Levi and Chelsea Thomas Going All In

\\ Podcast introduction

We have the privilege to introduce Levi and Chelsea Thomas, owners of a local F45 gym. Their story is so much more than health and fitness. It’s about learning through life’s major disappointments. Taking risks to explore new opportunities. Building a community through positive influence and a loving, personal presence. Listening and looking. Being willing and wanting to take a risk when your story demands it.

How this Oregon rancher and small town midwestern girl experience ups and downs together is nothing short of extraordinary! You’ll hear about their backstory, insecurities, faith, and the incredible F45 family that reciprocated the love to keep the gym even through a long period of mandated COVID-19 closure. 

We loved having them in the studio. We trust you will be just as inspired we are to listen better, love more, and go all in.

\\ Discover more about our guests

Levi on Facebook, Instagram @levi_thomas_

Chelsea on Facebook, Instagram @_chelsthomas

F45 gym on Instagram @f45_training_chesterfield

\\ Other things

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/732fql_jhJQ
Share your thoughts: podcast@sarahgood.com

Now That's Something Good Podcast by Sarah Good is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Transcript

Sarah:
[1:37] Hey friends welcome back to the show today in the studio I have my friends Chelsea and Levi Thomas why don't you guys say hello in both of you kind of just introduce yourselves a little bit so they can hear your voices and get to know you.

Chelsea:
[1:49] Hi guys I'm Chelsea Thomas I'm from,
Southern Illinois so I'm a Midwest girl Levi's not Levi's from Oregon will share a little bit about our story there but we are fairly new to Missouri and of course getting to know Sarah within the last year so we're excited to be here.

Levi:
[2:11] Yeah we're going to Dive Right In on that.

Sarah:
[2:13] I'm excited.

Levi:
[2:15] But part of the story what part of the story do we need,
yeah I'm Levi Thomas and originally from Oregon and I now live in the beautiful city of St. Louis because of this beautiful lady sitting next to me brought me out here but no we love it and.
Just born and raised on 1,700 acres and yeah a little bit of a transition coming out here.
Yeah like I said we'll probably dive in all this.

Sarah:
[2:43] I love it well I know I've already got so many questions so let's just start 1700 Acres at a farm or like just land are you a farm boy.

Levi:
[2:52] We call it a ranch.

Sarah:
[2:54] Ranch okay yes yeah I need the right term.

Chelsea:
[2:56] He doesn't look like a Rancher.

Sarah:
[2:59] So wait I'm gonna need was Levi let's just start with you so you grew up on a ranch I'm assuming horse cows or I don't what kind of ranch.

Levi:
[3:08] Yeah we had cattle and sheep and then we also of course had horses and all that.

Sarah:
[3:13] Night okay so like are you okay I can you ride horses and pant Chelsea this is a.

Chelsea:
[3:18] Don't let his haircut fool you he's a hillbilly.

Sarah:
[3:22] I love it like normally I like the cowboy hat or like the Rancher hats all the stuff okay that's cool so is that like a family-owned ranch or how did house.

Levi:
[3:31] Yeah my granddad started with nothing 1964 started buying pieces of land and when he finished his 1,700 Acres yeah now my mom and dad run it I mean they both have full-time jobs outside of that too but it's kind of
most ranchers in I mean I guess in the midwest you get the bigger Farmers but a lot of ranchers do it.... it's more of a lifestyle,
they're definitely not getting rich it's about living out in the country and doing what you love you know old old-fashioned hard work.

Sarah:
[4:01] I love it that I would have so many questions just ask about,
we always man could take a ranch to her we might have to come visit you out on the on the ranch that's what okay well so then how did you guys meet how did you get can how did your paths intersect,
that's what you guys.

Chelsea:
[4:16] That's the main question everyone always says obviously being far away and then leave I always jokes and says we met on farmersonly.com and everyone believes it because I'm from a small farm town,
in Illinois my home town's 2000 people.

Sarah:
[4:31] That's so crazy.

Chelsea:
[4:32] You wouldn't know that you're in it unless you know.

Sarah:
[4:35] Where is that like.

Chelsea:
[4:36] Through it so anyway we met through mutual friends and in a company that we were previously involved with which is a big part of our story in general health and wellness company,
but we both used to be high school teachers and coaches,
so we had a very similar just life story background everything and so some friends that I was teaching with,
wanted to take a trip out to Portland Oregon which is where he was living at the time and so we had that planned,
I flew out there for that trip ironically enough call it ironic whatever you.
Plan but I was dating a guy for six years he was with a girl for four years and about two weeks prior to that trip we had both ended those relationships not knowing.

Sarah:
[5:23] Wow yeah.

Chelsea:
[5:24] And so I flew out there for that trip we met up for the first time and we both knew immediately like this was something,
so anyway so that's how we met I flew back home that was the beginning of May 2017,
finish the school year the very next day I bought a one-way ticket out to Portland and we spent about a week together and just knew like that was it so I flew back home,
I left my teaching job my coaching job told my parents that I was packing my bags and moving to Oregon for a guy that they had never met before.

Sarah:
[6:01] How did that go.

Chelsea:
[6:02] Surprisingly like they were very supportive and like they could tell like okay this is different because that,
I'm a very tight bake kind of gal and had my everything in the fact that I was willing to just go they were like okay this must be something so then I moved in June of 2017 and we got engaged,
that November.

Levi:
[6:23] Let's see if she gets the date right here.

Chelsea:
[6:25] We got engaged that November We Got Married the following March right after and then we moved here to Missouri when I was 34 weeks pregnant with our daughter and we've been here since then so it's been a.

