Jesus To Europe » Thoughts

Remembering Dad…

Paul — Sun, 23 May 2010 21:27:56 +0000

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.

The year of births

Paul — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:15:07 +0000

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 and a little gift for 2009!

Paul — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:54:28 +0000

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

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.

Christlikeness

Paul — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:50:55 +0000

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.”

You know you’re getting Norwegian when…

Paul — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:58:17 +0000

-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.

Top 11 pieces of advice to people wanting to be missionaries

Paul — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:52:51 +0000

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…

Merry Christmas and a little gift!

Paul — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 07:00:24 +0000

Merry Christmas to everyone! We are currently in Scotland, enjoying our time with the Gibson family, as well as Mum and Chris (photos will come later). What a blessing to be able to remember the day our Savior was born into this world!

Whatever else be lost among the years,
Let us keep Christmas still a shining thing:
Whatever doubts assail us, or what fears,
Let us hold close one day, remembering
Its poignant meaning for the hearts of men.
Let us get back our childlike faith again.
~ Grace Noll Crowell

Here is our little gift to you, 11 free, 100% legal, Christian Christmas music that I have found on the web (right click and save as…):

Merry Christmas from the Hockleys

So…what happened in 2008?

Paul — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:42:36 +0000

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

As Christmas and New Year approach, I look back and realize that although the years may not always be as I have planned or expected them, God’s hand is always there, steadily guiding us. Here is a little glimpse of our lives in 2008.

Some glimpses of 2008

Moving to Norway, and into a new apartment that God provided for us.
Leading a team in Oslo, called the Headquarter team, in charge of the running of the missions base.
Travels. I traveled in France and Germany with a concert team and saw people saved and healings on the streets.
Summer Team in Italy, where Guro instructed dance, and I led a group of crazy young people for outreach in the south. Here also people were saved and healed on the streets.
Holidays. We gladly had some time of rest in both France and Spain.
Teaching. I enjoyed teaching both for YWAM in France, and our Mission Training School in Oslo.
Work. Guro has been working part time for a Norwegian company, and will start working 100% for Jesus Revolution again, in a couple of months. I have had an great time working with the Jesus People project.
Church. We became members of Jesus Church in Oslo, and have a great “house church” fellowship.

We are looking forward to see more of God in action in 2009!

The greatest gift of all

Guro Hockley — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:05:37 +0000

The first feeling embraces me in October; with the smell of mandarins. It’s like I’m carried through time and can touch some of that special season of the year. Why is it that the month of December is so much better than all the other “cold” months of the year? Surely, we all enjoy the traditional food that follows, not to speak about the cakes, drinks and sweets that we devour in our nicely decorated homes. Still, within there is something more that is stirred up…

The feeling of Christmas

I remember how I would wake up the 1st of December and run towards the calendar that my mum had carefully made. Small gifts wrapped up in shiny paper and attached to a green board with red flannel hearts. At school, my favorite teacher would start the day by letting us light the advent candles and singing: “…waiting for the small child in the manger”.

My grandfather, the best and funniest old man I know, lives in a big house with a lovely garden and his own forest. On the 23rd we would bring a sledge out into the forest where the trees were loaded with snow to find a spruce. I still remember how fun it was to be able to decorate it with my older sister, and how it was to be pinched by the pines from time to time. The smell filled the living room, and when my father would turn on the small lights, Christmas was at the door.

Then finally it arrives: Christmas Eve. Excitement, keen impatience and butterflies within. I could hardly wait for the unwrapping of all the gifts that caught my attention under the tree. My grandfather or one of the grandchildren would read the Nativity story from the Bible before we prayed and thanked God. My thoughts, I have to admit, were mostly on what I would unwrap in a few moments.

This year, I decided to reflect more on why we actually celebrate CHRISTmas. And that is partly why I write this article. It is easy, at least for me, to set my mind on all the things associated with Christmas; food, gifts, decorations and so on. All these things are nice and I will still appreciate them, but at the same time ponder more upon the real Father Christmas. To thank Him for giving the most precious He had; His own Son. The greatest gift of all.

By Guro Hockley

The Game with Minutes

Paul — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:14:20 +0000

As of late, I have been digging into some Norwegian culture, and more specifically “Sophie’s World” by Jostein Gaarder. This book is an absorbing introduction to philosophy, that has caused me to consider different areas of life. One of the sentences that had me cogitating was one by David Hume, describing some of what is happening in our minds as:

a bundle or collection of different perceptions, which succeed one another with an unconceivable rapidity, and are in perpetual flux and movement.
Sophie’s World p272

Acknowledging Jesus in our lives.

Well, if this is happening in me, then my goal in life is to include, or rather acknowledge Jesus in as many of these perceptions as possible. Another person to have voiced this thought is Frank Laubach, missionary in the Philippines (only American missionary to be honored on a US postage stamp). In his pamphlet “The Game with Minutes” he invited Christians to attempt keeping God in mind for at least one second of every minute of the day.

You should try it! It is a challenge to keep up, but it is a great blessing! Here is the pamphlet for you to download:

The Game with Minutes (updated 11/03/2010, full version)