A bit more than 4 years ago, just three months before my wedding, one of the dearest people in my life disappeared.

He left behind him a wife, six children, and the church he pastored in a little village in the north-west of France. In the eyes of the world, he may not have been the most successful man. He was neither rich, nor very influential and did not have a great career.

How do you measure a man?

What determines the value of a man’s life? The challenge in the question is that by looking into the answer, I am providing a measuring tape against which my own live will be laid. Therefore I can be tempted to value a man by the things that I have been successful at. Anything else would be to admit that I have failed at making my own life count.

So how do you measure a man? The Bible provides some clear defining lines as to what is meaningful here on earth.

Three things will last forever–faith, hope, and love–and the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor 13:13

Love is the answer

What is love? My definition is pretty simple: it is living for others. Why then do I consider Dad to be one of my greatest examples? A man that leaves a good career in England to go to France as a missionary is not living for himself. A man that starts a church in a village of 3500 people is not living for himself. A man that raises up 6 children is not living for himself.

I have many good memories of my father, such our the weekly family times, his wisdom, his ability to challenge me…One day he called me into his office, read revelations 3:16 (So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.), and then confronted my lifestyle. Funnily enough, I really treasure that moment.

But most of all, I admire his capacity to focus on the eternal. He knew that life would be short, and lived for God and others. That is why I am certain that he had few regrets when dying, even though he was far from perfect. While I was certainly saddened by his death, I want to echo my mother’s attitude at the memorial service. She started dancing and singing for joy while people looked awkwardly at her. “Has it snapped for Mrs Hockley?” Actually, with her thoughts turned to heaven, she was the clearest minded of us all.

How blessed we are! This year we will see the birth of two wonderful things. The first is our child, whom we can’t wait to meet! The second is the Jesus Revolution groups project, that we look forward to launch. While preparing to share with our teams, I discovered some great similarities between the birth of a child and the birth of a vision:

1/Conceived in intimacy

Our child was conceived in the intimacy of our couple, the Jesus Revolution groups project was conceived in intimacy with God. He placed his thoughts in our minds. It says of Mary that she was “found to be with child of the Holy Spirit”, and that is how we have felt for this project!

2/ Gestation

What started as one cell in Guro’s stomach is now developing before birth. It is exciting to follow the different stages that the baby is going through! In a similar way, the project was developed these last years. As a cell contains everything needed for multiplication, we have come forth to a form in which Jesus Revolution can be multiplied to the local churches.

3/ Birth: a miracle

In the beginning of September I will be holding a miracle in my hands, amazed at what God is able to create out two human beings! In August, I will be seeing the beginning of a miracle when we launch the JR groups project after these years of preparation.

Birth is the sudden opening of a window, through which you look out upon a incredible prospect. For what has happened? A miracle. You have exchanged nothing for the possibility of everything.

4/ Growth

Our healthy child will naturally grow,  the project will increase in the hands of God!

Merry Christmas from us (a little bit beforehand so that you can enjoy this during the holidays)! We hope that you are enjoying the season, and managing to relax! Here is a little gift from us, some of the best Christmas CDs that we have found on spotify! Be blessed!

Spotify CDs

• Casting Crowns: Peace on Earth
• Downhere: Bethlehem Skyline
• Chris Tomlin: Glory in the Highest
• Sarah Groves: O’ Holy Night
• Bebo Norman: Christmas from the Realms of Glory
• Michael Bublé: Let it Snow
• Jars of Clay: Christmas Songs
• Josh Groban: Noël
• Carola: Christmas in Bethlehem
• Shades of Christmas: Jazz and Blues
• Shades of Christmas: Acoustic
• A little mix of the best songs from the above

And for those of you that don’t know spotify is, it is a free program that allows you to play millions of songs on your computer (completely legally). Check it out on spotify.com.

