I was of absolutely no use that day, since I had recently found out I was pregnant with our first, and I was beyond sick. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

But my husband was doing great! ⁣⁣⁣⁣

My heart sank as I looked at our completely empty apartment, though. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Because even though our stuff was all gone, there was so much CLEANING that still had to happen before we handed the keys back to management the next day. ⁣⁣⁣

And my husband’s grad school schedule meant the cleaning would all fall to me. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Even though I was so sick and so tired. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

I remember my husband suggesting we just give the apartment back as it was, willingly forfeiting our deposit. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

But it was a huge deposit, and I wanted to get that money back. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

I prayed that night that I would feel well enough to clean. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

That next morning, I woke up to a text from a lady in our ward that we were leaving:⁣⁣⁣⁣

“Hey Cali! I heard you are feeling really sick! My family wants to come clean your apartment today so that you don’t have to. We’ll bring all our own cleaning supplies and make sure it’s super clean. You just rest and relax today!”⁣⁣⁣

I never set foot in that apartment again, and a month later, we got our full deposit back. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

I’ve thought a lot about this lady’s ridiculously kind offer, her teenage kids that probably weren’t super happy to learn about their family activity that evening, and her charitable heart that acted immediately after hearing a need. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

I also have thought about how the Lord COULD have given me strength to clean my apartment. He could have caused my sickness to subside. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

But instead he gave this family a chance to serve and to act. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

“We will surely be blessed with opportunities to be instruments in His hands”. -Elder Ulisses Soares ⁣⁣⁣⁣

It’s a blessing to be able to do what the Lord would do. ⁣⁣⁣⁣

He could make it all happen on His own, without any of us helping.⁣⁣⁣⁣

But He generously gives us the blessing of being able to act in His behalf. ⁣⁣⁣

Moses got this blessing, too. ⁣⁣

There were many ways the Israelites could have been freed. ⁣Yet the Lord was kind enough to let Moses lead.

“Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.” —Exodus 3:10

How could the Lord be calling to you to invite you to be part of His work as a massive blessing to you right now?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The apartment cleaning deposit first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

My Heavenly Father knows and loves everyone on this earth and directs everything.

Each event and each element and each person is in His loving care.

“The heavens and the earth are in mine hands” D&C 67:2

It’s powerful to think about the whole world being in God’s hands.

God is mighty and all-powerful.

But, right before declaring that the heavens and the earth are in His hands, He mentions to the groups of saints gathered:

“Whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.” D&C 67:1

He hears every prayer that I say.

He knows every single desire, every single yearning of my heart.

He knows things about myself that I haven’t told anyone else.

He knows what I really want and what I really fear, even if I’m not sure what I want or fear.

So the God of heaven and earth, who holds everything in His hands, ALSO knows my every desire.

And what does He do with this unfathomable power and this knowledge?

Holding the whole world while also knowing everything about me?

“The riches of eternity are mine to give.” D&C 67:2

He wants to pour out the riches of eternity upon me.

He’s got the whole world in His hand. He also knows my every personal desire and plea.

And He wants to bless me in ways that I can’t imagine.

“O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.

“Behold and lo, mine eyes are upon you, and the heavens and the earth are in mine hands, and the riches of eternity are mine to give.” D&C 67:1-2

The riches of eternity are His to give to the whole world.

And thanks goodness I am in His hands.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post In His hands first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.