Discipleship Done Differently
ARISE!
The Basran Family:
GROWING FAITH AT HOME by Beth Craggs It had been a bit of a hectic morning at my house. I had hoped to get up early to spend a few minutes in prayer, but instead had snoozed my alarm and was running late. One of my kids refused to get dressed, another had misplaced a water bottle. I’d snapped at the third for blocking the hallway. I started thinking wistfully of the Days Before Kids, when my time was my own, my sleep was sufficient, my patience well-stocked. By the time I met with Bex Basran, my list of personal regrets for the day had reached the double figures. During the interview, though, I began to see things with a completely different perspective.
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:5,22-23)
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Every time I think about the hour I spent in the company of the Basrans, I’m reminded of some verses from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:5,22-23) Throughout the – sometimes noisy, often chaotic - interview, Bex’s
youngest two daughters climbed on and off her lap, their contributions to our conversation ranging from “Mummy, can you read this birthday card to me?” to “Mummy, when was this photo taken?”. While Bex shared her story, her experience, and wisdom, I watched in wonder as she demonstrated each of these fruits in the ways she responded to her little ones. I left the interview feeling really humbled by Bex’s honesty about her faith and family, and the insights she’s gained from parenting her five daughters, aged 8, 7, 5, 4, and 2. Not only that, but so much of what she shares boils down to serving God in every situation, which is something that anyone can aspire to, whether or not they have young children. Here’s a snippet from our conversation.
What brought you to Sheffield? I came as a student to study history, and ended up staying on as the student worker for my church (Wycliffe). Before long, Sheffield just felt like home!
