THE NEXT INSPIRING FRAGMENTS ENCOURAGE OUR HEARTS TO WORK FOR GOD WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH IN AND WITH THE AREAS OF OUR EXPERTISE:

August 18, 1994
No. 40818

Astronauts Who Found God
A Spiritual View of Space

© 1994 Prison Fellowship

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 20, 1995
No. 50720

Astronauts Who Found God
A Spiritual View of Space

© 1995 Prison Fellowship

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 05, 1998
No. 81105

Astronauts Who Found God
A Spiritual View of Space

by Charles Colson

  © 1998 Prison Fellowship

 

Found in: http://www.pfmonline.net/transcripts.taf?_function=searchform&Site=BPT

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

John Glenn delivered a sermon entitled "Why I Know There Is a God." It was a message in that he was stating in simple terms his belief in God and in Christian principles. And he concluded with the thought that man is placed on earth as a free agent. He's given freedom of choice and only he can make the decision as to whether he will or will not live by the guidelines which Christ followed throughout His days on earth. John Glenn, of course, believed there was a God.

 

On another occasion, astronaut James McDivett orbited the earth 62 times. This goes way back to the early days of space exploration, and this is what he said in a foreign press club in Rome, "I didn't see God looking into my space cabin window, as I do not see God looking into my car's windshield on earth, but I could recognize His work in the stars, as well as when walking among flowers in a garden. If you can be with God on earth, you can be with God in space."

 

Found in: http://www.backtothebible.org/radio/today/20895

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Moon Is Not Enough Charles Duke

I volunteered for the space program for the thrill of adventure. Believe me, waiting for take-off while sitting on top of a Saturn rocket that’s 120 meters tall and weighs six-and-a-half million pounds—that’s excitement! I knew I was in for one great ride!

But what can top 11 days in space and 3 days trekking around the moon?

I was 36, with a successful military career behind me, and I began to wonder, What now? I longed for the thrill of adventure, but there were no more flights blasting off for the moon, and only sketches of a space shuttle that might be built someday.

I was bored. Fame, fortune, a spot in the history books: I had it all. But if you were a fly on the wall in my home, you would have seen that I wasn’t so hot. I was failing miserably as a husband and father. But instead of addressing my problems, I took my eyes off the moon and put them on money. Surely, I reasoned, that would bring the satisfaction that even the moon had failed to deliver.

Marriage certainly hadn’t delivered any satisfaction. Dottie and I had married in 1963. But it wasn’t long before I was wondering, Is this all there is to marriage? Within a few years we were heading full-speed toward divorce. I’d noticed there were a lot of good-looking women in the world, and a lot of them liked astronauts. I hoped Dottie would decide to leave me. Instead, she told me she was depressed and thinking about suicide. I didn’t have answers for that one.

About that time, our church hosted a “spiritual renewal weekend,” and we attended. While Dottie was engrossed in the first-person testimonies about how Christ had changed people’s lives, my mind was on the million-and-a-half dollars I’d just borrowed from the bank. I’d purchased a beer distributorship, and I figured it better work or I’d be in trouble. My money worries drowned out most of what I heard at the weekend seminar.

Though I had gone to church all my life, I had all of God I needed in that one hour every Sunday morning. Even the moon had not been a spiritual experience. I wasn’t looking for God. I knew Jesus the way you know the United States presidents—in name only.

Sure enough, my business succeeded. The money rolled in. After six months, I sold out at a handsome profit. Again I was bored.

But Dottie wasn’t. She had changed. Her depression had lifted, and she demonstrated a new, believing faith. She turned to God—not me—for answers to her problems. It was appealing, and our marriage improved.

One night we attended a Bible study that focused on one penetrating question: Who was Jesus? All my life I had said the words, ‘the Son of God,’ but I had never thought about it in a deep way. That night I came face-to-face with the option of following Him. I prayed with Dottie in the front seat of our car and gave my life over to Christ.

I didn’t see angels. Didn’t hear music. No blinding lights. But I knew what I knew. It was real. The next day, I awoke with an insatiable desire to read the Bible.

It quickly became evident to me that my lifestyle didn’t line up with the Bible’s teaching. The Bible says, ‘Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church’ (Ephesians 5:25). I had always thought marriage was a negotiated deal, like business. The Bible also speaks pointedly about using words to heal, not wound. I felt convicted; I had always been harsh with my sons, ages 11 and 13.

I had a lot of mending to do. I asked God, Dottie and my sons to forgive me. I asked God for the strength to love my wife. Fifteen years have passed since then and my love for her grows daily. I’m more in love with Dottie today than I was 29 years ago. God also graciously restored my relationship with my sons, now ages 24 and 26.

Watching God heal our family and pull us off the road to divorce has been true adventure. It cost the government $400 million for me to walk three days on the moon—and it’s over. But to walk with Jesus is free, and it lasts forever.

Found in: http://www.lovehalifax.com/changed/cduke.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Cinderella Story Dottie Duke

I grew up wanting to get married and live happily ever after, just like Cinderella. When Charlie proposed to me, I carefully laid the groundwork for my dream. ‘I’m going to put you first in my life,’ I said. ‘Will you put me first in your life?’ He said he would. But—literally—as soon as the honeymoon was over, all Charlie’s courting stopped. He felt now he could focus on his career, and he did. I felt disappointed and left out. For the next 12 years, I courted him, trying to get him to love me the way I wanted to be loved. But the harder I tried, the more he pulled away.

I grew depressed, even as Charlie’s career skyrocketed. I was excited for him when he began training to go to the moon, and I involved myself with the flight as much as possible. But I was really looking forward to it being over. Inside I was thinking, When he gets this goal behind him, he’ll put me first.

But he didn’t. He still had that workaholic impulse. He still pursued a list of goals, and I was still way down on his list. I considered divorce, but I wondered if any man could love me the way I wanted to be loved. Was there even such a thing as the perfect marriage? It didn’t look like it anymore.

So I began to look for other things to fulfill me. I tried a career. I tried church work. I volunteered with the Head Start program and helped the needy. Nothing worked.

I’ll admit it—I even tried drugs. When the marijuana didn’t work either, I thought, Maybe there IS no purpose in life. You just live and die, and that’s all there is. That’s when I began to think about suicide. I lost all hope. Doesn’t that seem strange? I was married to a famous man, had a nice home and healthy children, plenty of money, yet I had no hope.

