My mom was fantastic about throwing great birthday parties each year, but I thought the idea of other people planning something for me without me knowing sounded pretty exciting!

To be totally shocked sounded fun.

Fast-forward to last year, when it was the weekend before my birthday.

I told my husband I just wanted to keep it lowkey this year, and we didn’t have any plans that weekend for me.

In fact, we were running around celebrating our kids’ friends birthdays all Saturday.

We pulled our car into our garage.

Exhausted after a long day, I was the first of our family to walk into our dark home.

And I saw the silhouette of someone sitting on our couch.

My panic instantly set in as I scanned my eyes and saw even more silhouettes on the couch.

I decided that if I was going to die in that moment, I might as well turn on the lights so they knew that I knew that they were there.

“SURPRISE!”

My home was filled with my friends, a delicious homemade cake, and food to share.

It was really fun to celebrate with friends…

But I also learned that I really really REALLY like knowing what is going on!

Arguably the most famous teaching that Amos shares is in Amos 3:7.

“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

There is no big surprise coming.

We know the plans.

In fact, we’ve been planning the party!

We’ve been making the invitations.

We’ve been very involved in gathering everyone together for the celebration.

No need to fear.

No need to panic.

We have been told, and we will be told exactly what we need to know.

I am grateful for no surprises.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Surprise parties first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“Uh, nothing right now. I’m pretty good.”

I still cringe a little every time I think of this conversation I once had with my bishop as a youth.

I was happy to tell him all the things I was doing right.

And so I was caught off guard when he asked me what I was improving.

Nothing really! I’m good! Checking all the boxes!

I cringe, but I also laugh a bit now.

I couldn’t even see what I was still missing.

“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion”. (Amos 6:1)

So what has changed in the 15 years since that interview?

I’ve had huge trials.

I’ve dealt with really frustrating situations.

I’ve had to forgive others and forgive myself.

I’ve become a parent. 

I’ve watched other people around me deal with heartbreaking situations with grace and faith.

I’ve learned more about Jesus.

But what’s the key?

“The remedy for being at ease in Zion might be called a broken heart—one that is justly motivated to change and to heal.” — Michelle Guerra

A broken heart that is motivated to change and heal.

Not a broken heart that keeps beating itself up and wondering why it is such a hot mess.

But a broken heart that keeps turning back to Jesus, knowing that He is the one who can help put each piece back together.

The remedy for being at ease is bringing a broken and willing heart to the Lord every day.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Feeling at ease first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

While my daughter is great at playing it, my two year old son cracks me up.

He’s not very quiet when he hides.

“Quin, look in the bathroom!”

But also, when it’s his turn to be the “seeker”, he gets frustrated pretty quickly.

After a few hurried seconds of looking around, he’ll start to call out:

“Where are you?!”

It makes me laugh.

His little two year old brain isn’t quite ready for the stamina of really looking for us.

Do you ever feel like feeling the Spirit isn’t as easy as you would like?

Maybe you are standing there, along with my son, yelling, “Where are you?!”

In my life, I’ve learned that in order to feel the Spirit, I have to actually seek out opportunities or situations to feel it.

I have to do the work!

Sometimes it just “happens” as I go throughout my day.

But a lot of times it doesn’t.

I’ve learned I need to actively choose to pray for the Spirit, invite Him, ask for His validation, seek advice, and so much more.

The Lord teaches us that He wants us to “Seek ye me, and ye shall live”. (Amos 5:4)

Seek implies action.

If we want more of the Savior’s influence in our lives, then we need to be going out of our way to make our life a place where the Savior and His Spirit could stay.

It takes work and effort.

“The Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.” – President Nelson

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Hide and seek and effort first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.