Meet David Hinton of Phoenix, Arizona

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Hinton

Hi David, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am honored, and truly humbled, to tell my story.

I was born in Chicago … originally moved to Phoenix in 2014. relocated back to Chicago in 2018. moved back to Arizona (Tucson) in 2022, and up to Phoenix in 2024.

I feel like God spent my entire life preparing me for the walk He has me on … that even now, He is still preparing me for more than I could ever imagine.

I am a third-generation minister/spreading of His Word … I finally walked into my calling in 2023. my mom walked into hers in 2004. her mother was one for all of my life before she transitioned into His Kingdom.

His Word is (first and foremost) about Love. Loving Him completely, and then loving others as you love yourself.

But this world is intentionally void of the only Love that will sustain beyond the existence of this world, the only Love that predated this world. This world will put out everything BUT His Love. This world has, and will continue to, misrepresent what His Love truly is. even those that profess to be participants in the walk within His Majestic Light do so. and we see where this world is in the here and now because of all this. So, when I accepted my calling … I also accepted the purpose He gave me for it … to speak about what His Love truly is. what it truly stands for. So, my first sermon message was: Love Yourself First Everyday. not FIRST in the sense that we individually are more important than anyone else, but that His Love should be ingrained within us all, so that it can be spread outward.

while walking into this path … I also understood how social media works. how the algorithms work. what the algorithms are designed to do (the same for mainstream media). and I understand how people are grossly turned OFF by what it is. but I came to the understanding that if someone does not stand for what His Word is supposed to be, then NOBODY will. He gave me a purpose before He gave me a license to preach His Word. because I’ve been raised in church. learned under some great men and women of God. was taught to really read, learn, and understand His Word for myself. was taught to look beyond individual verses to understand what the WHOLE message actually is. so, when I accepted this calling … I understood that this calling was going to come with me doing some real work to find more beacons of Light to spread, without regard to how “big” my platform is, without regard for stepping on people’s toes for not going along with what I know is factually/Biblically/righteously incorrect.

simultaneously, when I moved back to Arizona in 2022 … I became connected with a wonderful woman that launched a small community-led museum called The Soul Center of Art and History. It is a space where history is preserved, and told for what it truly is … where art across all platforms can be celebrated, shared, and recognized. while working with her in the building of The Soul Center, I became more and more enamored with understanding history. and then sharing history for what it TRULY is. there has been such a strong push to erase history, in the name of digitizing it … but the push isn’t new; it’s been going on since history actually started. I really see the work I do with The Soul Center as an extension of the idea of Love Yourself First Everyday. once you truly understand who you are … and then love yourself for who you truly are … and love yourself the way He loves you … then that love and understanding will grow outward to others. and once it expands outward, and can truly change the world back to what it SHOULD be, instead of what it ACTUALLY is.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life is never a smooth road. It was not designed to be. That is the by-product of what Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.

I won’t profess that I had real harsh struggles in this life, but I have had my share of bumps & bruises, of failures & fallacies, of turmoil & trial.

I understand more and more how much His Hand has been on my life … protecting me.

even when I did not want to protect myself. even when I deviated way off The Path He sent out for me.

even when I did not want to accept the call He had on my life.

as i’ve gotten older, I have learned more and more that I was autistic as a kid. there are still some traits of it that I have carried through my adult life.

I often did not want to speak publicly because my brain would run at a speed way faster than my mouth. but even with that, as a high schooler, I was on the Speech team. and I was really good at reciting speeches and passages from past historical greats.

I always loved to read. I have always loved music. that combination always was a sanctuary for me.

I have always been meticulous with how I organize my own files. I typically know where my things are without having to think about it. I can often get dressed in the dark because I know where everything is.

I always have been one that enjoyed critical thinking. if it doesn’t make sense to me … I want to know why. Knowledge is a power that nobody can take away, once you have it. and I came to find out that I like to debate. I came to understand that I had no problems going toe-to-toe against the grain (even if i was doing so by myself). RIGHT IS RIGHT, and WRONG IS WRONG. The truth ALWAYS will be the truth, and a lie will ALWAYS be a lie. even if this world really wants to confuse truth and lie … I’m not deterred. and people don’t like those that will not be deterred. especially those that won’t be deterred and know all the tricks of creating distraction and deflection … that know all the means of moving the goal posts. I rather walk alone in The Truth than walk with the crowd in all the lies.

I have had to deal with self-confidence and self-worth issues. that’s a daily struggle that I believe most everyone has. I had my moment where I really questioned if life was worth living. but, when I was alone and ready to quit … He pulled me back and told me that I have work to do. I am a harsher self-critic than anyone could ever be towards me. I am still learning to give myself some grace and mercy, because He is full of Love, Grace, and Mercy … and He has all the right to condemn me, but He doesn’t.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
as I mentioned before, my work is two-fold.

I am a licensed minister of His Word. I came up with the idea of Love Yourself First Everyday from a social media friend (one who has since passed on into eternity) based off the Golden Rule that Jesus Christ spoke of in St. Matthew 22:37-40. the entirety of life within His Light is based off loving Him completely, and loving others as you love yourself. and, you can’t properly love EITHER Him, nor others, if you don’t love yourself first … everyday. because darkness comes after us individually … so this is a decision that has to be made constantly, everyday.

I also work with The Soul Center of Art & History in the preservation, and the sharing, of our stories. we need to know how great we truly are. our stories ARE stories that deserve to be told. our contributions, past, present, AND future, are invaluable. we ALL deserve to be elevated. we can elevate one another without tearing anyone down.

and what sets me apart … I am unique. God made me to be 1 of 1. there are 8 billion (plus) 1 of 1’s in this world. each 1 of 1 has a story that NEEDS to be told, and shared, and celebrated, and valued, and respected. each 1 of 1 has to love him/herself (themselves) enough to be bold and tell it … because that one story might save countless others.

He has given me everything that He has to help others. He didn’t do all this with me for me to sit on it quietly.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I am on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) a LOT. I can spend hours scrolling through social media feeds for reels and posts that strike my interest … both in historical context and with His Word. I probably have a LOT of context right now that I won’t ever get around to posting … but it is ALL impactful, and deep, and thought-provoking.

I also am a staunch reader of His Word. I have six different translations of His Word on my devices … plus two different paper Bibles, one in a single translation, and the other with dual translations side-by-side. I spend time working on messages that He has given me for future use (either in what I post OR in upcoming sermons/messages of other formats).

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david_e_hinton/ (main page) … https://www.instagram.com/lyfe_ministries/ (LYFE Ministries)
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/djsmooth1 (main page) … https://www.facebook.com/LYFE.Ministries.2023/ (LYFE Ministries)
• Other: https://www.threads.net/@david_e_hinton (Threads)