This is Rodney from the Masculine Journey Podcast, where we explored manhood within Jesus Christ. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds.
Sit back, enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing the Truth Podcast Network. Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is set for one flaw. Introducing first, from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, Nikita Kolov. Now, the devil's nightmare. Welcome back to another episode of It's Time to Man Up.
Welcome back to the Man Up show with yours truly, Nikita Kolov, once the Russian nightmare. Now, the devil's nightmare. Hey, what's life without a challenge staring back at you?
Embrace it. It's only going to make you stronger and more beautiful. Well, today, I want to challenge you, the listener, and when I introduce this guest in a moment, I assure you, if you do any research at all or you listen to this story, you are going to be challenged. And I want to welcome to the Man Up show, Tamsie Smith. Tamsie, welcome. Thank you, Nikita. I'm happy to be here. Well, it's great to have you here, and it's always great to have women on the Man Up show. One, you know, we get, obviously, a lot of men listening to the show, but we get a lot of women that actually listen to the show.
In fact, so far, the show has reached 93 different countries, Tamsie. That's amazing. Unbelievable. Well, I like to say it's a God thing. I can't take a whole lot of credit for it. Absolutely.
Yeah, other than being a part of it. And, you know, so your story, we kind of go way back. We're going to jump into that in just a moment.
And when I opened the show, of course, I thought I might have even heard you giggling in the background because I pulled that off one of your social media posts there just recently. Yes, you did. What's life without a challenge staring back at you? It bears repeating. Embrace it.
It's only going to make you stronger and more beautiful. So before we really dive into what that is related to, let's talk about how our paths actually crossed back, I believe, in 2004. You have a very… 2004? Yeah, I think an interesting story on how you, and of course, you know, your husband, Nathan Smith, is no stranger to the Man Up show.
I've had him on in the past as well. But you guys have a very interesting story how you got, in testimony, how you got to North Carolina and what happened. Let's take a couple minutes for our listeners and talk about that.
Okay, that sounds like a great idea because it is an amazing story. We actually moved to North Carolina to help Pastor Jay and Melanie Stewart start the Refuge Church in 2004. We met them in South Alabama when we were actually in transition. We had left the church. We felt like the Lord called us out in a season of faith and testing. And we were in just kind of a wilderness season, honestly, and our paths intersected with Pastor Jay and Melanie.
And it was just such a God thing. We felt the Lord calling us to help them start the refuge in 2004. So we picked everything up and moved here with a five-week-old baby who was the only grandchild on either side of our family. And I think our parents are still not happy with us about that. They still haven't recovered from you taking their grandchild away, huh?
Yeah, they still haven't. But yeah, so we moved here in 2004 in North Carolina and have been here ever since serving at the Refuge Church. My husband started out helping with the worship and became the worship pastor for the first 10 years and since then has served in an executive pastor role where he's more involved in the teaching and leading of different ministries and still helps with worship too. So yeah, and so in 2004 was when we met Nikita because our church met in Nikita's gym, used to be Nikita's gym for the first, I don't know, how many years were we there? Ten years? I think we were at that campus for ten years. I think we were, yeah.
My old fitness building, yeah. It's a crazy story, right? So awesome. And so here's what's interesting, I'm trying to reflect back on a number of the details, but so when you say you stepped out on faith and you moved here, but there's more to that story, Tamsie. Like when you guys first came here, that I think our listeners need to, like some will gain hope, you know, out of your story, so give a few more details on what happened once you got to the Carolinas though. Sure, okay, yes, really fun story.
So, well it wasn't fun at the time, but now it's fun to tell. When we got here, actually before we moved here, Nathan helped Pastor Jay and Melanie move in, and when he came to help them move in, he secured an apartment for us to live in. And it was a very cheap apartment because we did not have much money at the time, we were poor, you know. And so, very affordable type apartment, and so when we moved up here later, a few weeks after that, we showed up at the apartment complex to move our stuff in, and Pastor Jay had actually arranged for several people to meet us there to help us move in. And so we have people there, we have a moving truck there, we have a baby there, and the manager of the apartment complex walks us over to the apartment that she had rented to us.