And to think that I was a church-goer! Always had been. But I had no faith. I thought all religions were the same and that Jesus was no different than Mohammed or Buddha. They all existed just to teach us to love one another, I reasoned. Now I wondered if even God existed. I was attending church and teaching Sunday School, but I didn’t believe a word of it.

Then our church hosted a “spiritual renewal weekend.” Charlie and I listened as guests told first-hand stories of how Jesus had made a difference in their lives. I’d never heard such testimonies before. They claimed that Jesus answered prayer—something I’d never seen happen in my life. I saw a love and joy in these folks that I surely didn’t have.

Since I’d tried everything else, I decided to try God. I told Him I didn’t know if He was real, and I didn’t know if Jesus was the Son of God. But I didn’t want to be in charge of my life any more.

I woke up the next morning with a commitment: I wouldn’t look to anyone but God for fulfillment. Not even to Charlie. I began praying for things, and I got answers! That’s just lucky, I’d think. Then it would happen again. Pretty soon I was convinced God existed and He answered prayer! I had been in church all my life, and now I was finding it was all true!

I also discovered God wanted to make some changes in me. I sensed He wanted me to forgive Charlie for the long list of hurts I nurtured. My first reaction was, ‘No way!’ But how could I call Jesus my Lord and not obey? So I made the attempt, feeling it wasn’t even possible. But over a two-month period, God freed me of my anger and helped me love Charlie unconditionally.

All these years, I’d been loving Charlie so he’d love me back. Now, with God’s help, I sought to love Charlie 100 per cent, whether he loved me back or not.

Now I know what a dreadful mistake I made, putting Charlie first all those years. Today, God comes first. He’s taken away my depression, healed our marriage and given me a reason for living. And while life certainly isn’t a fairy tale, God’s love has satisfied my deepest hunger for meaning and purpose in life.

Found in: http://www.lovehalifax.com/changed/dduke.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Work of His Hands

Astronaut Charlie Duke had conquered space, but without divine intervention he was about to lose his family.

by Tom Neven

Only 12 men have done it in the history of civilization. For Charlie Duke, it was the culmination of a lifetime of study and training. Standing on the moon’s rough Descartes Highlands in April 1972, the Apollo 16 lunar module commander was, literally, over the earth with pride. After a 71-hour mission, he and astronaut John Young left a few of the usual mementos from earth, such as an American flag, before leaving the moon.

Charlie left another, more significant object: a snapshot of his family enclosed in a plastic bag. It was a telling gesture because, while the moon mission had gone almost flawlessly and he was at the height of his career, Charlie’s family back on earth was close to crashing. Divorce loomed on the horizon, and Charlie was a tyrant to his children. But as God’s creation was evident that day in the magnificent blue jewel of the earth suspended in space, God’s handiwork was also made evident as He would come to rescue a failing marriage and reconcile husband, wife and children.

An unlikely dream

Charlie Duke had never dreamed of being an astronaut. "We had Buck Rogers and cartoons like that when I was growing up," he says, "but I had really no desire to do anything, no desire to fly much less even think about going into space."

 We were steaming full-speed toward the rocks of divorce. 

But while attending the U.S. Naval Academy, he fell in love with airplanes and, upon graduating in 1957, transferred his commission to the Air Force to become a fighter pilot. Up to that time, he remembers, space travel was just a fantasy. But the same year he graduated, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, and in April 1961 put the first man into earth orbit, Yuri Gagarin. "After the United States put Alan Shepard into space, the dream started bubbling," Charlie says.

The dream took a short detour, though. In 1962, while in graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he met a young woman named Dotty. "She had a charming personality, a beautiful smile, and there was a magnetism between us—still is—that I just knew she was the one," he says.

They married on June 1, 1963, in Atlanta. "When Dotty and I were first married we even discussed getting out of the military," Charlie says. "But it turned out that after MIT I had a commitment of two years to the Air Force, and then I was sent to test pilot school, which gave me another two-year commitment, and all of a sudden the astronaut program came up, and there we were."

In 1966 Charlie was one of only 19 selected out of thousands of astronaut candidates. The following years involved intense training and a lot of time at the "office." In the meantime, two sons, Charles and Tom, were born.

On the shoals

"Our marriage started coming under a lot of strain, especially when we got to NASA," he says. "The travel and the intensity of the job, Dotty at home with two little kids—I mean, I’d say we were steaming full-speed toward the rocks of divorce by 1972."

His relationship with his sons was also headed for a wreck. "I was a very strong disciplinarian. Sort of a military drill instructor dad, these are the rules, this is what I expect you to do. I demanded, basically, perfection from these kids," he says. "I was gone a lot. I would come home, we would have to readjust and I was on them again. So it was a strained relationship, and they didn’t want to be around their dad too much."

 The Lord spoke to my heart: "The problem with your marriage is you don’t love your wife like I love you." 

By 1975, Dotty was in despair. Since college, she had tried to fill her life with other things. "Sunday school, career, philosophy, good works, volunteering, things like that," she says. "I was trying to find if there must be some reason we’re here on earth." Her marriage to Charlie, she later realized, was just another attempt to fill the void.

"I had been faithful in Sunday school and throughout college," she says. "I respected Jesus. I knew who Jesus was, I said he was my savior, I hoped I was going to heaven, but it was more of a Sunday event for me. It didn’t really control my life. I was in charge of my life."

Soon her despair reached the point of contemplating suicide. But in October of that year, the church they attended held a weekend conference called Faith Alive. "I had never really had heard the gospel in a way that it would relate to me," Dotty says. "That’s when I made a commitment to find out if God was real. The way I was going to find out was to start praying, specific praying. It took about a month for enough prayers to be answered for me to realize that it was true: God is who he says He is."

And gradually Dotty began to climb out of her despair. "One night in bed I just said, ‘Charlie, I can’t depend on you any more. I have to depend on the Lord.’ I had tried marriage, I had tried all these other things. And marriage failed me, too. Charlie didn’t me fail me, because I was looking for him to be the perfect husband in the perfect marriage. That was my Cinderella dream."

Charlie remembers that night. "Well, it hurt my feelings," he says. "I didn’t understand the spiritual focus of her statement. Actually, as it turned out, I really loved it because she wasn’t on me any more, she was not nagging. I didn’t have to change."

Soon thereafter Charlie retired from the Air Force, moved to New Braunfels, Texas, and bought into a beer distributorship. "Two years later I’d gotten really upset with this business," he says. "I decided to sell it in March 1978."

