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.
Tourists, Adventurers, and Pilgrims
When I began teaching the Bible and biblical principles to adults, I would tell class members that some people approach their faith journey as tourists on a group excursion who trust others to set the agenda, select the sites, and determine the schedule. The only information they get is from the perspective of the person they have trusted to guide them. Our class would be for adventurers…..those who are inquisitive enough to set off on their own and discover the byways untraveled by tourists. They would discover the local color and interesting stories told by native people who know the...
Hitting Bottom
“I Pity the Fool” Cathy Byrd 9-10-17 In their seminal book “Boundaries”, published 25 years ago, Cloud and Townsend listed the ever-broadening, socially-expanded opportunities one encounters in life to learn to accept “no” from others that arise as one grows and puts up resistance to setting and respecting boundaries. It goes something like this, if I recall correctly. Parents and other caregivers Siblings Peers Teachers Spouses Employers Socially significant connections Health Law enforcement, courts, judicial system I will double check this list when I have access to my book...
Precious Tears
"Jesus wept." (John 11:35) "Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb." (John 11:38) These little verses come in the midst of the story of Lazarus' illness, Jesus' delay, Lazarus' death, Martha's and Mary's response to Jesus' arrival, and Lazarus' resurrection. As the Titus 2 ladies and I talked about Jesus' humanity and how he expressed human feelings, we discussed this story. What is it that Jesus likely felt? Why the tears? Was it grief that his friend had died or that he was about to call his friend back from the joy of peace in eternity to re-enter what would be a life of...
Measuring Down With the Gospel
Devotional time this morning..... Someone told me one time that we give as much of ourselves as we can understand to as much of God as we can understand. When we grow in Christ, knowing him and making him known, we come to see and know ourselves with greater clarity, too! I love the Seedbed resources that I get that nourish my daily walk with Christ! This one is soooooo true....to live the Christian life is to "measure down." The Apostle Paul, in his pre-Jesus life, considered himself quite highly - a righteous Jew of unquestionable pedigree and a Roman citizen with status and access, too!...
No Room At the Inn……
Today I heard at Catholic Charities and confirmed with a call to Bethel Village that the women's emergency shelter function ls closing at BV in 3 weeks or less. That will create quite a burden on other ministries in town and probably on law enforcement and Life Management services, too. I’m wondering if men's emergency shelter is closing at PC Rescue Mission, too. Anyone know? As weather turns nasty and cold this will be especially difficult for some. And if the men's shelter function is not closing, how does one justify keeping shelter for men and none for women and families?? It seems...
Isn’t It A Wonder…….
"Wisdom begins in wonder." -Socrates A few years ago a friend gave me a book entitled "Recapture the Wonder" by Ravi Zacharias. In it he invites readers to "break free from the weariness and cynicism of life to enjoy God's amazing promise of childlike joy." I was reading, too, an editor's note in a popular magazine about the same topic in which she invited readers to make a list of things that had filled them with wonder lately. For me (in no particular order): - the smiling face of a friend's baby granddaughter on social media - the smiling faces of my own granddaughters in the company of...
Thinking about Contentment
Contentment- 1Timothy 6: 2-10 These are the things you are to teach and insist on. 3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain....
Discipler of the “Self” in Each of Us
I've been blogging now for over 12 years. Prior to that I was a regular journaler. I have a metal trunk full of journals filled with memories......far too many for my feeble brain to retain close to mind. But I cherish them, all of them, even the painful ones. They have been part of the way that Christ has discipled me....through reading the Word and seeking to understand God, myself, and my relationship with others. I chose the title " disciplerofself" for my weblog because it is the "self" within me that needed to be discipled and the best choice of mentor for one's "self" is the one who...
Why Do You Ask Me What Is Good?
I've been thinking about "good" today. As in Scripture when the rich, young ruler came to Jesus in Matthew19:15-22 "Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “All...
Gratitude: An Outward and Visible Sign of Love
On Gratitude 8-21-17 Bill and I have started a home small group….a “life group”….as our church now calls it, on Sunday evenings at 5:30. Bill and I cook and provide dinner to those who come. We have a devotional together first. As the basis of the reflections we are using reflections on Christian virtues (which are really the characteristics of Christ, the attributes of God, that are revealed in Scripture.) Our first one last week was on “Hospitality”. This week we focused on “Gratitude.” Our discussion of Gratitude last night brought out a lot of thoughts on the blessings we enjoy.....from...