THOMASVILLE- Gospel music filled the stands at the Jacket’s nest on Wednesday night as students, parents, and athletes gathered for FCA’s annual Fields of Faith event. The yearly event allows students to share their testimonies and treats the audience to a guest speaker, who shares the story of how they came to know God.

Olympian and Silver Medalist for the Men’s 110m Hurdles Daniel Roberts joined the crowd for a Q&A on how he glorifies God, even when times are tough.

Prior to Roberts’ Q&A session, members of FCA shared Bible verses and how they came to know Christ.

One of the members Onyx Louissaint spoke of how he envisioned God early on, but after committing to a personal relationship with Christ, his outlook changed.

“Early on, I was in church almost every Sunday,” he said. “I grew up with an image of God, which was a Father, having two scales that measured my wrongs and my rights, and whichever one was heavier decided if you went to Heaven or hell.”

Louissaint said he later learned that wasn’t the right image of God.

“I always felt like the problem child growing up, because I was the only sibling always in trouble, and couldn’t control myself,” he recalled. “I was very lost, confused and just didn’t know who I was.”

Louissaint said this led to him partaking in activities he shouldn’t have. But, he came to the realization he was drifting farther away from God and was desperate to make a change.

“I started to see God everywhere in my life,” Louissaint said. “I had friends start taking me to Bible study and it wasn’t like I couldn’t escape from Him (God),  no matter how hard I tried. He just didn’t leave.”

Louissaint said he was tired of running away from God and began to read his Bible, figuring out who God truly was.

“I saw what an amazing and forgiving Father He actually is, so I decided to give my life to Him,” he said.

On March 24, 2024, Louissaint was baptized, sharing that it was the best day of his life because it was a true example of how Jesus cleanses everyone.

Louissaint realized there was no longer a scale, and that despite his mistakes, he was perfect in the eyes of God.

Brookwood student Si Richardson then shared his story of how God used a mission trip to teach him to be thankful during the good and the bad.

Richardson said he grew up in a religious household and was taken to church often as a child, where he wanted to be baptized.

“I knew if I got baptized I would go to Heaven, but the thing I was, I didn’t truly have a relationship with God,” he said. “It was more my parents who had the relationship because they were always the ones encouraging me to get out of bed and go to church on Sunday.”

As time went on, Richardson began seeing the numerous ways God was present in his life. However, he realized he wasn’t spending any time with God.

“I was living my own life,” he said. “I spent years playing sports, often putting my own desires before Christ and would praise myself in the good and question God in the bad.”

Richardson’s mother explained to him that sports was not his identity, but his identity should be in Christ alone.

“I had to sit back and think for a second,” he said. “I had to ask if I was truly living for Him, and that’s when a switch flipped in my head and I wanted to live my life for him.”

Coaches reminded Richardson he was a role model to many younger players, which was something he said he never considered.

“I began praying to God to be intentional with what I said and did,” he said. “Whether I know it or not, there’s always someone watching me. So, I began to put my head down and read the word.”

Richardson said it was during that time, that God called him to go on a mission trip to New Orleans.

While in New Orleans, Richardson recalled meeting a homeless man, Lance, who spoke on the amazing things God had done for him, despite him now living on the streets. Lance told Richardson and his friends that they had to thank God in both the good and the bad.

“Lance did not know I was struggling with that at the time, so I know God was with me, and I thank God for putting him in my life because he truly showed me what it meant to praise Him during the good and the bad,” Richardson said. “God will place you in an environment to help guide you toward him. He wants to use it to spread His word.”

Richardson reminded everyone that God still loves them, despite their flaws, and when the worldly things so many often pursue let them down, God is still there.

Roberts knew that feeling all too well, as he began answering questions posed by FCA Director Noah Henson.

Roberts, a Georgia native, said he grew up in a faith-based family, as well as a sports-filled family.

One of six children, Roberts’ brother played D1 football, while his twin brother played NAIA football, and his sister played D1 volleyball.

“We were all multi-sport athletes from the jump,” he said. “But, our parents always ensured God was first in whatever we did.”

After a season-ending injury in football his senior year, Roberts said he felt lost because his identity was found in sports.

“I’m thankful for it now, though,” he said. “I feel like God was using that moment to show me no matter how good things look on the outside, I still need to put Him first.”

Roberts struggled physically with his injury but said he faced mental struggles as well, as his career continued.

In 2019, his first year of going pro, Roberts said he expected to do great, but he ended up getting disqualified in the first round.

“I ended up hitting a hurdle and it hit the hurdle beside me, and you’re not allowed to affect anyone adversely, so I was disqualified,” Roberts recalled.

The following year, Roberts couldn’t compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When he returned in 2021, Roberts tried out for the Olympics team but came up short in 9th place.

“A lot of people may say that I did great, but I knew God had more for me and had put more inside of me,” Roberts said. “I was never satisfied in the things I was achieving.”

Although he felt God’s calling, fear and doubt began to set in, troubling Roberts that he was falling short of what he could achieve.

However, Roberts’ team of his wife and family, reminded him to keep his eyes on God through the trials and tribulations.

“At the end of the day, God never asked me to win a simple race,” Roberts said. “He just asked me that in whatever I did, on or off the track, to glorify Him.”

With that in mind, Roberts continued to work and glorify God, eventually making the Olympic team, where he placed silver in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Even with a silver medal, Roberts reminded the crowd that at the end of the day, keeping your eyes on the prize is keeping your eyes on Jesus Christ.

Following Roberts’ Q&A session, those in attendance who felt called to follow Christ were invited to the field, where staff could pray over them and talk with them.