Erling Thu

The woman behind

Yesterday I wrote an entry about the well-known Bjørn Olav Hansen – a giant of faith and prayer. Today I like to share with you a little bit about the woman behind the man. This woman is a great woman of God and a giant in the Kingdom of God. There is a popular saying going like this: Behind every successful there is a surprised woman. I like to change this sentence to a better version: Behind every man of God there is a praying wife or woman! The praying woman behind a man of God is more important than we normally understand. The humble woman behind is often not appreciated nor honoured in the way she deserves.

May Sissel Hansen is such an important woman behind the man of God that I want to honour her. Whenever I see her, she is a big smile, but I believe that behind there are many burdens and tears shed in the secret place of prayer. Her husband has a big name among believers in Norway, he is well-known, but what about his precious wife? Is she appreciated for her selfless service, her humble assistance of her husband?

May Sissel is always serving. She has the heart of a true servant of God. She is looking for opportunities to serve and to bless people. She has the gift of showing hospitality and are blessing the many visitors they have in extraordinary ways. Solveig and I had the privilege of enjoying a wonderful meal at their home quite recently. We really enjoyed the food but even more we enjoyed the company, the blessed fellowship of being together.

Whenever I see Bjørn Olav speaking at a conference, I observe that May Sissel is in the background. He is in the front, he is visible, but she is always the important person behind. Often, she is not seen at all, but she is always there behind the scene ready to assist. She has an eye for what he needs at any time, and she is always there to help and to serve. She is really a hero! She is the woman behind the man of God.

I am sure May Sissel have had the same experience many times that Solveig and I had recently. I had been invited to preach in the Sunday morning service in a church. At the beginning of the meeting, I was warmly welcomed to the by the leader from the front when the service started. Solveig was not mentioned at all. We were sitting together, but she was totally overlooked or ignored. I felt bad but choose to keep quiet. The precious woman behind the man of God was not appreciated. What a shame. It was not the first time she was overlooked; I am afraid it happens to often to the important women behind the man.

Whenever I am asked to preach, I spend time in prayer and preparation of the message. Behind me there is a prayerful wife who is travailing more in prayer for me than I do myself. Sometimes she brings me words or visions from God that helps me in my preparations and enables me to bring the Word of the Lord to the churches.

May Sissel is having a similar function towards her husband. She is a prayerful lady. I do not know exactly the many ways May Sissel is praying for Bjørn Olav, or how her prayer and spiritual insights helps him in his ministry. But I know that she is behind him and share a vital role in his fruitful ministry. Without her he would not have been the man of God that he by the grace of God is.

I like to honour May Sissel for her humble and prayerful ministry to the Lord. She is an example of godliness and holy devotion to God for everyone, whether we are men or women.

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Text: Erling Thu

Being married

To be somebody is to be married
Because marriage is a risky enterprise
To marry is to dare to commit yourself
- to another person for life just because of love
To marry is to renounce a life of sovereign decision making
And to embrace the views and opinions of another person
Before any decisions are made – together!
To marry is to dare to open up your life
And fully share it with the one you love!

To be somebody is to stay married
In spite of differences and conflicting interests
In the faithfulness and loyalty of love
You will find strength and wisdom
To overcome the biggest obstacles
And fight through the battles to win the war of Love
By laying down your life
To make your marriage partner happy

To be somebody is being married
And enjoy every minute
As you find your way – together

Enjoying life

I am so thankful to God for the ability to enjoy life. The doctors predicted that I would never grow up. They had no cure nor any future for me. But God had a purpose for my life and a wonderful destiny. I am so thankful to be alive. But I am not only alive, I have been given the ability to enjoy life. My heart is full for joy and my lips are filled with words of thanksgiving.

Covenant duties

The issue of covenant was forced on me a short time ago. There are so many misunderstandings about being a covenant person. Even many Christians have very little understanding of what covenant is all about. They question the idea of covenant duties or covenant obligations. Therefore I have chosen to share something I wrote some years back on being a covenant keeper, on being a person who understands the implication of covenant living. Covenant is love put into practice!

Ten reasons to attend apostolic conferences

Good reasons to attend the apostolic summer festival ”Lys og Salt”:

1. It is always beneficial to attend a gathering when called together by the apostles. There will be an impartation of apostolic and prophetic vision and anointing.

2. It is very important to receive apostolic and prophetic teaching, to receive direction from God that we may work together to advance the Kingdom of God.

3. God has always arranged for the covenant community to come together to celebrate His goodness and to worship Him together as a people. It is very pleasing to God to dwell together in peace, harmony and unity.

4. The annual gatherings for the larger covenant community, is creating a sense of belonging and of having a common destiny in God.

5. When we are part of local churches, house churches or smaller fellowships, will the larger gatherings, on a regional or national level, give us important and fresh impulses, encouragement and strength.

6. It will help the people of God to understand that they are part of something bigger than just the local church, that they are part of an apostolic work and a great mission outreach towards many nations.

7. The reports from what God is doing in other parts of the world will build faith and inspire to local Kingdom of God initiatives.

8. The children and young people will benefit from good programs and even more important be able to form new friendships with fellow believers that could last for life.

9. For young people it is an excellent opportunity to build healthy relations, which even could lead to godly marriages. Two of our children found their spouses in such gatherings.

10. The many different practical and spiritual seminars and workshops will in a specific way equip people to serve the purpose of God in their generation.

Mother's Day

We are celebrating Mother's Day in Norway today. My mother has already gone to be with the Lord so I can't phone her or visit her. But I still like to honour her sweet memory. There are myriads of galaxies and stars in the sky, but there is only one mother to me. There are countless flowers in the field and some marvellous sparkling diamonds, but there is only one mother. There are so many beautiful pearls and amazing jewelleries, but there is only one mother. Her face, marked by wrinkles, is the most beautiful image I have ever seen.

My wonderful wife, Solveig, has been a wonderful mother to our six children. No she is also the best grandmother in the world. She has had several greetings already from some of our children. Before the day is over I expect them all to have been in touch to express p and gratitude. When she had her first phone call this morning from her elder son and read her card from her younger daughter her eyes were filled with tears but a smile was playing on her mouth. And she gave thanks to God for all His goodness towards her in giving her the privilege of being a mother.

I thank God for my mother. I thank God for my wife who turned out to be the best mother my children could ever have. I thank God that he comforts me like a mother!

The Manhattan Declaration

I have just read the Manhattan Declaration. I fully endorse everything in that declaration made by Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Christians in USA in an united effort to defend the classical Christian views on hot political and religious issues in our time. I recommend everyone to read and spread the declaration. The reference to the political situation in USA makes it fit for citizen of that nation to sign the document in my understand, otherwise I would have signed it myself.

In Norway the government has already passed laws on abortion, same sex unions and partnerships, which are in the process of changing the entire nation into an ungodly, secular, atheistic, society. No one knows the what full consequences of these laws will be, but they will certainly not foster peace and harmony.

Family worship

This weekend we have had a large gathering of our family at the house in the forest. All our children, except one, have been staying with us with their precious children. We have been ten adults and seven grandchildren together for the weekend, and on Sunday we even had four more visitors. It is such a joy to have a big family around us like this. All are having a lot of fun as we are playing, fishing, picking berries, making bird boxes, building huts in the forest or just talking and fellowshipping.