As Christians, one of the biggest challenges we face in life is stabilizing our identity in Christ. Being created for relationship, we crave acceptance and love from the people surrounding us. Yet Christ calls us to crave his approval, not that of our peers. Galatians 1:10 states, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” 

We often walk this tightrope between Christ and the world. The problem is, when we walk this tightrope, we are constantly straining ourselves and putting pressure on our joints. We think that by walking this line we can get the best of both worlds, but we are beating ourselves up in the process. We’re not truly belonging to either side, but just straining ourselves in the middle. We want each side to see us and admire our strength and poise. The problem is, the two sides find very different qualities admirable. It is impossible to please both.

If I base my identity off of what other people think about me, my life is going to be built on insecurity. With this identity, our worth is built on shallow acceptance that can change in a second. We will eventually just wear ourselves out trying to please every person that comes into our lives! We won’t truly understand who we are because we are constantly changing to please different people.

As Christians, we can’t live to please people—nor find our sense of self-worth in their acceptance— because we are also constantly running into people who have different beliefs than we do. If we want to please them, often this means we need to agree with them— and when their beliefs conflict with our deeply held spiritual beliefs, this will without a doubt mean sacrificing our devotion to God.

I’ve definitely found this to be true in my own life. I have always wanted to be liked by everyone and take it personally when I run into people who don’t. When I began to take classes completely online, my social system became the people that I worked with; I was no longer surrounded by peers who shared my faith. Being a people-pleaser who tries to make everyone happy doesn’t bode well when those around you have very different beliefs regarding God and morals. I found myself walking this tight rope, and I was absolutely miserable. I was terrified of speaking up for my own beliefs, knowing they’d be ridiculed by my peers. In effect, my relationship with God suffered. It made me realize that it is impossible to please both God and men. You need to make the decision about whose opinion truly matters.

In reality, Christ’s gave his life to make us worthy. It’s this simple fact on which we can to build our acceptance and self-worth. We need to make the choice to identify ourselves with Christ and find our worth in his everlasting and unchanging love.  As the famous hymn says, “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”

When I was in high school, there was no such thing as the Day of Dialogue, therefore Christians were often left trying to figure out how to respond to the homosexual-themed Day of Silence. They were often faced with the dilemma of: “Do I act out against it or do I just not say anything at all?”  Let me explain:

Chaos. If I had to sum up my experience with Day of Silence in high school, this is the one word I would use to explain it.  A good portion of my school participated and either wrote ‘Day of Silence’ on their hand or wore duct tape across their mouth. In response to this, there was a group of students who had T-shirts made with the words, ‘Make Some Noise.’ This specific group brought in noisemakers when they came across a person who was an active participant in Day of Silence. Some would shake the noisemaker and scream in their face. Needless to say, I saw this act as hateful and unnecessary; even though I did not agree with the Day of Silence participants, I do not believe this was the correct response. The ‘noise’ group did not represent Christians, although some Christians did take part. From my perception, the reason some Christians did participate was because they didn’t know how else to voice their opinion.

I had a very unique perspective on the event because I was a leader of the Christian club in my high school. Our group consisted of students from nearly every clique including the jock, the thespian, the prep, the math wiz, the emo, the band geek, etc. As the leader I had a relationship with each of them and heard their perspective on numerous occasions. On Day of Silence, about half of the Christian group chose to participate because they were against the bullying and harassment of homosexuals, and there were also some who carried the noisemakers and reacted to the silence because they didn’t agree with the promotion of homosexuality. The day was so chaotic and disorderly that my school principal called an impromptu assembly to address the issues at hand. In the end, the ‘noisemaker’ group was threatened with suspension if they did not turn in their shirts and noisemakers, whereas the ‘silent’ group was allowed to continue in their protest.

