When I first joined speech and debate, I thought it was about winning arguments and earning medals. I didn’t realize it would end up teaching me something far deeper: how to communicate with purpose, listen with empathy, and speak with conviction rooted in something greater than myself. What started as an extracurricular activity slowly became a foundation for how I share my faith and live it out each day. Standing at a podium for the first time was intimidating. My voice shook, and my hands trembled as I tried to remember every line of my speech. Over time, though, I began to see that speaking wasn’t just about delivering words. It was about understanding your audience, connecting with people where they are, and letting sincerity carry more weight than sound. Those same lessons mirror how I approach sharing my Christian faith. I realized that when it comes to faith, it’s not about forcing people to believe what I believe. It’s about showing love, patience, and understanding, qualities that invite people in rather than push them away. Through debate, I learned how to defend a point respectfully, but more importantly, how to hear others even when we disagreed. I’ve sat across from people with completely different worldviews, and instead of trying to win the conversation, I learned to appreciate the stories that shaped them. That mindset has completely changed the way I express my faith. Christianity isn’t about shouting the loudest or proving someone wrong. It’s about meeting others with grace, just as Christ meets us. There have been times when people have asked me about my beliefs, not because I preached to them, but because they noticed how I carried myself. They noticed how I treated teammates, how I stayed calm under pressure, or how I offered encouragement after a loss. Speech and debate gave me confidence, but faith gave that confidence a purpose. Now, when I speak, I aim for more than persuasion; I aim for connection. I want people to feel seen, heard, and valued, even if they never share my beliefs. Another thing debate taught me is humility. No matter how well-prepared you are, there is always someone who challenges you to think differently. That humility has strengthened my faith. It reminds me that even as I share God’s message, I am still learning and growing myself. My words mean little if they aren’t backed by actions that reflect compassion, forgiveness, and integrity. Today, when I step up to speak, whether it’s in front of a class, a team, or a congregation, I think about how speech and debate shaped the way I represent my faith. It gave me the courage to speak clearly, the discipline to prepare thoughtfully, and the wisdom to know that the most powerful messages aren’t always the loudest. They are the most genuine. Ultimately, speech and debate didn’t just prepare me to share my Christian faith. It helped me live it. Through every conversation and every moment of listening, I’ve learned that faith isn’t only expressed through words, but through how we treat others with kindness, understanding, and unwavering love.