The next month, friends invited Charlie and Dotty to a weekend retreat at the T-Bar-M Ranch. During a walk-through-the-Bible study, Charlie’s eyes were opened. "I just got fascinated with all of that stuff," he says. "I realized that weekend that Jesus really is who He says He is. So after that weekend, as we were getting ready to leave, we were sitting in our automobile and I just told Dotty, ‘You know, Darling, there’s no doubt in my mind that Jesus Christ really is the Son of God, and Lord, I just commit my life to you."

Dotty’s reaction: She clapped her hands and smiled. "That’s exactly what God’s been waiting to hear," she said.

"The Lord spoke to my heart," Charlie says. "He said, ‘The problem with your marriage is you don’t love your wife like I love you.’ I said, ‘Lord, you’re right, but I’d like to. Help me to be the husband you want me to be.’ That process is still going on, trying to be a husband and father and grandfather, the person that God wants me to be."

Charlie also came across Proverbs 18:21 during his reading: "The tongue has the power of life and death."

"The Lord spoke to me and said, ‘You have cursed your own children.’ It was true. We can be devastating with our words."

The Master’s Hand

Psalm19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Charlie has seen the truth of that from a perspective few have. But one does not need only look skyward to see God at work.

"Our story really is the power of God to heal relationships," Charlie says. "I don’t care how broken a relationship is, Jesus can heal it if we are humble and seek God’s will. It’s been a tremendously exciting adventure as we walk with the Lord as a couple and see God’s hand in our marriage as He saved us from the divorce court."

Found in: http://www.family.org/fofmag/marriage/a0015042.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moonwalker Written and autographed by Charlie & Dotty Duke, The true story of an astronaut who found that the Moon wasn’t high enough to satisfy his desire for success. Moonwalker is the story of how a small town South Carolina boy set goals for himself and strived to succeed- first as a fighter pilot and test pilot, and finally as an astronaut and businessman. Moonwalker captures in print the thrill and excitement of flying to the Moon, from the selection process to the training to the actual flight. In the authentic dialog from the NASA tapes and with his eyewitness account of how it all came about, Duke puts it together in this thoroughly fascinating story of his adventure in space. If you've ever wondered how astronauts take care of their personal needs in zero gravity, you'll find some unexpected answers to such questions. But there is more to the Duke story than space travel. The early excitement and glamour of Dotty's marriage to an astronaut too soon wore thin because of neglect and indifference. But working through her despair, Dotty found hope in Jesus Christ. She committed her life to him and made a new committment to her relationship with Charlie. Charlie eventually heard the truth of the gospel and turned his life over to the Lord. Their personal discovery of Christ worked the needed miracle in thier lives, and their incredible conversion opened the doors to adventures even more satisfying than walking on the Moon. So satisfying, in fact, that compared to being a Christian, Charlie Duke calls walking on the Moon "The dust of my life". Today, Charlie and Dotty Duke share a worldwide speaking ministry. Autographed: "Charlie Duke, Dotty Duke". Copyright 1990, 284 pages.

Found in: http://www.premierespace.com/autobooks.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Excerpts From Astronaut Charles Duke's Book

MOONWALKER

A Small Sample Of His Reflections In The Book,

Together With A Few Paragraphs By Kenneth Street (the comments).

EARTH-TREKKER'S JOURNAL, DECEMBER 29, 1999:

A Planetary Discovery

I hold in my hand a book called Moonwalker, an autobiographical volume written by Brigadier General Charles M. Duke, USAF Retired. This is another astounding book, a work by a far-traveling astronaut who became a modern-day prophet after his descent from the heights of Earth's Moon. There he had been the Lunar Module Pilot for the Apollo 16 mission, and he had explored the Descartes region of the rugged lunar highlands. (1)

Interestingly, the cover of Duke's Moonwalker has a picture of him standing on the Moon, totally enveloped in the safety of his spacesuit, and cutting across this vertical figure is a photo which reveals (in horizontal alignment) the glorious vista of an Earthrise. If the reader has paid attention to my earlier writing in this volume, or is familiar with my other book called The Mount Everest Revelation, then he/she knows that the Earthrise has long been a favored symbol for that Earth-Trekker who has composed this journal.

It is a design that fully covered the back flap of my backpack as I traveled for many months in the Orient and Central Asia, using that same backpack which had served me well, at an earlier time, as I journeyed through England, Europe, and Israel. Since Astronaut Charles Duke has chosen it to be a major feature on the cover of his autobiography, I can only assume that the crew of Apollo 16 must have photographed this particular Earthrise, and it must hold a special significance for Duke, in his own mind. It is apparently a favorite image of this Moon-Trekker, and it is likewise a favorite image of that Earth-Trekker who has composed The Mount Olympus Revelation: A Giant Leap To Mars.

In the Introduction to his book Moonwalker, Charlie Duke has written these words:

“I didn't become an astronaut for fame or fortune, and I don't think that there was one guy in the program for that reason. I got there as a captain in the Air Force with one desire--to fly into space, anytime and anyplace, just for the thrill of having such a flight. It turned out that we were explorers too, as we traversed across the moon, but the original motivation was strictly to get up there, see what it's like, and feel what it's like, on that strange vehicle called a rocket.”

“The reason I'm writing my book now, seventeen years later, is because I have two stories to tell. A number of years after my moonwalk, I began another walk-- a walk with God. This experience is even more exciting than my first trip. My walk with God has taken me to some high places-praying with prime ministers and presidents, rightist dictators, and Communist juntas. It has exposed me to the supernatural and mighty power of God. But most exciting of all, it has led me from a life of continual striving and restlessness to one of peace and fulfillment.”

“I hope that through the pages of this book you will feel with me the thrill and excitement as we fly to the moon, and I pray that if you haven't already, you will join with me in the greatest experience of all-- both in and out of this world-- a walk with the Son.” (2)

These next few paragraphs come from Chapter 27 of Astronaut Charles Duke's autobiography, a chapter which is labeled "The Love And Power Of God," and they tell of a full-contact experience with that Lord who is the Creator of our Universe:

“At the end of a stirring sermon on God's desire to heal and how Christians are called to pray for the sick, Francis MacNutt announced that if anyone wanted prayer they could come forward and he and the Episcopal priest, Randy Cooper, would pray for them. He said that since he and Reverend Cooper didn't know what our needs were and God did, they would allow the Holy Spirit to pray through them.”