As a Christian, I must say that I was confused as to where I stood between the two extremes.  I obviously am against the promotion of homosexuality, but am also strongly against the bullying and harassment of homosexuals. I would not be silent on that day because it was seen as a day to support a homosexual activist movement, but I also would not wear the ‘Make Some Noise’ shirt because how would I be living out the gospel if I was blatantly disrespecting and ‘hating’ on those who are trying to show love?  In the end I decided I did not have to choose one extreme or the other, but I could continue through the day as any other day and continue living out the life Jesus exemplified by demonstrating love and respect for each of the groups in my everyday life. After all, in Matthew 5:9, Jesus states, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

I addressed it at the next Christian club meeting and stated very openly that I am against promotion of homosexuality, but I am also against the hatred of the homosexual person. I believe in order to effectively be that peacemaker and respond to Day of Silence, we need to consider Ephesians 4:15, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

The Day of Dialogue is an incredible opportunity for Christian students to learn ways of getting conversation started and living out Ephesians 4:15.  It helps to give these students the confidence they need to act on their beliefs and a place to stand up and say, ‘I have a voice!’ ”

How Do I Win?

You can win this contest by: 1) Submitting the most compelling written statement—no more than 3 sentences—of how your group will use the wristbands to share Day of Dialogue’s message and God’s redemptive truth with classmates! And …

2) By Friday, April 12, getting at least 5 student participants from the same high school or college (including yourself) registered for the Day of Dialogue event sponsored by Focus on the Family! (See below for info on how to enter & register.)

How do I Enter the Contest & Get Me & My Friends Registered for the Event?

Just take these simple steps:

1)  Submit your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address to studentvoices@focusonthefamily.com

2)  In your email entry, include the written statement of how you and your friends plan to use the wristbands to share Day of Dialogue’s message and God’s redemptive truth with classmates. The statement must be no more than 3 sentences.

3)  Get at least five students from the same high school or college (including yourself) to register for the Day of Dialogue event sponsored by Focus on the Family. To register for Day of Dialogue, each person should complete the form at this link. Or click on the “Register Today” button at the top righthand corner of www.dayofdialogue.com and complete the registration form.

IMPORTANT!! When filling out the registration form, be sure that each person completes the “Name of High School or College” section of the registration form at this link. Otherwise, your registrations will not be credited toward the contest.

What’s the Prize?

Winners will receive 100 Day of Dialogue wristbands. (You can request less than 100.) The wristbands display the words “DayofDialogue.com” and “Let’s Talk!”

How Many Winners Will There Be?

Day of Dialogue will select 2 winners.

Who’s Eligible to Participate?

High school and college students who, as of the date of entry, are at least 13 years old and under the age of 25.

Each entry must be submitted under one person’s name—and only that person will receive the prize if selected as a winner. Group entries are not permitted.

Note: Winners’ names, ages, home states and written statements may be featured in Day of Dialogue, Focus on the Family and CitizenLink outlets. Photos of the student winners and other participants may also be requested and featured in these outlets.

What are the Contest Guidelines?

Winners will be selected based on:

 If they have first sent an email indicating they are participating in the contest.

 If at least 5 students from their same high school or college (including the student who entered the contest) have registered at the Day of Dialogue registration site: https://focusonthefamily.webconnex.com/dayofdialogue  (To count toward the contest, these registrations must be done within the contest period of March 13, 2013 and April 12, 2013).

 Having the most compelling written statements (no more than 3 sentences per entry).

Their statement submission reflects sincere support of Day of Dialogue’s mission, goals and themes. This statement should be a true and accurate representation of themselves and their groups’ plans to use the wristbands.

What’s the deadline?

All entries must be received no later than April 12, 2013. To be counted toward the contest, students registrations must have been completed between March 13, 2013 and the deadline on April 12, 2013.

View the official rules here.

IF YOU DO NOT RESIDE IN THE 50 UNITED

STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONTEST.

Participation in the Focus on the Family Day of Dialogue Wristband contest (the “Contest”) is contingent on your full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules. The Contest is sponsored by Focus on the Family, 8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (“Sponsor”).

1.         NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY.

2.         CONTEST.  The contest will be held between 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time (“MT”) on March 13, 2013, and 11:59 p.m. MT on April 12, 2013 (the “Contest Period”).

