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.
Loving One’s Self
https://lifehurts.us/blog/2019/01/15/cultural-call-love-yourself-seduction-softer-side-legalism/?fbclid=IwAR156xNcRxW7HXRMQfgVNJjs_8UDmESYu3NSQMdX5ZLDNAmYKExnpSUAROM This link to Holly Stratton’s weblog hit my inbox on a day when “self” seemed to be the theme of the day in my devotionals and reflections. As I think about her points, I’m as cognizant of the need to rest and renew as anyone in the counseling arena and I encourage our ladies to find appropriate self-care strategies, but Holly hits it on the head here when she observes that even that “be good to yourself” approach to life is...
Not Salvation By Works, But Faith Authenticated By Works
Discipleship, mentoring, and attending church services and Bible studies can teach one the knowledge of faith and the practice of faith, but only a personal encounter with the living Christ can authenticate one's faith. And then, only if one accepts and embraces the invitation from Christ. Accepting and embracing means following, obeying, and giving oneself over to his transforming work in her life. This, I believe, is the essence of James' message: "Faith without works is dead." James 2:26 The first work of faith is to move forward from belief to commitment and is evidenced: in baptism,...
Quantum Gender
( 6/7/22- I have attempted 3 times to add some thoughts to this original post. The first time I accidentally started it in a group rather than on my personal FB page which is where I intended to put it. Then two more attempts here within this blog, which is the best place to add a comment, resulted in shutting down of my Wordpress altogether, wiping out the addendum twice. So, I've decided to let it just sit here as it is. 'Nuff said.) I was watching a lecture by physicist Shoshini Ghose on the new science of quantum computing, based on quantum physics. As she explained, quantum computing...
Three Realms of Life
There is more than one kind of death one can experience. There's physical death. But there's also psychological/emotional death when one gives up hope and the will to strive for good and simply yields to life as a victim. Then there's spiritual death when one turns her back on God. Conversely, there are three kinds of life one can enjoy contained within the three realms of human existence- spiritual (human spirit and our capacity in our human spirit to commune with God's Spirit), psychological/emotional (soul), and physical (body). One's will - the capacity for volitional choices, the...
James’ Teaching Parallels Jesus’ Beatitudes
Bible Study on the Book of James: “Straight Talk” (CBByrd November 2014) In the introduction to James in the Wesley Study Bible it is noted that Martin Luther held the book of James in low regard, calling it “an epistle of straw”. John Wesley, on the other hand, regarded it highly, commending it as a “remedy against the general temptation of leaving off good works in order to increase faith.” (Works, June 5, 1741), cited in the Wesley Study Bible p 1552).This tension between pursuit of personal piety (Wesley’s “works of piety”) and the necessity of doing good in the world (Wesley’s...
Hard Conversations
In many churches and among a number of Christians, there are some hard conversations that go on about standards for doctrine and leadership, about what is truly God’s will, what it means to be inclusive and loving in a culture that demands so much in terms of diversity and individuality, and even whether or not we can or should trust in the authority of God’s Word…. I’ve have been thinking this week about some hard conversations, too, in other contexts. Some of you know that I work with women in addiction assisting them toward life recovery from life-limiting dysfunctions like substance...
Me, too.
Jesus ministered to all - sinner and saved alike- everywhere he went. He fellowshipped with the disciples who were with him most of the time for 3 years. But he enjoyed close community with Peter, James and John They went places others didn't and he showed them aspects of himself few others would see and know. He also admonished those who knew the law but would not hear the truth of his grace and salvation available to all people. I want all of Jesus that I can have.....I want his healing ministry in my life. I want the day to day fellowship with him as I enjoy the guidance, learning, and...
Being Jesus…..
"Sin remains sin, no matter how emotive or empathetic we might be towards the sinner. It does not matter if the sinner is ourselves, our nearest and dearest, friends, or strangers. All sin is worthy of death, and that must be our response to it. We have no right to be judgmental, however, which causes us to react badly to sin, or to apply our own human standards to the sinner. …..We must respond – with biblical standards, not our own. That is, we look at sin as God looks at it, and we apply the necessary discipline, as He requires. Discipline is NOT what so many think it is – punishment!...
Deep Fellowship
A mother in recovery discovered at the end of a long and trying day that when satan sought to sabotage her sobriety, God was more present than she had ever known and that God will, if necessary, accompany one all night long, keeping her hands busy while giving her the emotional and psychological strength to know victory over a craving temptation to escape the trials of life. Her story: "Recovery is a frame of mind. When one is ready for the truth recovery can be right where you are. I am blessed enough to be able to have my recovery at home. I have responsibilities that cannot be...
2 Testaments, 1 Story
I've observed something interesting in Scripture....God's penchant for balancing events in the Old Testament with others in the New Testament.....Like the idolatry of the Hebrews worshipping the golden calf in the desert while Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments....3000 of them died as a result of their disobedience. In the New Testament at Pentecost, 3000 people were saved when they believed in Christ as Peter proclaimed the Gospel from the high point of worship in Jerusalem. At the tower of Babel, people were diversified in language and disbursed so that they could not...