Q&A with Koloff - #1

Hey, this is Mike Zwick from If Not For God Podcast. Our show, Stories of Hopelessness, Turned into Hope. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it. But most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast Network. Welcome to Questions and Answers Q&A with Koloff. Thanks for joining me today. Oh, I'm so excited.

Well, great to have you. Now, I saw Laura, but also Lori. So you go by Lori though. Yeah, that was my dad's bright idea to give me a couple of different names to confuse me as a child. So yeah, Lori's fine. Dads will do that.

Dads will do that. Easy name to remember. I have a sister named Lori. So yeah, it's about the same way. L-O-R-I, right? Yes. Awesome. And I think I'm remembering, correct me if I'm wrong, from your Twitter that you're either a Chicago Bear fan or you're up in the Chicago area.

Is that right? Well, I am a Chicago Bear fan ever since I can remember. I have a picture at the Hall of Fame standing in front of some memorabilia when I was about five years old.

Wow. But I'm not from Chicago. I am from a small town in Virginia about 30 minutes south of D.C. Oh, what's the name of the town? I live in Warrington, Virginia. It's Fauquier County. The reason I'm asking is I've done a lot of ministry in Dumfries, Virginia.

I can get to Dumfries in about 20 minutes. So yeah, I know where that is. That's amazing.

And I've actually, a number of years ago, I did quite a few school assemblies in Woodbridge as well. Yes. Right in your backyard.

Yes, exactly. So how does a young girl growing up in Virginia become a Chicago Bear fan? Just tell me that story real quick. Well, I lived in a house full of men. I had older brothers.

I was the youngest of five. Wow. OK. So my dad and my brothers were all big, huge sports fanatics. Yeah. My dad was one of those very traditional people who thought you should like every hometown team that was available.

OK. So I'm like, well, you know, that's just not me. So I'm like, so one day the Washington was playing Chicago on TV and my dad was like, he really should sit down and watch this, become a Redskins fan. And I'm like, I think I'm going to like the team they're playing. So it was really out of rebellion that I chose the Bears. There you go.

Well, hey, we kind of, by nature, we kind of do that anyway, don't we? So I've just been there ever since. All these years later, still a Bears fan. Yes. Well, good for you. I can't say, I mean, I'm not one of those, you know, big like rival, like, oh, I hate, you know, you know, I grew up in Minnesota, right? Of course, you know, for all the listeners out there by now, you should realize I'm not from Russia. Right.

So, but we'll get to your question in a minute because it kind of relates to that. But so, yeah, so, so, you know, I grew up in Minnesota, a Viking fan, of course, all these years later, even though I've lived in the Carolinas longer now than anywhere else, I'm still, they're number one. I mean, I'm on the top of my leg, you know, so I'm still a Viking fan, right? Of course, you know, Vikings and Bears, you know, over the years, they call it, they used to call it the black and blue division.

I don't know, they even still do, but they used to call it the black and blue division, right? So I can't say I was a fan of the Bears, but, but I respect all of the teams, right? So.

Yes. At this point, I just like a good competitive game. So I say, I just love a good game. So, so you're, you grew up in a house full of, of, of men, bless your heart, man, that had, that had to be challenging. Well, it had its moments, you know, but, you know, being the only girl, you kind of learn how to manipulate the system sometimes. So yeah, it was, it was good. Take, take advantage, you take advantage, right? Be, be the only girl. So yeah, I understand that. I raised four girls, so I kind of understand a little bit about that, you know, as far as, as far as the, the soft, tender heart of the, of the girl, right?

You got to take care of the, of the girls. So, well, how did, well, where did, let me ask you, where did, uh, cause we're going to get to your, I'm going to go to your, your, your wrestling question here in a second. So how, when did wrestling come into play there? Where was your dad and your brothers, I mean, were they wrestling fans or how'd that come to be? I cannot remember a time that we did not watch wrestling.

It has, it's always been on the TV. It's like my dad was a fan, but only in a sense where he would like to root against whoever you loved. Okay.

He would just, he just found the fun in it. Now, the brother who is closest to my age, he's pretty much the one that's responsible for us becoming such, um, diehard fans. And I've been like, my very first favorite wrestler was Tito Santana. Okay. Yup.

Yup. I know way back in the WWF and I loved him for gosh, forever. And like, it's just, it started there, you know, you just find one that grabs your interest. And then from there, you just are so invested. Well, I, I appreciate, I really appreciate you being such a, really a, honestly, a loyal fan and, and all these years later, and, you know, I say it all the time. It always bears repeating, you know, we love, love, love our, our, our fans and just, and so thank you for, for being such a long, long standing loyal fan.

Yeah. I just, I know I appreciate the effort that in the hard work and, you know, the bumps and bruises and the pain that ever, you know, that you all go through to perform for us. So it is, you know, it's, I think it's a blessing on our side as fans to, to have something positive to look forward to each week.