Sarah:
[6:39] You guys just have a fast track,
little thing going on here this is nuts okay see I didn't know that so to back up just a second for you guys listening Chelsea and Levi we know each other we have mutual friends but we also go to the same church,
so got connected with them and so this is fun for me because I really don't know their story so I'm getting to learn it along with everybody all of y'all listening so this,
okay so Oregon you left everything I mean Chelsea's just talk a little bit more about that how was that really I mean how old were you at that time like leaving everything you've known,
going across the.

Chelsea:
[7:11] I was well how old would I been 24 yeah 24 because I was just a couple years out of college and I was teaching so then I moved out there but like I said we the company that we were involved with.
We both had built online businesses separately as like a side hustle which is how we had the mutual friends how we met but that freedom.
Let me move out there and leave that teaching job behind and Levi was already doing that full-time like he had walked away from teaching so whenever I moved out there we kind of went all-in on the health and wellness side of our,
which now we have a gym and that's what piece of the story that led to it so when I moved out there we that for us was like a stepping stone and okay we're going to pursue this together we knew we were going to get married and be,
together and started walking that path so.

Sarah:
[8:04] That's amazing so then how did you get out here to st. Louis from Oregon.

Chelsea:
[8:12] I got pregnant and I wanted to be closer to my family,
so we I mean it was kind of a whole story everything we do we kind of fly by the seat of our pants it seems like when we feel like we need to go somewhere do something we just go all in and do it.

Levi:
[8:29] We've moved four times in three years so that we just move this summer into a home and we don't plan on moving for a while so there's been a lot happening.

Chelsea:
[8:41] Yeah but we moved when I was 34 weeks pregnant Levi drove the U-Haul 2000 miles I flew and.

Sarah:
[8:47] That's awesome.

Chelsea:
[8:50] Yeah so then we moved here and we actually started to pursue Opening Our gym,
we were in Oregon that's kind of that started the process and then we moved and whenever we got here we've for some reason we just felt like the Chesterfield area was where we needed to be and,
the way that that all unfolded was a God thing in itself but,
yeah we started pursuing that shortly after I had Macy and then the next year that fall is whenever we opened so.

Sarah:
[9:22] It's crazy I love how stories just all kind of connect and work together what we're both of your were you in like Pete what kind of teachers were you high Stay High School teachers.

Levi:
[9:34] Yeah I was health and PE then I coached yeah.

Sarah:
[9:36] Okay okay Chelsea.

Chelsea:
[9:38] Yeah he coached wrestling and then I was Nora's not I taught history yeah and then I coached CrossFit and basketball.

Sarah:
[9:42] Really okay that's awesome okay and left all that jumped head into business of so came here now your business owners do you want to talk a little bit about that story or where do you.

Chelsea:
[9:56] Yeah well you want to share the peace in between yeah about losing the big one the big bomb.

Levi:
[10:01] Which piece oh well there's been.

Chelsea:
[10:06] A lot of we've had a few.

Sarah:
[10:07] We want to hear whatever story you want to share with.

Chelsea:
[10:09] We joke we joke and we say well the first six month of six months of our relationship was great and then after that we've just been taking up punches and everything since then so.

Sarah:
[10:17] Oh gosh okay yeah we'll talk about so yeah you guys were both both with and you don't have to share the company but with a big company I'm assuming this is.

Levi:
[10:27] Yeah so will the old the whole journey of opening the gym and I'm not sure if we're supposed to say names and all that if it matters so yeah so.

[10:37] So opening an f45 for us there's been plenty of opportunities for us to release control and talk about pray and realize that God is in control,
and then if you're trying to control everything along the way you will go crazy,
they just had to even more stress to your relationship to everything else and so there's been plenty of things,
a lot of things in life you turn around look back and you realize oh that's why that didn't happen and all that's why that didn't happen and so that started even in Portland we actually started pursuing it in Portland,
we're about ready to sign on the dotted line to open it there in a suburb of Portland and every as stuff fell through and so we put everything on hold and it was just didn't feel right so again,
you know talked about that listen you know we really want to do this and doesn't feel right things are falling through here things aren't matching up so we put on hold we move out here get settled and then that next spring we start the process again but you know,
open for 3 months then covid hits. In our county we had to close for three months
still got to pay all your bills but they won't let you open your business for three months straight and just that whole walking to that whole first year of covid and mass mandates and this and that
and you just put every dollar that you've ever saved in your life and borrowed some on top of that into opening a new business that.

[12:05] You know as you feel like you're being tied down the whole time like he can't really get up and just run and do what you want.

[12:12] Through that whole process there's many times where it's just like you know and praying and saying that God is in control it's we don't know how it's going to work out right now we don't know how we're going to make it but we believe if we keep waking up everyday we lean on him.
Trust that he's there for us and someone you know somehow he's going to make away and there was just little things here and there along the way that now we look back and then,
coming into this year just the the windfall or the Avalanche of people that came in and just the momentum it was.

Chelsea:
[12:43] Dream to because.

Levi:
[12:45] Yeah and so it was just like reassuring of he's there just sometimes it's easy to question or wonder if you forgot about you or why is this you know why is this happening to us,
when all we want to do is make a difference in this life and we want to you know make a difference in people's lives and we feel like this is one of the ways we're going to do that and now it's just one obstacle after another after another so again you know what
we're at today turn around and look back and yeah was it fun no,
we change it no because it causes you to grow it for me especially increases your faith because you don't really have a choice.

Sarah:
[13:25] Yeah I love that I want to come back to us I want to hear more about the gym story too because I think there's so much and
the dream you alluded to but come back to me for a sec about control and faith and I feel like you guys do know very clearly you feel like God has both given you guys probably individually and together as a couple,
passion and a purpose,
I think a lot of people struggle with knowing what their passion and purpose is in life and so I would love for you first just share with us where you guys are at with that where are you feel like what,
your kind of calling your purpose or mission in life is and then maybe give some encouragement to people struggling like how did you figure that out like how do you know.

