stood out to me as I read the account of the Creation that has never popped out before:⁣

YIELD⁣

The Lord is constantly talking about what various fruits or vegetation will yield. ⁣

And everything is intended to yield something similar to what it is— trees yielding fruit that will produce new fruit trees; grains yielding seeds that will produce the same plants. ⁣

What a simple way to see what is good and what is not!⁣

What does this action or activity YIELD in my life?⁣

Does it yield a closer relationship to God or not?⁣

Does it yield a better relationship with my husband and kids or not?⁣

Does it yield personal development that uplifts me?⁣

Those are the things I want to keep. ⁣

And, admittedly, sometimes I have to look at the long-term yield. ⁣

Family scripture study with three little kids doesn’t always produce an awesome short-term yield. ⁣

But I know I’m sewing seeds for a much delayed harvest on that one, so I’ll keep it (although we’ll probably play around with what it looks like to make sure it’s working alright).⁣

So I think I’ll focus on weeding out some of the stuff that isn’t yielding what I’d like. ⁣

Or maybe it’s only yielding temporary fruits that are clearly taking way too much of my time and energy to cultivate for such little payoff. ⁣

God only created living creatures and plants that could multiply and yield after the manner that they are. ⁣

I’ve only got a limited amount of time in this life, and I want to make sure my good intentions and my divine potential are yielding results that are just as good and divine as I am. ⁣

What am I yielding?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What are you yielding? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.