Q&A With Koloff- #268

This is the Truth Network. This is the Truth Network. Satan's Nightmare, Nakia Koloff. This is a war. This is one war that needs to be.

What a problem! Oh, what a fight! And it's out of control here. That's a bad man. No, that's a bad man.

No, that's a bad man. Anytime, any place, night, day, I don't care. I'm only a phone call away, my friend. Welcome to another episode of QA with Koloff, the Devil's Nightmare. Welcome back, QA with Koloff Questions and Answers, where you get a personal phone call from yours truly, the Russian Nightmare.

And you get to ask me maybe something you've always wondered: whether it's about pro wrestling or life in general or the ministries that I'm involved in. And with me today, One of our Man Camp alumni, Charles Boswell. Charles, welcome to QA with Koloff. Thank you very much. I'm excited to be here with you.

Well, it's great to have you, Charles. And now we're connecting. You're up there in the from my old stomping grounds, the great state of Minnesota, right? Minnesota, yeah. Yeah, that's I I can always tell when I'm back in Minnesota 'cause you know, I'll say something somebody you know, they're like, How are you?

You know, they always extend that out, right? How are you? And I'm like those are a little different too, yeah.

So, if if you guys can can tell, I'm not originally from Minnesota, I'm I'm a southern guy from heart, but uh I g I get a lot of people picking up on my accent here in Minnesota too.

So yeah, for sure.

Well well we'll tell our listeners about that.

So where where are you originally from and what what brought you up to Minnesota then? Yeah, so I was born in Tennessee, raised in Tennessee for the majority of my life. Um and then at the uh the early age, I decided to join the military. And uh went to the army and um I've been moving around pretty much since uh I turned 18. ever since.

I've lived in probably six or seven different states and that's that's why I'm up here in the great cold state of Minnesota now it could yeah there's like what what are they what's the joke there's two seasons in Minnesota I can't remember the do you know that do you know that joke there's like two seasons but it's probably cold and colder I don't know that would that would be fairly accurate uh although some of those summer months though can be pretty brutal too right and they can you know I I never imagined a place that would get so cold could get so hot in the same time like it just blows my mind there's no way it gets above Nanda here Sure method. And then in the wintertime, it'll get in the like the negative teens, and then summers will be hot. It's uh It's different, that's for sure.

Well, then they have an unusual state bird, the mosquito. It's like. Oh, yeah. That's for sure, too.

Somebody's going to go look at that up and go, the kid who is lying. The mosquito is not the state bird of Minnesota. What was he talking about?

So, anyway, lots of mosquitoes in the summer up there.

Well, so what part of Tennessee? Um, it's a very small town called Huntsville, Tennessee. It's uh like maybe an hour away from Knoxville.

Okay. And and six or seven different states.

So what what state what all What states have you lived in then? Yeah, so uh let's see, West Virginia. Um I did two years in West Virginia. Then about three years in Illinois. Um And then I think three point five years in Kentucky.

two years in Kansas. And now two years in Minnesota. And so thank you for serving, by the way. Appreciate you. being a part of the military and and now is that what so you're still involved in the military up in Minnesota then?

Yeah, yep, I still am. I'm uh active reserve, so I'd I'd joined the reserve, um right out of high school and and did kind of the part-time army. For a couple years and then volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan. And then as soon as I came back from that almost year-long deployment, I went full time. And I've been doing it full time since like I think maybe 2012 or 2013 or so.

Okay. That's that's amazing.

So, and of course, we we originally met. I was actually uh doing some ministry up there at uh Pastor Jackie. Uh Hills are Roseville, Roseville Baptist, right? Roseville, Minnesota. And is that, do you live in Roseville?

Where do you live? I live in St. Paul, just right down the road.

Okay, you're the church is maybe 15 minutes from my home.

Okay. And of course, we met there, did in fact last summer, did a men's breakfast and then preached on that Sunday. And of course, we connected and you had heard about Man Camp. And I know you said, man, you know, where do I sign up? And you did.

You followed through, which not for the record, not every guy does. Every guy says, yeah, I want to come. And then I never see him. They go into the witness protection program. But ha ha ha.

