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.
Satan’s Way
Our Seedbed.com Wake Up Call devotional this morning was on the final verse of Luke 4: “When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.” It caused me to reflect on opportunism, as I have before when thinking about the satan's ploys. It helps understand better this word from Jesus..... "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” Matthew 10:16 These are among Jesus’ words to his disciples, the Twelve, as he was preparing them to be sent, two by two, out into the world. He commended the wisdom, or...
Easter Prayer
From 8 years ago: When our faith stands at the grave,grieving for a stone that's rolled away, forgive us. When our faith is short of understanding though the truth is there to see, forgive us. When our faith, beset by doubt, sees no further than an empty tomb today, forgive us. Bring to mind the cry of Mary, I have seen the Lord!' and grant us faith to believe! Amen
Celebrating Easter
This was written 3 years ago today, during nationwide COVID lockdown, by a friend .... worth repeating.....From Deborah Holstine. ( thank you) ... Yes.Yes.Yes! After the President’s news conference was over, one of the reporters made the observation that for the first time in our nation’s history we won’t be celebrating Easter. Well let me tell you one thing, he’s dead wrong. We might not celebrate what Easter has become in that there may be no new clothes bought for that Sunday. We might not hide and hunt eggs in mass quantities. We may not travel home to attend church with our family. We...
Prospect Theory and Transparency
The subject of "trust" comes up regularly in different conversations and contexts. Worth noting: From Len Wilson in "ministry matters" article from 2016: Prospect Theory is the idea that we fear loss more than we value gain. In other words, the fear that we might get in trouble is so intense that if there’s even a hint of judgment we will shut down our creative thinking. The way you move past that is you demonstrate — i.e., you lead others — into an environment in which risk is normative, or at least acceptable. You stop punishing failure. I can hear it now from some corners of the room — of...
Let Your Yes Be Yes, Your No Be No
There is only 1 Jesus Christ. He sacrificed himself for each of us and for all of us.... If you don't like that I have boundaries that prohibit me from accepting responsibility for or making sacrifices on behalf of you or someone else against my will, contrary to my prayerfully considered judgment, or in the best interest of those involved, take it up with Jesus..... don't try to manipulate me, guilt trip or crucify me for failing to be your savior. I'll introduce you to mine and He can teach you to set your own boundaries...... If one does not feel free or is unable to say "No," then her...
Holy Exalted. Wholly Devoted.
The Holy Spirit distinguishes Himself from all other spirits by His holiness. The Bible uses "holy" in two ways. 1.) exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness. : divine. "Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name— he is holy.Psalm 99:2-3 2.) devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity. 1 Peter 1:13-25 calls all people of faith to live a life of holiness. Holy living means that the Christian lives a life that is set apart, reserved to give glory to God. It is a life of...
Cut The Ropes
Today I was considering how often I have to hunt for scissors and I remembered how my Daddy always carried a knife. He was often using it. To cut a rope for a tarp on a truck, to clean out around the rim of something, to clean his nails while scrubbing his hands, etc. it crossed my mind how convenient it would be to have a knife in my pocket...... I actually do have a folding 6-in-1 tool in my car, but it’s a little cumbersome to carry in a pocket or purse. One never knows when a sharp blade may be needed to cut the strings that have one bound. In the spiritual or emotional realm, as the...
Church: Heart Habit to Wholeheartedness
Bill and I were young marrieds with a toddler and an infant. It was mid-1970s. We had made a commitment to join and attend a church, Whitfield United Methodist Church, in part because that was how we were raised. A Sunday School class for young marrieds was being led by an older military couple from Maxwell AFB, Ron and Carolyn Hoover. We settled in and attended weekly class and worship. I can't tell you about any particular lesson we had, but I can still see the faces of many of the people among whom we lived and sought the Lord together for several years. We eventually all went our...
Welcoming Space
I arrived early at my church one morning. It was quiet; staff members had not yet arrived. I sat on a comfortable sofa in the carpeted entry and just listened. I realized that even "quiet" isn't silent. The renovated building has a life of its own. Locks engage and disengage on a timed schedule. Systems run on power generated elsewhere and emit a low, barely audible vibrating hum that is almost more felt than heard. I had walked around the building earlier in the week and noted the multiple large utility boxes that control its power on the south side of the 60,000+ square foot box-configured...
Child Dependency Issues In News
Excessively aggressive child and infant removal from parents by Tennessee child services reported by WMBB on 3/19/23.....Shocking? Of local interest? This action in Tennessee doesn't make any more sense than when it happens in Bay County, too. Third party contractors with financial incentives to remove, shelter and place children in state supervised dependency foster care have too much unchallenged authority and parents have too little recourse in this abusive system that often places children in potentially worse risk in foster homes where they represent supplemental income to the foster...