About the Author
Cathy Boyd Byrd invites others to join her in considering topics of interest to those on the Christian spiritual journey…..discipleship, spirituality, mental health, Christian growth, and Bible study. Cathy enjoys working with others as they transition from emotional emergency and brokenness to spiritual emergence and abundant living! Many of the topics about which Cathy writes are interrelated as experienced in her own life and in the lives of those with whom she works in counseling, teaching, and case management, and in friendships. She believes that sharing our journey of Christian growth and spirituality helps us know God and ourselves better and connects us with others!
Cathy is a Christian Educator and Life Recovery Counselor, and an ordained deacon through Christian Leaders Institute. She serves as Community Outreach MInister at Lynn Haven United Methodist Church. She is a student (disciple) of the Holy Spirit and shares with her students (disciples) the things the Lord teaches her through Bible study and contemplation, incorporating experiences interpreted through the Word, cherished traditions of her faith, and reasoning that comes from seeking the mind of Christ in accountable community. She was widowed in August 2020 after 48 years of marriage to Bill Byrd, is mother of 2 and grandmother of 5. Her journey of faith has been lifelong and continues to be an adventure with the trailblazer and guide, Jesus Christ!
Cathy is the founder and program manager for a Christian women’s residential life recovery program, Titus 2 Partnership, Inc.(www.titus2.life) in Panama City, Florida.
Notes on Essentials for Dealing with Demonic Intrusion
Essentials for dealing with demonic intrusions ….. From 3/24/25. Notes from Seedbed.com webinar with Dr. Steve Seamands. We can’t avoid spiritual conflict…. Like trying to avoid weeds in gardening or lawn maintenance. It is a valuable dimension of Christian life. Value: Understand the wiles of the devil. We have an enemy. We don’t need to fear him but respect his strategies. He is a liar and he accuses and opposes God. We need to know how to fight the battle. Not carnal weapons or weapons of the flesh…. Done with praise, worship, intercessory prayer and fasting. The enemy wants to keep...
Spiritual Realm Conflict and The Armor of God
Spiritual realm conflict resolution is the entire focus and purpose of the Armor of God “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Eph 6:11-13 With regard to belt of truth...
Gentleness Versus the Flesh
This meme made me think……. For decades it was clear to me that I lacked gentleness. And I was comfortable with that …..until I wasn’t. That was when I began praying for gentleness. It took time but I have, thankfully, gained a greater capacity for more consistent demonstration of gentleness. What I discovered with gentleness is that self-control is especially necessary and must be sought alongside gentleness. The flesh will continue to rise up at times and challenge one’s desire for the pursuit of gentleness. You have to really want it and cooperate with the Holy Spirit to maintain it,...
To Whom Will I Be Accountable?
God is so attentive! This week He has placed me in three circumstances where accountability was the issue at hand…. Yesterday a young mentee with whom I’ve work for a year told me about discovering in a rather sudden and disconcerting, even supernatural, way that God will require us to be honest with one another as well as Him about our daily practice of our Christian walk. Yesterday a young woman who has drifted In and out of my life asked me to hold her accountable to stay on track with some tasks. I told her it doesn’t work that way. I can’t “hold her accountable.” She must want to be...
A Soft and Responsive Heart
When one shifts focus from "surrender" of one stronghold point of brokenness, shame, rebellion, ignorance, etc. after another in a life of "recovery"…..to focus on consecration of all of one's self to the Lord, change happens. This is what it looks like to live out loving God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind, ALL your strength…. It brings David to my mind, "a man after God's own heart"….. He was consecrated (set apart and prepared), even before he knew what God's plan was, and then anointed for God's purpose. It was decades before the fullness of God's purpose was realized,...
Starry, Starry Nights
Shooting stars have held special meaning for me because of their propitious appearances at key moments of my life….always unexpectedly coming and bringing with them a sense of hopefulness and their alignment with what seemed to be God’s assurance that all would be well…..and, in spite of dark nights now and again, when neither stars nor moon were visible, it always has been exactly that….. well. Not always with finances, friendships, family, career or otherwise, but always well with my soul as I poured out my heart to the Lord. Thank you, Sean Dietrich, for the reminder to look upward!...
WHEN THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST PARTICIPATES IN YOUR FRIENDSHIPS….
Monday, Jan. 6, 2024- Conversation with a friend: I texted my prayer partner and friend: “Hope you slept well. Bitsy and I had a disruption. I accidentally pushed her off the bed at 3 am while dreaming. I didn’t hear a peep! Thought I’d killed her. My bed’s high. I turned on the lamp and she was sitting there looking dumbfounded. It took her a minute to get it together. Nothing seemed broken. We snuggled back in bed and I listened for a while making sure she was breathing.” My prayer partner friend replied: “Oh my GOODNESS (to it ALL!) Bless Bitsy’s little heart. She may have thought SHE...
Healing Tears
7/21/23 Notes after recheck at doctor’s office following partial thyroidectomy weeks previously: Strange..... after today's Wake Up Call devotional and prayer several people and situations came to mind..... more prayer. Then this...... tears on my pillow. tears of repentance..... tears of intercession and petition for some difficult situations and hope that today I walk in humility as God directs my steps and just this phrase rising in my spirit "tears on my pillow, pain in my heart caused by you...." I have felt such pain.... today my tears were a prayer for someone...
Purpose of Tears: A Gift of God
Tears are a gift from God, part of the "fearful and wonderful" way He created us! They serve useful purposes not only in protecting our vision, but also in protecting our hearts and bodies from some of the toxic effects of excess hormones released under stress. Have you ever experienced a stressful experience and because of the demand of the moment you couldn't cry? But later tears came in a sudden flood, like released through a spillway? And the weeping may have continued until you felt exhausted and were able to finally let go of the stress? That is part of...
Home Making
My little home’s fireplace damper has some wear and tear and is very difficult to close. I had a chimney specialist over to check the gas line and logs before using and he said replacing the damper would be pricey, He recommended using a fire box cover when not in use. So I scouted options on line and instead opted for my own solution. I used a wood panel cut out from the back of the entertainment center’s top that I scrapped due to its massive scale in my downsized space, having decided to use just its base going forward. I set a framed poster in front of it from a UMC annual conference...