Chelsea:
[14:01] Well I think especially like a lot of the things and we'll share more that we've walked through very much equipped as a very quickly to just be willing to let go.
Take things in stride and my just even like my background personally I've graduated college I actually had a corporate finance job I had a finance degree I knew I was supposed to be a teacher and coach and that was my first big leap of faith of like this is where I'm supposed to go had I not,
I left that job and pursued teaching and coaching I wouldn't have started my side business which wouldn't allowed me to meet Levi which everything else,
so like it's the first big leap of faith that's really scary,
that I know that God used that and I still reflect on that to prepare me for everything else me like I've got you and the doors that he opened and like that just gave me so much confidence to be willing to go and same things with what Levi has walked through but,
especially now with when we share more of just like the hits and things that have,
take it like we've taken in our first three years of marriage we're at a place where like,
one we've never been afraid to lay everything on the line like we know of God's calling us to do,
need to go after it we need to do it and he's going to work things out and we're a good team in that,
I'm the I don't know what she'd say I'm the it's going to work out we got to do this thing and Levi's more of the analytical here's how we're going to get there where I kind of fly by the.

[15:24] At things so we're a very good balance in that way but,
we've been grown so much and I know for a fact leave it us to that the reason that we've taken some of the big hits that we have so quickly in such a short time being together is because that is what his,
rest and equipped us to live a life where we've had it all we've had a lot and we've been at Rock Bottom zero in a very short time and had to read,
live to where we're willing to let go of things and don't hold onto things the same and we know that if God's calling us somewhere to do something we're just going to go ahead and do it and trust that he's going to,
work things out for us and we if we felt called to go to Florida.
Few months or do something totally different we're at a place now where we would be willing to let it all go and not have that attachment to things or like our identity is truly not tied to our gym or this business or whatever it is like we are,
we've been grown very quickly to a place where we're just willing to let go into step into what's.

Sarah:
[16:24] Yeah yeah.

Chelsea:
[16:24] Next which has been really it's a free and fun place.

Sarah:
[16:28] I bet I love that and I'm sure there's a lot of people listening that struggle with you know I want to do that but I do know how to do that and what does that look like can you guys share just a little more maybe of some of the stories that have led you to that place cuz I think you said it's not,
would just one moment it's probably continuing to have to choose to walk like that and continue to choose to trust God but come back and share any of the story that you want to.

Chelsea:
[16:51] Yeah well we can both kind of share a little bit about our company that we were involved with this was a big defining.

Levi:
[16:58] You're fine but I was going to say something on to add what you said earlier,
because we talked about it and obstacles in life business marriage everything one we believe it was not an accident that,
we met each other that we you know got married started a family but we believe that was by Design,
and we also believe that.
When they're in if you feel like the enemy is attacking you which he is going to the,
what we try to go back to as we just believe we have a big calling on our life and he knows that.
How do I say that that just helps us because we believe if we feel like we're getting attacked it's because he knows we have a big calling and if we didn't feel like we weren't getting attacked,
like we're doing something wrong it doesn't necessarily make it easier,
but it helps you I guess continue to press forward and have confidence to know that we're doing the right things to have faith because that's just the enemy trying to find a way to get us to give up to lose belief.

Sarah:
[18:09] Yeah yeah.

Levi:
[18:09] To get it each other anyway he can distract us from ultimately God wants us to do while we're here.

Sarah:
[18:15] Absolutely well that's really good Levi.

Chelsea:
[18:19] Yeah so we actually so like leave I talked about when we were pursuing opening our gym and we're going to do it in Oregon the things that fell through like it's almost comical looking back because.
The company that we are involved with we had built to the top level in that company so life was very.

Sarah:
[18:35] Okay yeah.

Chelsea:
[18:36] Comfortable for us we were home all day together don't have a kid just we travelled a ton life was very comfortable and great and so one of the things that was almost funny is we were going to put,
half the money down for our gym that we had and then we are going to finance our equipment back and we we couldn't get financing and our financing kept falling through and I like that makes,
absolutely no sense if you looked at it are you know,
Financial so that was one thing we're like what is going on here and then we met with we're like okay we got to the next step we met with our landlord out there sat down with him we had the exact space do you wanted the least we wanted everything was like,
on a silver platter and we both just had a gut feeling of like this something's off here and so we didn't pursue it and then moving here,
you know had Macy and then repursued things but the biggest defining moment big,
thing that happened was with that company that we are with we went into the bank here when we decided we're going to open one in Chesterfield and we like I said we put down half the money we got a loan for the other half.
And sign on the dotted line and one week later we lost that business.

Sarah:
[19:49] No

Chelsea:
[19:50] Spent years building that was our only income that was everything that company announced that they were essentially going to restructure things and we were gone,
and everything was taken away overnight and so we knew in that moment well one you know God had his hand on that but,
like when we were going to open the gym it was going to be I'd always wanted my own gym I was going to be a passion project of course we are still going to be present but like it was just going to be more.

Levi:
[20:14] Yeah the gym was supposed to be a investment.

Sarah:
[20:19] Okay yeah.

Levi:
[20:21] If the gym is not profitable we have the cash flow to carry it,
it's going to be fun we're going to make a difference in another area and there's some crossover there because it's still in the health and wellness side of things and so open sign on the dotted line and then take that.
In come away and now it's the pressure the pressure is on.

Sarah:
[20:39] Wow okay so this was here in Chesterfield I mean this was here in St Louis area Okay you'd sign for your space is the space you guys are in wow okay.

