There are so many people with wisdom and education and training that have helped me to become a better mom by teaching through social media!

It’s awesome.

I used to look up to a lot of these “parenting influencers” with the idea that I agreed with everything they said.

If they suggested this way to deal with a tantrum, then yup I’m all on board. If they suggested we try this new twist on a chore chart, then yup we are doing it.

There’s been one issue with parenting that I’ve been looking for some more support with recently, and so I looked to what many of these parenting experts were saying.

Their advice seemed to all be pretty much the same for how to deal with my situation. But I heard that still small voice whisper:

“This is not what your kid needs.”

And I felt peace.

The gift of discernment is more important on social media now than ever before.

Advice and ideas are everywhere.

Good advice and ideas even! Many of these parenting accounts have brought blessings into my life for how I interact with my children.

But I don’t just “follow” blindly.

I’ve learned that I can take each new idea to the Lord. He’s the best parenting expert out there and He can point me the right way.

Life coaches, health experts, news commentators, finance coaches, psychologists, and yes, even religious accounts (the irony is not lost on me!) are everywhere.

“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad”. (1 Kings 3:9)

Like Solomon, I’m learning I have to plead with God daily to be able to discern what is right and what is wrong.

For some things, I need to know what is right or wrong for my situation. (Like my parenting example! The Lord clearly told me it’s not what my kid needs, even though it works for others.)

But for other things, I’m having to literally decide whether it is truth OR truth twisted until it’s no longer pointing me toward God.

Understanding hearts, righteous judgments and discernments, we’ve gotta be asking for and claiming these privileges now more than ever!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Wisdom on social media first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Even if I practice a piano piece for hours on end, I still might make a giant mistake in a performance.

Even if I do everything that I’m supposed to do and more, I still might not get that promotion at work.

Not much in this life is guaranteed.

It’s a tough life lesson to learn.

But what WILL always be guaranteed?

Covenants.

Any covenants that we make with God will be honored 100%.

Have you ever thought about what a blessing that is before?

We don’t have to wonder if God will be in a good mood that day, or if we will get the chance of possibly having a promise fulfilled– we can be TOTALLY sure that God will hold up His end of the bargain every single time.

Solomon wisely prayed before an altar of the Lord, saying:

“Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart.” (1 Kings 8:23)

I am so grateful for a covenant-keeping God!

It’s so calming to know I don’t have to worry about the things that I’ve been promised being taken away, or given to too many other people.

It’s always in reach.

So what I can focus on is being the best covenant-keeping saint that I can be, repenting every single time that I fall short, and recommitting again.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Not much is guaranteed first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Do you think he ever drove his parents crazy and made big messes?

Oh, I’m sure.

Did you know his parents weren’t active in the Church? He wasn’t baptized until he was 16 years old.

I think it can be tempting to look at our beloved prophet, Russell M. Nelson, and think, “Wow, he is different. His gospel knowledge and spiritual strength are unparalleled.”

Now of course, President Nelson has received gifts of the spirit and powerful abilities from his mantle and priesthood keys.

But… he also had to grow and develop like anyone else!

He had to figure out his relationship with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He had to decide if he thought it was true.

He had to study the scriptures and pray and learn how he best receives personal revelation.

He had to endure heartbreaking trials and devastating setbacks.

He had to practice serving others and communicating well.

He learned how to teach and speak with the priesthood authority.

We aren’t all aspiring to become the prophet, but we can still grow in the Lord!

David was the king of all Israel… who started out as a sheep herder.

“And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.” (2 Samuel 5:10)

David had to learn to be great, too!

Knowing how to study the scriptures isn’t just for the old guy in your gospel doctrine class.

Loving and understanding the temple isn’t just for that sister who’s been serving for 20 years.

We can all grow great!

What are the next steps for you? How do you want to “grow great” next?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Growing great first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

People in the streets were saying that Saul had slain thousands of wicked people, but David had slain tens of thousands of wicked people.

Saul did NOT like this comparison!

“Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him… And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” (1 Samuel 18:8-9)

Saul couldn’t be happy that the threat of destruction from the Philistines was gone because he was bothered that David had done even more than he had done.

AND people were noticing the difference!

Do we ever get caught up in this mind game of comparison?

It can be difficult to be confident with our act of service, our Family Home Evening lesson, or our sacrament meeting talk in church if we are constantly comparing what we are doing to everyone else.

Our family scripture study looks very simple right now.

