Singing and joy and happiness are so intertwined. ⁣

So I know that He sings. ⁣

How do you think our Heavenly Parents sound?⁣

I know They sing. ⁣

Singing is joy and praise. ⁣

But it doesn’t always feel that way, right?⁣

When we open our hymn books in church to sing the opening hymn, it’s oftentimes routine. ⁣

(Or time to try and keep your kids from tearing pages out of the book.)⁣

Yeah, yeah, opening hymn. It’s what we do. ⁣

But how would our congregations, and more importantly our own hearts, be transformed if we sang with joy and praise in our hearts?⁣

Singing without a care in the world?

My heaven is filled with a whole lot of singing. ⁣

“And they shall sing the song of the Lamb, day and night forever and ever.” (D&C 133:56⁣)

It’s not going to be somber when we see Jesus. ⁣

Reverence and praise work together!⁣

And I think the newest songs being added to our hymn book are encouraging us to realize that joy and reverence can go hand in hand.

Singing, with our hearts and souls and intent fully behind it, is a beautiful way that we WILL use to praise Jesus.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

STRENGTH

There are probably many times each day when I feel I could use extra strength or support.

For example, when my toddler needs me to open the same toy for the millionth time, when I’ve got a work deadline to hit, or when a friend tells me of a new heartbreaking trial.

Jesus can be my strength in these difficult moments.

When I remember to call out to Him for help!

SONG

But what about Jesus being my song?

Let me tell you that I always have a song stuck in my head.

Always.

Whether I’m doing the dishes, driving in the car, or trying to fall asleep at night, I’ve got a song repeating over and over in my head.

What if we could be like this with Jesus?

What if Jesus was always “stuck” in our minds?

He can be my strength and He can be the song in my heart.

I’ve learned that Jesus can be my strength and my song when I call on Him for help, and I do my best to always remember Him.

What does it mean to you that Jesus is your STRENGTH and your SONG?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Strength and song first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Guidance, blessings, comfort, opportunities, peace, love…

All good things!

All things that I know He is willing to give and that He loves for me to ask for.

But the gratitude, the worship, the joy aspect has been lacking in my prayers recently.

At the same time, I’ve started to realize that the Lord encourages gratitude toward Him EVERYWHERE.

In the scriptures, in the temple, in covenants…

He always wants to remind His people of everything that He has done for them first.

And then He asks for obedience or commitment from us.

But there is always a big emphasis on the mercy, the blessings, the creations, His love FIRST.

He knows how important it is for us to feel that overwhelming gratitude and devotion toward Him before we ask for or commit to anything else.

And so I’ve taken what I’ve learned in my studies and started to apply it to my prayers.

How can I pray with so much complete gratitude and worship and joy, that by the time I think to even ask Him for anything, I’m in a much holier and devoted mindset?

“The Lord is my strength and song”. (Exodus 15:2)

He is BOTH my strength and my song.

He answers questions, gives me blessings, and guides me.

AND He is the one I gladly worship through my internal songs of gratitude and devotion.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Strength AND joy first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

(Side note: I think we can do better at reassuring our youth that feeling the Spirit is not the same thing as crying, even though many people experience both!)

But one sure way to get the tears flowing?

PLAY BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.

When I sit down to watch a broadcast, as soon as the Tabernacle Choir starts singing a song, the tears start coming.

My absolute favorite way to bear my testimony is to play a piano solo of a hymn arrangement in church.

Or to sing with a choir, all united together in perfect harmony.

There is just something magical about music.

But it’s not just high-quality music that brings the Spirit, though.

The Lord asked Emma Smith to compile sacred hymns for the church, and then He told her in Doctrine and Covenants 25:12–

“For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart;

“yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me,

“and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.”

God delights in our music.

Songs of righteous people are prayers.

And these song-prayers will be answered with blessings.

But the thing is…

I don’t think my musical training or abilities have much to do with my spiritual connection to music.

It doesn’t matter whether you can read a note or sing a melody.

No talent, audition or training required.

Songs, sung with an intentional devotion to God, are prayers.

And God delights in any sort of prayer or communion with Him.

And so I’m making sure to keep good, uplifting music in my life, to sing and play as often as I can.

Music is a prayer.

What is a song that has touched YOU most recently?

Just this weekend, I joined with a group of saints singing “Come, Come Ye Saints”, and felt a beautiful whisper from the Spirit that while the pioneers experienced tough trials, we are faced with completely different but still totally valid trials today. And that we can still find reasons to rejoice that “All is well!” 

️Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The song of the righteous first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.