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.
Sweet Memories….
From My Journal… Remembering
Me: (Mar 20,1997, exclaiming in early morning praise) “Surely, Lord, you have created the beauty of this world for your glory and my delight!” The Lord: (in a rather stunning, but gentle reply) “Tell others.” Me: “What am I to tell? To whom? How? Where? When?” The Lord: (silence) Me: (Three months later,again). “I am yours, Lord. What do you want me to do? Just show me what it is.” The Lord: “Just get up each day and do the things I put before you. I will bring them to you.” Me: (9/22/22) “Here I am, Lord, just doing that which is before me this day. Use me as you will.” Me: (To others)....
Bruised Reed, Smoldering Wick
(from 9/21/23) Isaiah 42:3 A bruised reed he will not break,and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; In 1997, someone handed me a small piece of paper with the first part of this verse: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." I gripped it and clung to it in hope that the trial I was experiencing would eventually pass and I would have survived it. Only today did the rest of that verse register with me: "In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;". If that part of the verse had been included on that day...
Temporal Happiness or Eternal Joy
Encouragement. C.S.Lewis said, "God's highest agenda is not your immediate happiness. He is much more committed to your eternal joy, your spiritual growth and the condition of your heart. Trust Him even when you can't feel Him. Believe in Him even when He doesn't make sense. Follow Him even though you are not sure where He is leading you. Something greater is going on than the trial you find yourself caught up in. All moments in life are key moments. Count each one as joy, no matter what you are facing, no matter what your circumstance may be, because it is in those moments that God is...
High Tech Grief
9/12/24 6/24/16…… I journaled:“The Lord is gracious and kind, ever encouraging and comforting. I am so blessed to know and be known by Christ, to have godly friends and a husband who fears and worships the Lord, loves me, and is a co-worker in ministry. I am in the best place in life I have ever been. Reasonable goals are in place for the near future to be accomplished toward which to work and I have the satisfaction of seeing God work in the lives of women he has entrusted to our care. We have instructors and board members who provide wonderful advice and support. So many things are going...
New Season
For 17 years I have managed 24/7 residential recovery programs for women, as well as teaching the Word, providing counseling and case management, discipling and mentoring in multiple settings. Titus 2 has wound down the residential component over the last two years, reducing beds, and now is accepting no more residential care students. Our last two residential women are now moving onto other activities. This decision to end the 24/7 residential component was made possible by seeing the growth of new residential recovery ministries arise in our panhandle area in the last few years. At the...
Loved or Worshipped
Some people don't want to be loved….they want to be worshipped. Since the risk of idolatry is something that God requires be rooted out of one's life regularly, those who demand to be held in that kind of selfish high regard may find themselves being rooted out of the lives of others who choose not to worship them.
In the Flesh or In the Spirit
I watched a Louie Giglio sermon and he referenced several times “slipping into the flesh” due to giving into thoughts or old behavior habits…. It’s a day by day effort, even moment by moment. I have used this graphic for years in an attempt to help students understand living in the "flesh" or living in the “Spirit”. (Click on the graphic to read the description in a larger view)
“JOY”
Joy does not arrive with a fanfare,on a red carpet strewn with the flowers of a perfect life. Joy sneaks in, as you pour a cup of coffee,watching the sun hit your favourite tree, just right. And you usher joy away,because you are not ready for it.Your house is not as it must be,for such a distinguished guest. But joy cares nothing for your messy home,or your bank-balance,or your waistline, you see. Joy is supposed to slither through the cracks of your imperfect life,that’s how joy works. You cannot invite her, you can only be ready when she appears. And hug her with meaning, because in this...
Laptime
This is a photo from today’s date, Sept 5, two years ago in 2022 of our great grandson being read to by his father. My granddaughter sent it out on our family text group back then. She said Lewis (15 months old at that time) loves to have the same book read to him over and over. He and "Daddy", Evan, were on their eighth reading of this particular book in this reading time session. This is a little heart and mind eager to learn and making multiple neural connections through multiple sensory engagements, repetition, focused attention, and a shared experience of comfort and joy. How like that...