by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Jan 1, 2009 | spiritual formation
One of the things I love about my new job as program manager of a women’s Christian residential substance abuse recovery program is that I get to teach adults at a very fundamental level and watch them progress in their spiritual journey over a rather intense...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Dec 26, 2008 | communication, transparency
I started this weblog in July 2005. With this post, I mark the 150th post. I’m not a particularly prolific blogger…..just a few times monthly, as the mood and urge strike. I’ve learned to exercise more discretion in the things that I make public,...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Dec 23, 2008 | Uncategorized
It’s interesting that, this time of year, you can take almost any group of people with a Judeo-Christian background and put them together, add some Christmas traditions, and have a party. The case managers at the Homeless Day Resource Center pooled their talents...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Dec 21, 2008 | Uncategorized
This year, instead of giving gifts to one another, my parents and siblings and I each chose a charitable enterprise to which to give. One brother and my parents chose food banks to support. Another brother and his wife bought Christmas gifts for a family whose...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Dec 7, 2008 | leadership
Today we had about 50 families with tables in the church parking lot selling “treasures” and all sorts of crafts. It was part of our church’s effort to help families address concerns over the economic downturn. Early this morning, as I arrived to...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Nov 16, 2008 | Career
I have been getting on the job training as a Christian educator for over 5 years through my church and completed my work toward certification as a Christian educator in May. But recently, as I began to explore the possibility of ordination as a deacon, I opted for the...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Nov 16, 2008 | counseling
“There are remedies for the soul’s ills in the Christian faith. Both psychiatry and psychotherapy literally mean “soul healing” (psychology literally means “the study of the soul”). Until recently, soul healing was understood to be part...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Nov 14, 2008 | Faith
Several years ago a friend of mine suddenly went blind, with no other symptoms. She was rushed to the hospital where it was discovered she’d suffered a stroke. Gradually she regained about 30-40% of her vision. A news report came out this past week about a pilot...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Nov 3, 2008 | labyrinth, symbols
When I have attended United Methodist events, the prayer rooms all seem to have a common feature- a labyrinth. It seems that some with a spiritual bent all seem to think that we should be walking the labyrinth to connect with God.”The term labyrinth is often...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Oct 29, 2008 | Acts 6:1-4, Beatitudes, conflict, social gospel
I have been a student of the Matthean Beatitudes scripture since my own Holy Spirit-directed encounter with it several years ago. I have had several conversations with my associate pastor, who prefers the Lukan rendition of “blessings and woes”. He is from...
