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.
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.
Soul Stories
Writer Charlotte Donlon describes well the work we are doing as women write and share their inventories during steps 4 and 5 in the Twelve Step process. It is an evolving process, learning to hear and express one’s soul. “I describe soul stories as stories that touch our souls and the essence of who we are in some way. Our lives are made of stories. But some of our stories are more foundational to who we are, to who we have become. Our soul stories are the stories that form us and impact how we interact with God, others, and ourselves.”
Emergence-y
I've stated that emotional emergency leads to spiritual emergence.The difference between emergency and emergence? The ending- "Y" (you) bringing "e" (energy") to the process by accessing the power of the Holy Spirit to engage God's redemptive and restorative power! CBB 3/3/22
Faith and Science
Last year at a faith and science lecture Dr. Ian Hutchinson used a phrase that made me smile....one that I have come to use based on my own experience and understanding of the need.... to "tether to reality". Tether... to restrain by setting the utmost length to which one can go. It is the setting of a boundary beyond which one cannot go. It is a mechanism of safety and protection for the one which is restrained by one who has more wisdom and provides care and supervision. That is altogether different from being chained, fettered, bound, shackled, and held in a stronghold to prevent any...
AI’s Blind Spot
Observed about social media... You know, after all these years and as many times as I’ve written “God” you’d think my auto-correct function would anticipate and offer that as a suggested word. Yet, it never does. So if I hit the wrong keys, there the word lies...”Hod” or “Gid” ..... until I catch and correct it. I just find that ironic. That AI science can “learn” my syntax and correct so many misspellings for me but it won’t do that one. AI has a blind spot and is quite prideful, I think. One would almost think Lucifer pulls its strings! LOL! I’ve got his number, though, and I’ll keep using...
Beautiful Surrender
Beautiful surrender.......As I drove a friend in her third year of alcohol recovery to a medical appointment out of town she said, "Surrender was hard. I struggled, but once I finally made the first surrender (of a hurt from the past), the others began to fall like dominoes. It has been very freeing." Surrender of "self" starts the process of peace and it enlarges around us like ripples from a dropped stone. God told me at a point of decision over a hard choice, "You hold the stone.." I knew what I was to do with it, what we all must be willing to do with it..... drop it, even when we would...
Progression Toward “Strongholds”
Be careful what you allow into your heart and mind: Progression Toward a "Stronghold": Impression---> Obsession---> Oppression------> Possession One seldom realizes she is in the grasp of something until after it's too late to easily and safely escape unscathed. Our culture is full of people and concepts vying for one's attention. If one has no "guard" over her heart, as called to do by the Bible, then she is wide open to what may appear to be harmless fascinations.....until they are intertwined into her heart and mind and then, when it has insinuated itself into her beliefs,...
The Importance of Consistency In Recovery
Just an observation......double-minded thinking reflected in memes about addiction: In one post: "Addicts are good people.....they are victims of a disease and they can't help it." In the very next post "Recovery ...is a choice, a decision, an action." In one post "....don't hurt them, don't judge them." In the very next post "If your addicted loved one is angry with you, you might be saving their life." Different recovery programs have different paradigms and approaches, but each program/addiction recovery professional should be consistent in the paradigm from which it operates. Then...
Family Peace
Sinful conduct separates us from fellowship with Holy God but never from the steadfast love of God. It may also separate us from fellowship with other people even though their love for us continues, as well. I’ve seen this over and over in life recovery counseling where families have had to set boundaries and limit or even cease fellowship with another member due to choices made that violate family values and standards of conduct. There was a time when Bill and I had to ask a teenager to leave our (and his) home due to destructive, violent and aggressive outbursts. We gave him options...
Servant-Leaders
A leader is appointed. A servant is anointed. The ideal is that one would seek to be a "servant-leader", as described by Bennett Sims in the book by that name and exemplified for us in the life of Jesus. The primary emphasis has to be on the best interest of others, not oneself. Saul was the people's choice after they insisted on having a king. God let them have their way. David was God's choice, anointed as a child. There were times that David succeeded in being a servant-leader. Other times he allowed his own desires/interests to lure him away from God's will. CBB 2/27/22