And when we walk into the apartment, it smells of cigarette smoke so badly that I couldn't even walk in, and I have a terrible allergy to cigarette smoke, and then of course I have a five-week-old baby that I wasn't excited to expose to that. And so when, you know, when Nathan had come up earlier to view an apartment, that was not the apartment he viewed, obviously, he wouldn't have rented it otherwise. And so we just had to let her know, I'm sorry, we can't, this is not what we agreed to, and we can't do this, and she said, well, this is the only one I have available, and so we took our deposit check and turned around and walked out homeless. We didn't have a place to go, and so we actually, we went straight from there to Nikita's gym and had a prayer meeting. And I remember setting my baby down and her baby carrier right in the middle of our prayer circle and praying over the situation of where are we going to live, you know.
And so from there we went out and searched for different apartments, and, you know, there was really nothing within the budget that we were able to afford at that time. And in the process we were just driving around and praying, and we saw these beautiful apartments that were up on a hill really close to where Concord Mills Mall is, and back then it was a lot less chaotic than it is now. And so it was beautiful and brand new apartment complex, and Nathan said, let's just go look at those. I was like, oh, come on, we don't need to feed ourselves here, you know, there's no way we could afford that.
And he's like, come on, let's just go look, let's dream a little. And so we walked in, of course, beautiful facilities, and they have one apartment available, it's perfect size for us, it's right outside the pool, there's a fountain, there's a bay window, there's chair rail, I mean, it's just gorgeous, you know, beautiful apartment. And so then we start talking about the finances and everything, and it just, you know, we didn't have the income really to support the rent for this place.
But, you know, we were like, well, we're going to apply and just see what happens, you know, and just believe God, if it's supposed to happen, it's going to happen. And so we turned in the application, and about probably two, maybe three hours later, the manager from the apartment complex called Nathan, and she said, Mr. Smith, by law, I have to have the carpets cleaned, but after that, you and your family can move into the apartment. And Nathan's jaw just dropped, like you couldn't believe we actually got in, you know, but we got we got the apartment and then she said, and on top of that, we I just found out we are running a special and our special is that the first month rent is free.
And then that and it's also $200 off the rest, if you sign a 12 month lease, it's $200 off per month of what the rent normally is. We were just just floor just couldn't believe it. And so, you know, not only did the Lord keep us from entering into this apartment that was just not for us, just it just wasn't a good fit for us. But he he gave us he did exceedingly and abundantly above what we could ever ask or imagine, which is just who he is.
So an amazing story, really, because what I want and I knew I knew some of those details, I didn't know all the details. But what I wanted the listeners to take in today, you know, somebody may be out there and thinking, man, there's just no hope. And it may not be, you know, for a play, you know, looking for a place to live or, or that again, maybe it is or, you know, yeah, they're having a move or something. But, you know, just how how the Lord in providing because he's he's our ultimate provider. Right. Yeah.
And provided that place for you, something that was a better fit, so to speak, for you guys. And and just made a way where there were initially it seemed to be no way. Right.
Seemed to be no way. Exactly. And so because for a moment there.
So here's a lot of listeners together. So for a moment there, you're like, as you said, you're like, you're homeless, right? We got no place to go. We've stepped.
We came all the way from Alabama to North Carolina and at this moment, anyway, are homeless until we, you know, the Lord hopefully opens the door. What did that do? Tamsie, what did that do for for your faith?
Like you and Nathan, what did that do for your faith? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like you said, there was a moment there where it looked and felt very bleak. And, you know, there there was there was a few hours span of time, maybe a few days for Nathan. But for me, it didn't last very long. I was like, are we going to have to turn around and go back to where we came from?
No. Like God, God does not call us out of our home, just like Abraham. He's not going to call you out of your home and your comfort zone to then turn you around and send you back. You know, like if he's called us out here, he's going to provide for us.
