Essentially stranded onboard the International Space station (ISS), Butch Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams are back on good old earth. And Butch, who is a committed Christian, has been sharing how the Lord helped make the long ordeal a positive thing.
The astronauts barely made safely it to the ISS after multiple thrusters failed on the Boeing Starliner test flight. The longtime astronauts and retired Navy captains ended up spending 286 days in space — 278 days more than planned when they blasted off on Boeing’s first astronaut flight on June 5. The test pilots had to intervene in order for the Starliner capsule to reach the space station, as thrusters failed and helium leaked.
Once back on earth and somewhat recovered from the adventure, the astronauts met with the news media
At the news briefing, Wilmore was asked a question about something a reporter found unusual:
Hi, I'm Jay Juan with KPRC, the NBC affiliate in Houston. This question is for Butch. I actually stopped by your church right before I came here and I heard that you were still attending your church services from space. Right? Can you tell me a bit about why that was important for you to do?
Wilmore: “Well, goodness, the word of God can continually infilling me. I need it. My pastors are the finest pastors on or off in this case, the planet.
And to tie in into worship with my church family was vital. I mean, it's part of what makes me go. And not only that, I also tied into Grace Baptist Church in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, a buddy of mine as an elder there and a pastor there. And I would watch their services well every single week and it was invigorating. It was part of what I need as a believer in Jesus Christ to continue that focus. It assists me day in and day out because I need that fellowship even though it's fellowship from afar and it's not like being fellowship up close, but still I need it. So yeah. Thank you for that.”
Jacob Brascon, KHOU 11. I wonder what you would say about the life lesson. I think we can all relate to, we've all made plans, we've all been excited about those plans and we've all watched those plans fall apart. What would you say about what allows you to meet the moment with courage with Serenity? Or maybe you didn't internally, but what would you say about that life lesson I think we can all relate to?
Wilmore: “Well, I sort of had a similar question on orbit and I think my answer would be similar and life is our life. All of our lives are bound up in many things for me, and it is faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the end all, be all. He forgives us. He teaches us within His words says about being content in all situations because he's working out his plan and his purposes for his glory and our good. And I believe that because the Bible says that, and that's the message that I lived. We lived it, my family lived it. We taught them these things throughout their lives and that's contentment. It doesn't mean always happy, it doesn't mean there's no pain but content and knowing that God's in control, sovereign god's in control, working out his plan and his purpose, and you might say, well, goodness, that wasn't a very good thing. God did that, well He's working out his plan and his purpose. I mean, who's lived a life without pain? I mean no one. That's the nature of existence, who's lived a life without sorrow, who's lived a life without challenges. It grows us. We learn from it. And that's the focus that I try to take from it is - what's the Lord trying to show me and what's he teaching me? Because there's so much to learn in life and there is so much to learn from this evolution, and I think we're all, I know my daughters are better off for it and I'm grateful for that. And I think we are as well.”
Reporter: Hello. Thank you and welcome home. Can you share maybe any special times or conversations you've had just with family or friends since you've been home?
Wilmore: “Yeah, I think when you've had this period of recuperation and getting back in the swing of life on earth, it's pretty close as far as the people that you interact with, your family, folks at church. So I think my message, at least in the short term here, has been, thank you for the support of us. Thank you for the support of my family. But then it goes beyond that to my home state of Tennessee. There's an immense amount of support by my family there and friends there. And the whole state is a matter of fact. Tennessee's a wonderful state put in my pitch for Tennessee. But getting up there eventually and relaying the same thank you to them and to, like I said, to a nation that cares and a nation that prayed and this opportunity right now to say thank you to our nation, our wonderful nation.”
Everybody. Jim Siegel here from Florida Media: Now, thank you for taking my question, Butch, and you missed a couple of holidays while you were back up at the International Space Station at Christmas and Thanksgiving. I wondered whether you have done or planning to do anything special with your family and friends for those holidays? Thank you.
Wilmore: “I don't think we missed them. I think we celebrated every single one. We actually had a reindeer that we built and rode like a bull. I dunno if you saw those pictures, but we celebrated in style, trust me ... But this holiday special season will be special for sure.”
Baptist Press/CBN News reports, the extra months in space came at a cost, primarily Wilmore’s missing most of his daughter’s senior year of high school.
But, the elder at Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas also watched live-streamed services and even took part in a Bible Institute class last semester, his pastor, Tommy Dahn, told a Houston Fox TV affiliate.
The experience has given Wilmore the opportunity to speak openly about his faith, both since his return and while he was aboard the ISS.
“It’s bound in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is working out His plan and His purposes for His glory throughout all of humanity, and how that plays into our lives is significant and important, and however that plays out, I am content because I understand that,” he said.
