“A few weeks ago, my faith was tested. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted,” Livingston said during that sermon. “I had to hold on to the faith when I was struck by a stray bullet. Don’t know where it came from. I just saw myself going down on my knees.”
As Livingston recounted the harrowing experience, he said that he thought he was going to die. But he recalled feeling God’s presence.
“When you’re rooted in the Lord, you can feel his presence. I felt the presence of the Lord,” Livingston said.
In March, Livingston spoke about his hope that his assailants would be rehabilitated rather than simply locked up. He also said the ordeal increased his awareness of the connection between poverty and crime and that he intends to spend more time in the community providing opportunities for young men.
“Get your life straight,” Livingston said of his assailants. “Some of these young men, they haven’t been given an opportunity to get jobs, to buy their own car.”
“Help these guys. Teach them how to put a roof on. Teach them how to lay bricks,” he added. “That’s my plan. Teach them all these things. Whatever it takes. Stop the killing.”
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Livingston can be seen preaching via his church’s Facebook livestream as recently as Father’s Day, June 16.
