Growing People - Spring Update
This month: Discipleship goes deep, counseling gets real, finances teeter (again), and Jack continues his reign of toddler terror while we await baby girl.
Grace and peace to you from the Salvato family: Aaron, Brooklynn, Jack, and our soon-to-be-born baby girl!
We’re entering May full of anticipation, a little chaos (hello, nesting season), and a whole lot of trust in Jesus. As always, I want to send you this little window into our world… I’m not here to wow you with stats or shine things up for a donor pitch.
I’m just here to tell the truth about the mess, the miracles, and the ministry in between. :)
🏫 School of Discipleship: Wrestling with Jesus’ Words
The School has been SUCH a rich place lately!!
We’re continuing our slow, intentional journey through the Sermon on the Mount, and it’s been hitting deep. The last few sessions have centered around persecution and spiritual warfare—heavy topics, but vital ones.
We asked: What does real persecution look like? Not just in countries where the faith is illegal, but even here, in the quieter, darker battle zones of the soul. Because let’s be honest…whether or not you live in a “free” nation, the enemy still roams, still accuses, still hates the Kingdom of Jesus and the people who carry it.
And then we sat with Jesus’ words about anger and lust. About how murder begins in the heart… and how Jesus isn’t just after external behavior, but internal transformation. It led to some long, raw, beautiful conversations about ethics, sexuality, resentment, and holiness. The students really leaned in.
One of the best parts? After our recent classes, I got multiple texts from students thanking me and telling me how much this program is helping them grow closer to Jesus. Here’s one of them:
“Hey Aaron! I just wanted to thank you for tonight…. i know i don’t talk much… but i really appreciate you and what you do. God has blessed me so much by having you in my life teaching and guiding me and getting to see you do this with my friends is so amazing to watch. Thank you.”
It felt like a beautiful confirmation of everything we’ve been pouring out. It reminded me why we’re doing this: for their growth.
The students are growing not just in knowledge but in love…. for Jesus, and for each other. It’s starting to feel like a little family!
And let me just say: these kids are brilliant. Like, “you’d better show up prepared or you’ll get schooled on your own theology” brilliant. 😂 Their questions constantly challenge me and push our discussions deeper into the heart of Jesus.
We’re talking philosophy, ethics, discipleship, cultural formation—these kids ask about EVERYTHING!
It’s a dream come true to be doing this kind of work. And yes, I still hope to see it grow. I want to offer this kind of deep formation to more young adults, in more places. But I’m trusting God with the timing.
🌱 “You’re Great at Growing People”
Okay, confession: I’ve been a little down lately about growth.
Not personal growth. Not the students’ growth. But like, ministry growth.
I’ve been knocking on doors of local colleges trying to expand our ministry, but so far I have not made the progress I’d like to.
I was lamenting to a friend: “I’m just not good at growing stuff. I hate promotion. I’m not a hype guy.” (Cue the self-doubt spiral.)
And he just looked at me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said something that wrecked me (in the best way):
“Aaron, you’re great at growing people. And that’s probably what matters most.”
That one’s gonna stay with me a long time. I hope maybe it encourages you too.
In a world obsessed with numbers, reach, and metrics… Jesus is still all about mustard seeds and hidden yeast.
Maybe the real Kingdom growth doesn’t fit on a spreadsheet.
P.S. My wife is LITERALLY growing someone inside her own body… so she takes the award for “Best at Growing People!”
🧠 Local Counseling Ministry: Grace in the Mess
Lately, the Lord has been bringing a steady stream of young people into my life for local counseling and mentorship.
Some are walking through depression and suicidal thoughts. Others are drowning in legalism, deeply in love with Jesus but shackled by shame.
It’s become crystal clear: one of my callings in this season is to fight for grace.
Not cheap grace. But the real kind… the costly kind that Bonhoeffer talks about… grace that reaches into the pit, lifts us out, and calls us into the long, often messy journey of transformation with Jesus.
