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.
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...
How Beatitudes Reflect Fulfillment of Isaiah 61
God spoke words of comfort and hope to me over 20 years ago through the Beatitudes of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In them He revealed a rich and beautiful path for moving from my brokenness ("poverty of spirit" Matt. 5:3) and reliance on things of the flesh to the joy of an abundant state of experiencing and loving life in the Spirit (comforted, meek, righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, at peace in peacemaking, persevering, and obtaining the "great reward" that is received through steadfast obedience that reflects that of the prophets…. willing and able to be used by God to bring a...
Linda Vickers: Goodbye To Our Friend
Service of Celebration Linda Vickers 11/13/23 Good morning and welcome to this celebration of the life of Linda Vickers whose membership in this congregation of Christ's church has been transferred to her new place of fellowship and worship in the Church Triumphant in Christ and with Christ forever. I'm Cathy, one of the care ministers here and I had the privilege of journeying with our friend Linda during recent months. We watched Hallmark movies and favorite old TV series, read morning devotionals, talked about...
Harry Giles: Eulogy For A Friend
One rarely sees good in any day in which a loved one is surrendered to death. Some people find it difficult to find good in most any day at all. Harry Giles was not such a person. How does one become a person who can see good in almost every day or, even harder in nearly every person? For some it is undoubtedly the result of an innate positive-focused personality, of being able to generally see a glass as half-full instead of half-empty. For others it may be the blessing of generally having had favorable life experiences. Then there are those for whom a positive...
In Christ for the World
I dreamed all night about the difference between being "in the world for Christ" and "In Christ for the world"..... I can't remember specifics ......I just know that paradigm shift was setting up in me like freshly poured concrete. It reminded me, too, of our call to be in the world but not of the world: John describes the “world” as “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” (1 Jn. 2:16.) “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the...
Changed “Connection”
From 11/8/17..... Everything has changed since this post... "Connecting with others helps us live out our faith as we allow God’s love to bring us together as one body of Christ. Embrace the opportunity to connect through prayer, community, generosity and outreach." (From UMC) A lofty thought....one that requires those in the "connection" to actually share common definitions of "community", "generosity" and "outreach". And also to agree what "God's love" means and allow that to be the common uniting factor instead exalting individuals' preferences, agendas, biases, and assumed...
Digital Scream
"The Scream" From post on 11/8/21....... Nothing has changed. "May I just say I abhor government websites that are necessary to do any transaction at every level- city, county, state, and federal. My chest tightens and I hyperventilate trying to negotiate their lengthy “secure” and tedious online systems. I’d rather spend money on postage for certified mail or drive 30 miles to an office to see a person. And government automated phone systems are equally a nuisance. Computerization was supposed to make life easier and simpler. For whom? Government? I do not find that it has done either one...
Yes, Sheep
When I see the degree of spiritual bondage some people are in as I talk to them and discover how spiritually immature and incapable of helping themselves they are, I realize why Jesus likened people to sheep. One can almost hear it in the voice of some who are desperately in need of a Shepherd: "Baaaa.....baaa". And it is true, the Enemy of one's soul prowls around stalking, tormenting, and waiting to pounce. Seeing how vulnerable some are and how the Enemy has left his marks makes me both angry and sad. Teaching, discipling and equipping such women to hear, know and follow the Good...
Taking A Risk
"How often is God’s heart broken by our insistence on “playing it safe”…. As if not getting hurt is the most important thing in the world.”. Taking a risk, stepping out on faith, being obedient and trusting God when something seems contrary to what the world expects of us or is out of one’s comfort zone can require courage, knowing God is good, and loving the Lord and His people more than one’s comfort, convenience, reputation, even life itself. There is a cost to discipleship. But one will never have given more than has been received.