As I rushed to get ready one morning, everything piled together in my mind.

The list of everything I had to do. The emotions people around me were feeling. The feeling that I would not make it through the day.

This scripture that we’ve been studying this week came to my mind:

“And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs”. (Mosiah 24:14)

⁣I decided that morning to test it.

I knew I still needed to face my problems that day.

But could He really take the FEELING of the burden away without actually solving any of my problems?

I closed my eyes and pictured myself carrying the burdens that seemed to be weighing me down.

And I pictured myself waking humbly up to my Savior…

And setting it all down at His feet.

I said, “I know everything I need to do and manage and handle today.

“But I’m going to leave the feeling of being burdened at your feet.”

I pictured myself walking away, and I took a deep breath.

I felt lighter.

Like, literally, I felt like an actual physical load had been taken off my back.

I said a prayer of gratitude and went on with my day.

My list didn’t change that day, but I was SHOCKED at the miracles that kept piling up.

Like, I said I was going to test this theory with my Savior, and it’s like He was saying “Prove me herewith”.

I can’t list or share all the miracles, but I’ll just say that ONE of them was my ministering sister texting me and telling me that she had “randomly” ordered pizza to be delivered to my home that night.

I floated through that difficult day.

Jesus really means what He says.

If we, who are heavy laden, come to Jesus and really set the weighty, overwhelming feelings down at His feet, He will give us rest.

Not rest in the way you may think or want.

(I’m still hoping I can find time to take a nap in the next couple days, but it’s not looking hopeful…)

But that rest for the soul was all that I really needed.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post He truly gives rest first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Every few months, I have a crazy work week where I need to use every single spare minute working.

And that includes sacrificing a lot of sleep.

Last week was one of those weeks.

I usually dread them.

But last week, I tried something different.

I tried intentionally inviting Jesus’ “rest” into my life at the same exact time that I was getting very little physical rest.

And it was…

Life-changing.

I got all my work done, as I usually do during that crazy week.

But I felt calm. I found more creative ways than usual to get work done. My kids napped more often. My husband was able to support me even more than usual.

I felt… peace.

The work wasn’t gone.

But I felt this joy and relief that came WHILE I was still working and staying up late.

I knew we would be studying this scripture this week, so I kept focusing on it, each time learning something new:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Do you labor?

Are you heavy laden with burdens?

Then learn of Jesus.

Read His teachings. Immerse yourself in the scriptures. Remember Him as constantly as your mortal mind can handle.

Now, a crazy work week is more of a trivial example.

I’ve had many more times in my life where the burdens have felt like too much, and I had no guarantee that they’d be over in a week.

Some are still going on right now.

But my little case study last week has given me greater resolve:

Jesus won’t always take away our burdens.

But He will give us relief. He will give us peace and joy in unexpected ways.

He can give us rest.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Finding rest, even with no sleep first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

That fridge you keep saying you’ll clean out?

That person you keep meaning to text?

I do.

It’s like there’s this unpleasant list of all the things I don’t really want to do, that I need to do…

And it just weighs me down!

When I finally call and schedule that appointment, I always always always think, “man, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and I feel a million times better now.”

And that’s basically what the Lord is telling us all the time.

“Release yourself from bondage.” D&C 19:35

In this case, it was the Lord telling Martin Harris to just pay off the debts to publish the Book of Mormon, and move on.

In other words, release yourself from the mental “unknown” and anguish, and just get it done.

And in the kindest way possible, that’s what He’s inviting us to do all the time.

Whether it’s a big sin we’ve been carrying around on our backs, or a minor little task that we just can’t seem to do, He has lovingly already done His part.

And He’s ready for each of us to decide to release ourselves from the bondage.

The bondage of sin, yes, but I think that also includes the bondage of heavy mental loads, too many commitments, or a long to-do list.

As soon as we start to make the first move, to pick up that phone, to decide that today is the day, He is right by our side doing more than His fair share of the heavy lifting.

But we have to make that decision to release ourselves.

What will you release yourself of today?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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