I’ve also had the honor of walking alongside several young couples navigating dating and purity in a culture that makes a mockery of both. These are earnest, thoughtful, Jesus-loving people trying to swim upstream, and it’s an honor to be one small voice cheering them on.
I desperately want them to thrive!
I want to see them aligned together in God’s purposes for their lives.
🧾 A Financial Update: Walking the Tightrope
Let me be real with you. This spring has been tough financially. February was wonderful, traveling to CA to speak and teach, but the challenge was it did not give us much time to line up clients for the rest of the year.
March and April were brutally quiet on the freelance side of things. That silence was actually great for ministry… I had tons of time to teach, write, mentor, and pray—but it left our bank account gasping for air.
There were days where I just didn’t know how we were going to make it through. But right as things hit the edge, God showed up.
Last week, we got a mix of provision: a few new donations (combined with ones from those of you who have been faithfully givine for some time now—THANK YOU!), plus a few freelance gigs—some writing and voice acting work—that will carry us through May.
We’re deeply grateful.
But long term, we still need sustainability.
🧭 Looking Ahead: A Potential Opportunity
One possibility on the horizon: I’ve been talking with Pray.com (the Christian company I do voice acting and writing for) about the chance to step into a full-time producer role.
Nothing is official yet… they’re finalizing details, and we should know more in June—but the idea is exciting. It would mean continuing to do the kind of work I love (telling gospel stories, writing biblically faithful content) but with more stability and the ability to help shape projects and perhaps even lead small teams.
This wouldn’t mean stepping away from GoodLion Ministries—in fact, it could give me the consistent footing I need to keep pouring into the School of Discipleship and the podcast/writing without burning out.
We’re walking with open hands.
If this is from the Lord, we’ll step in with joy.
If not, we’ll keep trusting Him to provide in His way.
👶 Family Life: Jack, Mischief, and the Big Brother Era
As for our little fam…
Jack is thriving. Three years old and running the world. He’s in that wild toddler limbo where one minute he’s melting you with cuddles, and the next minute he’s climbing on top of the table and dumping dried strawberry crumbs into your coffee.
We’re exhausted, enchanted, and learning every day. Watching him grow is such a gift.
And we’re just weeks away from welcoming our baby girl—due July 22!
Please pray for a smooth, safe delivery and for peace and provision in this season.
It’s stressful walking into the birth of your second child without a full-scale provision nailed down.
But we didn’t choose this life because it was easy. We chose it because it was what we are called to!
And honestly? Even in the chaos, I’ve never been more certain of my calling or more sure of the work God’s given me to do.
🙏 Prayer Requests
As we head into the thick of this next season, we would be honored if you’d keep us in prayer. Here’s what’s most pressing on our hearts right now:
💧 Workshop Damage
Our backyard workshop—where I do all my voice acting, podcast recording, and teaching prep—recently took on heavy water damage due to OK storms. We’re working on assessing the full extent of the issue and figuring out how to repair it safely and avoid mold. Please pray for wisdom, provision, and protection as we work through this.
📚 School of Discipleship
Pray for continued growth in the lives of our students. That God would keep showing up in the classroom. That more young people would be drawn into deep, Jesus-centered formation. And that doors would open for the school to expand and serve even more disciples.
💸 Financial Provision & Vocational Clarity
Please pray for God’s ongoing provision—for both daily needs and long-term sustainability. Whether that’s through donor support or through the potential job opportunity with Pray.com, we’re asking the Lord to clearly guide and provide for our family.
👶 Baby Girl on the Way
We’re just weeks away from welcoming our daughter! Please pray for Brooklynn’s health, a smooth delivery, and for grace and peace as we adjust to life as a family of four. It’s a vulnerable season, and we are leaning hard on Jesus.
🙌 Thank You
To all of you who pray for us, support us, read these updates—you are part of this story. You are helping us disciple young people, counsel the hurting, teach the way of Jesus, and live out our calling with open hands.
If you want to help us keep going, you can give here.
Every gift helps us keep growing people, even when the spreadsheets are scary.
We love you. We’re so grateful.
More soon!
Aaron (and Brooklynn, Jack, and baby girl)