3.         ENTRY.  To enter the Contest, you will need to do to things: (1) Submit an original, written statement, of no more than three sentences, telling how your group will use the wristband prizes to share Day of Dialogue’s message and God’s redemptive truth with classmates.  The written statement must be submitted to: studentvoices@focusonthefamily.com by April 12, 2013. (2) Get at least five students from the same high school or college (including yourself) to register for the Day of Dialogue event. The registrations must be made during the Contest Period through this site: https://focusonthefamily.webconnex.com/dayofdialogue. The registrants must complete the name of your high school or college in order for you, the Contest entrant, to be credited. If more than one Contest entrant is from the same school, each will receive credit for the registrations.

Additional Contest instructions may be found by visiting www.dayofdialogue.com .

The written statement must be your original work and must not have been previously published in any form.  It may not be offensive or defamatory as determined by Sponsor.  No automated entry devices and/or programs permitted. All entries become the sole and exclusive property of Sponsor and will not be returned.  Receipt of entries will not be acknowledged. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic. Only fully completed entries are eligible. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor. By entering, you agree to the terms and conditions of these Official Rules and to the display of your entry, in whole or in part, in any manner and media.

3.         ELIGIBILITY.  Participation in the Contest is open to individuals who are between ages 13-24 (inclusive) as of the date of entry, and who are legal residents of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia.  Proof of eligibility may be required. Void outside of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Employees, officers & directors of Focus on the Family, its Contest advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate families (parents, children, siblings, spouse) or members of the same household (whether related or not) of such employees/ officers/ directors are not eligible to enter. Entrant must be an individual person; group entries are not permitted.

           3.1  A limit of one (1) entry per person is allowed.  Additional entries determined to be submitted from the same individual will invalidate all entries from that individual.

 4.         WINNER SELECTIONS.  All Entries will be screened for compliance with these official rules by Sponsor’s panel of judges. Sponsor will choose two winners from among all eligible entries, based upon the following criteria:  Appropriateness of written statement to theme and originality. Sponsor’s decisions are final.

5.         PRIZES & APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES.  Each winner will receive 100 Day of Dialogue wristbands valued at approximately $125.00.  Sponsor will award 100 wristbands unless a winner requests fewer.

Prize may not be assigned, transferred, changed, or redeemed for cash, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion.  No cash alternative will be offered. No substitutions of prize, except that Sponsor may substitute any portion of a prize with something of equal or greater value, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Any portion of a prize not accepted by a winner is forfeited.  All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner.

6.         NOTIFICATION. The potential winner will be notified by telephone, mail or email no later than two weeks after the end of the Contest Period.  The potential winner (Or parent/legal guardian, if a minor) may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and/or Liability/Publicity Release, and a W-9 form for tax reporting purposes, within ten (10) days of receipt.  If a potential winner cannot be contacted within five (5) calendar days of first notification attempt, if any prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, if a potential winner rejects his/her prize, if potential winner does not sign and return the requested forms within ten (10) days of receipt, or in the event of noncompliance with these Official Rules, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to select an alternate winner from all remaining eligible entries. Upon prize forfeiture, no compensation will be given.

7.         CONDITIONS. Participation in this Contest and acceptance of a prize constitutes entrant’s permission for Sponsor to (a) use his/her name, address (city and state), likeness, photograph, picture, voice, biographical information, entry and/or any statements made by entrant regarding the Contest or Sponsor and (b) copy, edit, use in any medium and manner, in whole or in part, the entry submitted for any purpose without notice or additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. By participating, entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor and Sponsor’s advertising and promotion agencies and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, and the employees, officers and directors of each of them, from any and all liability, for loss, harm, damage, injury, cost or expense whatsoever including without limitation, property damage, personal injury and/or death which may occur in connection with entrant’s participation in this Contest, or possession, acceptance and/or use, misuse or non-use of prize or participation in any Contest-related activity and for any claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy and merchandise delivery. Sponsor is not responsible if any prize cannot be awarded due to delays or interruptions due to acts of God, acts of war, terrorism, natural disasters, weather, acts of terrorism, or any other events outside of Sponsor’s control. Entrants who do not comply with these Official Rules or attempt to interfere with this Contest in any way will be disqualified.

