Saying Goodbye to a Friend: Ruth Doreen Bailes

 

My Jesus walks beside me death is defeated by His name

 

Words paint pictures

Wrestling on a page.

My Jesus walks beside me 

Death is defeated by His name.

Thoughts seem to bubble

Theology unfolds.

My Jesus walks beside me

     Death is defeated by His name.       

Tears tell of sorrow

Truth wrapped up in pain.

My Jesus walks beside me

Death is defeated by His name.

Memories are history

Moments set in time.

My Jesus walks beside me

Death is defeated by His name.  

Eternity lasts forever

Eventualities arise.

My Jesus walks beside me

Death is defeated by His name.

Pain is for a moment

Perhaps it's just as well.

My Jesus walks beside me

Death is defeated by His name.

Soon we will be together

Side by side again.

My Jesus walks beside me

Death is defeated by His name.

In memory of Ruth

copyright Revdjo 21/5/2013

 

 

 Ruth Doreen Bailes (7/11/29-28/4/13)

I have known Ruth since I was a teenager but it was not until the last ten years, or so, that I really got to know her well. She was one of my most trusted friends. Last year she made the journey from Stroud to Burton on the train to see me, not many 82 year-old ladies would attempt that! On learning of her sudden death my immediate reaction was at least she didn't suffer that much and stayed in her own home, continuing to do the Lord's work right up until the last minute. I was surprised by the depth of my feelings just prior to her funeral as it dawned on me just how good a friend she was and how much I would miss her. God seemed to remind me of that in the voice of Elizabeth, who I don't know very well, as she sat next to me with the words, 'Can I sit next to you and be your friend.' Just in case I needed any more reinforcement, a reminder from God via Ruth's hymn choice, What a friend we have in Jesus. 

Ruth was forever the student of the Gospel and forever the teacher. She had taught both secondary and infant school children in her day. Her zeal for the doing God's work amazed me. If you want to have a look it can be found here: 

www.tracts.com/Goodnewsletter.html

www.tracts.com/Textmessages.html

www.tracts.com/CWP.Home.html

www.tracts.com/CHOICES4U.html 

I will miss my praying friend and her humorous ways; it always took Ruth an age to make the tea and offer you a biscuit that you weren't allowed to take a bite of until she had said grace. At her funeral I was struck by the last verses of the hymns she chose. I have listed them in order bellow. Ruth had no doubt she was going to meet her Lord. Even after her death she continues to remind firstly, where she was going and secondly, for us to take our burdens and prayers to God.  The God who continues to walk with us in the valleys when we are sad as much as he walks with us when we are feeling joyful and on top of the world.

 

Great things He hath taught us, 

great things He hath done,

and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son:

but purer and higher and greater will be

our wonder, our worship, when Jesus we see!

To God be the glory! by F J Crosby and W H Doane  

 When I stand in glory

I will see your face.

And there I'll serve my King forever,

on that Holy Place

There is a Redeemer by Keith Green

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge,

take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He'll take and shield thee,

thou wilt find a solace there.

What a Friend we have in Jesus by J M Scriven 

Green pastures are before me,

which I have not seen;

bright skies will soon be o'er me,

where darkness clouds have been;

my hope I cannot measure,

my path to life is free;

My Saviour has my treasure,

and He will walk with me.

In Heavenly Love Abiding by A L Waring     

In the cool night breeze

Your voice echoes in the cool night breeze, gently guiding, enveloping me.
I hear you in the dead of night
amongst the clutter of my mind.
The aroma of your love is strong.
Your dreams fills me with hope.
As I stumble through the darkness you place your hand in mine.
As I journey through the wilderness you water what was dry.
I sit by the stream of quietness and listen one last time.
'Come rest.' You say, 'And follow me.'
Your voice echoes in the cool night breeze, gently guiding, enveloping me.


Copyright Revdjo 16 may 2013

Searching

I sit,
I stand,
I wonder how?
I think,
I pray,
I need to know!

You wait,
You smile,
You ask me why?
You see,
You know,
You seem to laugh.

I cry,
I sigh,
I stamp my feet!
I walk,
I jump,
I try to fly.

You look at me
with rounded eyes.
You see the dirt,
The gunk,
The grime.
You know my crime.

I see,
I feel,
I realise
The love,
The care,
The tears you shed.

My mind made up I go to bed...

Finding Voice

Everyone has a voice yet not everyone is heard.
Some sit in silence
Others fight for what they deserve.

Everyone has a voice yet not everyone is heard.
The boy tries to tell the world.
He tries to fight his case.
Of abuse and neglect.
His whisper goes unheard.

Everyone has a voice not everyone is heard.
Her tears well up.
Her body shakes.
Her memories echo a distant place.

Everyone has a voice not everyone is heard.
They shout!
They cry!
Will anybody listen?
Does anybody care?
Where is the grace, the love, the warm embrace?

Everyone has a voice not everyone is heard.
The passion that once lived has headed out the door.
The distant eyes.
The lack of smile.
The bitter taste of days once lived.

Everyone has a voice not everyone is heard.
There is something you can do.
There is someone who needs you.
To listen for a moment to the cry from the corner.
To put yourself in their shoes.
To walk a little way.
To feel what it is like when no-one knows your name.
To feel what it is like bound up in pain and shame.

Everyone has a voice not everyone is heard.
Will you speak for me?
Will you change the world?

 copyright Revd Jo  (6 May 2013)

 

The above poem that was a flash of inspiration tonight. I have recently came back from The Baptist Union of Great Britain Assembly during which time I wrote an article for the Baptist Times on finding my voice as a preacher. You can find the article on the Baptist Times Website here.