“I wasn't sick, but knew I wanted prayer; so taking the boys with me, I joined the lines of people filing forward. My turn came and, with Charles on one side and Tom on the other, I closed my eyes while both priests laid hands on me and prayed.”

“Suddenly it was like being in zero gravity again. A lightness and a wonderful feeling of joy and love came over me, and I began to sob as waves of love flowed through my body. I knew that something wonderful had happened, and God had touched me!”

“That night in bed, I had a very vivid dream. I was in space again, but without a spacecraft, and was hurtling rapidly through the blackness; it was so black I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. But I knew I was moving at a great speed.”

“All of a sudden, out of the darkness appeared this evil face--the most evil face I had ever seen! His eyes were like fires of hate, and I realized it was the face of the devil. He was very mad... with snarling teeth dripping blood and a murderous countenance!”

“He came right up to my face, but instead of being frightened I had this great sense of peace and knew that Satan couldn't reach me. It was as if I was surrounded by an invisible shield because I belonged to Jesus Christ. We were face to face for what seemed like a few minutes, and then he just faded away into the blackness and I woke up.”

“I was perplexed and asked the Lord, "What does that dream mean?" The Lord spoke to my heart. Charlie, you used to be in the kingdom of darkness, but I have taken you out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of my dear Son, Jesus Christ. I knew that these were words from the Bible (see Colossians 1:13) and rejoiced in hearing that reassurance from God.”

“Then a few nights later, I awakened with a start and sensed a spiritual presence in our bedroom. All of a sudden I felt a touch on my shoulder trying to pull me out of bed. Well, I got very frightened, not knowing what it was, and woke up Dotty.”

>"Dotty, there is something in this room--I don't know what it is! What should we do?"

“Immediately we began to pray, "Lord, we don't know what this is. If it's from You, come back tomorrow night, but if it's not from You, send it away." Peace came, and as I went back to sleep I glanced over at the clock and noticed the time was 1:45 A.M.”

“The very next night, I again awoke with a start. The first thing I did was look at the clock, and it was exactly the same time as the previous evening. Feeling a touch on my shoulder and sensing the Lord's presence. I quietly got up and went into the living room.”

“Kneeling down on the floor, I raised my arms above my head in total surrender and began to cry, "Lord, I don't know what's happening, but I give You my life. I surrender all that I am and all that I have to You, Lord. You can do with me what You will in my life." The Lord honored my prayer, and that night I was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

“Jesus just exploded in my life! The reality of Jesus and the reality of the authority of the Bible permeated my every thought. I knew that every word of Scripture was true, and that God wanted me to walk in His fullness and power, like the disciples of old. "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8).”

“I was overwhelmed by the knowledge of God and His love and power, and the desire to serve Him became a consuming fire in my heart.” (3)

And finally, if it is permissible, I would like to quote here a big portion of his final chapter in Moonwalker, which is labeled "The Crowning Glory." I am certain that it would be appropriate to incorporate this material within my own book, if only I may be allowed to do so, as it is very pertinent to the subject matter of my own lengthy discourse. It is a piece of writing that can win over many inhabitants of our Earth, bringing them back to the faith of their fathers.

Duke's final remarks will further illuminate the nature of that Universe which our God has constructed for us, and will elucidate the manner of its organization. Here he speaks further of that great Light which illumines our Solar System. Here he speaks clearly and boldly, offering us a powerful description of God's developmental plan for the Earth:

“Even my walk on the moon has been used for God's glory. At a Christian meeting in 1979, a prophecy was given that every step I took on the moon would be multiplied many, many times over in my walk with Jesus. This has come true in the miles I have traveled all over the world giving testimony of what God has done in my life.”

“I have been before kings and prime ministers, junta leaders and dictators, businessmen and beggars, rich and poor, black and white--giving the same message that Jesus is the answer.”

“One of the most touching times was in the office of one of the cabinet ministers in Israel. An American evangelist had arranged this meeting, and there were about ten of us in this office. After introductions I was asked to share my walk on the moon with the Israeli minister.”

>"Mr. Minister," I began, "I was able to look back at the earth from the moon and hold up my hand [raising my hand to demonstrate], and underneath this hand was the earth. The thought occurred to me that underneath my hand were four billion people.”

>"I couldn't see Europe, America, the Middle East. I couldn't see any blacks or whites, Jews or Orientals, just spaceship earth. I realized we needed to learn to love one another, and I believed that with that love and our technical expertise, we could solve all of mankind's problems.”

>"I came back from the moon and went around sharing this vision, but while I was telling everybody to love one another, I didn't even love my wife. How could I love the people of Israel or Africa?”

>"I grew up in a small town in South Carolina," I continued, "where there was a lot of prejudice, prejudice against the blacks and the Jews in that order. But Mr. Minister, I don't have any prejudice anymore. Since I opened my heart to Jesus, He's removed all my prejudice and filled me with love--love for my wife, love for the blacks, love for the Jews, and love for everyone.”

>"Mr. Minister, Jesus sent us here to tell you that we love you and God loves you and we want to pray for you and your nation."

“As soon as I had finished speaking, this Israeli minister began to cry. He wasn't offended but was touched. Then I began to cry, and tears came to the eyes of everyone else in the room. For another ten minutes we shared God's love with this man, who was searching desperately for answers to the many problems he faced in his nation.”

“At the end of the meeting, we prayed for him, and then, with tears in his eyes, he looked over at me and said, "You know, all Israel ought to hear what you just told me”."

“I'm praying for that, and for the opportunity to share not only with Israel but with everyone who is searching for this peace and love that is found in Christ. No matter the person, the political system, the religious system, or the culture, my message is always the same -- Jesus loves you and He can give you peace, love, and joy.” (4)

“The promises of the Bible are true, and I believe speak the truth in every area--whether it be in spiritual matters, nutrition, history, or even science. In 1972 aboard Apollo 16, I saw with my own eyes what is written in the Scriptures.”

“In Isaiah 40:22 it says. "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth." And in Job 26:7 it is written, "He hangs the earth on nothing."

“Who told Isaiah that the earth was a circle? Until the fifteenth century, the greatest minds believed it was flat. And how did the writer of Job know that the earth hung upon nothing? The Greeks were sure that it was held up by a giant named Atlas. Others believed that there were five tremendous columns supporting it. We laugh at that now, but this is what the ancients believed.”