8.         ADDITIONAL TERMS.  No automatic, programmed; robotic or similar means of entry are permitted. Sponsor, its affiliates, partners and promotion and advertising agencies are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, telephone or other communications malfunctions, errors or failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, web site, Internet, or ISP availability, unauthorized human intervention, traffic congestion, incomplete or inaccurate capture of entry information (regardless of cause) or failed, incomplete, garbled, jumbled or delayed computer transmissions which may limit one’s ability to enter the Contest, including any injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participating in this Contest or downloading any materials in this Contest. Sponsor reserves the right, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend or suspend this Contest should (in Sponsor’s sole discretion) virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other cause beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of this Contest or for any other reason Sponsor deems it necessary. In such case, Sponsor may, at its discretion, select the winners from all eligible entries received unaffected by the problem. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds, in its sole discretion, to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of this Contest or web site. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Contest or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of this Contest by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices (including the use of automated quick entry programs) or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrants or Sponsor representatives.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM THE PERPETRATOR TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. THE COLORADO COURTS (STATE AND FEDERAL) SHALL HAVE SOLE JURISDICTION OF ANY CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THIS CONTEST AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO SHALL GOVERN THIS CONTEST. EACH ENTRANT WAIVES ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO AND HEREBY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION AND VENUE OF THESE COURTS.

9.         USE OF DATA. Sponsor will be collecting personal data about entrants online, in accordance with its privacy policy. Please review the Sponsor’s privacy policy at www.focusonthefamily.com/about_us/privacy_policy.aspx.  By participating in this Contest, entrant hereby agrees to Sponsor’s collection and usage of entrant’s personal information and acknowledges that entrant has read and accepted Sponsor’s privacy policy. By entering the Contest, you agree that Sponsor may send you advertising, promotional, and other informational material. You may opt out of receiving these materials at any time by notification to Sponsor.

10.       OWNERSHIP OF ENTRY.  By submitting an entry, you acknowledge and agree that: (a) Sponsor will own your entry, and (b) as between you and Sponsor, Sponsor will own all publishing rights in and to the entry. Each entrant hereby irrevocably grants, transfers, sells, assigns and conveys to the Sponsor, its successors and assigns, all present and future right, title and interest of every kind and nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all copyrights, and all rights incidental, subsidiary, ancillary or allied thereto (including, without limitation, all derivative rights) in and to the entry and the written response submission(s) for exploitation throughout the universe, in perpetuity, by means of any and all media and devices whether now known or hereafter devised. Sponsor shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to edit, composite, morph, scan, duplicate, or alter, the entry for any purpose which Sponsor deems necessary or desirable, and each entrant irrevocably waives any and all so-called moral rights they may have in the entry submitted by him or her.

 11.       LIST OF WINNERS.  The identity of the winners (first name, state, age) will be available by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to “Winners List – Focus on the Family Day of Dialogue Wristband Contest, 8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920, postmarked within sixty days after the end of the Contest Period.

 1st Place Winning Entry–Does God Care? by Katie, 17,   from Colorado    

 2nd Place Winning Entry–Speaking Up for Biblical Values by Charlie, 17, from Ohio

Charlie won Second Place in the 2012 Day of Dialogue® student blog-writing contest. Below is his winning blog entry.

The Day of Dialogue has been a great avenue for students to advance biblical values that would otherwise continue to diminish from American culture. This year’s “presponse” has been successful in addressing the policy of silence too often promoted by those who claim to be just about fighting bullying.  Students, whether participating in the event or not, are increasingly realizing that the fundamental Christian principles of love and compassion promoted by Jesus Christ are making a comeback in public schools across this great land – the land that was directly influenced by Judeo-Christian teachings.

It seems everywhere young Christians turn their values are being undermined in the name of “tolerance.”  But isn’t it exciting and fulfilling to know that we don’t have to be silent any longer about the controversial issues affecting many Americans, young and old?  Now less students will be confused about the message they may be receiving from those wishing to advance an anti-family agenda.

Students are now realizing that being quiet about a serious issue is not going to solve it at all.  The Day of Dialogue has made it clear that we can show love and kindness toward people who are confused and hurting without being silent about it.  We can talk about God’s design for marriage, sexuality, and gender and address the causes and solutions to bullying at the same time.  The truth will flow forth when we can freely and deeply speak about God’s law and His design for human nature.

