The hen who has carried, borne, labored, and delivered her little chicks. ⁣

The hen who has nourished her little chicks time and time again, and gathered them every time they scattered. ⁣

There is such love because there was such sacrifice. ⁣

Selfless service and total sacrifice produce the purest love that is possible. ⁣

This is why our Savior loves us with such tender devotion. Because He sacrificed everything for us.⁣

For me. ⁣

His body was broken for me, and His mental capacity was overwhelmed with the weight of my sins.

And because He did that, He loves me fully and completely, in a special bond that can’t quite compare.⁣

Except to a mother. ⁣

Elder Holland gave his iconic, “Behold Thy Mother” talk in 2015, a few years before I became a mother. I remember thinking, “Wow. I can’t even imagine that kind of love.”⁣

“No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child.” – President Holland

I’m now a mom to three.

There is a lot of sacrifice in order to be a mother. My body has been broken, and healed, and broken, and healed. My mental capacities have been stretched to the limits. ⁣

And because of the sacrifice, there is great love. There is a special bond that comes from that ultimate service. ⁣

Of course anyone who sacrifices out of pure love can feel this bond, too.

But Christ Himself decided to compare His feelings of love to that of a mother.

“How oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.” (3 Nephi 10:4)

I think about the Motherly figures that He learned from, both in heaven and on earth. ⁣

It makes His comparison all the more powerful. ⁣

And so, when Christ calls to us, when He wants to gather us under His wings and give us nourishment, it isn’t out of duty or pity.⁣

It’s out of the pure love and devotion that can only come from a moment of total sacrifice.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

I’ve done it three times now, and each time, as that due date approaches, the intensity starts to build.

I’m so excited to bring a new baby into the world.

But I know that I have to experience a lot of physical pain, uncertainty, potential complications, and sleeplessness in order to get to the other side.

It’s excitement, it’s anxiety, it’s trying to be peaceful and hoping everything will go smoothly.

And then, after the journey, the new baby is laid on your chest.

What a feeling.

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:” (Isaiah 53:4)

I’ve carried and birthed sweet little babies.

And Isaiah teaches us that our Savior has carried and borne every sorrow, trial, and tragedy we’ve experienced.

He’s struggled and become fatigued with what we currently have to endure.

Which in turn, I believe, gives Him a special kind of love toward us.

“No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child.” – Elder Holland

I love this motherly imagery because I am a mother, and the relationship between brutal physical sacrifice and devoted love is one that I’ve experienced firsthand.

But I also know that you don’t have to be a mom to know this.

The Savior loved us and was willing to endure real actual physical pain to then love us even more wholly.

Which means that maybe, just maybe, when we willingly sacrifice on a much smaller scale on His behalf, we grow a special kind of love for Him, too.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Borne and carried first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Everyone’s experiences are vastly different, and they even vary greatly from pregnancy to pregnancy.

I’m halfway through my third pregnancy right now, and carrying a baby sure does a number on my body and my mind.

It’s a lot of work to bring a baby into this world.

I also recognize that there are so many who long for this experience and have not had this opportunity yet. My heart is with you.

There’s an entire baby that is completely dependent on you for everything from nutrition to hydration to comfort.

They just take everything that they need from your body, often at your own expense.

It’s pure sacrifice for another human’s sake.

And out of that is borne a great and pure love.

Righteous sacrifice can’t help but produce love.

“In his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old;” D&C 133:53

He has redeemed us, He bears our burdens, and He carries us each day.

His constant sacrifice on our behalf produces the most pure love toward us.

It’s a simple formula, really.

Sacrifice = love.

Have you wanted to grow more love toward someone or a group of people recently?

Maybe you’ve even wanted to feel more love for God?

Sacrifice for that person.

Sacrifice your time talking to them more often.

Sacrifice your resources learning more about them.

Sacrifice to serve.

Willing sacrifice, performed with good intentions, will always produce greater love.

Christ loves us. Our Heavenly Parents love us.

Mothers and fathers love their children.

And we can grow our love toward others when we endure the cost of willing sacrifice.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Sacrifice, pregnancy, and love first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Can you picture the hen?

The hen who has carried, borne, labored, and delivered her little chicks. 

The hen who has nourished her little chicks time and time again, and gathered them every time they scattered. 

There is such love because there was such sacrifice. 

Selfless service and total sacrifice produce the purest love that is possible. 

This is why our Savior loves us with such tender devotion. Because he sacrificed everything for us.

For me. 

His body was broken for me, and his mental capacity was overwhelmed with the weight of my sins. And because he did that, he loves me fully and completely, in a special bond that can’t quite compare.

Except to a mother. 

Elder Holland gave his iconic, “Behold Thy Mother” talk in 2015, a few years before I became a mother. I remember thinking, “Wow. I can’t even imagine that kind of love.”

I’m now a mom to two. 

There is a lot of sacrifice in order to be a mother. My body has been broken, and healed, and broken, and healed. My mental capacities have been stretched to the limits. 

And because of the sacrifice, there is great love. There is a special bond that comes from that ultimate service. 

There is such great love that Christ can only compare his total love to that of a mother.

I think about the Motherly figures that he learned from, both in heaven and on earth. 

It makes his comparison all the more powerful. 

And so, when Christ calls to us, when he wants to gather us under his wings and give us nourishment, it isn’t out of duty or pity.

It’s out of the pure love and devotion that can only come from a moment of total sacrifice.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Godly, motherly love first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.