{"id":112352,"date":"2026-01-23T09:39:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T14:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/?p=112352"},"modified":"2026-04-01T16:31:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T20:31:18","slug":"why-storytelling-and-communication-matter-more-than-ever-with-emily-saltarelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/blog\/why-storytelling-and-communication-matter-more-than-ever-with-emily-saltarelli\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Storytelling and Communication Matter More Than Ever with Emily Saltarelli","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\">\n<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:3a7ef0a8-578e-41a4-a5e2-0b3a02069b59-1\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-4\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"098922c3-6e5b-4163-b214-99259297d721\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word light markdown-new-styling\">\n<blockquote data-start=\"132\" data-end=\"685\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\n<p data-start=\"134\" data-end=\"685\" data-is-last-node=\"\">Storytelling and communication continue to shape how people understand truth, faith, and one another in a digital world. In this conversation, professor Emily Saltarelli draws from her experience in writing, publishing, and teaching to reflect on why stories still matter, how technology influences the way we communicate, and why strong communication begins in the heart. She talks about sharing your testimony, character, and the lasting impact of telling stories that point to what God is doing in people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<h3><b>Meeting Emily Saltarelli<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><iframe title=\"Storytelling and Communication with Emily Saltarelli | Courageous Ambassador Ep. 8\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/02eycC-HKYA?feature=oembed\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>Danny Garcia:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Emily, thanks for taking the time to sit down and talk with us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Glad to be here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Danny Garcia:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To start, tell our listeners what sparked your passion for communication, English, writing, and storytelling.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>How writing became part of her life<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=async data-opt-id=3484745  fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-112353 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Untitled-Presentation.jpg\" alt=\"Student-Writing \" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:1920\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Untitled-Presentation.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:1280\/h:720\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Untitled-Presentation.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:980\/h:551\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Untitled-Presentation.jpg 980w, https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:480\/h:270\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Untitled-Presentation.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1920px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I\u2019ve always been a writer. My dad was a high school English teacher, and in seventh grade I had him for both English and history. Every week he required journals, three pages for English and two for history. I wrote five pages a week, and I fell in love with writing because of it. I still have stacks of journals because I never stopped.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Words have always come easier than numbers. My brothers can do math in their sleep. I try to avoid math by sleeping. Writing was the clear fit for me, and I learned that early.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Later, writing became more than a skill. In college, it became a way to reflect on God\u2019s faithfulness. I can look back at old journals and see the hand of God in ordinary days. It became a spiritual practice: reflection, remembrance, and recording what God was doing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Storytelling, the gospel, and why stories work<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I graduated with a bachelor\u2019s in biblical counseling. I knew I wouldn\u2019t become a professional counselor, but I realized counseling trained me to listen to people\u2019s stories, and writing trained me to tell them well. I moved into freelance writing, then joined a strategic storytelling startup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At first, I resisted it. I thought, \u201cWhy are we telling stories? Why aren\u2019t we sharing the gospel directly?\u201d My boss pushed back and reminded me: stories can show the gospel, not replace it. That changed me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jesus told stories. Scripture is filled with stories. Our brains are wired for it, and the research supports it. Stories connect people, help them remember, and move them toward meaning. When we tell stories of what God is doing, we give people something they can carry. Revelation 12:11 connects testimony with the gospel, and that\u2019s not small. Testimony matters.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Why communication still matters in a tech-heavy world<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=async data-opt-id=1956442310  fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-109623 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Students-Communication.webp\" alt=\"Students Communication\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:1918\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Students-Communication.webp 1920w, https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:1280\/h:721\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Students-Communication.webp 1280w, https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:980\/h:552\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Students-Communication.webp 980w, https:\/\/mlii5e30p1dq.i.optimole.com\/cb:hFP7.217\/w:480\/h:270\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/gracechristian.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Students-Communication.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1920px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Danny Garcia:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In a world of technology and constant communication, why are storytelling and communication still important? Is there a difference between communicating through technology and face-to-face?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The message and the audience should shape the medium. Some things should never be handled through a text, while other things are fine through a quick message. We know this instinctively.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The medium can send a message on its own. If you choose the wrong mode, you may communicate something you didn\u2019t intend. Technology also speeds everything up. Convenience tempts us to avoid the harder, slower path of real conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good communication forces us to slow down and think: What am I saying? Who am I speaking to? What\u2019s the right way to say this right now? Communication is more than words. It\u2019s wisdom in delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Why personal stories give people hope<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Danny Garcia:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Beyond academics and practicality, what makes this personal for you?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Journaling helped me know myself and my own story. When you know your story, you can hold it with security instead of asking everyone else to hold it for you. You can share it better once you\u2019ve taken time to understand it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We need each other\u2019s stories. When we tell stories of what God has done, the Holy Spirit places them in the right hearts at the right time. Not every story hits everyone, but someone may hear it and realize they\u2019re not alone. Someone may hear hope and remember God is still good.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Faith-based personal storytelling has faded in many churches. We moved away from testimony rhythms, and we lost something. We need to recover the value of telling each other, in real life, \u201cLet me tell you what God has done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Classroom pitfalls and how to get better fast<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> One of the biggest issues I see is students reading speeches instead of giving speeches. Reading builds a wall between you and the audience. You stop engaging and stop making eye contact. You stop reading the room.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fix is practice and better notes. Your outline can have full sentences, but your speaking notes should be key phrases and keywords. If your note cards are full sentences, your brain will read them. Keywords force you to create sentences in real time, which is what speaking is.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice feels awkward, mirror practice is brutal, recording yourself is worse, but it changes everything. It makes you look prepared because you are prepared.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Blank moments, authenticity, and why \u201creal\u201d lands<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Danny Garcia:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> What do you tell someone who blanks in front of a crowd?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your audience is made of people. They\u2019re rooting for you. They want you to do well because they have to listen to you. Authenticity is a game changer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you lose your train of thought, you can say it. \u201cI lost my train of thought, give me a second.\u201d That honesty connects you to the room. You can glance at your notes, reset, or move to the next point. A small hiccup can make you more human, not less effective.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People don\u2019t want fake. Especially right now, people want real people. A polished speech without realness won\u2019t land the way you want it to.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Nerves, character, and speaking from the heart<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Danny Garcia:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> What role does character play in communication?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Emily Saltarelli:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Nerves are normal. I still get nervous every time I speak. But the physical response to nervousness is the same as excitement, racing heart, sweaty palms, that stomach flip. You can reframe it: \u201cMy body is telling me something important is happening.\u201d You can even say you\u2019re nervous. Audiences are gracious.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But character goes deeper. Scripture teaches that words reveal what\u2019s in the heart. Your mouth will eventually show what\u2019s rooted in you. A tree produces fruit according to what it is. So what are you rooted in? What\u2019s growing in your heart? That will come out in your communication, anger, humility, bitterness, hope, gentleness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work on the heart, and the communication will follow. Also, speak what you know. Don\u2019t try to imitate someone else\u2019s personality. Be who God made you to be. People can tell when it\u2019s real.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Learning to Speak What Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>Danny Garcia:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Emily, thank you. This was thoughtful, honest, and deeply needed. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Storytelling and communication continue to shape how people understand truth, faith, and one another in a digital world. In this conversation, professor Emily Saltarelli draws from her experience in writing, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":6,"featured_media":112370,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"dipi_cpt_category":[],"class_list":["post-112352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why Storytelling and Communication Matter More Than Ever with Emily Saltarelli - Grace Christian University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why storytelling and communication matter more than ever, with insights on faith, 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