I appreciate that. And I think more and more people have, have come to appreciate what you just said, real realizing, you know, that, that yes, wrestling is entertainment, but yes, guys, guys, guys really, I mean, I have, I had my share, I had my share of injuries in, in the ring and, and some, some a little more serious than others. Fortunately, I haven't never had any major, major serious injuries. Like some of the guys, you know, have sustained, you know, stone cold, you know, breaking his neck or, you know, just different, different, you know, just lots of guys blowing out their shoulder or their knee or different things like that.

Fortunately, um, I did that on the grid iron. I did that on the football fields. Uh, I guess I got it all out of my system on the football field where I didn't have to, although I will say like, even now, my, like my lower back, I mean, these last six months has just been aggravating me, the, the, the heck out of me. And, and it's, you know, it's, it's from, from being that human crash dummy, right.

And that wrestling ring, all those body slams, you know? So, well, one of your questions was, was your Russian accent hard to master? Well, Laurie, let me tell you something right now. Does that take you back a little bit? Yes. Oh, that was so great.

Thank you. And I know you're like, I really thought it was authentic. I was crushed. I really was back in the eighties, you know, I'm an, you know, an eighties kid, like when you're starting to discover things in the world and like, you know, wrestling and like, we didn't have, we had, we were at the mercy of the televised shows and magazines that came out like six weeks after the event happened.

So, you know, we didn't have access to the information that that's available now. So yes, I was like, I mean, I was really like, well, you, you, uh, it, believe it or not, it's still even with the advent, the internet and everything else. I still, in fact, in fact, I was doing an autograph signing this, uh, I don't know, maybe three or four years ago. Now you lose track of time, but it was in Virginia.

I'm doing an autograph signing in Virginia. And I got, I got the total package, Lex Luger sitting next to me and, and, and we're just signing away. And, and all of a sudden there's a long line. All of a sudden I hear this fluent Russian, right? And I'm like, Oh dear Lord, here we go. Cause I, I, I'm, I'm not Russian nor do I speak Russian.

I threw a few phrases and words out that would convince someone like yourself, Laurie, that I really was from Russia. And so I'm like, well, maybe if I ignore her, she'll just go away. Right. So something else fluid in Russia. I'm like, she's not going anywhere.

Right. I'm going to have to dress this. Now I look up and we make eye contact, contact, and she got the little daughter with her. She's glowing, right? She's just like glowing. And she, when I look at her, she says something else in Russian.

Now I've understood not one thing she said yet. And I look at her and I go, ma'am, ma'am. I go, I, I'm, I'm not really from Russia. That was like a character that I portrayed. And Laurie, she goes from this glow. She takes about a half a step back and from a glow to a, to a scowl. And she says, you're not really from Russia. And I go, ma'am, it was just a character that I portrayed.

She goes, I drove three hours here to meet you. And of course my good buddy, Lex has just stirred it up going. Nope, Nope.

He sure isn't. And I'm like, dude, I got your help, buddy. Thanks for stirring it up, Lex. And, and, and, and I'm like, man, I'm so I'm, I'm, I'm sorry. And she was so mad. Louis, she never did. She got out of line, took her daughter, never got an autograph, six hours in the car.

She was that bad. Right. So I'm like, Oh my gosh. So, but as far as mastering that, I mean, I took about six months before I ever spoke a quote word of English on a television interview, six months silence, just destroying guys every week without saying a word. And in the process though, I got her, I got a Russian back in the day, cassette tape, a Russian workbook.

I learned to sign my name in Russian. I took it serious, obviously, because you believed it and many others did. Right. I sure did. I definitely did. And I, I want to even say that you might've been retired before I even realized that you were from Minnesota. Good for you. That was great. Yeah, no, I, I, I appreciate it. I didn't take it as a compliment and, and, and, and so six, about six months to really kind of master, okay.

But it really was from there. How would this word sound? How would that word sound? How would a sentence sound? I mean, I, that, all that in the meantime, I'm listening to some of the Russian cassette tape.

I'm learning to sign my name and doing all this stuff and, and, and yeah, it was, you said you were one of the better secrets of wrestling. Cause you know, there wasn't the internet and all that back then. So, you know, what a time to be an angry Russian in America. Like it was just, you know, perfect timing.

It was cold war era. And believe it or not, um, I believe it or not, there were six different times, starting with the great American bash of Ric Flair, 1985, the first fan that got over the barricade actually in the ring and got his hands on me. Now the other five times my radars up, my antennas are up. So nobody else ever got their hands on me, but five other guys tried to get their hands on me. Right.

And just did not like me. In fact, right. The magazines, right.

One of the most, well, the number at one point, the number one, most hated guy in professional wrestling. Right. So, well, see, and there you go. I mean, it's an interesting stat, but it just proves you were doing your job. Well, I was a guy. I take that as a compliment. Well, let me, let me get to your second question.

I want to save that one from last. Uh, it's a great question. You said last year, 2020, uh, for everyone was, was a very, for real was a very challenging year. I mean, you are, you are spot on, you know, churches still struggling either to open or, or stay open to hold attendance. And I like what you said, we need Jesus now more than, than ever.