I predict that in future years, with more and more students joining the effort to speak on behalf of Christian values, that the Day of Dialogue will emerge as a monumental grassroots initiative that brings Judeo-Christian morals and traditional family ethics back to our nation that God has so blessed.  Rather than be confused about marriage and sexuality, young people can look to spread the gospel that has proven to be the foundation of American law and social values. The fate of a civil and prosperous society depends on these ideals.

Katie is the First Place winner of the 2012 Day of Dialogue® student blog-writing contest. Below is her winning entry:

Does God really care about my relationships, hopes, and struggles?

This question really struck me this year as I prepared for the Day of Dialogue. I had been thinking of this event as a chance for me to share with other people the truth of God’s love and what His Word says about real life issues. It had never crossed my mind that I might have something more to learn while I was sharing with others. But here’s the deal – God always has something new to teach us.

Especially throughout high school, hormones are running rampant. Relationships become a big deal. Our dreams fade and change. We face drama with friends, teachers, boyfriends, girlfriends… It’s a lot to deal with for someone who hasn’t even lived two decades yet. And through all of this craziness, it’s easy to feel alone. We often don’t realize that in trying to deal with our problems, we’re pushing God to the back burner, and refusing His help when He’s the one we most need. GOD CARES. He always wants what’s best for us. Sometimes that involves pain, drama, and an awful lot of change, but it all turns out exactly the way He plans it.

When you realize that, you can find peace even when your life turns stormy. We can’t afford to leave God in the background. He should be in the forefront of our lives, because He’s the one we’re living for! The truth is, His word will always give us the hope and peace we need, even if it comes in the form of something less than pleasant at first.

Knowing this, why wouldn’t we want to share His truth with everyone? There are people who don’t even know God loves them, let alone has a specific plan for them, and cares for every aspect of their lives. Granted, there are also people who think they know better, and try to come up with different plans for their lives, but they’re setting themselves up for failure. We shouldn’t judge those people; we should share with them the hope our God has so graciously given to us all.

God cares. He cares about each and every one of us. Whether it’s those of us who believe in Him, or the people still lost, struggling to find some hope in their everyday lives–He loves us and wants the best for us. Sharing this fact should be something we long to do, and it shouldn’t be difficult; give God absolute control, and He’ll take care of the rest.

1)  The presentation may be exhibited in any public setting for the purpose of promoting the Day of Dialogue event;

2)  The presentation must not be edited, excerpted, abridged, altered, or duplicated, for any purpose;

3) The presentation may not be shown or used for any commercial or fund-raising purpose;

4) These Terms & Conditions of Use are governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, and you agree that the courts of El Paso County, Colorado have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes between you and Focus on the Family.

Note: You’ll need to hit “read only” when prompted for a password in order to access the document.

Day-of-Dialogue-2013-Presentationmv

Welcome to Focus on the Family’s Day of Dialogue® website.

You’ve probably found your way to this site because you share a heart for empowering and encouraging Christian students who want to voluntarily speak God’s grace into the culture around them in a loving and compassionate manner.

As repeatedly stated on this website, the heart of this event is to encourage students to express the model presented by Jesus Christ in the Bible—who didn’t back away from speaking truth, but neither held back in pouring out His compassionate love for hurting and vulnerable people and defending those people from harm.

You’re probably also here because you share a concern about the flood of confusing messages teens often encounter about sexuality and identity. If they aren’t hearing about it in their schools, then they’re often hearing these messages promoted in the media or touted by their favorite movie stars and music.

The Day of Dialogue—happening on April 18—equips students (ages 13 and older) to express and have confidence in articulating their faith-based principles in a loving and Christ-centered way when encountering hot-button topics like bullying, homosexuality and identity in their schools.

If you’d like to let the high school and college students in your congregation know about the opportunity to join this initiative, you can take the following actions:

 Use the Downloadable Day of Dialogue Presentation ( on PowerPoint^® ) to share information about the event & Web site with parents, students and youth groups in your church.

 Make announcements from the pulpit and in youth group meetings letting teens know about it & how they can register for the April 18 event at DayofDialogue.com and at this link. 

