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.
Creative Arts Joy
3/5/16... A dance recital photo was posted on social media of the daughter of a friend. I can so relate to her feelings of joy in watching her child dance. Our daughter Charlotte danced from the time she was two and on into her college years. I never could quite understand how someone so beautiful, graceful and gifted could have come through me, as I had none of her grace and beauty. I was in awe of her. I had felt a similar awe as a 4th grader watching a cousin of mine, Gail Boyd Cooper, dance in a recital one time. I don't think it was jealousy. I think it was appreciation for the work...
Anticipation
From 3/5/20 Whelmed.....to submerge, engulf, overtake utterly John 21:25 25Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. It's been one of those weeks.... So many things have happened that border on or outright fit what can only be described as miraculous...wondrous...awesome... beyond explanation.... that I just can't even write them all down. It makes me completely understand John's words in this verse. And it's not even particularly to me. for me. or about me. It is...
Dreams of Family
Journaled: "March 5, 2021- Yesterday I spent time framing some of my favorite pictures of Bill and of the two of us. It was a sweet, comforting time of remembering our life together over the decades. As a result of such consoling activity, my reward was a sweet dream of Bill's presence with me. He and I and Charlotte Ann were sitting on the ground together in the shade It was so real. we talked and laughed together. Fast forward..... I felt Bill lying in the bed with me and felt his hand resting on me. It was SO real! The brain is a fearfully and wonderfully created- and creative- power!"
On Call
when o worked in a hospital laboratory I took on call duty every third weekend. It could be frantic depending on things that happened... I spent a lot of time driving back and forth responding to urgent demands. That seems to be part and parcel with ministry, too. What a night.....after the fire scare at Titus 2, a family member out of town spent hours communicating with and ministering to someone intent on suicide, and I was contacted about 3:00am while sitting up reading by someone who'd been in our LHUMC CR group years ago and lives out of town now. The person is over 5 years sober but...
Saying “No”
Having made some decisions about priorities and use of time in my life, I am busily unsubscribing from a number of regular contributors to the spam in my email inbox and the glut of trash emails. I had kept a lot of them active and would scan them to see if there was anything I might want to read/keep. I've decided I have quite a number of resources already on hand and with the ease of Googling, anything I come across that I might want to research I can do so. Bill can set me up an RSS feed for topics I want to watch. As much as I dislike technology changes, I think this is one I need to...
Friendships
Mar 4,2016 posted by my dear friend, Pam Nevins: I'm reading "The Gift of Friendship: Stories That Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments" by Dawn Camp, Jennifer Dukes Lee and wanted to share this quote. "The Beauty of Friendship We can appreciate friendship like we do—A beautiful sunset. You can never re-create the sky you once saw across the desert at twilight. You enjoy it while it lasts. These are moments where you connect with a friend, but life takes you on different paths. A shooting star. Some friends seem to appear out of nowhere, when our journeys go through dark times....
“The Great Requirement”
Micah 6:8: The Great Requirement- He has told you, O man, what is good; what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? - “do justice” is to address the cause of the need to which God has called you - “love mercy (kindness)” is to meet the need in all the ways you can - “ and walk humbly with your God” is to continue to do so faithfully in obedience according to God’s will for as long as called to do so. 3/4/19
Parenting Goal
"The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them." - Frank Clark - Our German daughter, who spent time in our home as an exchange student, sent this quote several years ago. She is stating something important here. Some parents continue to try to live vicariously through their children or control them to keep them close, or to protect them from the risk of being hurt in life, essentially stunting their children's lives. It does hurt, at times, to let them go, make their mistakes and find their own way. I have had more than a few women in our...
Freedom, In All Its Ways
3/3/15 What a sweet moment....I was talking to someone about the concept of Freedom in Christ and healing ministry for those in addiction or other spiritual bondage.....She said, "The thought that keeps coming to my mind is the story of Harriett Tubman." I think many counselors working in healing ministry have a passion for freedom. Harriet Tubman gave her life toward the cause of freedom and many Christian counselors are called to the same passion for freedom, I think. We know that is what God desires for all his children.
Moon Shine
3/3/2018 The full moon over Deerpoint Lake this morning is stunningly beautiful! Moonlight filtered through oak trees falling on the patio stones makes patterns that look like puzzle pieces. The silvery shimmer of the moonlight on the water resembles metallic fabric waving with each windy ripple on the lake. And I feel safe in my Father's arms as the light shines in through the sunroom windows and caresses me.