Was this a time that I needed to hold her accountable?

Or was this a time that my little girl needed my grace and immediate forgiveness?

My brain quickly scanned through everything I know about child development, from what I’d learned in college courses, my teaching experience, and even parenting social media accounts. ⁣

I honestly couldn’t figure out which way was the best way to go in the moment. ⁣

And then I remembered, for the millionth time, that I could ask for the Spirit to guide me. ⁣

The Spirit could tell me what was best in that moment, for this exact daughter of God. ⁣

I didn’t have to tough it out with my knowledge alone. ⁣

I could certainly use my knowledge, but also call upon the Spirit to give me the nudge in the right direction. ⁣

And so I closed my eyes, said a quick prayer, and felt one option come to mind, with a few specific changes. ⁣

Having the Spirit with us constantly is THE biggest blessing I could ever hope for. ⁣

The constant, personalized, and godly guidance, comfort, and impressions are my lifeline to heaven. ⁣

That is the point of partaking of the sacrament each week. ⁣

To repent and change our hearts in the ways that we need so that we can qualify to ALWAYS have the Spirit with us again. ⁣

“…always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them.” (Moroni 4:3)

That is what makes the sacrament so essential, and what makes our Savior’s great atoning sacrifice so profoundly important. ⁣

We need to have completely pure intent in order to feel Divine guidance in our lives. ⁣

And we need to have that reset every single week in order to turn us back to the Savior. ⁣

Having the Spirit with us is the best gift that we have been given – and so we have to do our part to re-qualify each week, and then call on that heavenly guidance.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

They were struggling for their lives. They were being slaughtered. Their peace was being destroyed. ⁣

And yet they didn’t call on God for help. ⁣

“They… did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them.” (Mormon 5:2)⁣

How could they not even ASK for help when they were struggling so much?! ⁣

Just a few weeks ago, I hit a real “low” when it came to my time management. ⁣

I have a lot going on, but I was dropping every single ball instead of at least keeping a few in the air. ⁣

I actually enjoy learning about time management and all sorts of productivity hacks, so I dug into research mode. ⁣

I was trying out new strategies, failing, learning more, trying it out, dropping all the balls again…⁣

I had this weird story in my head that Heavenly Father was really disappointed in me that I couldn’t handle everything right now, and that He needed me to use my own agency to figure it out. ⁣

Not because I felt that prompting from Him, but because I don’t enjoy asking for help and this was the story I had come up with. ⁣

I was struggling, and I wasn’t calling upon my God for any help. ⁣

I fall into this trap ALL OF THE TIME. ⁣

And then, finally, my scripture study reminded me of the importance of prayer. ⁣

I thought, “Maybe I should ask Him for help.”⁣

And bam. ⁣

Inspiration came. Doors were opened. My mindset changed. ⁣

So why do we do this to ourselves?!⁣

We struggle. With overwhelm. With spirituality. With time management. With grief. ⁣With real problems.

And sometimes we just don’t call upon the One who created us. ⁣

Maybe we feel like He is disappointed in us for needing help. ⁣

But He is ready and waiting. ⁣

He wants us to ask for help. ⁣

Instead of prayers filled with only gratitude and normal blessing requests, we can include sincere pleas for help. ⁣

It is okay to ask for help from the divine Being who wants to help us come Home.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Asking for help  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“Why do you live where you do right now?”

EVERY SINGLE TIME that I’ve asked someone new that I meet why they live in the area, there’s a great story.

A story that usually involves a lot of “coincidences” just working out.

A lot of answered prayers.

Really, really cool stories.

(No really, start asking this question even to people you think you know well— it’s so fun!)

And honestly, I have a similar story.

We live in our current home in our current area due to a lot of promptings, some time in the temple, a softening of my heart, and a persistent salesperson.

And I know my family is 100% meant to be where we live right now.

Whether or not they recognize it, I’ve realized that most people I’m surrounded by are here because of some form of personal revelation.