And when I think about it, I feel this little confirmation and peace in my heart that it’s perfect for what my family members need right now.

It’s only when I start to hear what some other people are doing for scripture study that I start to feel inadequate.

But I’ve also realized that this trap of comparison is so self-focused and has literally nothing to do with my relationship with God.

Is my version of family scripture study teaching us more about God and Jesus? Awesome. That’s what it’s supposed to do.

And if other families accomplish that same goal in different ways, I’m gonna cheer them on for turning closer to the Savior too.

So if the teacher in church the week after you gives an amazing lesson that everyone won’t stop talking about, awesome. More people turned toward Jesus.

If someone else’s kid has a better knowledge of the gospel than yours, good for them! More people with a knowledge of Jesus.

We’re all on our own path.

Saul couldn’t stop comparing himself to David, and it ended up causing a lot of issues for his heart.

When it comes to building up the kingdom of God and becoming like Jesus, the more the merrier.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Saul’s comparison first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It’s one of the biggest warnings given throughout scripture.

Because you know what Satan is so good at?

Making it seem like we can’t trust our spiritual memories.

Oh, there’s no way you were actually feeling the Spirit at girls camp. That was just all your happy emotions.

That wasn’t a miracle, it was just a coincidence.

You didn’t really receive a prompting to do that.

He’s so sneaky at making us distrust our own memories, right?!

And I think the adversary succeeded pretty well at convincing the Israelites that their memories, as well as the memories of their ancestors, deceived them.

And there on the battle field, facing Goliath, none of them were remembering what God had done for them.

They were just stuck in the moment.

But David?

He remembered.

“David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:37)

He KNEW he could defeat the Philistine BECAUSE he remembered what the Lord had already done in the past.

The Lord had strengthened David and delivered David from all sorts of dangerous situations.

And David remembered and accurately gave credit to God for his protection in the past.

This remembrance gave David the spiritual confidence to trust in the Lord again!

Do we have accurate spiritual memories, or are we letting time affect how we give credit to the Lord?

Remember. Remember the spiritual experiences from the past in order to gain strength for the giants ahead.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Spiritual remembrance first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Everyone was taking the sacrament.

Everyone has gotten dressed up in their best clothes out of respect for the ordinance.

And I felt like a hot mess.

Trying to keep a baby from crying, trying not to let my kid flip the bread tray over (like he has before), trying to be at least kind of reverent.

Just trying.

But still a hot mess.

“Everyone else has it all together. Everyone else can handle their kids and keep them reverent. Everyone else is worshiping appropriately.”

Those words started to creep in my head.

But then guess what happened?

Over the next two hours, all the “perfect people” around me gave talks, led lessons, shared comments, chatted with me in the hallway…

Each person opening up about a sufficient trial they are going through.

I KNOW this, and yet I still forget!

Of COURSE the pews aren’t filled with perfect people who haven’t got a cast in the world.

We are all a hot mess in one way or another.

Just because we smile or we wear nice clothes doesn’t mean our hearts are okay.

“The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

The Lord knows the sins, the heartaches, the distractions, the loneliness, the overwhelm that fills each seat at church.

And I think this is how I want to become more Christlike.

I see the outward appearance, yes.

But I want to know the hearts around me, too.

I want to connect and mourn and love.

So that instead of sitting in the pew, wallowing in self-pity, I can learn to see and love as the Savior does.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The hearts in the pews around me first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I love this question so much, and I’ve learned so much from asking it over and over again.

Because the question is so EMPOWERING!

It’s not: “How to you get God to answer your prayers?”

It’s not: “How do you get God to speak to you every day?”

It’s not: “Are you worthy enough to have God speak to you?”

No.

Instead, this powerful question has one big underlying assumption:

God speaks to us.

All of us.

Right?!

If we are trying to figure out how to hear the word of the Lord in our lives, then we have to trust that He is actually speaking to us.

Young Samuel’s story is so relatable.

The Lord called out his name in the middle of the night, ready to deliver a message.

… and Samuel assumed it was Eli.

Eli was the one who taught Samuel how to #HearHim, in a quite literal sense!

“Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

Thy servant heareth.

It’s on me, really.

Am I ready to hear?

Or am I too prideful? Too busy? Too forgetful? Too loud? Too selfish?

Yup, all of those at different times.

And so I have to work to actually listen.

To say that urgent prayer in the middle of a kid’s meltdown and listen and EXPECT the Spirit to prompt me on what to do.