Or they go MIA missing in action. But You came. You came, and I don't want to give everything away. I just want you to be able to talk about maybe one or two of the highlights. And I don't want to give what I think is one of the biggest highlights.

I know you testified at your church just recently and a decision you made there at camp, and a couple things that happened there.

So take a minute or two, Charles, and tell why did you decide to come to man camp? And then what's one or two highlights that really impacted and helped and/or changed your life at camp?

Okay, yeah, so I came and and just like you said, I was you know, there was a few times where I thought about kind of backing out. Um, but I'm glad I didn't. I actually uh I booked a plane ticket for really Really soon, just because honestly, I really couldn't afford it and I couldn't actually make payments on it.

So I'm like, hey, I'm going to go. Even if I have to make payments on this, so when it got closer to. going uh for some reason you know it it was uh It approves. Quick, and I was like. Um There was like a lot of things, and I know you had emailed us prior to talking about, you know.

Things leading out to it, the devil's going to really try to tempt you and stuff. Yeah, keep you from going. Yeah, keep you from going. I'm glad that I stuck through because there were things that happened before that I could have just backed out. But I'm like, you know, I got to go.

I just, I got to go. And I'm so glad that I did. Um and even even coming back like the devil's been tempting me with with a lot of stuff, but Um just super great that I've like you know, learn some some things to help me. um improve when when I'm struggling with things. But uh some things that I thoroughly enjoyed about Man Camp is uh Is I think number one was like the camaraderie between all of us.

We had a really good group. staff was amazing, the the campers were amazing. Um you know like I said I've been in the military for a whole lot of years and honestly, like we have great camaraderie most of the time, but being with its fellow believers that we can uh you know, we can pray together and it it's just It's a different camaraderie when you look uh Like-minded Christians, and it was just beautiful. And I just really, really love the camaraderie there with everybody. But I mean, I could go on and on about Man Camp.

It was an amazing experience. And just like you said before, like it is not necessarily an event, it's an experience. And if you just be an intentional And you really, you know. seek after God. He's going to come for you and he's going to have a relationship there.

Um So it was it was great, yeah. Yeah, remember that Total spirit, soul, and body was great because You know, Lex came and he spoke a little bit about fitness, and he gave his amazing testimony as well.

So that was that was great. And there was a few things that I still continue to do a little bit that I learned there is like journaling. I've never done it before, but that was. have a something that is Maybe a new habit that's kind of been started? Yeah, yeah.

I I really I've never never had done that before, but I I've picked that up and and I really enjoy doing that, so. And then just listen to other people talk. People came there, some people were. you know, a good spot in their life and some people weren't. And you know, just listening to the Their change from the day that they got there to the day that they left, and we still keep in contact with most of the campers, like we're in a group now.

And just, you know, the camaraderie was just amazing, too.

So, and that, and that's pretty, that's pretty amazing, too, right? Like, you just mentioned the, you know, from day one where, you know, some pretty much like guys are kind of sizing each other up or won't even make eye contact, stare at the ground and, and, uh, you know, come the, the, the fifth and final day. I mean, guys are, are, you know, hugging and just embracing and, you know, encouraging one another, right? And, and even post-camp and tools, right? You got, I think what I wrote down as you were speaking, sharing your story is, you know, you got some new tools.

I'll say it this way, tools in your toolbox that you can, you know, use for the future, right? When, when, when the trials of life does, because the trials don't stop, the tests don't stop, the temptations don't stop just because you had a man camp experience, right? I mean, if anything, it might even heighten, right? And, uh, because there's an enemy who's not pleased with your decision. And speaking of which, um, Would you say One of your real highlights now, you came, I was watching your testimony online that you shared at your church about your man camp experience, and you had a lot of Which I think a lot of people, even out there in listening land, even right now, Charles, may have a lot of question marks, I'll say it that way, about their salvation.

