“How do you do that all alone? You are superwoman!”

We praise people for doing things all on their own, from toddlers to busy moms to leaders and everyone in between.

Of course, basic independence is great.

But we aren’t supposed to do it all alone.

We aren’t here on earth to glorify ourselves.

We are here to glorify Him.

“No matter how capable, educated, brilliant, or strong we are, we cannot cleanse ourselves from our sins, change our bodies to an immortal state, or exalt ourselves. It is only possible through the Savior Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement.” —Elder Paul V. Johnson

Being educated, brilliant, and strong are great qualities.

But they aren’t the ultimate goal.

Jeremiah, in his weakness, cried:

“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved”. (Jeremiah 17:14)

We can’t heal ourselves.

We can’t save ourselves.

We can’t perfect ourselves.

We need Jesus.

We need His atoning sacrifice and we need covenants with Him.

We need His Spirit and we need His grace and mercy.

And I think we need to help each other a bit more in the process, too.

Life isn’t meant to be “figured out” alone.

Life is meant to turn us to Jesus time and time again.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post All by yourself first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’d read professional development books.

I totally got into podcasts.

I studied the scriptures a lot and read supplemental materials.

I love learning, I had the time and the mental capacity to do it, and so I did.

Fast forward a few years and three little kids later, and it blows my mind how little time I have for that anymore.

I started a podcast episode that I was super excited to listen to last week, and it took literally all week, listening to 5 or 10 minute portions here and there, to finally finish it.

My scripture study has become much more focused on the essential basics.

I can only read articles on my phone for as long as I have before my baby slaps my phone out of my hands with her newly discovered fingers.

My speed of personal improvement has slowed down so much.

So much to the point that it’s tempting to think, “What’s the point! I’m failing at it all.”

“Your direction is more important than your speed.” -Richard L. Evans

Why were the people in Jerusalem in spiritual trouble?

It wasn’t because they had slowed down the speed of their spiritual progression.

“They hearkened not… and went backward, and not forward.” (Jeremiah 7:24)

They were going in completely the wrong direction.

A step in the right direction, no matter how small, is still a step.

Three verses of scripture read on my phone before zonking out in bed knowing I’ll only have a few hours before a kid wakes me up is a step in the right direction.

Listening to half of a conference talk because I only have 5 minutes in the car is a step in the right direction.

Sending a text to someone when I’ve been meaning to do so much more to serve them is a step in the right direction.

Forward. Not backward.

(Or when I go backward, repenting and taking that little step forward as fast as I can again.)

Always trying to move a little bit closer to the Lord, inch by inch.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Forward and backward first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Have you been in a lesson like that or heard a talk like that before?

The entire lesson was on a gospel topic that I have been lacking in.

All of the comments that people shared were new perspectives that I needed to hear.

I loved it, and I’ve already started to do better at it.

But the thing is… it wasn’t some new gospel principle.

It’s not like I’ve never known about it or that I wasn’t painfully aware that I needed to improve that area.

But the Lord is so good.

He always invites me to improve, no matter how many times I’ve ignored that invitation before.

“Return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” (Jeremiah 18:11)

Even if I’m not doing evil, I find myself not doing good quite often.

And I am so grateful for a loving God who invites me over and over to repent, to change, and to be a little bit better.

No matter where you are at, no matter how many times you’ve ignored that call, no matter how many times you’ve tried to answer but fallen short…

Jesus always invites us to return.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Return to Christ again first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

YET

We talked a lot about how we often think we can’t do something, like solve a tough math problem, or dance ballet, or write an essay.

But the truth is, we can’t do those things YET!

If we put in the practice, learning, or training, we could technically do almost anything we wanted to do.

And of course, this message doesn’t only apply to sixth graders.

I can’t bake. I’m not good at drawing. I don’t garden.

And that bleeds into our spiritual development, too.

I’m not good at praying with real intent. I don’t like ministering to others. I don’t see the purpose in attending church. I’m so bad at studying my scriptures. I can’t forgive that person. I won’t feel charity toward those people.

I think Jeremiah had one of these realizations when the Lord called him to preach.

Jeremiah did NOT think he could be called as a prophet.

“Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am as a child” (Jeremiah 1:6)

And the Lord basically responded to him by pointing to the big sign on the door that said YET.

You may feel like a spiritual child right now.

But, especially when the Lord is involved, there isn’t anything we can’t do!

What new skills or strengths do you feel God wants you to learn right now, no matter your age?

Because God always adds YET.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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