And so I just I felt like I think we just need to step back and just watch, just watch what the Lord does, you know. And from the time we got here until the time we moved into our apartment, it was three full days before we really had a home. And so those were some really faith building days. You know, it's like when you look back at it, it wasn't that long of an amount of time.
But imagine not knowing where you're going to lay your baby's head down at night, you know, or where are you going to sleep at night? Are you going to have to go back home with your tails up between your legs, you know, and say, well, we're back. But but no, it was it was such a faith building moment. And man, he's been doing that for us for years, like so many instances I could share with you, especially as it relates to our home and having a place to lay our head. He's just been so faithful. So I'm so grateful to have that story.
It's a beautiful one. Well, and I'm sure there I just call mama bears. I'm sure there's some mama bears out there that can certainly relate to to what you're saying, you know, five week old, you know, child and you know, where we where we get.
Where's our child going to lay its head? And so certainly from. Yeah.
From that aspect, I'm sure there's some mama bears and and some papa bears out there, too. You know, who you know, God calls, you know, us as men to be providers. Right.
And and so here, Nathan, you know, leads his family up to North Carolina. The next thing he knows, you know, you're kind of out on the street, so to speak. You know, yes, it appears.
And so from a man's perspective, you like, you know, there's maybe even a moment of of, you know, of inner reflecting on your manhood. Right. Yeah. Yeah. As a man to provide for the family and probably even a moment of that, if I'm sure maybe Nathan would even if we're on the interview with the interview today with us, would would probably probably say so.
One hundred percent. And when he tells the story, he most certainly addresses that. And we actually recorded the story on a on his podcast recently. So that's that's the place where you can hear him tell the story if you want to.
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You can give monthly, annually or one time. God bless you for making a difference around the world. You're listening to the Truth Network and Truth Network dot com, which we have best view in town, right? Isn't that the name of his podcast? Best view in town. Nathan Smith and has some incredible interviews on there.
Not because I was on one of them, Tamsy, just for the but. But, you know, all joking aside, it's an incredible show that he hosts there as well and telling stories. And so you guys have been an integral part of the refuge over the years. I know you mentioned, you know, he is now in the executive role, but but, you know, it's still a part of the worship teams at times. And for the record, and I'm not telling anything you don't already know, but in my view, he's a credible worship leader. I mean, there's numerous services that I have been in where he where he in the past, where he had been leading worship and really just led the congregation into that place. And just ushering in the atmosphere, the presence of the Lord. And I should say, giving people the opportunity to to step into the into God's presence. And so, yeah, yeah, he has an incredible again. I know I'm not telling anything you don't already know, but I'm telling for our listeners out there.
Nathan Smith has an incredible anointing upon his life when it comes to leading worship and and and even as a teacher, as a teacher. Now, you know, Tamsy, you guys have been together for for how long then? We have been married almost 24 years. Twenty four year. But congratulations on that.
I mean, it's a milestone in today's world. Yes. Yes.
So grateful for that. Now, so you mentioned coming with a five week old baby, but I'm thinking I'm thinking you have more than than than a five week old child now. So, yes, we do. We have three kids.
Our oldest is 19 and we have a 17 year old son and we have a 14 year old daughter as well. And and so in a beautiful family at that, just a beautiful family. Thank you. So, you know, you know, I've kind of let in, you know, a couple of times, you know, life, life without a challenge, you know, staring back. Really, life without a challenge can be kind of boring in a sense. Oh, it's boring. Oh, yeah. Come on. Right.
It's boring. So so there's a sense of irony, you might say here, and in that the refuge you guys came from Alabama up to North Carolina to be a part of the launch of a brand new church plant called the Refuge and the former building. Nikita's originally was called Nikita's Fortress of Fitness. Then we just said, let's just call it Nikita's Gym.