Chelsea:
[20:50] Yes we had our least we had and that's that goes hand-in-hand with part of the dream all share but we had our lease signed we had son given all of our money to order our like everything we were we were all in it was yesterday yeah I know.

Sarah:
[21:02] Yeah oh gosh.

Levi:
[21:04] So we opened in December,
mid-December so it's three months and then you shut down that's why I'm saying it's an additional pressure with covid and at first year of trying to operate a business and they have your hands tied the whole time because,
the initial plan of let's open this Jim it's going to be fun to now there's all kinds of pressure because you have to make it work because you don't have a choice.

Chelsea:
[21:24] Yeah so we lost two big things really quickly but what what's cool and I.
No God gave me this dream back when he did for a reason I've held on to it since then but it was the week before we had lost that business so we had actually just signed on our.

[21:41] But our put money down at the bank and like it was a couple days after that I had this dream and it was God speaks to me through dreams but this one was like very Vivid it woke me up and I woke up to God's voice essentially in my head,
being you exist to give people hope and to show them that I am enough,
in this dream it is hands down the most Vivid dream I've ever had in my life we were in our building our physical space before it was ours,
and it was totally empty on the inside there's nothing was dark outside it was totally empty was just me and Levi inside lights on it was like glowing from the outside so you wouldn't know that it was a gym but it was our,
actual location where we were and we're inside and all these people are just coming from all different directions
shins and they're coming in to us and we're just loving on them and encouraging them and like we didn't know what was going on but we and we obviously had nothing to give I know that that's why God was using a totally empty space to symbolize,
thing to give,
other than what was in our hearts and we just kept saying well people like how are you doing this and like we didn't you know exactly what was going on but we just kept saying we exist,
you know give people hope and show them that God is enough and I woke up from that dream when I typed it down into.

[22:56] Notepad and I was like that was really weird and then one week later we lost our business we had nothing and then,
you know like Levi talked about we open this gym we go and I mean when we open it was just us two year coaching every class from 5 a.m. until 6:15 p.m. setting,
our daughter who is one we have no family out here we had like.

[23:19] Is crazy and then like you said we're open for three months and then shut down out of our control so all of that tying in but I,
hold on to that because I know that.
But one we wouldn't be we made it through by the grace of God the fact that our doors are even able to reopen after all of that,
we know it was a total God thing because we applied for every bit of covid funding and stuff out there we got nothing we got no brakes from our landlord from any like we literally had.

[23:51] Every single expense do still the whole time we were shut down we got nothing but our members were amazing and that was one of the coolest things like we had prayed over that space in the people that God would bring in our lives,
through those doors and the majority of our members paid their full membership the whole time we were shut down and these are people who are they've only known as a couple months you know,
and they did that and without that we would not have been able to reopen hands down and,
people gifted memberships like to people in healthcare because we were trying to do stuff online the generosity like,
that that affirmed our belief so much and what we were doing because we felt called to open a gym the space that worked out everything about it was a God thing,
and the timing of it and we knew we just felt so strongly were meant to be here meant to make a difference here right now and that was an affirmation of God's saying this is a hundred percent me you know the only reason,
Still Standing is because I'm providing for you because we obviously had nothing.

Sarah:
[24:51] Yeah yeah.

Chelsea:
[24:52] From anything and to be open and to make it,
through all of that was really it encourages your faith and it makes us want to give more do more just.
Chasing the things that he has for us because we know that he's going to provide and he's going to show up even when it's not.

Sarah:
[25:12] So Levi take me back to that moment when you know you said you guys started the gym in December and then it's March,
couple weeks in I mean I know you guys said ultimately you know your faith has been built through that but what was really going on in your mind when it's like we're having to shut down your I mean because you guys know I mean you talk about financial part the first,
what 6 months I mean of a few months of a business is really huge because you're having to recoup,
to call I mean just all the things that you've invested not only having to pay people pay all the things so you are brand-new what were you thinking I mean did you guys did you think you're going to be able to make it what was going on.

Levi:
[25:51] Honestly it's a cool thing about life,
through hard times is this time goes on you kind of forget some of that to be honest I know that the,
the one thing for me when you're in business with your spouse there's great things about that.

Sarah:
[26:11] Yeah.

Levi:
[26:13] But then when things are not great then,
you take it out on each other so I can tell you just in our marriage that was a stressful season in our marriage that was not fun I guess I could say I'm.
What I choose to walk through that again yeah but I don't know.
If I'd like to walk through that again because that's not fun you know and that was a good lesson to of priorities what's most important here you know God family,
then everything else because when your family's not right doesn't really matter what you're doing,
you know when inside your four walls is not what it should be it affects everything and.

Sarah:
[26:54] Yeah yeah.

Levi:
[26:55] We got you know we got to walk through that now that we're on the other side I'm grateful for it because I'm sure you know the enemy is going to throw things at us and our marriage in the future,
but I feel like we learned a lot walking through that again growing in our faith because at the end of the day that's all you can do.
How far you want to dive into that but yeah for me it was a lot of lessons you know just who can who's going to meet your needs you know we expect our spouse to meet our needs but your spouse isn't there to always meet your knees so you know there's only one,
person or thank God they can actually meet all your needs and so for me that was a good season in that aspect of realizing that I don't need Chelsea for in a good way.

Sarah:
[27:37] Mmm Yeah.

Levi:
[27:39] She cannot meet all of my needs all the time we're leading up to that season I feel like I was,
I didn't understand that you know you there was an expectation put on her like an unrealistic expectations that she's never going to be able to live up to so again that's it,
on the other side there's another blessing that God is using that where you feel like everything might be crumbling down around you and you know diamonds are forged under pressure and our marriage has grown because of that,
stressful time.
So that for me I would say looking back that was the biggest piece for me it wasn't necessarily the business related but more so marriage related and just in our personal lives,
we had to walk through and in the growth that took place during that time.