Paul went on his journeys with the same guidance in mind:

“And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles…“ (Galatians 2:2)

He traveled by listening to promptings and acting on personal revelation.

And that technique led Paul to exactly where he needed to be!

I like thinking that everyone has been guided to where they are right now for a purpose.

No matter how long they’ll be there.

If this is true, what do you think your purpose might be?

Who can you reach out to and serve in a totally unique way?

What new friends are waiting to be discovered?

Who can you love?

When we humbly lend our will to God and allow our lives to be led by personal revelation, God can lead us to the people who need our specific help the most.

No matter where we are.

No matter how new, or how short we’ll stay.

No matter whether or not we think we “fit in”, or any other mortal thoughts we use to keep ourselves small.

If we were led by revelation, we can trust that God can use us to accomplish His purposes.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Being led by revelation first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

All my plans, my new-year-organization strategies have been thrown out the window as I’ve been knocked sick.

I do a lot each week that requires everything to run pretty close to clockwork.

There were many times this thought has run through my head as I’ve seen deadlines pass, work pile up, house projects left undone:

“This has all gone wrong.”

This isn’t how my new year, just a few months away from having a new baby, was supposed to start.

Have you ever thought this before?

“This has all gone wrong.”

There have been a few, much more serious times in my life when I’ve thought this, too.

But what I’ve learned is one of the most comforting, eternal truths:

“All flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good.” (Moses 6:32)

God is in control.

And if God is in control, nothing is going to “go wrong”.

Now, don’t misunderstand: I’ve learned this does NOT mean that nothing will ever go wrong in my little mortal point of view.

But in the grand, eternal scheme of things, God isn’t letting any little decision I make, any sickness, any bump in the road throw a wrench into any of His plans.

God can do anything at any time.

So if I believe that, then how can I change my perspective right now?

“If I give this all to God, nothing can go wrong.”

Nothing goes wrong when I give it to God.

Deadlines will work themselves out. Or maybe I’ll miss them and things will be fine. Or maybe I’ll get clarity on things I need to drop anyways.

And it feels SO much better to think this way.

He’s got my back.

Nothing can go wrong.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post It’s all gone wrong! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

By Friday, I had gotten to know the girls in my group extremely well, but I was still a little nervous about this lesson.

I mean, I had taught them tons of times by that point, but I felt the weight of this particular lesson for some reason.

I prayed a lot and pondered a lot, and eventually I had a story pop into my mind to share and center my lesson around.

Friday came, and it was a beautiful experience. The Spirit was felt, girls opened up about their feelings, and I knew that I had followed the promptings of the Spirit.

The next week came, and I felt so excited for Friday’s lesson that time! I had the thought to re-plan my lesson, but I pushed it aside, because the previous week had been so successful.

Friday came, and I taught the lesson the same exact way.

And it was a total flop. I didn’t feel the Spirit, I could tell my girls weren’t feeling it, and I just felt confused.

Until the Spirit quietly reprimanded me:

“I am not a calculation.”

I’ve thought about that moment a lot.

The Spirit will not always tell us to do the same things.

It isn’t some exact calculation that tells us that if we sing this hymn, or read this scripture, or tell this story, or conduct our meetings in this exact way, we will automatically bring the Spirit.

Some of us might be in leadership or teaching callings right now that require us to constantly ask for the Spirit’s guidance on how to fulfill our assignments.

But I also thought about my role as a mother. As a wife. As a daughter of God.

Am I clinging to, “This is how it worked for me in the past, so I’m going to keep doing it!”?

Or am I constantly relying on the Lord to teach me through His Spirit how to best study my scriptures TODAY?

How to best pray, how to teach my children, how to grow my marriage, how to serve others… today?

Because I think it changes all the time.

Effective scripture study today looks a whole lot different to me than it did 2 years ago.

And that’s just fine.

So my reflecting question is – am I guessing I know exactly what the Spirit wants me to do?

Or am I waiting for His constant recalculation?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Recalculating the Spirit first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.