From Kansas City to Global Impact: The Salt Man Turns 50

Fifty years of life brings with it a tapestry of memories, lessons, and moments that shape who we become. In this deeply personal episode, I open my heart to share the journey that has brought me to this milestone birthday and the vision that pulls me forward into the decades ahead.

My path has taken unexpected turns as I've served as pastor, mental health advocate, author, trainer, and founder of the SALT Initiative. The acronym SALT – Serve, Affirm, Love, Transform – has become more than just a framework; it's become my identity as "Mr. Saltman." This philosophy extends beyond serving others to embrace self-care, creating balance that allows authentic living of the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.

Whether you're new to The Salt Talk or have been with me from the beginning, I invite you to wake up, own your purpose, and remember that your best days are always ahead when you choose to live with intention. Join our growing community as we continue this journey together!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Well, hello everybody , grace and peace.
Welcome to a very specialepisode of the Salt Talk.
Today, the mic feels a littledifferent because this isn't
just another conversation aboutfaith, mental health, leadership
and purpose.
This is personal.
This is a celebration of 50years of life, love and service,

(00:42):
and I'm inviting you, myfriends, my family and listeners
to sit with me as we take ajourney, my journey.
We're going to look back onwhere God has brought me, from
the work he has allowed me to doand the vision he has placed on
my heart for the next 50 yearsand beyond.

(01:03):
So, whether you've known me forfive decades, five years or
five minutes today, I want youto hear my heart, because this
episode isn't just about me.
It's about how purpose unfoldswhen you say yes.
So thank you so much forlistening.
This is Jermaine Alberti andthis is Assault Talk.

(01:25):
Well, 50 years ago, I was bornin a place called Kansas City,
missouri, home of the KansasCity Chiefs, great barbecue and
amazing jazz music, and it justseemed at the age of 16 that God
decided that this world neededanother servant.

(01:46):
And I was blessed to grow up ina family where my mother took
us to church on Sunday mornings.
We had good dinners at thechurch, we laughed, we loved and
we lived.
We laughed, we loved and welived.

(02:07):
And I'm so grateful for just alife where, yeah, it was tough,
but my mother showed me how topress through that toughness.
You know, I watched her workhard, I watched her love hard.
I watched her love hard, I sawher compassion for people, and

(02:32):
while in my early years I didn'tknow what the word ministry
meant, what my mother showed mewas so much genuine love and
empathy and compassion forothers and that defined my life.
That was real ministry.
And what I knew was was that Iwas called to be somebody.

(03:01):
I was called to be somebody inGod and I was called to this
world.
And so, over the years, I'm sograteful that God has expanded
my territory and I've beenblessed to serve as a pastor, as
a minister, as a trainer, as anauthor, as a consultant, as a

(03:24):
mental health advocate, and myjourney has taken me to many
pulpits, classrooms, boardroomsand community centers, and it's
been a privilege to stand inspaces where faith and mental
health intersect, and sometimespeacefully and sometimes
painfully, but always with apurpose.

(03:48):
You know, over these 50 years Ihave been a national trainer of
mental health first aid since2008, training thousands and
life-saving skills.
I've been blessed to be theco-author of a book bought up
inside African American teensand depression.
I have been an advocate fortrauma informed theology,

(04:09):
cooking faith leaders to addressthe wounds of their
congregations.
I've been blessed to be a partof the.
I am so excited aboutdeveloping the Wake Up, own and
With Purpose coaching program,which I believe will help
individuals discover and sustainpurpose in my life.
Work Seems to have finally justbeen placed in me to move

(04:36):
forward with being Mr Saltman.
You may be wondering what in theworld, mr Saltman?
Yes, mr Saltman.
You may be wondering what inthe world, mr Saltman?
Yes, mr Saltman.
Salt stands for serve, affirm,love and transform.
And when I thought about mylife and what I wanted my life
to be, it was to be in serviceto others, affirming others,

(04:58):
loving others, loving others,transforming others.
But then it turned to that ofself-care for self and serving
self and affirming self andloving self and transforming
self and being able to live outtruly that second commandment to
love your neighbor as you loveyourself.
And that's why I'm so excitedto be the founder and principal

(05:23):
of Salt Initiative LLC, becausewith Salt, I intend, for the
remaining years that I have onthis earth, to just continue to
be the difference and build aSalt community.
And it was out of this saltcommunity, this desire to be the

(05:44):
salt of the earth, that wasborn the salt talk.
The salt talk was born out ofmy belief that will
transformation happens inconversation and when we
exchange stories and learn fromeach other and remind ourselves,
will transformation happens inconversation and when we
exchange stories and learn fromeach other and remind ourselves

(06:05):
that love is foundation, thatservice affirmation and love and
transformation salt, that thesearen't just nice words but they
are the recipe for communityhealing.
And I am so very, very excitedthat I am going to take this

(06:29):
podcast, along with many otherthings that are developed, and
we are going to, as I just saida little earlier, build a
community.
You know I just want to say thismuch that I've been doing a lot
of reflection, and no life iswithout valleys.

(06:54):
I've had seasons where I'vequestioned my worth, my calling,
even my faith.
I've had moments of crisis,times of loss, times of failure,
times of heartbreak.

(07:14):
But here's the truth God doessome of God's best work in the
valley and it's in those momentsthat I've learned that
resilience isn't about bouncingback, but it's about standing
firm in the storm.

(07:35):
And so I am so excited thatI've been blessed to be on this
earth for 50 years, and thereain't no stopping me now.
Ain't no stopping me now.
Listen, the best is yet to come, and I've spent the first 50

(07:59):
years learning, growing andserving.
In the next 50 years, that'sabout that multiply impact.
I have a vision that I believethat God has placed on my heart.
Moving forward, I have a desireto expand the SALT initiative

(08:20):
globally, bringingtrauma-informed faith leadership
to churches across continents.
I would love to train 10,000more individuals in mental
health first aid in the nextdecade.
I would love to publish morebooks that blend faith
leadership and mental wellness,that blend faith leadership and

(08:41):
mental wellness.
I would love to continue tobuild a wake-up on and with
purpose and build retreatcenters for leaders and
caregivers and change makers.
Most importantly, I would loveto do what was done for me, and
that is mentoring the nextgeneration of faith leaders and
advocates to carry this torchforward, and my prayer is that

(09:03):
when people look at my life,they don't just see what I've
done, they see the God who madeit possible.
My great uncle said this andI'll never forget it, my great
uncle, henry Jones.
May the works I've done speakfor me.

(09:28):
My friends, 50 years have taughtme this Life isn't measured by
titles or accomplishments, butby the love you give and the
lives you touch.
As I move forward, mycommitment is to keep serving,
keep affirming, keep loving andkeep transforming.
One conversation, one act ofkindness, one purpose-driven

(09:52):
moment at a time.
So to every listener, whetheryou're 15, 50, or 85, wake up on
that purpose, and the best daysof your life are always ahead
of you if you choose to livethem with intention.
So listen, I am so verygrateful for every breath, for

(10:13):
every lesson, for everyopportunity to serve, and may my
life continue to be the saltand light in this world.
Well, my friends, this is aSalt Talk with Jermaine Albrey.
I want to thank you forcelebrating with me, and here's
to 50 more years of purpose.