Sarah:
[28:27] Let's get Chelsea everything to had from the marriage but I mean that is huge like said running businesses you guys are doing it all together all the time there's no separation which I'm sure is Plus in my you'll good in bed.

Levi:
[28:38] And I also have to preface that by saying by no means did do we have it figured out and we got into little thing today even.

Sarah:
[28:46] It happens.

Levi:
[28:48] When we got to the gym so it's like I always I don't ever want to feel like I'm standing up here and speaking down to other people acting like we got it figured out because we sure don't,
we can always come back to God's at the center of our marriage and we know we can always come back to that which is important.

Chelsea:
[29:06] Yeah that for sure yeah I mean we've we've grown a lot and that's why I drove to the beginning said we had about a good six months together,
and then life got really interesting really quick but through all of that to like leave I said of course growing together in our faith and in our marriage but,
like prioritizing like we have so many things that we want to do things that we feel like God has laid on our,
big things that we want to pursue and Chase and all that but at the end of the day it's like we know we're not always good at doing it but we know that when we just,
pursue our marriage first got in our marriage first he's going to take care of all of the other things,
things that we want to do and for I mean honestly we say we were in survival mode because we were because we weren't even together for a full year before we lost our main business and then it's like okay well,
we're both workhorses by Nature so we're going to grind it out and do what we have to do,
and then our gym opened and we you know we're grinding it out and we neglected each other I mean praise.

Levi:
[30:10] Three times in a year and a half.

Sarah:
[30:12] Yeah that's a lot and a new baby.

Chelsea:
[30:14] But again it's cool like with the moving we the house that we were renting,
when are we first moved to Chesterfield the owner sold it out from underneath this during covid-19.

Sarah:
[30:25] Oh gosh.

Chelsea:
[30:26] Bring all of that and the shutdown this house that we were renting in planning on being in for 2 years got sold out from underneath us which is how we ended up in O'Fallon and how we,
River and came to the church and that's the full circle connection because we lived right down the road.

Sarah:
[30:43] See so that's crazy.

Chelsea:
[30:48] Well we view everything with the different ones now I know God walked us through that because to be on the mountain top and having a total life of total freedom to go,
back into the valley together one we know what we're capable of but to when you have things again or in a different way you treat them totally.

Sarah:
[31:05] Yeah yeah.

Chelsea:
[31:06] And just with our marriage and what we need to prioritize like our biggest goal for next year is to take a vacation together.

Sarah:
[31:11] That's all yeah.

Chelsea:
[31:13] That are not focused around work and to focus on our marriage and each other because we know like I said.
That's firing on all cylinders God's going to provide and take care of the rest and we can operate from a place of more peace and rest as opposed to the Grind of.
Every single day on the work and giving all that our focus and then to each other and we know that but it's still hard for us too.

Sarah:
[31:36] Absolutely no,
will wrestle that out a little bit and because we actually our first few episodes we've been talking about were talking a lot about rest and just what do you do when you're tired we've everybody in the whole world has made it through
pandemic that
tries to end and is not I mean wherever we're at in it and that has taken a toll on everybody in different ways like I said as you guys be in business owners of course it's not just your family it's your business your livelihood all of this but how are you guys,
tickly right now trying to recoup and rest and your you haven't mentioned yet Chelsea but you're about ready to have you guys are going to add another baby too.
Any day in a few weeks here soon but how are you guys kind of how was that flushing out right now in this season to still find moments of
Faith and family and all that wall running a business.

Chelsea:
[32:28] Do you want to go.

Levi:
[32:30] I just say sounds easy but.

Sarah:
[32:32] Never is.

Levi:
[32:35] There's definitely seeing you know I try to look at it things happen in Seasons you know you'll have certain obstacles or,
the more difficult stretch and I just I look at that as that's a season I just got to get through this season and then the next season I'll take that on when we get there and so.
I just lost my train of.

Chelsea:
[32:58] I think as we say that we're fine we're out of season right now where you know things are a little easier but we joke for our first two and a half years of marriage was a whole season we.

Levi:
[33:09] So I guess I'm saying I we're not good at resting.

Sarah:
[33:14] Yeah.

Levi:
[33:15] And we're getting better but we're not good at making time for each other.

Sarah:
[33:19] Yeah.

Levi:
[33:21] Um one because you know last year didn't always allow for it but then also like Chelsea said you feel like you're called to do,
lots of things and we do.
Want to make an impact while you're here and you can't sit at home on your but if you want to make a difference in this world you got to be up doing things and so.
You know it yeah that's all I got.

Chelsea:
[33:45] Mayan were just learning to like to,
be more intentional with our time like like I said when we are so far from arriving at this but like prioritizing at night like okay,
you know where we've been we've been a lot better about going out for date nights.
Doing things that we didn't do because we won were like where we're going to save money and we're not going to go out to eat like all the things where it's like okay but no you you need to do something together and then like I said weird workers by Nature so at night it's easier for us to keep
doing things and not unplug or we go on a date night and we talked about work.
The time you know like little things that were intentionally getting better at of prioritizing family time or date nights or things like that where we are not talking about.

Levi:
[34:36] Putting your phone down not taking the phone to dinner.

Chelsea:
[34:39] Yeah things like that we're we're just we know that,
like I said whenever we can be intentional with each other and our marriage and of course you know having a church home now makes,
big difference too and being able to step into we know we have a Ministry calling on our lives even though we don't know exactly.

Sarah:
[34:56] Mmm Yeah.