We'll just call it Nikita's Gym. But what's cool about that story is, as I lead into what you're doing presently, is I came back to be a part of that and saw the transformation of a building from a gym into a church and from training physical muscles into training spiritual muscles, so to speak. And in that course of time, I've met many people who said, I used to be a member of your gym and now I'm a member of the refuge. So that's kind of cool. You know, that's so cool. Yeah, it really is.
But it also kind of parallels my own story. And having been a, you know, a body builder, a lifter, a weight lifter, you know, an athlete, you know, teaching and training people there at that old gym, you know, how to eat right and how to exercise and all that sort of thing. And so it's interesting that what you're doing presently actually ties into all of that because you have become a personal fitness trainer, correct? Yeah. Yes, I have.
That irony has not escaped me. I think that is so cool because when I showed up in that building, that was not even in my mind as far as for a career. At the time we moved here, I was a stay-at-home mom and I was happy to do that. I was going to be a stay-at-home mom for the duration. But yeah, and so, you know, several years into that stay-at-home mom journey, I felt this pull towards the fitness world, which I have always been an athlete. I've always been an exerciser, a long distance runner, but I started to feel this pull towards helping people in their fitness journeys. And, you know, I didn't really know how to break into that world.
I didn't know what doors to knock on or what websites to look at or whatever. And so I just committed it to prayer. Every January we have a season of prayer and fasting at the refuge we call Selah. And so one year that was one of my prayer focuses was, Lord, what do you want me to do with this desire to help people with their physical fitness? And so I prayed and fasted.
And at the end of that season of prayer and fasting, I felt a release to go talk to one of the managers at the gym where I was a member of. And so when I told her, hey, I'm interested in doing what you do, like every time I see you in front of the classroom, I think to myself, I want to do that. I think I could help people. And I think it would be a good fit for my gift sets, you know, because I always wanted to be a teacher and I also love fitness.
And so I think it would be a good fit. And she said, are you serious? Because right now, I mean, I need somebody to step in and start teaching this certain type of fitness class.
I was like, oh, my gosh. And so she pointed me to a website to where I could sign up for a training. That night, I was signed up for a training. And then two months later, I was certified. And a month after that, I was teaching my first fitness class. And so I always attribute my career, the start of my career and any steps I've taken in my career always points back to Jesus. He has led the way.
He has opened all the doors and given me all the favor to do what I'm doing today. Now, that was so so that would have been approximately how long ago that story you just shared would have been about about how long ago? That would have been in 2012. So what is that, 14, 12 years ago, about 12 years ago.
Yeah, 12 years ago. OK. And, you know, so, Chris, I follow you on social media. And I just want to say for the record, because we're going to make sure you know how to how to if you do the social media thing, how to how to follow Tamsie, how to get connected with her. And there's a variety of things that that you offer.
I want to go into that in just a moment. But I want to I want to tell you, I'm challenged by what this woman posts. I just for the record, like I for one, if she's like, hey, here's a starter one. I'm like, is there something less than a starter one? You know, that like like the beginner, like here's for beginners. I'm like, I need something like like for beginners, for beginners, like kind of thing. But but the stuff you post, like for, you know, just the average person out there, I mean, there's you give you give beginner, you know, advance. I mean, share with our listeners just just some of what you're presently doing. And then, of course, you know, how they can follow you and connect. Yeah, sure.
Yeah. So like I said, I started as a group fitness instructor and I did that for years until the pandemic. And the pandemic is what actually opened the door for me to start doing more one on one personal training, which is, you know, the Lord gives and Lord takes away and the pandemic.
Everybody lost a lot of stuff during the pandemic. But but the Lord also blessed me with a new business, you know, with personal training business. And so so I started doing one on one personal training. And in that process, I started to with Nathan's help.
He was a huge help in helping build this business. He also helped me start to build a Web site so that when people would ask about my personal training services, I could have a Web site to refer them to. Well, I also started ramping up my social media sharing. I started sharing workout people could do at home or something you could do on your own if you can't make it to the gym. And like you said, I try to try to cater to different levels of people, different types of exercises that people enjoy. And so there were just a few of my videos that hit pretty big on social media and I inadvertently became a social media influencer. And so from God, I'm telling you, it's just a favor of God on my life. It's not something I was trying to do whatsoever.
