Use Your Man Voice, Sir

Our Dan, front and center
US  Marine Corp Parris Island
2004

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be brave and strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)

They arrive at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island as boys. They leave as men. 

Near the end of our Dan's basic training, while his platoon stood at attention—chin up, chest out, arms fixed at the side, head and eyes locked in a fixed forward posture, blank facial expression—the drill instructor's voice cracked as he barked out final orders. A new private in the back row cried, "Use your man voice, sir!!" Dan said that every Marine including the drill instructor laughed and broke stance that day.

(Yesterday, superman and I finished the novel, Overcomer, by Chris Fabry. As I read aloud, I remembered Dan's story and used my deep, man voice through the emotional parts. It made us laugh and not cry.)

Are you marching through some hard times, beloved? Stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ, and use your man voice.