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.
Morning Verse; Luke 4:22
There are days when I stir from sleep and there is a scripture verse reference clearly "imprinted" in my mind's eye. I can see the nudge to look it up. This morning was such a day. The verse was Luke 4:22. I could not in any form or fashion tell you what the verse is from memory. But here it is, nestled in the midst of the section on Jesus preaching in Nazareth... his family home. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to...
Understanding “so·te·ri·ol·o·gy”, Assursnce and Speaking in Tongues
We can quibble about the finer micro and macro details of soteriology, but as I believe John Wesley would affirm sbout salvation, "You either Are and you know it OR you Aren't and you know it OR you Aren't and you need to be sure you do know it" . In the case of our youngest ones' uncatechesized hearts, they truly Don't Know yet, but that's okay, we Jesus-knowing-and-believing parents gave our babies to Jesus' Daddy, and have stayed in the Lord's house with Him and them, so whenever Jesus comes around again knocking on the door of their hearts, they'll be ready to welcome Him with joy,...
Igniting Pentecost: Ready…Set….GO!
What is the difference between potential energy and energy? The difference between capacity and power? When Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit" they had the capacity, the potential restored to them permanently that they had only previously experienced while present with and under authority of the Incarnate God in Christ. We believe that little children are covered by that capacity and potential through God's Prevenient grace until such time as they are able to decide for themselves if Jesus Christ truly shall be one's own Savior and Lord. These 1st Gen...
Exploring “In Christ”
From E.Stanley Jones' "In Christ." (With some insertion of my SELF-talk as I read!) ".....we must explore what we mean by “Christ.” I came near saying “we must define,” but to define is to confine, and when we are dealing with the Eternal God manifested in the flesh, which I conceive Him to be, we can only explore—our definitions are departure points, eternally open to eternal explanations. We begin with Jesus, not with Christ, for you cannot say Christ until you have first said Jesus—the Incarnate One. For JESUS PUTS HIS OWN CHARACTER CONTENT INTO CHRIST! (CBB: Jesus' own uniqueness, His...
Helpers’ Work and Pearls
A devotional writer, JD Walt, challenged his readers with a story of his encounter on the sidelines of a sports field when a woman near him suddenly collapsed to the ground. When he hurried to assist her he realized she was inebriated and unkempt, likely an alcoholic. It happened that she was the mother of a player. He and another bystander helped her to her car while she slept off her drunken stupor. Pondering these circumstances and his sense of the inadequacy of the response in that moment he asked himself and his readers, “Why on earth did I take a drunk woman to her car?” A reader...
The Dawn Riding Ship of Eternity That Is The Ark Today
I love today's Special Sunday Seedbed Daily Text devotional! It is from E.Stanley Jones' "In Christ." This is my reflection on Jones' insights, withsome insertion of my SELF-talk as I read!...... ".....we must explore what we mean by “Christ.” I came near saying “we must define,” but to define is to confine, and when we are dealing with the Eternal God manifested in the flesh, which I conceive Him to be, we can only explore—our definitions are departure points, eternally open to eternal explanations. We begin with Jesus, not with Christ, for you cannot say Christ until you have...
Where Heaven and Earth Are Joined
6/15/22 From one year ago today - 6/15/22 “.......the very point in the universe where heaven and earth are joined has now become the life and witness of the reborn believer.” Firebrand Magazine In 2008, when THE UMC changed its member vow to include "witness", I believed this was a significant improvement in recognizing this important fact.
Seedbed Daily Text and UMC Annual Conference
I attempted to listen to today's emailed SDT with the emailed version. The title on diversity and the text do not match the "listen" link's content. The listen link is a repeat of yesterday's SDT..... I went to the SDT website and found the same thing. I've read today's SDT on diversity...... twice. And reread yesterday's text, as well. Then it clicked.... this is intentional, perhaps not on the part of the SDT Farm team, but I believe it has a potent message from God, nonetheless. We are being tested to see if we truly listen to AND read SDT and understand AND are allowing it to have the...
“To infinity and beyond!”- Psalm 88 and Psalm 22 from the Perspective of Calvary
Reflection on the view from beneath a cross versus Jesus' view from atop it......(published 6/17/2022 CBB) Christian writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon, put out a challenging post today as her Psalm of the morning .... Psalm 88. She writes: "If you want some words to wrap around your depression, anger, etc., I offer Psalm 88. This is the morning psalm for today. After all of the words expressing anger, sadness, disappointment, it just stops. There’s no turn to thanksgiving or praise. It’s one of my favorite psalms." Psalm 88 Domine, Deus 1 O Lord, my God, my Savior, * by day and...
Aftermath
June 15,2016 The news reports emerging from the investigation of the Orlando Pulse bar shooting are as horrifying as the reports of the shooting itself. The shooter himself was reported to be gay by his ex-wife and others? That she knew about his plans and said nothing? And he had frequented the Pulse and other gay bars? His religion and its hatred for and murderous intent toward gays (and Jews, and women, and any who believe differently from him) resulted in him destroying himself and as many others as he presumed to be like himself as he could as he was drawn deeper into its radicalized...