Is their salvation secure? And you had questions. You had some question marks, right? But leaving camp, you drove a stake in the ground and you solidified that and removed all question marks. And now there's an exclamation point there, right?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I love how you say that 'cause I can I couldn't say it any better, you know. Um you know, before coming to Man Cap I had of You know, a lot of questions about different denominations and what exactly 'cause you know, for a young believer, you know, it can be confusing. Obviously, you want to get everything right, you know? Yeah.

And I've had doubts in the past. I kind of grew up in church but fell away as soon as I moved away. Oh good. you know, people ask me, like, Hey, why did you start going to church again when you moved to Minnesota? And I say, I I don't know.

I don't have an answer for that other than God was just pulling me back. From your roots, your upbringing, right? And your roots. Yeah, yeah. And it questioned me a lot.

I had a lot of questions the past year or so. And like I said in my testimony, I think it was more of questions that were coming from me and not maybe I was just overthinking things and trying to fit my thoughts into what is and what isn't. And just being alone in A few instances at Mancamp where you can just be in solitude and really, you know, talk to you. Reflect, right? Reflect.

Really, yeah, absolutely. There was a. Yeah. There was a time when Nope. He just he really spoke to me and was like, Hey, you you've been overthinking things, man, like Just believe in me.

And like you said, I really drove that stick in the ground. And I said before, I don't know if I was for sure saved before I came to man camps, but I definitely after I left, I know I was.

So you know that you know, you know that you know that you know, right? Yeah, absolutely.

So, my baptism was an amazing highlight for me, and I'm so glad I got to do it there. And did you say Charles, did I'm sorry, let me interrupt you there, 'cause did you say like it I think on your testimony that that you f felt like you were go going to be baptized while you were there, but you didn't even know that it would even be a possibility? Yeah, it yeah. Like the first day. Wow.

And I had no idea. Like it, you know, leading up to it, I really didn't know what to expect. Um You know, my pastor went to six months prior and he told me, he just kind of encouraged me to go and I'm like, okay, well, I'll go if you think it's something I need to do and You know, when you came and you spoke to me, you said, Hey, if you want to get closer to God, then go. And I'm like, Well, who doesn't?

So let's go. I'm going to go. And. Just super glad I went because yeah, it was you know, the first day I didn't know what to expect, but just like I said, it was like, for some reason I'm going to get baptized and uh That's cool.

Well, and for the record, and not to embarrass you, but man, as you were sitting at that baptismal, you know, I had the privilege. I was one of the ones that had the privilege of helping to water baptize Charles for those of you out there in listening land. And I always sense, you know, how you know it's real, how you know that decision is real, man. When there's tears streaming down their cheeks, and the water gates were flowing there, Charles, and as you were just moved by God in that whole camp experience. And, well, I'm grateful, you know, that I could have a small role in that decision and in your future and be able to give you some equipping, some tools.

And I'm thankful, Pastor Jackie Hill up in Roseville Baptist Church. And I'll be up there next week, next year, Charles. I think we're already. Out on the calendar. I'm going to come up and do another men's breakfast August of next year and hang over and preach.

Of course, I still have some family up there as well. And let me say, for those of you out there listening, you know, Charles is part of the military, and we have scholarships available for if you're in the military, if you're a first responder, if you're in law enforcement. I mean, we just want to honor, if you're a lead pastor of a church listening to this interview today, you know, we want to be able to bless you with financially with a scholarship. You know, Charles said, you know, he really couldn't kind of afford it, but he was going to do it, and he did it. And his life will forever be changed now because he was a part of it.

And so I'm grateful you followed through, Charles. Yeah, me too. Thank you. Yeah. I'm still making payments on the plane tickets to get down there and back, and I would still keep doing it because it's such a blessing.

It was. And it was it was just such a a blessing to to speak to God and and have him, you know, I I don't know if I said this yet, but it was the first time I truly felt like the love of God, like truly felt it. I'm like, oh man, this is what everyone talks about. Wow, wow.

Well, that in and of itself is so well said. And if you're out there listening and you've yet to, you know, you've got question marks, as I said, but you know, you don't necessarily have to come to a man camp in order to encounter Christ. You can do it right there, sitting in your living room or kneeling at your bed or sitting in an office chair, you know, wherever you happen to be driving down the road in your automobile. Although I will tell you, keep your eyes open if you're doing that. But you can accept Christ anywhere.

