The Spark.

I guess introductions are customary, so here it is...

My name is Matthew Russell Hinton according to my birth certificate, I am a 40 year-old, happily married, father of two adopted children from China.  I am also proud to be a stay-at-home dad.  I am credentialed with the Assemblies of God in the Minnesota District.  I am the volunteer, small groups pastor at Grove Christian Center in Maple Grove and hold a BA in Pastoral Studies from North Central University.  I have a wide range of interests which include but are not limited to the following:  a tremendous love for Jesus Christ who accepted me despite my numerous flaws, reading...non-fiction to science-fiction, traveling, motorcycles - a great way to travel by the way..., movies, music and more things that will probably come to me after I post this...

So, why the blog?  Well, I have been a stay-at-home dad for the past for years more or less with a few months of mindless work intermingled during that same period.  After returning home from China on Christmas Eve with the most recent addition to our family (our son Zeke) I mentioned to my wife, Tanya that I felt like my mind was going a little soft and that I needed something to help keep me sharp.  Let me say that women, wives in particular have great insight and the advise they give their husbands should not be discounted or eagerly dismissed.  Tanya encouraged me to start this blog.  She told me that it would provide several benefits, the first of which is keep the synapses firing, the second is it my help me sharpen my writing skills and provide an outlet for my thoughts.  I have no hopes of this blog making me money or famous, but if either of those happens well that's cool too!  I will be using it more like a journal inviting selected individuals to share in this journey and keep me accountable!

The name...well this came about from a conversation I had with my pastor.  We talked about how we both wished we had more victory in our lives, but that there were places in our lives that were uncultivated, or maybe just not cultivated enough, and as a result there were things about ourselves that we both desired to see changed.  This conversation has sat with me for a couple of days now and I think I heard the Spirit tell me "There can be no victory without surrender!" So here it is, the spark I needed, let the journey begin!