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.
Twelve Step Lifestyle
Some view Twelve Steps as something only those with chemical addiction do. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is a useful foundational self-evaluation tool for spiritual, psychological, and relational growth. Some approach it with dread and anxiety. Abut I believe it is a wonderful way to know one's self better in order to give oneself to God and others better and more fully! A thorough, fearless, and searching Twelve Step study under the supervision of a Christian who is experienced in spiritual direction and guidance can be one of the most helpful spiritual discipline practices...
Doorknob Mystery
From 2/7/22 journal I sleep with my bedroom door locked. Of course, all the outside doors are locked as well, but it just gives me an extra measure of security. If anyone breaks in, I have a few minutes of notice before they can get to me…. This morning I walked to the door to unlock it then turned and pulled the knob. The knob on the outside fell off on the floor in the hallway as I pulled. I stood there looking at it thinking,"What in the world….??" The knob had not been loose. There had been no sticking of the knob or the lock component. It just fell apart without warning. Huh! Imagine...
Social Media: Language
Three years ago today I was posting something on Facebook and accidentally mistyped or the phone autocorrected something from what I typed to the word “hoe” and I got an immediate notice that my post violated community standards. I had the option to ignore the message, delete the post, or change it. What in the world is going on? Big Brother is definitely here. So I guess I can’t post about gardening anymore and having to hoe around the plants to pull out weeds! Is urban slang the official language of social media??? What happened to straight forward English words meaning what they’ve always...
Incarnation and Calm In The New Year 2024
My words for pondering, praying, pouring over, and pursuing this year are "incarnation" and "calm.". It seems the two are intertwined in my mind. God had been impressing the word "incarnation" on my heart throughout Advent and Christmastide. I thought I understood it...... Perhaps not. When I read Beth Felker Jones' Church Blogmatics' post from Christmas Eve a year ago right after the first of this year as she reposted it, I knew it was deeper and there was more to learn. Here is an excerpt from her blog... "Incarnation isn’t God letting us out of the ordinary and into glory. It’s the truth...
Choose How You Live
CHOOSE HOW TO LIVE From 1/12/2017 "So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.When you arise...
Double-Mindedness
This is why Titus 2's curriculum and my approach to counseling includes values self-assessment and clarification, emotional literacy discussions, and biblical relationship principles Self-discovery under the illuminating light of the Holy Spirit is a potentially life changing adventure: What the Bible calls "double-mindedness" cognitive dissonancethe state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change. "In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs,...
Christian Nationalism or Christian Patriotism?
From October 26,2023: The Trinity Forum has an excellent podcast you can listen to on The Challenge Of Christian Nationalism. Good discussion on the difference between Christian Patriotism and Christian Nationalism. Search on You Tube. It's worth a listen if you have given much thought to issues of policalization of religion or attempts at limiting freedom of religion by government. From September 27,2023: I am a Christian and a Patriot, in that order. I am not a Nationalist Christian. Two Christian theologians discuss the difference (from The Trinity Forum. ttf.org) The podcast is worth a...
From Disappointment to Peace
Disappointment in some situations……that's what's on my mind. In my Friday afternoon Wesleyan band meeting, a band member spoke into my situation ….. that I was "rejecting my gift" ……. I knew exactly what she was saying. But when emotions run ahead of my capacity to process unexpected information that is quite contrary to my understanding, based on previously known facts as they had been presented to me, it takes my reeling mind a little time to figure out how I could have been so blind and how I'm going to respond. I fear that if I had Christ's ability to see and know the hearts of people,...
In Christ
My words for 2024 are "incarnation" and "calm." The Titus 2 ladies and I are using E. Stanley Jones' devotional work entitled "In Christ" this year, exploring what it means to BE "IN CHRIST.". Incarnation has captured my attention through many references during the Advent and Christmastide season that just ended on January 6.Josh Leroi writing in the book "Protagonist" that we used this year for our Advent season devotional, references a lofty "otherly" view of God that many hold. I have referred to that as a "transcendent" view of God that places Him beyond man's reach and understanding....
New Respect For A Bumble Bee
During a month of prayer and fasting we have been focusing on the theme “Preparing the Way”. It suggests an active endeavor on our parts. And certainly there is a lot of activity underway in preparation for our move to our new church facility. And just as certainly, it is the consensus of our church that God has done the calling in this move. Therefore, we can rest assured that He is leading, preparing the way for us and guiding us as we explore the means and methods for accomplishing it. But today I want us to focus on what God has already done to...