“Not until 1961 did man first view earth from space with his own eyes and prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the earth is round and hung upon nothing. How did Isaiah and the author of Job know?”

“God inspired these two writers over twenty-eight hundred years ago with the truth. He knew because He was the One who created the earth and the heavens. He was the One who hung the earth, the moon, the sun, and the stars in their places.”

“The Bible also says that God counts the stars and knows them all by name (see Psalm 147:4). If He knows the stars by name, He certainly knows each one of us by name.” (5)

“The past few years with our boys now grown, Dotty and I have traveled a great deal together. Wherever we go we pray for the Lord to use us. Traveling by plane through Australia we felt led to pray, "Jesus, whoever You place beside us on the airplane, we will give them a tract of our testimony. You choose the person You want us to share this with and put them in that seat”."

“A few days later we were flying from Brisbane to Melbourne and seated next to us was a man from the United States”. "Why are you here in Australia?'' I asked. "What do you do?"

>"I'm a chemical engineer," he answered. "I'm in the dairy business and work mainly in New Zealand, but that's not the greatest job I've had. The greatest job I ever had was designing the heat shield for the Apollo space craft."

“He nearly fainted when I said, "Well, let me tell you something--it worked fantastically. I flew it on Apollo 16!"

“As we gave him the tract and shared the Lord, he was pensive and said, "I am a Jew, and I have been searching for God. I have gone to synagogues and even churches, looking for Him." God had brought together an Apollo engineer and an Apollo astronaut; a man seeking the Lord and someone with the answer.”

“A few days later flying from Sydney to Tasmania, we sat next to a young Australian. When he heard our accent, he said. "You're Americans, aren't you'?" "Yes," Dotty answered. "we are”."

"I know an American." he said. Well, in our travels we've had people say they knew someone from San Antonio, or even a Texan, but we'd never had anyone say they knew an American. There are 250,000,000 of us! How could we possibly know this one, but humoring him I asked, "What's his name?"

>"Jack Roosa," he said.

“This time I was the one that nearly fainted. Jack Roosa is the son of astronaut Stu Roosa, one of my best friends! Dotty and I marveled -- another wonderful God-incidence--as we shared Jesus with him.” (6)

“One of our most memorable trips was to Malaysia. It is an amazing story how God sent us there. It all began one summer when a college girl from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, stayed in our home.”

“Although Malaysia is a Muslim country, Ching Lo was Chinese and had been brought up in Chinese ancestor worship. Nevertheless she was interested in the Bible and our Christian faith, and by the time of her return to Malaysia, she had met Jesus and become a Christian.”

“Dotty was concerned about her reception as a Christian and especially what her parents would think, so she said, "Ching, we're going to pray that God will give you favor with friends and family and send us to Malaysia, so that we can see you and meet your parents?' But Malaysia seemed light-years away; we had never ever considered going to Southeast Asia and didn't know anyone there.”

“Lo and behold! Two months later a letter arrived from Malaysia, asking us to come the very next year to speak throughout the country. Unbelievable! We had a wonderful visit with Ching and her family and were able to encourage her in her faith.”

“During this same trip to Malaysia, while we were visiting a small village where I was scheduled to speak, I received a phone call from the United States and was puzzled when a man, identified himself as the editor of The State newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, asked, "What do you think of the accident?" “

>"What accident?" I replied.

>"You haven't heard?" he said astonished. "Heard what?" I asked.

“He continued, "Twelve hours ago the space shuttle Challenger blew up and killed all seven astronauts!" “

“I was stunned and totally speechless. Finally I asked. "Who was on board?" He gave the names and to my grief, one was a good friend named Ron McNair from my home state.”

“When I hung up, I told Dotty the terrible news and together we prayed for the families.”

“I had to speak that evening and knew everyone would have heard the news. "Lord," I prayed, "what am I to tell these people?" I had an urge to open my Bible and as I did, it fell open to Ecclesiastes 9: 12, which I had highlighted and which jumped off the page at me. It read, "No man knows when his hour will come" (NIV).”

“That evening at the meeting, I told everyone, "When my friends, the shuttle astronauts, launched the Challenger, they didn't know their hour was about to come. Astronauts may be brave, but they aren't crazy and would not fly facing certain disaster”."

“I continued, "No one knows when his hour will come. Are you ready for your hour when it comes? The Bible speaks comfort to us when it says, 'I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life' (1 John 5:13 NIV). Accept Jesus and be ready," I encouraged.”

“One person I wasn't sure was ready was my dad, so whenever I visited my parents in South Carolina, I would love to speak to them about the Lord and tell them stories about God's power. They seemed to enjoy listening and Dad would humor me along, yet doubting most every word.”

“One time I was talking to them about angels and how they watch over us, I said, "Dad, every time some friends of mine get on an airplane, they pray that God will send some angels to protect them. One day as they were flying at thirty-five thousand feet, they looked out of their airplane window and sitting on the wing of the plane was an angel”."

“Dad just cracked up! He thought that was the funniest story he'd ever heard. He laughed and said, "Well, I'll tell you what, if I ever see an angel, he'd better have on a parachute." "Well, Dad," I said. "I'm praying that you see an angel." (7)”

As it turned out, Charlie's Dad ultimately became one of God's believers, and later on, at his deathbed, he did indeed see an angel before he died. Duke goes on to describe his admiration for his God, and for those works which He has created in the life of a humbled Moonwalker:

“This is my God--the One who does not forget a single sparrow and tells us that we are each worth more than many sparrows. This is my God, the One who has numbered every hair on our head and the One who lovingly clothes the lilies of the field (see Luke 12:6-7, 28).”

“This is the Lord I love and serve. This is the Lord who transformed my life. This is the Lord who restored my marriage.”

“I used to say I could live ten thousand years and never have an experience as thrilling as walking on the moon. But the excitement and satisfaction of that walk doesn't begin to compare with my walk with Jesus, a walk that lasts forever.”

“I thought Apollo 16 would be my crowning glory, but the crown that Jesus gives will not tarnish or fade away. His crown will last throughout all eternity (see 1 Corinthians 9:25).”

“Not everyone has the opportunity to walk on the moon, but everybody has the opportunity to walk with the Son. It cost billions of dollars to send someone to the moon, but walking with Jesus is free--the gift of God. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).”

“You don't need to go to the moon to find God. I didn't find God in space, I found Him in the front seat of my car on Highway 46 in New Braunfels, Texas, when I opened my heart to Jesus. And my life hasn't been the same since.”