Chelsea:
[34:56] But that may look like like yet but just being willing to write intentional in those situations where we know that God's going to continue to reveal,
more and more and when we're looking.
Outward more so and focused on not just our X's and O's of the days but who God's put in our lives and who are supposed to speak to and looking at those opportunities he's going to continue to reveal more and.

Sarah:
[35:20] Yeah I think it's hard when you're balanced they say right like you're always trying to have work-life balance or but balance is a myth and the hard part is I think
when it's not hard it's actually amazing when you are passionate about things like I said now your passions just are colliding with what you also do to make a living and so it's hard I mean I would say that a lot about my job I said it's a job but I love what I do it doesn't feel,
it's work and so I think Chelsea your word of intentional is just probably the best thing look at it so for anybody listening to it's just pan,
what can I bring some more intentionality to whatever I'm doing I mean if you guys also really I don't personally fully understand this but I you guys enjoyed you love working out I mean,
probably restful right getting to do some of the things that you get to do and be at the gym that's and so you're probably intersecting more and having more of those times and,
that talk about may see just a little bit hope it's okay it's okay Saturday sorry I just like.
Her name on the house lights okay but I see your videos like she's at the gym with you guys all the time like talk just a little bit how you do family like that she's with you and.

Chelsea:
[36:27] Well one thing piggybacking on what you said to like we opened a gym to make a difference in people's lives and like we I mean now we needed to but at the time we didn't need to eat,
called to do that but for us like our Jim we're so passionate about health and fitness in general but that's our ministry
and we know in this season we're called to open more gyms and to do that because that's our ministry in a way for us to reach people love people encourage people in a way that we're so passionate about and so with our gym and why we opened with just us two and,
you know going all in on it is because we wanted to make a difference in people's lives and ultimately you know lead them to Jesus,
that we have a unique way of,
acting with people where they're going to come in and we've prayed that over our space so much where they're going to come in for a great workouts and all that but they're going to leave knowing that something's different,
about that place in about those people and we're very intentional about who we what trainers we hire and what their hearts are like because we are so protective over that.

[37:29] If that makes sense so we've always wanted it to be an extension of God's love,
people are note or not when they come in there they just know and hopefully you know the more they get to know us we have a ton of members that come to church.
Over for Bible study now that you know things like that but from the beginning even with Maci I mean choose one a little over one when we open but it's always just been,
our family and we've wanted to create that family feel and you you get what you get like we joke because everyone in there like,
really they know us they know what we walk through were open books about everything so it's cool,
the relationships that we build with people we call it our f45 family and we mean that because I mean these people have walked through a lot of really hard times with us but the way that they love Macy to like she's been,
around since the beginning and it'll be cool because Layton our baby boy that's do soon we'll get to be with everyone from literally the beginning of his life which is really special because she's loved on and encouraged and like people love her.
Because she's around just as much it just really special like it truly is a family feel and we love that.

Sarah:
[38:43] I love that you say that I want to talk about a little bit more because I was going to ask about that Chelsea so from an outsider looking in,
I can feel and sense that from everything that you guys post that this is more than just like,
obviously it's more than just a job for you guys but even the people coming in how they have rallied around you guys and I think that would have happened covid or not,
I think it's a big part about how you guys are just building that and doing that and I think it's your dream Chelsea like you said that this people would come here and,
they would know and they'd find the hope of Jesus in there are there are there some things that you do intentionally to try to help,
it feel that way or talk a little more because it really like I said from the outside looking in you can tell you guys are so good about just they are your family because you don't even have family here like you said right.

Chelsea:
[39:28] Right no you sure.

Levi:
[39:31] I feel like I could go I can talk a lot about,
all of that is definitely within intentionality but I think it goes back to what's in your heart and you know again well I always say we have not arrived or,
we don't hopefully don't come across this coming from a place of we're better than but trying to view people as equal that you're not better than somebody else doesn't matter what kind of car people pull up in what kind of house they have what clothes they're wearing,
what kind of job you know just where they live just if you look at people as equal or better than you and how you treat them every day when they walk in do they feel noticed are they encouraged do they know that you care for them,
that you love them I think that is a big part of it and I mean that just leads into I could just say about you know.
Nick said you know probably a month ago you know what is our calling well that's to know Jesus and to make Jesus known and you know I was just thinking about.

[40:45] So building trust and our sorry building influence influence comes once you've built a relationship and you've built trust with somebody then you can have influence over them.
And there's just I feel like sometimes,
you may set out people might graduate high school or college and they think they need to do this and then God takes them on this side road over here,
where they're like I don't even know how I got over here or what I'm doing here and you know looking back for me and again this could we could talk the rest of the day but you know I grew up,
I guess you'd call me you know the creased or the Christmas Easter Christian but then I went to college and,
like a lot of kids you know you watch other people and my mom's mom.
You know got killed my mom's mom and two of her sisters got killed by drunk driver when my,
teen my mom was the oldest and I just know how much that's impacted her and my aunt's and everything and just the kinds of questions that I had that I feel like nobody can answer in like she said I'm very I guess you could say analytical like a
this plus this equals this Somebody explain it to me and that and watching people who were people of faith.

[41:59] Drinking and partying and this and that doing all these bad things and here I am not getting in any trouble or trying to you know do what I believe is right and so I spent a five-year period in my life I don't know exactly what it was not believing,
and I you know now looking back like man how much,
arrogance did you have at that point to not just to say it but then to feel like you had an explanation of why you didn't believe in nobody could debunk my what.
And so I that used to actually cause me to not have confidence to share my faith because I felt like a hypocrite.

Sarah:
[42:32] Yeah because I felt like it.