I came across this story while I was preparing for teaching:

The young son of a humble consecrated pastor became very ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of tests, the father was told the shocking news that his son had a terminal illness. The youngster had accepted Christ as his Savior, so the minister knew that death would usher him into God’s glory; but he wondered how to inform him that he would soon die. After earnestly seeking the direction of the Holy Spirit, he went with a heavy heart through the hospital ward to the boy’s bedside. First he read a passage of Scripture and had a time of prayer with his dear child. Then he gently told him that the doctors could promise him only a few more days to live. “Are you afraid to meet Jesus, my boy?” asked his father. Blinking away a few tears, the little fellow said bravely, “No, not if he’s like you, Dad.”

• -4°C is not so cold anymore.
• You see children cross country skiing to school.
• You look forward to the 17th of May.
• You know what the Jante law is.
• Your backyard looks like this:

• You can pronounce the Norwegian “y”.
• You are interesting in Women’s Handball.

• However, the ultimate Norwegian test is your relationship to Brown Cheese. I still fail at that one.

7 years ago, when I had just turned eighteen, I clearly felt God call me to full-time missions.
Hopefully, since that time, I have matured and gained some experience. I know that there are many others out there feeling the same call, so here is my advice if you are thinking about stepping into the field…

• 1. Learn to hear and cherish God’s voice. This is your greatest asset. You will experience many situations where human wisdom is just not sufficient. Knowing God’s will at all times will enable you to be fruitful.
• 2. Read “Is that really you God.” Author: Loren Cunnigham

Loren Cunningham’s dream began with a vision — waves of young people moving out across the continents announcing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the whole earth. Decades later, Loren’s vision has grown into an interdenominational movement of Christians from around the world who are dedicated to presenting the Gospel to this generation. From Amazon.com

• 3. Start by being a missionary where you are. In Acts 1, Jesus tells his disciples to be disciples in Jerusalem before anywhere else. The best training ground for missions is in your daily encounters with friends/colleagues that don’t know Jesus yet. Experience the power of the Gospel now, it will strengthen your faith for the future!
• 4. Know where your joy lies. Missions is not always a smooth ride. You will face disappointments. In Luke 10, Jesus sends out his disciples, and they come back all excited. Here is what Jesus tells them:

All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you–that’s the agenda for rejoicing. Luke 10:20 (MSG)

• 5. Read “Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret.” Authors: Howard and Geraldine Taylor

This is the classic biography of James Hudson Taylor by his son Howard and daughter-in-law Geraldine, who also served as missionaries to China. It is the inspiring story of Taylor’s uncovering of the spiritual secret that paved the way for the China Inland Mission to become a reality. From Amazon.com

• 6. Read “God’s Smuggler” Author: Brother Andrew

As a boy he dreamed of being a spy undercover behind enemy lines. As a man he found himself undercover for God. Brother Andrew was his name and for decades his life story, recounted in God’s Smuggler, has awed and inspired millions. The bestseller tells of the young Dutch factory worker’s incredible efforts to transport Bibles across closed borders-and the miraculous ways in which God provided for him every step of the way. From Amazon.com

• 7. Read as much as you can about the culture you are going to. This one is pretty obvious, but simply by reading about different aspects of a culture, you can get a lot of insight about how to reach the people.
• 8. Read Operation World. Author: Patrick Johnstone

Packed with informative and inspiring fuel for prayer about every country of the world, it is essential for anybody who wants to make a difference. A handbook for global prayer. Over 2 Million in print worldwide! From Amazon.com

• 9. Find ways of getting involved in your future community. If you are a sportsman, find a sports club, etc. The more natural your contact point with people is, the greater trust they will give you, and the easier it will be for you to share the message…
• 10. Find out what other missionaries are living in the area. No one should stand alone in missions! They will also be able to give you local knowledge, which will increase your effectivness.
• 11. Invite your friends to join you. Either physically, in prayer, or financially. Start making preparations as to how you will keep in contact with them, and keep them informed about what is happening in your life. Start a blog/website. In this way you can inspire other people all over the world to do the same as you are, and further the Kingdom!

What kind of advice would you give to people wanting to be missionaries?
If you have any questionsor advice, do not hesitate to post your thoughts in a comment…