RETIRED NAVAL OFFICER PROCLAIMS KEY TO END CHRONIC RESTLESSNESS

Life is not about finding your destiny. Instead, it is a journey for peace and balance found in a relationship with Jesus Christ, said Rear Adm. William L. Schachte Jr., a retired judge advocate general for the U.S. Navy.

Schachte spoke to about 1,200 people Friday morning at the ninth annual Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, sponsored by the Christian Business Men's Committee of Cape Girardeau and the mayors of Cape Girardeau and Jackson. The hour-long program and breakfast was held at the Show Me Center.

"A life with Christ offers the answer and provides peace and balance," Schachte said. "Life isn't about past mistakes or failures. The past is gone and forgiven in God's hands."

Schachte, who retired in 1993 after serving one year as the top lawyer for the U.S. Navy, has had a successful career by world standards.

Quoting Adolph Coors, the speaker at the city's first Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, Schachte said, "Outside the will of God there is no success, but in the law of God there is no failure."

Schachte enlisted in the military during Vietnam and worked his way up the ranks to captain. He completed his master's degree at George Washington University. "I graduated first in my class," he said. "But that success didn't last more than 15 minutes, because I had a job at the Pentagon.

More than 24,000 people work in the government building named for its shape.

While there, he worked hard but never seemed able to shake a sense of restlessness.

"I locked the hurt inside," Schachte said, adding that he attributed the problem to extensive travel and being away from his family. "I was working hard and doing what I was supposed to do, but I still had the restlessness."

In 1989, Schachte was promoted to admiral and his life changed dramatically.

After being nominated for the high-ranking post, Schachte began receiving invitations to parties and banquets in Washington, D.C. But an offer to attend a banquet sponsored by the Christian Embassy, an interdenominational group, led to a life-changing decision.

Schachte started attending the group's weekly breakfast prayer meetings.

"They were all devoted Christians. These were men who were war heroes or fighter pilots," he said. "They seemed to radiate an inner peace. That was obvious."

On Good Friday 1989, Schachte called the group's leader and discussed his sense of restlessness.

"I felt like I was wrestling with a 900-pound gorilla in a closed cage," he said. After committing his life to Christ in the Pentagon cafeteria, Schachte said, "Now it's more like an organ-grinder's monkey."

Schachte is now a lawyer with a statewide firm based in Charleston, S.C. He and his wife Carmen have two adult sons.

Dr. Bill Terry, chairman of the prayer breakfast, said the community has always responded well to the annual event.

The Christian Business Men's Club sponsors luncheons and seminars throughout the year, but the prayer breakfast is its largest event.

"We are committed to emphasizing the spiritual side of life; it's appropriate no matter what you do," Terry said.

About 40 local political and business leaders, including Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III and Jackson Mayor Paul Sander, sat at the head table.

Prayers were offered by Michael Miller, Cape Girardeau city manager; Cord Polen, community bank president at Commerce Bank; Dr. Howard Jones, superintendent at Jackson R-2 schools; and Terry.

Missouri Court of Appeals Judge Stanley A. Grimm served as master of ceremonies. Scripture was read by Don Rasche, director of family services for the Community Counseling Center and a CBMC member, and by Stephen Limbaugh Jr., Missouri Supreme Court justice.

PRAYER BREAKFAST SPEAKERS

Previous speakers for the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast:

1988

Adolph Coors IV

1989

Kyle Rote Jr., former soccer player

1990

Bob Vernon, Los Angelese police chief

1991

Bill Armstrong, a former U.S. senator from Colorado

1992

Ted G. Sprague, Atlanta-based convention and tourism consultant

1993

Dave Dravecky, former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants

1994

Cal Thomas, nationally syndicated columnist

1995

Charles Duke, an astronaut

1996

William L. Schachte, retired judge advocate general for U.S. Navy.