I had this question come to my mind recently, and it has completely reframed how I, an already devoted Christian, have seen some issues in my life.

Do I really, really believe that following commandments, keeping covenants, and living by certain principles will make me a better person?

Or do I sometimes think that I know better?

We talk a lot about this idea of having the law “written upon our hearts”.

Really believing Jesus with our whole heart.

Jeremiah taught the same idea:

“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

But what does it really mean to have the law, the commandments, our covenants, written in our hearts?

I think it means being able to wholeheartedly answer that first question with a resounding YES.

Believing that 5 more minutes of being in the scriptures and communing with God is better for my life than 5 more minutes of sleep.

Trusting that taking that first awkward step toward reconciliation is better than sitting in contention.

Knowing that turning off that TV show will be better for my soul than the few fleeting moments of entertainment.

Hoping that attending the temple will far outweigh anything else I could be doing during that time.

I would bet that the majority of people “know” with our minds that it’s good to keep the commandments.

It’s good to follow God’s law and keep our covenants.

But Jeremiah is encouraging us to think…

Do we REALLY, deep down, in our hearts, believe that life is better with Jesus?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Better with Jesus? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve been part of large events that get cancelled or dramatically changed just days beforehand.

I’ve forgotten a really important grocery item at the store.

I’ve asked someone else to do something and they’ve done it completely differently than what I was intending.

I’ve had someone get sick and not be able to do something we had been looking forward to for a long time.

Mortal life is filled with all sorts of things that “go wrong”, from small but still obnoxious errors, to big dramatic changes that are stressful and sometimes even heartbreaking.

Things weren’t supposed to happen like this!

When Jeremiah was a prophet, he was asked by the Lord to have his scribe record some important prophecies.

But then the king took the scroll with Jeremiah’s revelations and burned it, piece by piece!

What?!

The Lord ASKED for these to be written down, and now they were quite literally gone in flames.

But God knew what was going to happen.

“Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll”. (Jeremiah 36:28)

And then the Lord gave Jeremiah even MORE new revelation to include!

Isn’t it comforting to know that nothing comes as a surprise to God?

He knew what the king would do, and He had a plan in place to keep these important prophecies preserved.

People still have their agency.

I’m sure the Lord hoped the king wouldn’t burn Jeremiah’s writings.

And maybe He hoped that the people around you would have made better choices, too.

But He still isn’t even surprised.

In fact, it seems to be these kind of moments when God works His greatest miracles. He rains down blessings even more. He softens our hearts at just the right moment.

Nothing is a surprise for the Lord.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post No surprises first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“How do you do that all alone? You are superwoman!”

We praise people for doing things all on their own, from toddlers to busy moms to leaders and everyone in between.

Of course, basic independence is great.

But we aren’t supposed to do it all alone.

We aren’t here on earth to glorify ourselves.

We are here to glorify Him.

“No matter how capable, educated, brilliant, or strong we are, we cannot cleanse ourselves from our sins, change our bodies to an immortal state, or exalt ourselves. It is only possible through the Savior Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement.” —Elder Paul V. Johnson

Being educated, brilliant, and strong are great qualities.

But they aren’t the ultimate goal.

Jeremiah, in his weakness, cried:

“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved”. (Jeremiah 17:14)

We can’t heal ourselves.

We can’t save ourselves.

We can’t perfect ourselves.

We need Jesus.

We need His atoning sacrifice and we need covenants with Him.

We need His Spirit and we need His grace and mercy.

And I think we need to help each other a bit more in the process, too.

Life isn’t meant to be “figured out” alone.

Life is meant to turn us to Jesus time and time again.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

I’d read professional development books.

I totally got into podcasts.

I studied the scriptures a lot and read supplemental materials.

I love learning, I had the time and the mental capacity to do it, and so I did.

Fast forward a few years and three little kids later, and it blows my mind how little time I have for that anymore.

I started a podcast episode that I was super excited to listen to last week, and it took literally all week, listening to 5 or 10 minute portions here and there, to finally finish it.

My scripture study has become much more focused on the essential basics.

I can only read articles on my phone for as long as I have before my baby slaps my phone out of my hands with her newly discovered fingers.

My speed of personal improvement has slowed down so much.

So much to the point that it’s tempting to think, “What’s the point! I’m failing at it all.”

“Your direction is more important than your speed.” -Richard L. Evans

Why were the people in Jerusalem in spiritual trouble?

It wasn’t because they had slowed down the speed of their spiritual progression.

“They hearkened not… and went backward, and not forward.” (Jeremiah 7:24)

They were going in completely the wrong direction.

A step in the right direction, no matter how small, is still a step.

Three verses of scripture read on my phone before zonking out in bed knowing I’ll only have a few hours before a kid wakes me up is a step in the right direction.

Listening to half of a conference talk because I only have 5 minutes in the car is a step in the right direction.

Sending a text to someone when I’ve been meaning to do so much more to serve them is a step in the right direction.

Forward. Not backward.

(Or when I go backward, repenting and taking that little step forward as fast as I can again.)

Always trying to move a little bit closer to the Lord, inch by inch.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Forward and backward first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

YET

We talked a lot about how we often think we can’t do something, like solve a tough math problem, or dance ballet, or write an essay.

But the truth is, we can’t do those things YET!

If we put in the practice, learning, or training, we could technically do almost anything we wanted to do.

And of course, this message doesn’t only apply to sixth graders.

I can’t bake. I’m not good at drawing. I don’t garden.

And that bleeds into our spiritual development, too.

I’m not good at praying with real intent. I don’t like ministering to others. I don’t see the purpose in attending church. I’m so bad at studying my scriptures. I can’t forgive that person. I won’t feel charity toward those people.

I think Jeremiah had one of these realizations when the Lord called him to preach.

Jeremiah did NOT think he could be called as a prophet.

“Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am as a child” (Jeremiah 1:6)

And the Lord basically responded to him by pointing to the big sign on the door that said YET.

You may feel like a spiritual child right now.

But, especially when the Lord is involved, there isn’t anything we can’t do!

What new skills or strengths do you feel God wants you to learn right now, no matter your age?

Because God always adds YET.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post God adds YET first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.