 Post information about the event and link to the registration page on your church websites and Facebook pages, especially those geared for youth.

 Let your church leaders who work with youth  know about the teen-friendly articles and discussion questions  that can assist them in addressing  students’ comments and questions concerning these issues.

God bless you for your interest in sharing this event with the students and families in your congregation. Having the spiritual support of church leaders is crucial to student participants—as you know, it requires great courage in this culture of spiritual relativism to acknowledge the existence of redemptive truth. So we hope your church will surround Day of Dialogue student participants with prayer as they participate in the event on April 18, 2013!

What’s It All About? 

We’re looking for 150- to 450-word blogs from students that best communicate the heart and mission of Day of Dialogue® and their experience participating in the event. We’ll select 2 winners who will receive prizes (see details on prizes below). Submit entries by midnight (MT) on Wednesday, May 9.

Note: Winning blogs/writing samples may be featured on DayofDialogue.com and other Focus on the Family & CitizenLink outlets.

What are the Prizes?

First prize: Winner will receive a NOOK Color ™ tablet that includes an “ultra-responsive 7-inch multi-touch screen” so you can “enjoy the ultimate reading and entertainment experience”! (see Official Rules & Guidelines for more details).

Second Prize: Winner will receive $100 worth of gift cards to one of the following restaurants/stores of the winner’s choice:

-The Cheesecake Factory

-Pizza Hut

-Best Buy

What’s the Deadline?

Submit your blog or essay by midnight (MT) on Wednesday, May 9.

How Do I Submit A Blog/Essay?

Email your submission—which should be between 150-450 words– to studentvoices@focusonthefamily.com. The submission e-mail must include the contestant’s age, first and last name, e-mail address and phone number. It’s also helpful if you include a physical address.

Who’s Eligible to Participate?

High school and college students who, as of the date of entry, are at least 13 years old and under the age of 25.

Each blog/writing sample must be submitted under one person’s name—and only that person will receive the prize if selected as a winner. Group entries are not permitted.

What are the Contest Guidelines?

The blog/writing sample should be at least 150 words, but no longer than 450 words.

Winners will be selected based on their ability to best communicate one or more of the following themes/components:

 A description of how you promoted and participated in the Day of Dialogue event—either as an individual and/or alongside other friends, student members of a Christian club, Bible study or church youth group.

 A description of how you used the tools on the Day of Dialogue Web site—such as online banner graphics, T-shirts, posters, videos, articles, etc—to promote and participate in the event at your school.

An explanation of how you got “the conversation started” about the importance of Day of Dialogue themes at your high school or college.

 A description of what participating in the Day of Dialogue event meant personally to you and your friends.

 A description of how the Day of Dialogue event helped you grow spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.

 A description of why you think this event is important to students and why others should participate in future years.

 Discuss why you think Day of Dialogue’s “Get the Conversation Started” theme and idea of a student-initiated dialogue emphasizing the fact that God cares—about our relationships, our sexuality & our souls—is important.

 Give examples of how students at your school shared with classmates the message that God loves and cares about them–and communicated a Biblical perspective about God’s design for marriage and sexuality in a loving and grace-filled way.

 Reflect in your writing sample the Day of Dialogue theme of students modeling the spirit of Jesus Christ—who didn’t back away from sharing truth, but neither backed away from pouring out love and compassion for hurting & vulnerable people.

Describe how you and other students used the Day of Dialogue Conversation Cards to help start a respectful dialogue at school in a way that was not disruptive of academic or classroom instruction.

Describe how the Day of Dialogue helped Christian students think about/discuss taking the lead in standing up against bullying in their school.

 Explain how the Day of Dialogue event/resources helped you address one or more of the questions featured in the slide show on the Day of Dialogue website:

-Does God really care about my relationships, hopes and struggles?

-What does the Bible really say about things like sex and marriage?

-How do I stick up for students being bullied?

-What does it really mean to share truth in love?

-How do I speak up for God’s word in my own voice?

Note: All entries should reflect standards of tastefulness, decency and a spirit of respect and love for God’s Word and other people, in addition to support of Day of Dialogue’s mission and themes.

Click here for official rules.