Levi:
[42:34] But then I realized like that's just part of my story and I've now learned there's plenty of people that I've gotten to talk to who are in that same spot that I was in and to let them know that it's okay to admit that,
I didn't understand I didn't believe but now I do and it's okay to have that story.

Sarah:
[42:54] Will you open the we can part you actually I go I think they knock on the door you can come in.

Chelsea:
[43:00] That our kid I don't know you said so sorry when are you starting yeah whatever.

Levi:
[43:06] Doesn't say I have more to.

Sarah:
[43:09] Well I was going to say leave it what was the turning point for you in the whole Faith thing that made it that you're like okay this is real I believe this.

Levi:
[43:18] Why for me there was not an actual I didn't have one of those defining moments where I saw the light you know.
I feel like for me it part of it was getting around people people that.
I guess you could say admired but people that lived life differently and that's going to tie back to what I was saying so remind me of that,
that's why I started the whole thing live life differently had an abundant life in many aspects at that time I didn't see the spiritual abundance that they had but I saw the financial abundance,
the influence that they had their marriages just all of that looking at people getting around people like that and being like what they are different.

[44:09] And feel it the way they talk to you and so,
getting in a put in a position to be around those people to where you start to lean in and then over time you get to a place where you know then again you have.
Pride you know not Pride but you know you're embarrassed you like you have to walk through that journey of getting over the fact of it's actually okay for you to move password,
and be okay with that so for me that was it was being around believers who didn't preach it but lived it and,
for me that is what for us in the gym of what we try to embody it's not about what because people do,
care what you say they care what you do like your actions are always going to speak louder than your words and so for us
you know and again this isn't something that wants to stand on the corner and preach the gospel but I just have to believe more people are going to be brought
to know Jesus through a friend or someone that they trust who has influence on them and it's not about what they say but it's how they live.

[45:19] It's how they feel treated by that person or how they see that person treat others maybe when people say negative things about them but they choose to love them anyways and they don't talk bad about them just things like that that make you different and I think that,
is where we are aware of that are we perfect in that,
not even close but we're aware of it and we talked about it we think about it often,
and I feel like that helps us in that gym or in that setting of how we treating people and do they do they feel that there's something different about these people that.
They love everybody I feel like I could call them and say I need you to come help me and they would they would be right there to help me and so,
I think for me that's how I've always viewed that that I think if you're trying to walk that out and not talk about it but be about it I guess I say but walk that out everyday and again not perfect in that.

[46:18] When you're conscious of that I think you treat people actually I know you treat people different and you know we always say,
we want people to look forward to coming into our gym because that's going to be the best part of their day because of how they feel when they're in there because whether it's at their work maybe they're their home life whatever it is,
you never know what's going on and we want people to look forward to being there not just so that there are member for a long time because everybody knows you're running a business you got to make money or you're not going to have a business,
but just making the impact on that person is is that the best part of their day.

Chelsea:
[46:57] Yeah we know what our mission is and why we opened it and that's always in the Forefront of our mind and,
like I said just loving and treating people like that first it's cool because obviously people are coming in to work out we're not preaching sermons Adam,
it's 45 minutes in and out but they know that there's something different about us and,
in any opportunity outside of that and conversations I mean we're outspoken on our social media as well and just you know what we believe in things like that and people can see that pick up on that
but it has been really cool and really rewarding because
over time that influence that trust that we built with people as they come to us about certain things being able to speak into their lives and share Jesus and just even have people asking like how come how come you guys are so nice all the time how come,
this place feels different.

Levi:
[47:46] They probably say that about Chelsea they finals not say I'm sorry.

Chelsea:
[47:51] No but those simple questions of you know people who haven't been in an environment or been,
truly selflessly loved with no expectation,
before and asking why I like why are you nice why are you doing certain things for me or whatever and were able to share Jesus and we've been able to meet a lot of people to Jesus through that which is,
the end goal without having to you know so it's.

Levi:
[48:17] And or just encouraging other believers on their journey through life,
easy to get frustrated or down and just to be there to encourage people.

Chelsea:
[48:28] Yeah.

Levi:
[48:29] Very important but yeah I just wanted to add one thing on what I said earlier
down that where you never know what God's doing when you you know I said I got a master's in teaching then you end up going down a different Road you get around people that then lead me back to Jesus but also building influence we
you know once you're once you've given your life to Christ and you know that your that your ultimate goal is to share
the good news and bring people to Jesus that takes influence and that's what I was getting at so for us the gym is another way that we just get to meet so many people we don't have an ulterior motive,
but to meet people to build trust to build influence because again you go back to that person standing on the corner with the loudspeaker versus,
you're in people's everyday life in the more people you get to be around and be there for and build trust you build some influence in that,
God I just feel like that ultimately for us at the end of the day that's your not allow us or God is going to use us to make even a bigger impact,
that and so that's one thing I've learned from the previous business to the gym and just all that time and sacrifice spent building relationships and spending time with people building influence.
Ultimately is going to allow you to do the things that.

Sarah:
[49:48] I love that building influence such a good good reminder,
guys the time goes really fast so we're already we've been in a little bit so I want to ask you guys is is there anything else like in your store any other things you guys want to tell him that I've got two questions to kind of in.

Levi:
[50:04] We got we got 10th least 10.

Sarah:
[50:06] Okay good okay well then we'll fill the 10min.