And boy, if, if that's not true, uh, that, that is for real. And as Christ, Christ followers, how do we reach the lost was, was one question. And then how do we help them establish, uh, a relationship with Jesus, especially during this quarantine or during this whole craziness that's going on? Two really great questions.

Um, uh, let me address the first one. How do we reach the lost? I mean, you know, certainly for me, uh, you know, as an evangelist, it's part of my calling is part of what I do, right. When I go out and travel and minister in churches and, uh, and, and, or, uh, you know, conferences, like I'll be, you know, I'm, I'm, I'll be down in Pensacola, near Pensacola, Florida, doing a men's conference. I do camps called man camp with Lex Luger. I, I do conferences called man up conference, right.

So, so I'm, I'm in front of a lot of guys and really challenging them. And, you know, in, do they, one, do they have a relationship with Jesus? Secondly, um, if they don't, you know, to make that decision and do that, but for the person who's not, you know, like me, like say an evangelist or just, you know, maybe a marketplace person or a mom raising, raising children, or, you know, I think for me, one of the best ways to do that, to, to reach the lost is, is just to, to be growing and maturing in our own relationship with Jesus. And then in doing that, just being salt and light to everybody we come in contact with, whether it's the raising of children, working out in the marketplace with coworkers, running into someone at the gas station, walking through a grocery line and being kind to, to the couch or the guy checking out, you know, bagging your groceries or checking you out, or, you know, just being a, being salt and light, just, just living it. So not necessarily preaching to somebody or as, although that can be a part of it. Um, I like what, uh, there was this quote, I believe it's Sir Francis of Assisi who was quoted as saying this, at all times, preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and when necessary, use words.

Amen. And, and the, obviously the point being, just live it, just, just live it. And then, and if they, and then eventually they go, man, what's so different about you?

Or how come, you know, you don't react at work when this happens or, you know, you just, you respond, but you don't get upset or you don't blow up or, you know, cuss somebody out or whatever. Well, you know, well, I'm glad you asked, you know, Hey, at lunch break, can we, can I share that story with you? And, and then it's just, just sharing your story. I like to call it your story, your testimony, right? We're known by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. And so it's just bearing good fruit to the people that you're around, I think is one of the best ways we can reach the law.

Just being authentic, being real, and showing, you know, your love for Jesus through your actions, even more so than your words. Is that, is that, is that helpful? Oh, that's extremely helpful.

Yes. And you know, um, real quick, our, the church that I belong to, um, the first full week in January, every year we do a week of prayer. So every night we come together and we pray. And the last night we were kind of like discussing things after we prayed and kind of like what we heard from Jesus or, you know, what direction. And that's, you know, that it's spot on to exactly what our pastor was saying. Like it all starts with ourselves and we can't expect other people to know who Jesus is if we're not exhibiting his love and his grace to others.

So it's exactly, it's exactly what we were talking about last night. No, that's, that's good. And as far as helping them establish, you know, that relationship with Jesus, whether, whether it's during a quarantine or anything else, uh, again, the word that comes to mind there, Laurie, is discipleship. Discipleship. I heard recently of a good friend of mine, a pastor friend of mine in Fort Mill, South Carolina, uh, thought he had heard, uh, an interview with Reverend Billy Graham one time saying, if you, if, you know, if there was something you could change, Reverend Graham, you know, what, what would be something you do different? And, and I believe what he said was, I would have had more disciples and less converts. More disciples and less converts.

You know, certainly we want to see everyone, you know, get converted, come to, come to know Jesus in a personal way, right? A personal relationship. But, but, but that's only, that's just the beginning. Then, then, you know, like a newborn infant, you don't leave it to fend for itself, right? You got to nurture that infant.

You got to take care of it, raise it, and whole deal. Same thing with a, with a brand new believer in Jesus. We got, we got to disciple them people. We got to nurture them, disciple them, and help them establish that new relationship that they just formed with Jesus.

And, and that's something I believe is incredibly lacking in the church, as a, as a whole, and something that the church, as a whole, needs to begin, especially in today's time, start focusing on more and more. Amen. I agree. Well, I'm, I'm gonna let you go here in just a second, Laurie, but I appreciate, I appreciate you. Man, thanks for being on, on Questions and Answers, Q&A with, with, with Koloff today. And of course, well, it's gonna be great because, you know, the show's called It's Time to Man Up, but it's always great to have a female voice on that show too, you know. Well, I appreciate that.

Thank you so much. Absolutely. And help, help us out by just, you know, continuing to spread the word for, for the, for the podcast. And, and who knows, one day, maybe I'll get up to your area, be able to meet you face to face, and, and maybe even preach at your church. Who knows, right?

What a blessing that would be. Thank you. Yes. Well, I appreciate it. Well, God bless you, and, and thank you again for your time today. And, and, uh, we'll look forward to continuing to connect on social media.

Yes, Nikita. Thanks so much. All right. Take care, Laurie. You too. Bye-bye. This is the Truth Network.