Astronaut Heroes: Two Shining Witnesses of Faith Articles / In The News Date: Feb 10, 2003 - 03:41 PM | ||
Click Read more for the rest of the article On the Sunday after the disaster, people around the world honored the courageous crew with flowers, flags and feelings that were visible on both signs and faces. At Grace Community Church near Houston, worshipers remembered two of their fallen members, Shuttle Commander Rick Husband, and astronaut Michael Anderson who managed the mission's science experiments. Both men were committed Christians who relied on God to direct the paths they were blazing. Anderson's sister Jo Ann said, "Only in America could he achieve what he did." And in a video produced by Grace Community Church before the shuttle’s launch, Commander Husband acknowledged they made their achievements "only by the Grace of God." Husband talked last year on videotape with his church’s Senior Pastor Steve Riggle about his love of space and the God who created it. "As I've thought about it, there are so many beautiful things you can see from that vantage point on orbit. But God's presence in creation is just as much in evidence here on earth as it 200 miles above the earth," he said. Husband also spoke of how difficult it was to fulfill his lifelong dream of space flight. In fact, it took four applications and two interviews before NASA would accept him. In the interview, he called it a time of spiritual growth, "and really learning what it's like to live life as a Christian, the way God would want us to live. That was certainly a time of growth, and stretching, and conviction." It was also a time of repenting. Rick recalled feeling desperate to get into the space program. So, on one of his applications, he lied. "It had a question," he explained, "'Have you ever worn contact lenses?' I said ‘no’ when actually I had. You know, the enemy will try to convince you: if you tell the truth…you're gonna be outta there." Inevitably, Rick later flunked the vision test. But by then he had repented and his faith was far stronger, and he had his friends and family praying for him. When he took the test again, something remarkable happened. He explained, "When I went in there…both eyes had improved by one level, to the point where I passed the test! I thought ‘Hallelujah! …I trusted God and I passed the test." On January 5th, less than two weeks before the shuttle launched, their pastor called both families, the Husbands and the Andersons, to the front of the church for prayer. The pastor prayed something some say proved to be prophetic. As both families stood before the church, the pastor prayed, "That somehow during this mission, even beyond the exploits of what needs to be accomplished, we pray today there would be something of eternal impact for Your Kingdom, Lord. Let their lives count for You. Let their light shine during this time in ways that You've ordained, that we know nothing about." Now the world does know, and as all the crew members are mourned by loved ones and strangers alike, some of Husband's words take on even deeper meaning. "I got to thinking about it; if I ended my life having been an astronaut but having sacrificed my family or lived my life in a way that didn't glorify God, I would look back with great regret. Then being an astronaut wouldn’t have mattered," he had said. But it did matter, and so does the Christian witness he leaves behind. Although their families and the world greatly mourn the loss of both these Christian men, the faith-legacy these space travelers have left behind is a shining witness. Evelyn Husband, Rick’s widow, takes comfort in remembering that witness. She said when her husband used to sign autographs, he often added a favorite Bible verse, Proverbs 3:5-6. It says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Evelyn says those verses have been helping her cope in the days since the tragedy. | ||
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