“Now I can truly look up at the moon and the stars and with the prophets of old exclaim, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork" (Psalm 19:1).”

“The other day I was listening to the country-western tapes I had carried to the moon. At one point Porter Wagoner began to introduce a song by Dolly Parton and said, "I'm sure during this historic Apollo flight that you'll see many, many beautiful scenes--some that men's eyes have never seen before--which I'm sure, as you view them, you'll think of God, the Creator of this great universe. And here is one of the most beautiful songs that describes, “How Great Thou Art.” “

“Then Dolly Parton began to sing, "Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made .... Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, [Oh] how great Thou art!" (8)”

Those are the concluding sentences of Moonwalker, an outstanding autobiography written by Charles Duke and his wife Dotty.

It gives us another fine example of a Moon-Trekker who beheld the rugged lunar highlands, who was awestruck by the glory of God's creation, and who was ultimately forced to bow down and humble himself before the majesty of Almighty God.

This astronaut's quest for enlightenment had taken him first to the Moon and then back to the Earth. When he was changed into a new creation of God, he saw the Earth in an entirely different way, and he could see a design for this world which God Himself had generated in the midst of our Universe. He could then see in the Earth the majesty of God's design, and could behold the hand of the Creator as it touched the people of the Earth.

Astronaut Charles Duke had explored the frontiers of space, and he had even experienced a new world in the environment of the Moon. But his real discovery came somewhat later, when he acquired new sight and a new comprehension; he then beheld the Earth in all its glory -- as a world of spiritual forces which were previously hidden from his view, a world populated with the Creator's children, very much in need of His assistance.

Having made this planetary discovery, Astronaut Charles Duke spends the remainder of his life working on Earth for his God, seeking to be a devoted servant of his Lord. He has maintained a position as a Christian lay minister for many years, and has occupied himself with the continuation of Christ's work on Earth.

Further accolades are in order for this man, and surely await him, for they will be displayed at the time of his heavenly reward, when his King commends him for a fruitful life, for a life of faithful service and devotion.

On that day, he will be honored by the hosts of Heaven as a hero in the Special Forces division of God's army, and he will be recognized as one who lived his life as More Than An Earthling. He will be numbered among those who had served on Earth as a Knight of the Golden Aura.

January 1, 2000

Collinsville, Virginia

[Paragraphs written by Kenneth Street are taken from his book The Mount Olympus Revelation: A Giant Leap To Mars and are actually part of that work; all rights to those words are reserved by the author. The source material for the formal quotations, taken from Charles Duke's is his autobiographical book entitled Moonwalker.]

1. Duke, Charlie and Dotty, Moonwalker (Oliver Nelson, 1990), inside back cover of book jacket.

2. Ibid, x.

3. Ibid, 267-268.

4. Ibid, 275-276.

5. Ibid, 276-277.

6. Ibid, 277-278.

7. Ibid, 278-279.

8. Ibid, 280-281.

Found in: http://members.truepath.com/EarthTrekker/Charles_Duke.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Links to Charles Duke:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/duke-cm.html

http://www.thespaceagency.org/bios/duke.html

http://www.alcbahamas.org/CharlieDuke.htm

http://www.alcbahamas.org/whatsnew2.htm

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Col. James B. Irwin's Book

MORE THAN EARTHLINGS

A Small Sample Of His Reflections In The Book.

Introduction

I am now more than an earthling, because I have walked on the moon. Being on the moon had a profound spiritual impact upon my life. Before I entered space with the Apollo 15 mission in July of 1971, I was a lukewarm Christian, to say the least! I was even a silent Christian, but I feel the Lord sent me to the moon so I could return to the earth and share his Son, Jesus Christ.

The entire space achievement is put in proper perspective when one realizes that God walking on the earth is more important than man walking on the moon. I believe that God walked on the earth 2,000 years ago in the person of Jesus Christ. I have totally yielded my life to the Lord's service to tell people everywhere about the life-changing message of Christ.

God wishes to continue his walk on the earth today, and he does it through your life and mine. He calls each of us to be his servant. God loves you and wants you to enter into this most precious relationship and fellowship with him.

You can be "more than an earthling," not by going into space, but by submitting yourself to the Lord. Admit your sins, acknowledge your need of him, open your life to God's perfect forgiveness, and accept Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and Savior. This is the first step to a new life--a life with supernatural power and filled with abundance. Jesus declares, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10, KJV).

Dostoevski observed that everyone spends his entire life searching for someone or something to believe in. Some find the answer. Many do not. I believe that Jesus Christ is the answer for each and every person.

During our moon walk we found the only pure, white rock which has been brought back from the moon. It was immediately labeled the "Genesis" rock by the press corps in Houston. The Bible tells of a white rock in Revelation 2:17, "To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."

How I pray for earthlings that they might know the joy of a new life with Christ, that each might have a new name indicating the beginning of a new life, and that each will be more than an earthling!. You, too, can share in the greatest news ever to reach the blue planet earth.

My first book, still in print, is entitled To Rule the Night. This title came from Genesis 1:16, "And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also" (KJV). God made the moon to cast light into the physical darkness of mankind's night. Then many years later he sent his Son Jesus to the earth, bringing light into the spiritual darkness of man.

I have traveled a long road in my search for light and truth--and still have a long way to go; but in the pages of this book, I wish to share that greatest of all discoveries with you: a new life in Christ! You can be more than an earthling!

This book will share spiritual principles of the Christian life using analogies from space. When I retired from the space program to begin ministering for the Lord, I had reservations about starting yet another Christian organization, because there were so many already effectively serving Christ. I prayed about it and asked for advice from such men as Dr. Billy Graham. He encouraged me by saying, "The possibilities are so unique that you need your own organization." With that, we formed High Flight. We had a "high flight" when we traveled over half a million miles to the moon and back, but we all can have even a higher flight here on earth as men and women committed to living for Christ. This will give complete assurance for our highest flight when we leave earth.

JAMES B. IRWIN

38

Beware Of The "Fireball Effect"

We mentioned on page 53 that communications with Houston Control were impossible when we went around the backside of the moon.

But there was also another time when there was a total loss of communications with Mission Control. It lasted for four minutes when we reentered the earth's atmosphere. When we hit the resistance of the atmosphere about fifty miles from earth, the spaceship nose cone heated up to 5,000° F, creating a "fireball effect." This ionized sheath of particles prevented all communications.

