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.
Christians Growing Christians: To Know God….. Trinitarian Godhead, Attributes of God, and Doctrine of Salvation
This post is part of a multipart teaching that is used with discipleship students. The series is called "Christians Growing Christians- Practical Christian Living and Discipleship". It is intended to help foster a biblical worldview in new or growing Christians. Lesson 5 – “To Know God”- Trinitarian Godhead and Attributes of God, Doctrine of Salvation and Freedom from Penalty and Power of Sin Slide 1- Title Slide- To Know God (Slides shown at link) XPS Lesson 5 In June of 1997 our first grandchild was due. We had waited eagerly for this big event. When our son and daughter in law had...
Shepherd Staff or Messiah’s Monogram…..Sweet Either Way
The Legend of the Candy Cane is published as a Christmas story each year in various incarnations, reportedly originating in various venues and during various eras. The symbolism is sweet and sentimental and often delights children. Such evangelegends can take on a life of their own and be repeated again and again as absolute truth. King Leo Peppermint sticks were a Christmas treat every Christmas when I was growing up. It is nice to see that they are still available from this description of them at the King Leo brand company, qcandy.com: “Declaring a brand of candy as the “King of...
Blessing/Curse of Loneliness…. A Gift That Draws Us to God
Our daughter, Charlotte Byrd Donlon writes book reviews for a coffee and book shop in Birmingham, AL. This one resonates with me. I have a picture of myself with 4 other girls when we were all about 12 or 13. The look on my face says it all to me....although I am with them I do not belong with them. I struggled with forming close and lasting friendships for most of 30 years due to unrealistic expectations, high demands, fear of being known too well by others.....all evidence of my inability to be truly "happily at home" with myself....and overly sensitive about how I was viewed by others....
On Denominations and Tithing….Live local. Give local.
Bill and I are listening to Dr. David Jeremiah's message on tithing. Tithing is not a church doctrine. It is a personal doctrine. He called it part of God's plan for continuing Christ's work in the world. As we matured in our faith we began tithing several decades ago and giving to special offering opportunities, as well, as God stirred our hearts. This year we have faced some difficult decisions concerning our tithe because we have become uncomfortable with the way in which some of the tithe we give is being allocated to purposes at denominational church levels higher than our local church...
Alpha Leader or Lone Wolf
It's been a challenging week with women at the Titus 2 residence.......personality conflicts, rules broken, etc. I had finally had enough yesterday and imposed some discipline. I was at a loss in some ways to figure out exactly where the source of the problem was. it actually seemed to be rooted in 3 of the 6 personalities. I asked God for wisdom to know what to do. If I couldn't get some clarity, I would simply have to get 1 or 3 of them out of the house. Then I had a very real-feeling dream about 4 am this morning. In my dream it was also about 4am. In the dream I heard the doorbell...
Make a Difference in the World
This "mini-course" from the Verge Network in disciple-making is full of practices that I have learned over the years as I've ministered to women through the principles, proclamations, prohibitions, and promises of the Word. Disciple-making has a simple blueprint, but it is not easy. Know where to start. Know that it takes time. The fruit of a disciple-maker is not a disciple. It is other disciple-makers! It is the call of every disciple. 1.) Point always to the centrality of Christ, not letting anyone make you the object of their faith. (Too many are prone to the cult of personality!) Teach...
Anxiety…The Plague of Our Modern Age
The plague of our modern day age is anxiety.....Many people are medicated for anxiety as a way to give them a little peace in a stress filled world. Or they self-medicate with alcohol or food or overwork or other excessive behaviors. The opposite of anxiety is peace. Where can one find it? Peace with God, within one's self, and with others around them? Peace with the many issues that cause fear in the world? Luke 7:50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Over and over again Christ sends out those whose lives he has touched with healing....(always spiritual...
An Immanent Epiphany: Christ Among Us
Immanent- A characteristic of God revealed as God dwelling in space and time with humanity. A friend of mine shared with me one time that it is not uncommon for God to speak to her in the day to day, as she goes about her tasks at home, like while she’s vacuuming. Such tasks are activities that require little conscious thought to accomplish, freeing the mind to be available for other deeper thoughts that God may choose to bring to mind. When she told me that I realized how often God had done something similar with me……as I made my bed or washed dishes. This morning it happened once again as...
The Language of Hands
Close friends know about my collection of hands...ceramic, glass, porcelain, wood, etc. It began with a Babbie Mason song from the early ‘90’s, "Trust His Heart" that has this line: "When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart." They have represented for me the invisible hands of God working on my behalf even when I was unaware of it and with each addition to the collection of hands the call to trust God more is reaffirmed. The theme of trust and an image that derived from that song became sort of a "life" theme and logo for me. Interestingly, too, I discovered that the ancient Boyd...
Worship for the New Year: Liturgy of Letting Go-2018
Today we’re honoring the changes that we’ve made over this last year and the growth that comes from these positive changes. We’re saying goodbye to our old ways and saying hello to what will hopefully be the beginning of a future with hope. We remember how Abraham and Sarah set out to a new country and a new life, not knowing where they were being led. Change and growth are full of uncertainty. We remember how Jesus left his carpenter’s tools, went into the wilderness, and began his new vocation. Change and growth require obedience. We remember how the fishermen left their boats and women...