We were at the park playing with some friends, and I was holding my infant son.

Every time I picked up my water bottle to take a drink, he would try to grab it.

I pulled my water bottle out of his reach and fed him his bottle of milk instead.

But an older kid who was with us was just watching me.

She finally asked, “Why can’t you just let your baby drink your water bottle? He looks so thirsty!”

I explained to this kid that babies’ tummies are so small that they should only be filled with milk to make sure they get all the nutrients they need.

If I gave him water, he would think he was full…

But he would actually miss out on the nutrition his little body desperately needs.

It made me think of this scripture where we learn that people who turn against the Lord will be “. . . like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite.” (2 Nephi 27:3)

I knew my baby needed nutrition, and not water in that moment.

But how many times am I filling my own spiritual life with “water”, completely missing out on the “nutrients”?

What am I doing with my time and energy that I think are giving me nourishment…

But are really just taking up space that the essential things need?⁣

It’s so easy to trick ourselves into thinking we are busy with important things. ⁣

But in reality, we are fooling ourselves.

We end up depleted of spiritual nourishment. ⁣

But confused as to why we feel spiritually starved.

Every time I get caught in these “I’m too busy for the important stuff” cycles, I’ve learned that nothing solves it like a spiritual reset.

For me that’s often going to the temple (even when I think I don’t have time).

Or it’s making myself study my scriptures for a long time.

I try to do anything that will help focus my time on what actually nourishes my soul.

“Being busy” and having a full metaphorical tummy do not mean I’m actually doing good things, or being nourished.

But turning to the Lord, the source of true spiritual nourishment, helps me realize just how important those spiritual vitamins are.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

My water bottle comes wherever I go!

We live in a two-story home and whenever I’m ready to transition up or downstairs, my kids always make sure I have my water and my phone.

My youngest is actually very concerned when I don’t have my water bottle right next to me, and will go to find it and bring it to me. It’s cute.

So the analogy that Jesus uses here really resonates with me:

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:6)

How long can I go without reconnecting with my Savior? ⁣

Longer than I can go without a drink of water?⁣

That’s a piercing question for me. ⁣

I want the Savior’s loving and peaceful influence in my life…

But do I always thirst for it?

I’m working on building that desire up on a consistent basis. ⁣

Instead of forgetting or avoiding prayers or scriptures…

I want to feel a longing and a necessity to not go without them.

Just as I wouldn’t go to bed without my water. ⁣

Some days I’m there.

But some days I’m not. ⁣

He promises that He will give the water to me FREELY once I desire it. ⁣

But I have to ask for it.

I have to want it in the same way I would want to quench my thirst. ⁣

I am grateful for a Savior who gives me what I desire. ⁣

But that means I have to work on what my desires really are.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Always with my water bottle  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

My two year old proudly (and loudly) said that after taking his piece of bread for the sacrament recently.

I quietly whispered that we needed to wait for them to finish passing the bread and then bless the water.

“I am thirsty!”

My little boy was thinking very practically— he was thirsty, and so he wanted the water.

When our bodies are thirsty, this natural sort of longing occurs.

I weirdly wake up super thirsty every single morning and immediately chug my water bottle that I leave right by my bed.

And when I’ve been outside in the hot desert summer, I get desperate for a cold drink to cool me down.

This is similar to what I feel when I’m going through a different kind of struggle or trial— I just want that relief.

I want the struggle to be gone.

I want to relax and feel all better.

But I’ve realized that the Lord often doesn’t just take away our struggles.

He doesn’t usually take us out of the Sun permanently, shielding us from any discomfort forever and ever.

He instead gives us that nourishment, that replenishment that we need in order to make it just another day.

“For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

He gives us that living water.

That everlasting drink that helps our souls hold on just a little bit longer.

That push of energy to grow a little bit more.

That source of life.

Every week. Every day. 

We need that water.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

As the Israelites escaped from the Egyptians, they, “walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” (Exodus 14:29)

There have been so many times in my life where dangerous and chaotic waters are swirling all around me.

Lost jobs, financial setbacks, or emotional trials have made it seem like everything is piling up.

It has seemed overwhelming. Like I’m just one step from it all crashing down.

And anyone else looking into my life would see how turbulent it is.

But yet…

My feet have stayed on dry ground.

I have felt peace.

I’ve had others join me on the journey so that I feel supported.

I’ve focused on just taking that next step forward.

All because of Jesus Christ.

He is the one who makes it all possible.

The chaos and the swirling waters pile up sometimes.

But they don’t need to mean my destruction when I have faith in Jesus Christ.

When I keep looking forward and taking a step.

Even when that step forward means the waters are getting even higher and higher.

There is peace in Christ.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Waters all around  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Well… I use the phrase “play a soccer game” very, very loosely.

It’s adorable.

No one keeps score, and no team is declared the winner.

It’s a laidback environment focused on giving these cute little kids exposure to the sport.

It made me think of the contrast in emotions to much higher stakes soccer games I had watched before.

We loved attending BYU soccer games when we lived there, but the emotions were so much more dramatic.

The games were long, the skills were insane, and the anticipation was intense.

There was always a winner, and there was always a loser.

In real life, different people, teams, parties, or groups prevail at different times.

In Noah’s time, the flood waters prevailed against the earth.

They prevailed against every person, every creature.

Total defeat.

“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth”. (Genesis 7:19)

But who did not fall to the waters?

Those who were in the boat.

AKA those who were obedient.

“Keep the commandments. In this there is safety.”

When the waters seem like they are going to prevail, we can find safety by clinging to the commandments of our loving God.

Because God will always prevail.

So when we cling to God and His wise and all-knowing commandments, we can prevail, too.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Safety against the waters  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.