As Christians, we sometimes move through life so fast, even when doing ministry, that we hit this wall of non-communication with God. Because of our very busyness, we don't pray and don't take time to meditate on God's Word. We lose touch with him. We are moving too fast. The psalmist says, in Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God."

This is why it is so imperative to maintain a daily time of quiet when we can push aside all the haste and noise of having and sit down with Him to quietly pray and read the Scriptures. It doesn't have to be lengthy; but communications do need to be established. Even if brief, your quiet time should be unhurried.

Maybe you are at the "fireball effect," then Jesus says,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).

39

Does God Exist?

When the first Russian Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin returned to earth, he traveled widely and told everyone, "I did not see God up there." The second Russian in space, Titov, also boasted that he was an eagle and could not see God anywhere.

I heard about a twelve-year-old girl in Gothenburg, Sweden, who was so troubled by Gagarin's statement that she wrote him a letter. It was simple and to the point:

“Dear Cosmonaut Gagarin: I understand that you have flown in space and that you say you did not see God. Sir, I just want to ask you if you are pure in your heart?”

These words from a young girl express wisdom beyond her years. She was sharing the words of Christ when he said in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

I believe we see what our hearts let us see. When we have a pure heart we can then receive what God has in store for us his rich blessings. We can see God in all of life. We can receive his pure light. I sensed the presence of God in space. I wanted to return to earth to share God's love with earthlings.

When I visited Egypt in January of 1975, I learned that I was the first American Astronaut to visit there. Gagarin had been there much earlier. The members of the Egyptian press were eager to have him say something about the spiritual impact of his space venture. Gagarin rebuffed them with, "I did not see God there." Now, my mission to that country and to all countries which I visit, is to share the love of God.

When on the moon I was so inspired by the presence of the Lord that I quoted Psalm 121:1, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help" (KJV). And on Christmas eve of 1968 when Apollo 8 circled the moon and was on the backside of the moon, we heard them read the Genesis account of creation, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The listening earth sat spellbound as we were reminded of God's goodness to the men of the blue planet.

Does God exist? The pure in heart will see God.

40

Develop A Sane Estimate Of Yourself

Because of the moon flight I have had the opportunity to meet people like Golda Meier and Anwar Sadat-- and the heads of state of Belgium, Vietnam, Jordan, Great Britain, South Africa, the Irish Republic, and the United States. Proverbs 22:29 says, "Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings."

This can easily turn one's head. We are not to become too enamored with the royalty of this earth. Job 34:18-20 says, "Is he not the One who says to kings, 'You are worthless,' and to nobles, 'You are wicked,' who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? They die in an instant, in the middle of the night..." We must remember that we are brothers of the King of kings and the Prince of peace, Jesus Christ.

You may have a skill which brings you before leaders, the rich, the great. If so, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment... Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited" (Rom. 12:3,16).

I will be with God for eternity-- but not because I was an Astronaut, not because I was one of twelve men to walk on the moon. Those feats have absolutely nothing to do with it. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it plain: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."

41 A Workman Approved by God

On the way back from the moon, Al Worden had to take a sixteen minute "space walk" to retrieve two cassettes of film from the Scientific Instrument Module (SIM). The film contained views of the moon as Endeavour cruised in lunar orbit. These had to be brought in, or they would have been lost when the service module, in which the SIM bay was located, was discarded as the Endeavour neared Earth.

I was to film him doing this, but I goofed up. When I hooked my suit umbilicals, I wrapped them the wrong way around the strut. This gave me less freedom of movement and I couldn't get out of the hatch as far as I should have been able to. I took the pictures, but not from the vantage point I was supposed to be in.

I simply hadn't hooked up my equipment properly!

Christians, as Astronauts must, need to use their equipment properly. Since we are soldiers of Christ, one of our primary pieces of "equipment" is the Word of God. In Hebrews it is called a "two-edged sword." In Ephesians it is called the "sword of the Spirit."

Paul tells Timothy that this piece of equipment must be "correctly" handled: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). Later in that same letter, Paul wrote, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16).

To handle a sword properly, one must practice with it (as an Astronaut practices hooking up his umbilicals!). Study it, read it, meditate on it, hear it, and memorize it. Do as the Bereans did: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11). Learn to use your sword adroitly. It is the Word of God. It can change others; it can change you. Be a workman approved by God.

42

Is There Life In Outer Space?

During our flight we saw numerous "unidentified flying objects" (UFO's). The question is: What were they? I think they are easily explained, though rumors persist that we saw strange objects in space. If you were to ask all of the Astronauts, I don't think any of them would say they saw something like an extra-terrestrial spacecraft.

In most cases the UFO's were probably parts of our own spacecraft which had peeled loose and were following us. Also, anytime we dumped fluids, they would immediately freeze and form ice crystals in a variety of shapes. When the sun reflected on them, we saw all the colors of the spectrum. With this huge cloud of crystals flying with us, we were always looking through a kind of kaleidoscope of magnificent color--we would look out into the blackness of space and see these rainbow-colored particles which seemed to stretch on forever.

Before man ever traveled into space, he asked, "Is there life out there?" Now that we have the capability of space exploration, it is asked even more frequently.

However, there is a more basic question: “Do we really have life, the real life God wants us to have, right here on earth? Are we appropriating all of God's blessings here and now?” This is far more significant than what we will find in outer space.

Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" Not only does God give us eternal life, but he transforms us into new creations-- right here, right now-- even while we remain earthlings on this planet!

43

The Return Of Jesus Christ

When we came back from the moon and were again caught in the earth's gravity, we were plummeting toward the South Pacific at thousands of miles per hour. The resistance of the atmosphere slowed us down, and finally at 10,000 feet our parachutes opened and we gently floated toward our splashdown target zone.

Military helicopters hovered nearby to monitor our descent. At 2,000 feet we went through a cloud bank and when we came through the clouds, we were right in the midst of a group of the helicopters. In fact one pilot looked up and there we were, almost on top of him! What an awesome and surprising moment that must have been for him: looking up and seeing a spacecraft descending right above him!

This will always be a strong lesson to me regarding the return of Christ. He will descend just as he ascended. Acts 1:9-11 says:

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee,' they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who bas been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

Jesus himself describes his return:

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matt. 24:24,30,36,42,44).

I think of that helicopter pilot who looked up in utter amazement to see the spaceship come down through the clouds so close to him. I must be ready and must live with the continual consciousness of the imminent return of Jesus Christ!