To ask for comfort and direction before I go and do something I’m dreading and then make space for an answer to come.

To feel overwhelmed and then proactively play some uplifting music, knowing that the notes and lyrics will connect me with Him.

God does not want to leave me comfortless, directionless, helpless.

I have faith that this is true.

He speaks.

So will I hear Him?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Samuel learns to hear Him first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” (1 Samuel 1:10)

Her husband didn’t understand.

“Why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8)

Why do you care so much?

Why so much emotion?

What’s even going on?

The priest Eli didn’t understand either.

“Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.” (1 Samuel 1:14)

Too many feelings.

Too much emotion.

This can’t be right.

Hannah’s heartfelt, heartbroken, sincere emotions were misunderstood by those around her.

Was she crazy? Could she be trusted?

And yet those deep emotions, that deep bitterness, led her to the Lord.

Led her to make a sacred vow.

Gave her both the broken heart and the spiritual confidence to ask for what she wanted.

Paved the way for a son to be brought into her life, one who would eventually bless all of Israel.

Hannah felt pain and sorrow and she wasn’t afraid to express it.

And when the blessing came?

So much joy that she couldn’t contain that, either.

“And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.” (1 Samuel 2:1)

I am grateful for this emotional, spiritually strong woman.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The emotional Hannah first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

A normal occurrence, no matter what kind of group you are part of, is for someone to post details about their complicated or tricky situation and then ask for advice.

Can you imagine if Ruth posted her situation and asked for advice from a Facebook group?!

I’m sure she’d get comments like

“Your mother-in-law sounds so sweet! Give her a big hug and say goodbye!”

“Set your boundaries. Being homeless and starving isn’t something you should ever settle for.”

“You realize you will have NOTHING if you go with her, right? Why is this even a question?!”

It made absolutely no logical sense for a widowed woman to accompany another widowed woman, especially when the younger could return to her home and find care and sustenance.

But Ruth chose to stay with Naomi and travel back to Bethlehem.

Why?

It was basically a death sentence.

Or at least a wish to be poor and starving forever.

Ruth explained, “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God”. (Ruth 1:16)

Here, Ruth reveals that she is completely converted to the God of Israel.

She’s all in.

I don’t think she ever would have actually asked for advice in a Facebook group anyways.

It wasn’t an option, no matter how reasonable it seemed, to stay behind. To return to her old life. Old traditions.

To just pretend that this whole thing had never happened.

Ruth couldn’t do that.

She was too converted, and she was willing to endure whatever hardships came her way as a result.

What conviction!

What commitment.

What love.

Where is our conversion to the Lord?

Will we follow Him anywhere He takes us?

Even when it doesn’t make sense. Even when everyone on Facebook would tell us it’s ridiculous.

Why did Ruth go with Naomi?

And why do you stay with the Lord?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Ruth’s conversion first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“The Lord is with thee”. (Judges 6:12)

Aren’t we told this a lot too?

God is aware of us.

His Spirit is with us.

The Savior walks with us.

But Gideon pushes back on this idea:

“Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?

“and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of…?” (Judges 6:13)

Doesn’t Gideon’s logic sound familiar, too??

If the Lord is really with me, then why are all of these terrible things happening?

Where are the miracles you promised?

The angel doesn’t completely answer Gideon’s question in the moment, other than pointing him toward future blessings.

But how would you respond to Gideon’s question?

I usually try to focus on one point in each post that I write, but I’ve had a lot of thoughts swirling around on this topic lately, so I’m going to share a few ideas and you can take the idea that resonates the most right now.

• The reward for being righteous always comes. Always. Usually not when we want it, and sometimes not even in this life. But we have to trust in God’s promise that it will come.

• The real blessing in the moment is peace and joy on the inside, despite turbulent circumstances.

• Life can’t just be perfect for those who believe in God and miserable for those who don’t. That would take away the element of faith, and would hinder agency.

• Although I 100000% relate to this feeling, I can also see how spiritually immature it is to just want blessings all the time. A spiritually mature individual loves God and Jesus with their whole heart, mind, and soul, and the circumstances literally don’t matter at all.

What do you think? How would you respond to Gideon?

Because Gideon isn’t the only one asking this question.

It’s everywhere. It’s on social media. It’s in our church classes. It’s being asked over and over in our minds.

And I think there is a whole new level of spiritual understanding available when we start to realize that the angel’s declaration of the Lord being with us IS the miracle we’ve been looking for all along.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Where are my miracles? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.