(You can probably guess where the story is going…)

I wasn’t paying attention…

and spilled the entire glass of bright red juice.

All over our white carpet.

My parents weren’t home, and I panicked.

It was like a scene from a movie where I was frantically running around.

I tried everything I could to wipe it up in every way possible.

Sure, I got some of it up.

But that stain wasn’t going anywhere.

There was always going to be a reddish pinkish spot on the carpet.

My mom walked in the door, and I was ready to face my fate.

I sheepishly showed her what had happened.

To my surprise, she laughed.

What?!

She said:

“We are actually replacing the carpet with hardwood and the installers are coming in three days. Don’t worry about it!”

The relief washed over me as I realized that I wasn’t going to have a permanent reminder of my one silly mistake.

Within just a few days, there was no trace of the stain.

In its place was beautiful new hardwood.

This little experience of good timing gave me a small taste of how Jesus can make the sins and stains on our hearts disappear.

“These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14)

The righteous are not the people who had unblemished white robes all along.

The righteous are the people who had great tribulations, who made mistakes, who turned away from God, but then chose to use Jesus Christ’s atoning power to be cleansed into an even better state.

It should be impossible to get a blood-red stain out of white robes.

But Jesus did the impossible so that we could wash the stains, heartache, and pain out as often as we need.

Every little evidence of red can be replaced with the purest white.

It’s all because of, and through, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Red juice and white carpet  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“None of us should be defined only by the worst thing we have ever done.” – Kevin R. Duncan

Other than not fully understanding Christ’s atoning power in our lives, this becomes a problem because we view ourselves as an imposter of some kind. ⁣

“If only they knew…”⁣

“I’m different than everyone else…”

Which leads us to separate ourselves even more from our family, friends, and ward members!

And to separate ourselves from Jesus Christ.

And then why do we sometimes do this to others?⁣

We happen to know of a big sin they committed, and we silently judge them as we see their social media pictures, because they were “that one kid in high school who…”⁣

We know of a difficult life circumstance they had to endure, and we thoughtlessly label them as “that girl who had to return early from her mission…” or “the divorced guy…”

I like to think of Paul. ⁣

Did anyone else just get EXHAUSTED reading about all his traveling and preaching?!

This missionary was on fire!⁣

And then, he gives a beautiful farewell speech to his brethren in Acts 20:18-35.

(I highly recommend you reread that speech again.)⁣

He talks about serving the Lord boldly. ⁣

He talks about never coveting what other men have. ⁣

He talks about being led by the Holy Ghost to preach of Christ. ⁣

And then his brethren weep, fall on him, and kiss him because they do not want him to go away. ⁣

And Paul emotionally closes:

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)

Does this sound like Paul is thinking about his not-so-shiny days as the Pharisee, stoning Christians to death?

Does this sound like his friends still remember the terrible things Paul did to them and possibly loved ones?⁣

Nope. ⁣

Christ’s atoning power is real.

We don’t need to keep thinking we aren’t as good as anyone else.

We don’t need to keep thinking we have other people “figured out”.

Because of Jesus, everyone gets to change if they want to.

Our eternal potential is unlimited!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Paul didn’t let his past define him first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

But He also still had a terrible journey to Calvary where He was crucified!

I can’t even begin to imagine the compounding pain, both physical and emotional, that He had to endure.

It is quite literally unimaginable.

But here’s the thing that fascinates me:

Was Christ bitter about having to endure this heart-breaking experience?

Not at all.

Zechariah prophesied what the Savior would respond when asked:

“What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)

He said that this sacrifice happened in the house of His friends.

The people who should have loved and protected Him.

But instead betrayed, denied and crucified.

And He continues to call each of us His friends.

The Savior’s atoning sacrifice made Him even more loving and compassionate, instead of turning Him bitter.

So how are we doing with our own trials?

The trials that seem like nothing compared to what He had to endure, and yet still cause so much pain and heartache and loneliness.

Are we letting our trials turn us bitter? Drawing us away from God?

Or are we making sure that our trials and sacrifices are turning us into more loving and compassionate people, too?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Bitterness from trials first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.