He really just put his hand on it. And so now, on top of the following on social media, I have online training programs on my Web site. Tamsiesmithfitness.com. So I do one on one in-person training, but I also have several plans and training programs that people can join online and follow along just some prerecorded demonstration exercises and, you know, whole training plans people can do on their own.
So that's what I'm doing now. So my business consists of me doing group fitness, me doing one on one personal training, and then this whole Web site full of options people can utilize for at home workouts. And you've got a pretty broad audience too. It looks like a pretty diverse audience as well. Very diverse.
At all ages, 18 up to in their 70s and 80s. And then men and women all over the world. You know, I have found that when we step into a gym or a class or we put those gym clothes on, it kind of is like a it kind of levels the playing field, you know, like I would teach classes where I would have the mayor of the city in my class or a senator in my class. And everybody sweats the same. You know, everybody suffers the same working out.
And so it kind of levels that playing field. So it's really been cool to see just the different populations that have gravitated towards the different workouts that I'm sharing. That's pretty amazing. Tamsie Smith Fitness. And and I just I just saw posted a merchandise line as well.
Tamsie. Yes. Come on. I love my merch. Come on. And so will all the others, right?
Yeah, I hope so. I love it. And so and so I know you give the give the Web site one more time.
Sure. It's Tamsie Smith Fitness dot com. And that's Tamsie Smith Fitness dot com.
And then how can they follow you on social media and all of that? OK, I'm on Instagram, Facebook and on YouTube. And if you search Tamsie Smith Fitness, that's me. You'll find me.
We're going to get you on. I didn't hear Twitter or now X, as I guess they call it. Yeah.
I have a personal account on X, but I haven't ventured into the fitness side on X or on LinkedIn quite yet. But that's probably in the future. Good. Well, good.
Because we want to we want to broaden your audience even further and make sure everybody knows. And I saw to you can go if you go on your Web site and sign up for free onto the email list to get get you said fitness secrets and tips and tricks and things. Right.
For a whole a whole workout program. Yeah. You pay great attention. Wow.
I love that. Yes. I send out an email every couple of weeks and I do give out free fitness advice on those emails, but also I just share any news of updates on new training plans or free training plans that I'm posting.
In fact, I'm getting ready to post a pretty big one. January 1st, a free, completely follow along video series on YouTube. So that's exciting. Yes.
I know for the email us to get the news about that. There you go. So so if free works for you now, you're going to want to support this woman.
I'm just telling you say you don't want everything for free, like even if it's just buying her merch. Okay. Oh, yeah. By the shirt.
That's right. You're going to want to support this woman. And it really she's making a difference and an impact here.
Here in the in the natural and the physical, but but in the spiritual realm as well. Tamsie Smith, Nathan Smith, wonderful, wonderful, beautiful couple of you can't haven't already picked up on that. I want to encourage you to go out and hey, check check out what what Tamsie's doing.
You know, maybe you're not in the workout world, but you need to be. Here you go. Yeah. It's a great stuff for beginners. That's right.
Great resource for you to start. And so, Tamsie, thank you for being a part of the man up show today. Thank you so much, Nikita. So Tamsie has challenged all of us to man up. Why?
Because it's time. Hey, go out and live a God-filled, God-blessed day today. This podcast is made possible by the grace of God and your faithful prayers, support and generous gifts.
May God bless you for your continual contributions. Go to Koloff.net and donate today. If you are enjoying the man up show, would you help us spread the word? Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your neighbors to download, subscribe and leave a comment. Hi, Nikita Koloff. Be sure to check out the man up show now available on television, broadcast and podcast. Go to MorningStarTV.com or the Truth Radio Network. Check out your local listings or better yet, download the Truth Network app today. Nikita Koloff here.
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