Astronaut Butch Wilmore didn’t let getting stuck in outer space keep him from worshipping God.
He regularly watched church services online during his unexpected nine-month stay on the International Space Station, and he described the habit as “invigorating” during a Monday press conference.
“Well, goodness, the Word of God … I need it,” Wilmore said. “My pastors are the finest pastors on or off, in this case, the planet.”
He added, “To tie in and worship with my church family was vital. It’s part of what makes me go.”
Wilmore would watch videos of services from his home church Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas, as well as from Grace Baptist Church in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, where a friend of his works, according to Fox News.
He’d also call his church friends from space and participate in devotional events, Christian Broadcasting Network reported.
Wilmore said on Monday that it was hard to feel close to his church community while on the space station, but that his effort to maintain his relationship to his pastor and others paid off for him and his family.
“It was part of what I need, as a believer in Jesus Christ, to continue that focus ... because I need that fellowship, even though it’s fellowship from afar,” he said.
Astronauts stuck in space
Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams traveled to the International Space Station in June for what was supposed to be a nine or 10 day stay.
But issues with their Boeing capsule made a return trip impossible until another ship became available.
The astronauts were ultimately on the space station for about nine months, at which point the SpaceX Dragon capsule brought them home.
Wilmore and Williams landed off the coast of Florida with two other astronauts on Tuesday, March 18, as the Deseret News reported at the time.
Butch Wilmore returns to normal life
Once home, Wilmore and Williams returned to their normal routines; well, at least the parts of their routines they could safely do as they received physical therapy to recover from their long stay in space.
Wilmore was able to attend a worship service in person at Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas, on Sunday, March 23, and spoke about how his time in space shaped his faith.
“I understand that (God) is at work in all things,” Wilmore said, according to Christian Broadcasting Network. “Some things are for the good — go to Hebrews Chapter 11. Some things look to us to be not so good, but it’s all working out for His good for those that will believe.”