 

  

Who Am I? The spiritual search continues

Wednesday was a busy day for me. In the morning I went to Billesdon in Leicester for some newly qualified minister (NAM) training arranged by the East Midlands Association. Then it was back home to put together a Bible study on Women in the Bible, vacuum the lounge (a must with two cats), eat tea, and lead the house-group. I think working a 13 hour day was a bit of a mistake but nevertheless an enjoyable one. 

The house-group is newly formed and has been, until now, an all female affair. It was perhaps ironic that we welcomed our first man to the group given our study topic. I shared some of my experience of what it was to be a female minister and the gender inequality that existed in the church as well as reflecting on why we don't hear so much about the women in the Bible. 

Who am I? is a good question to ask. I am no-one special really, just me, but I am a women with a call to ministry ingrained on my heart. Sometimes I would like to escape that, and indeed I have tried to deny the calling, run away from it (for over 10 years), given it back to God, fought it, and eventually given in and followed that calling. It has not been, and isn't easy but this is part of who I am.

Earlier in the day at the NAMs training we looked at the subject of spirituality, a topic close to my heart. The sessions were taken my Revd Dr Tim Mountain who has just been appointed as a tutor at Northern Baptist Community. His teaching was excellent and I am sure he will be a great blessing to the college.

After spending time in worship we looked at some definitions of spirituality, such as that from Alistair McGrath (Christian Spirituality, Blackwell, 1999).

Christian spirituality concerns the quest for a fulfilled and authentic Christian existence, involving the bringing together of the fundamental ideas of Christianity and the whole experience of living on the basis of and within the scope of the Christian faith.

For me spirituality is about the way in which I connect and engage with the living God, be it in the still small voice that makes the hair on my arms stand on end, or the vastness of the Grand Canyon that reminds me of how awesome God is. God speaks to us in lots of different ways but we have to take time to listen to and experience God for ourselves. 

We looked at the criteria for Christian spirituality, such as, our core beliefs about who God is, and our 'rule of life' (our regular routines that maintain our relationship with God), and the different ways that we engage with God noting that whilst we may do that in many different ways we all have a preferred method. For me connecting with God comes most naturally through nature, normally pottering around in the garden. Even today's half an hour of pulling up weeds helped me to pray and to focus better on God and what really mattered. I think I might do this every Friday when I am trying to write my Sunday sermon!

After a little discussion on spiritual direction and whether we have a spiritual director (I do), we were invited to take part in several spiritual exercises. It was good to have some time to spend alone with God. For me the following exercise entitled 'Who am I?' was the highlight of the day, although the worship was pretty fantastic.

• Choose an object that suggests something of who you are and the journey you are on.
• Reflect on the reasons you have chosen it.
• Do you think you would have chosen it a few years ago? Why?
• Express your thoughts and feelings to God in prayer - perhaps silently or by writing them down.

           (The purpose of the exercise is to reflect on the person God is at work on.)

This is a picture of my choice of objects, well some of them. There were also an onion I was tempted by but here is my choice. I later found found Tim had chosen the same object when he had done the exercise a few years ago. 

So who am I? What are the similarities between what I chose and who I am and the spiritual journey I find myself? 

• It is bright, cheerful, and fun. So am I, most of the time.
• It has an empty space needing to be filled. I have a need to be constantly filled with the Holly Spirit.
• It has a wiggly line around it. Life and my walk with God is full of highs and lows or as I like to refer to them as hills and valleys.
• It has a bit of a chip. Like me it is not perfect.
• There is a red line around it which reminds me of the blood of Christ and the healing that he brings me.
• There is a green line around it - my mind turned to being sea sick for some reason. Life can be so hectic. It makes me dizzy and a little sea sick at times. I guess I am also a little green behind the ears as a NAM.
• There is a brown colour at the bottom of the mug which reminds me of the earth. I am earthed and rooted in Christ who is my foundation. 
• The cup reminded me of the women at the well (I preached on this last week). Jesus asked for a drink but he had no bucket or cup to put the water in. After meeting Jesus she went into the town and said, 'Jesus knew everything about me.' God knows everything about me.
• As I selected the mug one of my friends laughed. I asked them why and they said because of the obvious. I wonder if people do think i am a mug sometimes, perhaps I am for following this calling. Others may think I am a mug but actually I am the carrier of the cup of the Lord, offering others a drink of living water.  

Would I have chosen this a few years ago? No, probably not. In my other life (pre-ministry training) I was a financial adviser so I would probably have chosen a calculator or something similar. Have a look at the photo above, or around your home, pick something to represent you and do the above exercise. There are no right or wrong answers just be open and engage with God. Feel free to post your comments and let me know how you get on.  

Who am I? The spiritual search continues. I like to think I am very self-aware but there is always something new to discover about what makes me the person I am and indeed who I am in Christ.   

     

Dear God

I came across this today written in my first year of training for ministry as we looked at the subject of worship. Previous to that I was working at a drop-in for young people which you can probably tell by some of the language I used to express myself. I can't say this is the best thing I have ever written but it made me smile so thought I would share it, well for a short time anyway!

Dear God

I love you.
I worship you.
I adore you.
I know you but I long to know you more.
Holiness is you, make me holy, make me more like you.
The world seems so full of sin,
It's difficult to know where to begin.
What do I want?
What do I need?
Do you agree or do I need to change my mind?
Forgive me for the times I moan.
Forgive me when I make you groan.
Build a hedge around you and I.
Keep me safe and free from sin.
Help me to walk close by your side
Closely with our hands entwined.

God your cool, your massive, your mine.
My Lord divine.