Growing up just a few miles from Focus on the Family’s original headquarters in Pomona, Calif., Victor Glover had his sights on a career in the military, particularly becoming a Navy Seal following college graduation.

“Well,” his father said, “with an engineering degree from Cal Poly and being a pilot, you never know, you may become an astronaut.”

Victor’s father’s words turned out to be prescient. The rising Navy F/A-18C Hornet pilot eventually found his way to NASA’s Astronaut Group 21 team in 2013. In August of 2018, he became a member of the International Space Station flight group, and spent six months orbiting the earth.

Earlier this week, Victor Glover was named pilot for Artemis II, a mission designated to fly around the moon. The California native will be the first African American to participate in a lunar mission.

NASA also announced that Glover will be joined by Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch, who will be the first woman to head to the moon.

Upbeat and enthusiastic, Glover isn’t just a highly decorated, brilliant and talented aviator. He’s also a strong believer in Jesus Christ. As a member of the International Space Station, he took communion each week.

“I was able to worship in space,” he said looking back. Glover praised NASA’s religious accommodation, noting the agency “supported me and my family’s desire to continue to worship and to continue our faith walk even while I was off the planet. That was really important to me.”

Victor Glover credits the Lord and his parents for his many opportunities and successes.

“Listening to my father and mother has been the most important influence in my life,” he told NBC this past week.

Glover is bold and candid about the importance of his Christian faith in his life – and how we all need to see ourselves as sinners in search of hope and help.

“No matter how long we’ve been in this, whether you’re a preacher, an elder, or a deacon, brand new in your faith walk, we all need to be growing he told a Texas church audience last year. “We have a sin nature, and we need Jesus. Jesus is that bridge that spans sin.”

Victor is married to Dionna, and they’ve been blessed with four daughters.

There’s a lot of work and study between now and the lunar launch date in 2024, but Victor Glover feels prepared for whatever comes his way. Confident in the Lord’s sovereignty and committed to the mission at hand, he regularly invokes a five-word mantra: “It’s going to be okay.”

Congratulations to the entire Artemis II crew and may the Lord continue to bless and protect everyone involved in this inspiring mission. Just never forget the words of Pilot Glover:

We need Jesus – whether on earth or circling the moon.

 

Photo from U.S. Navy