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.
A Study in Soul Character
A Soul Character Study 1-13-21 Before the “Law” was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai, there was the character of God and God’s revelation of himself to his creation by what God did, what God said, and upon what (or whom) God showed his favor or discipline. God was, himself, the sole purveyor of truth. I have come to this as a student of the Word of God and after being in relationship for some time with God in Christ Jesus who the Gospel writers tell us IS the Word Incarnate, the Spirit of Truth. John Stonestreet writes today about the posthumous reports of the truth of previously only rumored...
Loving the Broken Body of Christ
I had written recently about a bit of squeamishness about the crucifix… it bearing the body of Christ....... While God’s mercy and grace expressed in Christ’s willingness to die for my sins is a measure of his love and a cause of great gratitude by me, it is the victory of the resurrected and ascended Christ and his Holy Spirit present to me now that is the power in which I live. Recently I was reminded of that through someone’s prayer to “ love the broken body of Christ”. I admit I felt a bit of a wince at the thought of loving his broken body until I thought it through ….Jesus said, “THIS...
Unspirited Mindfulness: Incomplete Connection
I receive an online newsletter called “Sounds True”. I look at it from time to time to get the drift of what’s being peddled by the popular culture as “Truth” to ears that want to be tickled…… today it offered a free video by a renowned Zen master called Thay on mindfulness as a means to being present to others. He said that the object of meditation is to connect mind and body so that one may be fully present to those we love. Most all of these online pop psych newsletters or blogs are marketing ploys to sell you someone’s idea of the best new way to solve whatever problem you...
Awaiting the Second Coming….
Morning musing……. Does it really matter to you whether or not Jesus Christ returns in the flesh, upon the clouds, or on a white horse? If we believe and live as if his Holy Spirit, HIS Holy Spirit DNA, in us is enough, the transformation in us and in the world will achieve the same result…… His Peace and Righteous Authority will reign….Are we denying the reality of or deferring living into holiness until we see Christ coming again in the flesh? That seems to diminish the reason for which the Person of The Holy Spirit exists… The Bible says: Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth,...
Flawed Instruments and God’s Presence
Such a flawed instrument of your love and grace, Lord…….. like David, in 2 Samuel 6. There are so many things here to observe about David that are unbecoming…. After he defeated the Philistines, he went marching off “as to war” to regain God’s Ark in Judah but God certainly didn’t need David’s 30,000 elite soldiers. God was capable of bringing his ark out of any place he chose, any time he chose, by any one he chose….as observed in 1 Samuel. Recall that those among Israel’s enemies who captured the Ark were stricken with sores and illness , leading the Philistines to return it to Israel on...
Trusting God’s Plan
I will NOT quit........ trusting that God has a plan. I will keep trying everything I can to keep the boat afloat in the storm ..... while we wait for that plan to become clear..... Including jettisoning the ballast, lowering the sails, breaking away the mast, cutting free the lifeboats, until finally all we can do is cling to boards to survive. But God will still have a plan It just may not include the boat. That didn’t seem to bother Paul. I wonder how the captain felt. The old adage is that the captain always goes down with the ship. In some cases to lose the ship is a death sentence...
Bride or Shoulder Ride?
One might well ask…… Am I desiring to walk circumspectly in love, with grace and wisdom by Christ’s side as his bride, sharing faithfully and fully in all things in our life? Or do I just want to date Jesus and have him turn his Living Water into the best wine every time we meet so that I can ride on his shoulders, like at a beach bash, and see all the action farther and more clearly than anyone else? I may enjoy the ride on the latter, but I’m not going to hear much of his heart. Or maybe it’s more like a 3-year-old on his shoulders, like a favorite little sister, wanting to be...
Perfect World Through Global Social Contract?
"An Earth Constitution (or a global social contract very much like it) is in fact a presupposition of the newly discovered holism of humanity and civilization. If we want a future on this planet, we must abolish both capitalism and nation-state sovereignty and bind the people of Earth together in a global social contract—a contract premised on the principle of unity in diversity—on the new transformative holism." Glen T. Martin, One World Renaissance What a sweet thought....one that would even be possible if all the world knew, worshipped, and obeyed God in a like manner. It will happen...
God’s BEST
A worship lesson from Luke 15: 11-32- Me: “ I’m no longer worthy!” God:” Quickly, Bring out the Best!” Many years ago I knelt at an altar at Blue Lake Campground’s Wesley Chapel for the first of what would become many trips to that altar over the next 25 years. Once again I had come to communion feeling unworthy and broken. As Rev. Ron Ball pronounced a communion blessing he said to me, “God’s BEST has been given to you.” Truly, only God alone could have known what meaning those words would have for me in that moment. I had been a “striver”, seeking The BEST, excellence in all things, for...
“Critter Getter” Memories
Nature lesson for the day....... do not kill a creature that is harmless and beneficial. Bill was so tender hearted toward all creation we killed very few species. (roaches, mosquitoes, and yellow flies were about it!) But I was the delegated creature-catcher. ( I was quicker and closer to their level than he was!). One time we had a little field mouse that got into the garage and was making a pest of himself. We finally made a trail of crumbled cheese out the open garage door to a vacant field and gave him a little time. He took the bait and vacated the garage. We’ve relocated out of...