You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. What do you do with your spare change? Go to your app store, download the app YourChange to help support Koloff for Christ Ministries. Every penny, nickel, dime, and quarter helps us fund Man Camp and so much more. When you come upon one who is down and down, Spread it alone.

Again, download your change, register as a giver, and start making a kingdom difference today. If you are a business owner and would like to advertise your company or product on the Man Up Show and or Q ⁇ A with Koloff, contact me directly, Nakita Koloff at Koloff.net.

Well, so amazing. You just have blessed my heart today. And it is QA with Koloff, so I do want to, in our few minutes remaining here, give you an opportunity, Charles, to ask me a question or two.

So if you want to, if we'll flip the script here and fire away with your first question, what would you have for me?

Okay, so I know you traveled around before your ministry time, and that's definitely what you do now. But if you had to live in another country other than the United States, Where would you live? And if you to work in other than ministry With where would you work? Hmm, great qu okay. Good questions.

Good questions. All right. Wow. So where would I live? I'll start with where would I live.

At one point, I actually toy, you might say, toyed with the idea of living in South Africa. Oh, okay. I made five different trips there.

Now, they were ministry related, but I made five different trips there and uh really kinda honestly just fell in love with Africa. I I've made eleven trips total. Five to South Africa, but I've also been to Angola, Namibia, Tanzania The island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania, Namibia, I think I said that, and Kenya, Kenya, I think was the other one. And I just kind of fell in love with Africa. But it was clear at one point: nah, that's not the path that God has for me.

And I've been to 36 different countries so far. Of course, some of the European countries that I've yet to go to but have seen are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.

So I don't know, you know, maybe, maybe, maybe one of the European countries, but I have to, I do have a plan to spend a month or two just a pilgrimage over in Europe at some point. And then maybe I'll end up seeing a city or a country over there that I would maybe settle in. Um, as far as that goes, my daughter, I had a daughter, Kendra, and her s her husband Brandon lived in Maui, Hawaii for 11 years and made several trips over there. That's not bad to suffer over in Maui, I'll say for the record as well. Um, so right, yeah.

But as far as another another country is concerned, I'm going to probably currently at this point vie for something in Europe, but I can't pinpoint what country that would be yet.

Okay. Um. And so that's part one. And part two, refresh my memory on part two.

So, if you lived in one of them European countries, whatever the new country is, oh, what would I do? What would I do other than ministry? Other than ministry. Right?

Okay. Well, that's actually kind of an easy question to answer, believe it or not, because I've actually did this recently, and I'm going to do it again next spring. If I wasn't in college, Quote, ministry, I would probably be a motivational, inspirational speaker. Like some of the older crowd on the call, listening to the show might know a name, Zig Ziglar. One of the guys I kind of viewed as a mentor, although I never met him personally face to face, but I listened to probably hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and read some of his materials.

There's a guy named Jim Rohn, Jim Rohn, R-O-H-N. Incredible when it came to delivery of a message and his philosophy on life and just really impacted me personally. I was introduced to him actually through business after I left wrestling. You know, I've been involved in different... variety of businesses over the years became an avid book reader and and more recently had an opportunity to do a motivational inspirational talk at coca-cola bottling company in charlotte and and then uh i've been introduced or not introduced but i've been invited to Do another corporate event down in Columbia, South Carolina next spring at Southeastern Trucking.

And I have done not a lot of that.

However, when I do it, it's just fun. In fact, one of my books, Wrestling with Success, Is actually geared really towards the marketplace. And a lot of the material I use when doing a corporate presentation is from that book, Wrestling with Success. Worked on it with a dear friend of mine by the name of Jeffrey Gittemer. And we've been friends for almost 30 years now.

He and I collaborated together and co-wrote that book. Available on my website for the record, cheap little plug there, colof.net. If you ever want to get an autographed copy, along with my life story, Nikita, A Tale of the Ring of Redemption. And then in this very studio, I sit. I also came in and did my life story in my own voice, now available on Amazon as well.

