DAPHNE, Ala. — Around 200 people Wednesday attended “Fields of Faith,” a student-led event supported by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, to share their faith and love for God.

Many there spoke of how they relied on faith to help them deal with personal struggles and inner turmoil. Some shared about turning to God to cope with losing a loved one or dealing with the pressures of being tempted to use drugs and alcohol.

Daphne High School junior Rebekah Ross said she relied on her faith — and faithful friends — for support after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“The Bible was my answer booklet,” she said. “Through all of this, I learned, no matter what, God is right behind you.”

Senior Joe Johnson said he believes that being too self-reliant can become troublesome.

“We depend on ourselves too much,” he said. “Put your faith in God and everything will be okay. Man fails every day but God never does.”

Johnson challenged audience members to have a positive impact on “this hurting world.”

Senior Josh Brown spoke of how his faith offers him perspective.

“Whatever’s happening in your life, think of the big picture,” he said. “There’s a reason God’s doing something in your life.”

Brown said he turned to his faith after losing his grandmother to Alzheimer’s disease.

“Someone who influenced me, passing on without even knowing my name — that was hard,” he said. “You have to stick out the hard part to get what you are looking for.”

The Church of the Eastern Shore Youth Worship Band provided the evening’s soundtrack, playing a medley of Christian rock favorites.

Those who attended the event at Daphne High’s Jubilee Stadium joined students from 400 schools across the county who took to their athletic fields to share their faith, according to a news release from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which organizes the event.

Since the first “Fields of Faith” in 2004, more than 200,000 students have participated; last year, more than 100,000 students gathered on athletic fields across 35 states, the release said.

The event began with Jeff Martin, an FCA staffer, who was inspired by an Old Testament reference in Chronicles 2:34. In the scripture King Josiah challenged his followers to study the Bible.

“Throughout history, God has sparked great spiritual awakenings through young people,” Martin said in a statement. “And that is the power of what we are trying to accomplish through Fields of Faith.”

In 2004, Martin’s vision was realized when approximately 6,000 students in three states assembled on school athletic fields for the inaugural “Fields of Faith.”

“It means a lot,” Johnson said of the Daphne event. “It’s a gathering of people worshiping such a great God.”