LIVE OAK, Fla. — One of four men tasked with carrying the cross in Saturday’s fifth annual Walk for Christ, the meaning wasn’t lost on Gyson Stephens.

After the walk, which began and ended at Langford Stadium after a trek through downtown Live Oak, Stephens took a moment to try and find the words to describe the honor that was bestowed upon him.

“It brings tears to yours eyes about what He’s done for us because He didn’t have to do what He’s done,” Stephens said. “But He did it anyways. That means a lot to me. He didn’t have to bring me this far with all the things I’ve done. I thank God for it because the cross means a lot. The symbol is enough itself. It says a lot.

“The sacrifice that He made, not many people would have made it. I probably wouldn’t have made it for nobody else, I’m not going to lie to you. So I thank God for that one person who did that for us.”

He wasn’t alone.

According to organizer Bud Smith, local authorities estimated more than 1,000 people took part in the walk/ride, and a number of whom joined voices in hymns during the walk that lasted less than an hour.

That multitude included a number of youth from Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, who then performed as part of the entertainment at the stadium following the walk. Stephens, who directed the Mt. Sinai youth choir, said it was a welcomed performance.

“We look forward to it every year,” Stephens said. “I can say for Mt. Sinai youth, I can’t speak for everybody else, but for my youth, they know what God has done for them. In school, for their families, their grandparents and everybody else, they look forward to doing it every year.

“It’s worth it.”

Smith felt the performances were worth the time for the smaller crowd that remained as well. In addition to the youth choir, Brittany Powell and Jeremiah Ross were among the other performers.

“The singers were fantastic,” Smith said. “It was absolutely wonderful to see and hear their God-given talents.”

Smith is already planning on how to make next year’s event even better. The first part of that plan is to move it a week earlier to accommodate the other number of Easter-related events taking place.

“Next year, it will hopefully be bigger,” said Smith, who added it was a joy to have the youth choir take part. “We’ll continue to grow.

“That’s what it was about. It’s just … to let people know that we do have Christians in the community.”

And to Stephens, at least, Christians that are willing to come together to celebrate.

“It means a lot actually because we always want to come of one accord with everybody else,” he said. “It’s good to have everybody come together and praise God on one accord.”