44

The Splendor Of The Stars

The dazzling brilliance of the stars we saw from the backside of the moon makes me think of the Bible verses which say some strange and curious things about stars. These statements were made in advance of the recent scientific discoveries which give us up-to-date information about the stars.

First Corinthians 15:41 says, "The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor." How could Paul know this? There were no telescopes. He looked up by the naked eye and saw the same stars you and I see.

We now know that stars aren't the same. They are classified by the letters O, B, A, E G, K, M, R, N, and S. O is the hottest; S is the coolest. The sun is near the middle, a G star. These letters also indicate the color of the stars, the color determining the heat. For example, O, B, and A are bluish-white (or extremely hot); F and G are yellow; K is orange; and M, R, N, and S are different shades of red (the coolest).

And we've heard about the various sizes and shapes of stars: the dwarfs, twin stars, giants, pulsars, black holes, super-novas.

But there is something else coming to us from the stars, other than light-- we are "hearing" things from space. Astronomers report that the radio telescopes are picking up a strange "whisper" from empty space, a weak, but continual microwave radiation coming from the sky, day and night. Psalm 19:1-2,4 says:

“The heavens declare the glory of God: the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world”.

How would the Psalmist know this? Hebrews 1:1 says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways." The inspired Word of God told earthlings things about space that we haven't scientifically "discovered" until recently. This is why we can trust the Word as a guide for our lives.

45

The Most Important Thing On Earth-- Or In Space

The trip to the moon dramatically changed my life, as it did the lives of all the Astronauts who took that voyage. One can't help being changed by the fame, the glory, and the history of the event.

But there are far more important facts to consider in life than even a trip to the moon, however majestic and historic that is. In fact, I can quote with Paul, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Phil. 3:7-8a).

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the true beginning of the Christian life. All other events in one's existence pale in significance--even walking on the moon--compared to developing a daily, intimate relationship with Christ.

Can you imagine anything more dramatic or exciting than the God of creation entering into your very being? He does that through his Son, Jesus Christ, when you invite Christ into your life.

I believe Jesus Christ walking on the earth is far more important than man walking on the moon. Just as surely as he walked 2,000 years ago, he wants to walk today in your life. All you have to do is call upon him. He wants you, “to have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). You do this by acknowledging your need of a Savior. Your first prayer must be, "Lord, help me, I am a sinner," and then invite him into your life by faith. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6).

46

My Continuing "High Flight"

My outer-space trip is over. Completed. I am now called a "former" astronaut; however, I am still on a High Flight. This is not a technically oriented journey--but a spiritual one. I bring the message of Jesus Christ to earthlings all around the world. "High Flight" is the name of the organization I head which sponsors this international ministry.

The name "High Flight" comes from the title of the well-known poem by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. The word "High" implying an elevation of spirit and motive, and "Flight" connoting activity and involvement in life.

The High Flight insignia symbolically represents the mission of the ministry of High Flight, my non-profit Christian organization.

It shows two intersecting orbits around the earth. Each orbit has a high point, emphasizing the importance of elevated goals in man's outreach.

The vertical orbit represents the mutual search between God and man; the horizontal orbit represents man's outreach to other men; and the cross represents the Christ-centered principles embraced by the members of High Flight. This cross is placed at the intersection of the two orbits, signifying the crucial nature of Christ in resolving man's two greatest enigmas-- his relationship with God and his relationship with his brother. (The insignia was designed by Astronaut Col. William Pogue.)

This book represents part of my message to earthlings. As you read it and share it with others, remember that you, too, can be "more than earthlings." You can become a child of God by asking forgiveness of your sins and accepting Christ into your life as your personal Savior for those sins which separate you from God. John 1:12 says. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God." I invite you to make this decision.

Found in: http://members.truepath.com/EarthTrekker

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A typical letter from Jim Irwin:

High Flight Foundation

“Dear Bill:

Thanks for your letter. I send you Christmas Greetings from the Moon and Colorado. Regarding your question, we have capability on board to return home without communications. We have computers and sighting equipment for the necessary navigation. We have practiced these procedures many times. I wish you new joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. May He bring you new knowledge and wisdom and joy. Your grateful Brother from the Moon. Jim Irwin, Apollo 15 [pen made drawing of the Moon's crescent]". Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1987 December 17. Footprint in all the letters of the High Flight Foundation: “Man’s flight through life is sustained by the power of His knowledge.”

(Answer to Bill’s question: Can a spacecraft return from the Moon without communications?, 1 page, size: 8½x11. On his High Flight Foundation stationery, written on the 84th anniversary of man's first flight (Wright Brothers). Jim Irwin (1930-1991), lunar module pilot for Apollo 15, from July 26 to August 7, 1971. Remained on the lunar surface for 66 hours and 54 minutes, setting a new record for lunar surface stay time. Irwin and Dave Scott logged 18 hours and 35 minutes each in extravehicular activities conducted during three separate excursions onto the lunar surface.)

Found in:

http://www.galleryofhistory.com/archive/9_2001/Images/thumbnails/29895.jpg

For a closer look of the letter:

http://www.oocities.org/fcastrocha/irwin.jpg

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More links to Irwin:

http://members.truepath.com/EarthTrekker/Irwin_Bio_Data.html

http://www.astronauts.org/astronauts/irwin.htm

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/jbirwin.htm

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Communion on the Moon - Buzz Aldrin

by Bill Carrell

 

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon in the Apollo 11 space mission. Michael Collins third member of the group, was in charge of the command module, essential for their return to earth, which circled the moon while Armstrong and Aldrin landed. The moon lander touched down at 3:17 Eastern Standard Time, Sunday, July 20, 1969.

 

Aldrin had brought with him a tiny communion kit, given him by his church, that had a silver chalice and wine vial about the size of the tip of his finger. During the morning he radioed, "Houston, this is Eagle. This is the LM pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, whoever or wherever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the last few hours, and to give thanks in his own individual way."

 

"In the radio blackout," he wrote later, "I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit.' I had intended to read my communion passage back to earth, but at the last minute Deke Slayton had requested that I not do this. NASA was already embroiled in a legal battle with Madelyn Murray O'Hare, the celebrated opponent of religion, over the Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas. I agreed reluctantly..." "Eagle's metal body creaked. I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements."

 

Found in: http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/communion.html

Useful Links:

Research on Intelligent Design

Palindromati