I’m probably not alone in saying that the past few years have really made me be intentional about WHY I go to church.

If we can just have church at home…

If I can just read my scriptures and follow along at home…

If I can just share my testimony on social media…

If I don’t have to hear comments from people that aren’t super Christlike…

And then add in having to take care of little kids and babies who make it difficult to even be present in the rooms I should be in…

Why am I going to church?

I can’t overstate enough that the actual main reason is because of my devotion and love to God to keep His commandments and my desire to take the sacrament and be washed clean and renew my covenants.

But after all that…

My congregations throughout the years have brought me the sweetest examples of service and cheering others on.

When I’ve been in a rough place and a good friend pulls me aside and asks me how I’m doing.

When I’ve been emotional and someone just looks at me and smiles.

When I’ve laughed til I’ve cried at funny things kids have said.

When I’ve walked out of sacrament meeting (yet again) with a screaming baby, just to be met by 3 different people who all walked out to give me a break.

When someone has said hi when I’ve felt forgotten.

It’s all service.

It’s all love.

It’s all compassion.

It’s all Christlike.

“They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.” (Isaiah 41:6)

We all need some help.

We all need someone to remind us to be of good courage.

We all need some help to point us back to Christ.

And I think we all have buried within us an innate desire to give that help.

To be that good neighbor.

To give that little smile.

To point someone else toward Jesus.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Service and Christlike love first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

As I’m sure most others do.

He was the guy who was foreordained to prepare the path for Christ, preaching fearlessly and using his priesthood power to baptize.

John the Baptist was amazing.

In Isaiah 40:3, we read this prophecy:

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord”.

But… what if we turned that prophecy around and looked at ourselves for a bit?

How do you and I prepare the way for Jesus right now?

We absolutely are working together to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of the Savior, gathering Israel and getting ready for Christ’s return.

But what about on a smaller, more personal level?

I’ve been thinking recently that I want to prepare the way for Jesus to come into the hearts of everyone that I meet.

It’s a lofty goal.

But I want to prepare the way for Jesus to get to other people.

I want every interaction that I have to leave everyone feeling so seen, loved, and noticed, that the Spirit has a place to enter into their hearts and testify of a truth that they need.

And no matter their religious affiliation, I think everyone needs a little message from Jesus in their heart.

Whether they are old or young.

Whether they are a member of my family or not.

Everyone needs a little more of the Spirit of God in their hearts, delivering any message that they need to hear in that moment.

I want to prepare the way for Jesus to come anywhere that I go.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Preparing for Jesus  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Waiting.

Long past my scheduled appointment time.

Shouldn’t they call me back soon?

This is so frustrating when I have people watching my kids and it takes longer than expected.

As my patience drained, my good attitude and Christlike heart drained with it.

So there I was, sitting in a crowded waiting room, annoyed and frustrated.

And still waiting.

Isn’t that the real problem with having to wait?

It’s because some thing is supposed to be happening that isn’t happening yet.

Waiting for a job interviewer to call me back. Waiting to get over a sickness. Waiting for my husband to get home from work. Waiting at school pickup. Waiting for blessings in a bad situation.

Waiting can be so so so draining.

But then I think on other times in my life when waiting has been beautiful.

Waiting for a new baby to arrive. Waiting for a trip with my family. Waiting for a treat to finish cooking. Waiting for guidance from the Lord. Waiting for an answer to prayers. Waiting for a session in the temple to begin.

Beautiful waiting and draining waiting have one big difference:

Trusting in God’s timing.

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”. (Isaiah 40:31)

When I wait while turned toward the Lord, no matter how serious or trivial my waiting may be, I draw spiritual strength.

I have my energy constantly renewed.

I feel invigorated in my waiting because I completely trust that things will happen when God intends them to happen.

There’s a lot of waiting in this mortal life.

But waiting for and with the Lord makes all the difference.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Crazy winds and constant lightning. Sheets of rain pouring down.

I, of course, immediately started to pray.

“Please let this storm be short. Let it be over quickly.”

But the storm kept coming.

“Please keep the lightning away.”

The strikes seemed to come even closer.

“Please stop the roads from flooding.”

All the cars moved to the center lane as water pooled on the edges of the road.

“Should I just stop and pull over?”

Immediate doubts filled my mind. That wouldn’t be the right option for me right then.

I took a deep breath.

“Please be with me in the storm. Help me to make good decisions. Help the cars around me. Calm my heart and my mind.”

My mind was alert and racing as I drove the rest of the way home, but calm filled my heart.

The storm wasn’t going anywhere, but I was going to be okay. I would make it home.

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through fire, thou shalt not be burned”. (Isaiah 43:2)

The Lord doesn’t take away those disasters that are coming our way.

The floods still come.

The fire is still there!

But the Lord stays with us during the trial.

He makes the consequences sting just a little less.

He comforts us.

Isn’t that a great lesson to remember?

The Lord doesn’t always take away our hard times– He walks through them with us.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The floods and fire first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.