But that's what I would do, Charles. I would do motivational, inspirational speaking, I believe, and travel around the world trying to impact people in that manner.

Okay, awesome. Yeah, very interesting. Thank you. Yeah, no, thank you. Thank you for the questions.

Those are amazing. And thank you for sharing some of your story today, too. And I really appreciate. Appreciate the time we had. I know it can get kind of crazy there at camp, especially with, I know you had 23 other guys you were kind of getting to know, and then our staff as well.

Any final thoughts here before we sign off? Um What would you say to the men out there listening or or to w we get women that listen to the show too, who has that special someone in their life, special man in their life. What would you say? Why should they consider going to camp? Simply put, if you want to get closer to God, that is absolutely.

an avenue to make it happen. Um you're going to find out a lot about yourself and where you're at. I'm sure some people came there thinking that they were great.

Some people came there thinking they had a lot of issues. Um, you know, w with with Being there and being Super focused. you know, and and not distracted on on your personal things, it is, uh you know, it's it's eye opening.

So You've said it a ton of times before, it's not an event, it is an experience. And uh I would just say, you know, simply put, if you want to get closer to God and you're you really you know, more intentional there than that's That's the plan, you're gonna go to man camp. You're gonna leave there changed. You know, when I first got there, and I heard you guys talking about. you know, some of y'all will be changed.

I I was kinda Okay, yeah, I don't know, the I don't know, maybe not this, but uh You know, probably everyone that was a camper there left there. changed for the better. Right. Right. Well, no, that's a good summary and good encouragement and good challenge to all those out there in listening land.

You can go to, again, kolof.net for that as well. If you want to link to the man camp information for next spring, April, we do it every April and every October. And Charles said it's an experience and it is different for every single guy. Not any, you know, any two guys are going to have the exact same experience for whatever reason you're coming. And Charles, we do have guys go, yeah, yeah, I'll go to that camp and I could probably help a few guys out.

And then come to find out, the Lord says, why don't you let me help you out? Yeah, and it's just fun. It was so much fun. You know, I know we're talking about. You know, being a Christian, and you know, that's what this podcast is about, and everything.

But in general, it was just fun. I mean, even to a person that's not very. far in their walk with with God. You know, obviously, you're going to get closer, but in general, it was just a blast. It was so much fun.

You know, we were blessed with really, really great weather. Yes, you were. Yeah, the staff was amazing. The food was absolutely phenomenal. Don't give too much away.

Don't give too much away. Yeah. I mean, everything was just great. It was awesome.

Well, Charles Boswell, again, thank you for serving in the military, serving our great nation. And up there, Roseville Baptist Church, Pastor Jackie Hill, if you're ever up there in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Twin Cities, check it out. I believe you'll be blessed some Sunday morning or any other opportunities. Or if you happen to be there next August, come over to the men's breakfast.

So thanks for being part of the show today. Thank you for having me so much. And thank all of you out there for helping spread the word on QA with Koloff. And also, it's time to man up. Make sure to get the word out for that as well.

Sign up, download, subscribe, all that good stuff. And help us get past. We're past the 100-country mark. We want to go even further. Until next time, go out and just have a God-filled and live a God-blessed day.

If you're looking for cutting-edge products, discover top-quality supplements designed to boost your health and wellness. Traynaut Nutrition. Find a variety of vitamins, proteins, and herbal extracts tailored to meet your needs. I will only recommend the best. Go to Treynaut.com slash koloff.

Traynaut.com. That's T-R-A-N-O-N-T.com slash Koloff to learn more. The Man Up Show is honored to have Dr. Johnny Gayton as one of our longest-running supportive sponsors. Dr.

Gayton is regarded as one of the world's leading elite eye surgeons. He is motivated by his faith in doing all things heartily as unto the Lord. His desire to do his best has contributed to success in his eye care practice, performing over 70,000 eye surgeries. In addition, he's a world-renowned speaker, writer, and author. Go to iAssociates.com for more information.