Chelsea:
[50:07] I mean I'll share just very quickly because it's,
what makes us unique I think as a couple and everything that were pursuing like we're pursuing opening more gyms that's,
called to do in this season right now and again with influence like we know that God has entrusted us with a lot and the more that we Steward at he's going to keep bringing people and opening doors and allowing that,
but Levi are also raised very differently which is cool and offers unique perspective I was born and raised in the church.
And a family of a bunch of Believers like incredible from my parents to my grandparents just like was always raised that way so we were raised very,
differently and whenever we were first together to like leave I felt even more so unqualified because he just felt like,
I'm so much farther along and I just know so much more and like it's cool to see which obviously isn't the case.
How God has grown him and us together through all of this we're like sometimes I'm like wow like he is a lot wiser than me and a lot of things and just like you know through all of it but,
even in just talking to people and through our I'll say Ministry he walked through what he walked through because he can relate to so many people in ways that.
We're like cannot relate at all and so it's almost makes his testimony even more powerful because he has been in the trenches that I have not.

Sarah:
[51:33] Yeah yeah.

Chelsea:
[51:35] Through so we know,
to and just alright you keep saying Ministry whatever that is but like our stories and everything the wig you know God has raised both of us is different for.
A powerful reason where we truly feel like we can minister to people of all walks through both of us so yeah.

Sarah:
[51:58] I love that I love he uses God used every part of our story and if they were all the same then,
pretty boring and so he can use all of that so I want to ask this I want to ask each of you to just give a little encouragement we've been kind of all over the place and I said I know we could talk for hours because I really have,
our questions was have to have you back again and share more but what encouragement would you give to people listening whether they're struggling with
I'm not sure if I want to try this thing seems scary and I'm afraid to put it all out you said you know you guys try to live with haters we're trusting God and we're going to put it all on the line to follow him what would you say to somebody struggling with that
or just in general like I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing just,
give some general encouragement to people listening some more you've already been very encouraging but what else would you say.

Chelsea:
[52:47] During our first year at me.

Levi:
[52:50] Well first I would say don't jump off a cliff because even if you think you have wings you don't.
Do they have to they have to line a few things up it's got to make a little bit of sense because we do live in this place called Earth where things.
So I would say that's also there's a good balance there because we're she'll say things and I.
Okay there's we do that we do live in this is real let's talk some real life stuff here.
Um but yeah I would say when you're really looking at that about what you just said I feel like Chelsea.
Should do a better job of sharing that because I feel like for me on a lot of that stuff after we talked about it's more so I've got to trust you like I trust you and if you believe,
God speaking to you and that we need to do this and we've talked about it and I feel like it makes sense you know sometimes it does feel like we're just throwing caution to.
I have trust in her and and so I'm buying that.

Chelsea:
[53:53] Yeah well I just well I mean when you trust Jesus and you know that he has a plan for your life like,
I've always this again where we're different but like we are all born with something inside of us that.

[54:09] It's why we're here and so I am big on like the passions the Sparks the little things that you feel even if it starts a little but something that keeps coming up,
you know that you need to do it
being willing to go all in and go for it and like God is going to show up and he's big enough to redirect you and I think that's part of why I operate a little more fearlessly in that because he is big enough to okay if I'm getting way too far down.
Wrong way he's going to shut doors and we've seen that we've had doors slammed in our face who have had things that you know obviously haven't worked out,
it's a redirection and but it's the being willing to keep
going and I just love the quote that's what's true on the mountaintops is still true in the valleys and we've held on to that because we know that even though we don't know what it all looks like we have we know in this season,
called to do and we know again just being willing to let go but trusting that like okay God you are you are sending us out to do this we are here for a mission we are here for a reason,
and,
you know he can do everything but you have to be willing to take the steps and you have to be willing to get burned and you have to be willing to take the gut punches and just knowing that like just because you get knocked down and just because doors closed doesn't mean that it's a no or that things aren't going to work out.

[55:26] We've just had a lot of faith.

Sarah:
[55:30] And yeah.

Chelsea:
[55:30] And now in to continue to just take the steps and whatever,
that looks like in just to know and trust like and we've had prophetic word spoken over our lives to that we hang on to wear.

Sarah:
[55:39] Yeah.

Chelsea:
[55:41] Okay well God you said this and you spoke this and we know that this is truth and even when things don't look good we are holding on to this because you,
set it and even if it's not going to come to pass for 50 years or whatever it is we know that your word is true and we hang on to that so trusting whether it's that or just like the promises of God in the Bible and what he has over your life.
He's there and he's going to see things through and you can just operate from a place of a lot more,
fearlessness and being willing to go so.

Levi:
[56:13] I would say just adding to that is your heart in the right place.
Is that truly what God's calling you to do or does that sound good to you as a human being who we tend to be greedy it's easy to be driven by money,
money is not bad takes money to make a difference we want to make as much money as we can because the more money you have the bigger difference you can make with that money we
understand that but is your heart in the right place is that really what you feel like God's calling you to do or does that sound really good because it's something of your own,
not maybe not gods and,
and to make it God so I feel like that's the one thing is praying about and asking yourself like where's my heart in this is this really am I really being called to this because from my experience when you're really when God's calling you to something there's always going to be sacrificed.
Always can we sacrifice involved in that and as a human being we don't like that very much.

Sarah:
[57:09] We've had guys so good so you've already shared so many incredible things I hope everybody listening either you might need to come back and take some notes because you guys have said so many great things but the last question we always ask is because the show is called now that something good,
you've already shared a lot of good things but is there any other good thing I would say like there's no qualify I could be a story it could be a product could be a,
I don't like whatever whatever you want to share that something good in each of your lives right now it's been bringing you a little goodness that you want to pass along.

Chelsea:
[57:39] The first.
We are doesn't know anything good no okay well our baby obviously,
boy that's been really sweet and I think even more special for me like we talked about we moved four times in three years we've rented it,
never had a home to call our own we finally just built a house and we are not going anywhere anytime soon but one thing that's been really sweet for me especially is like with Macy our daughter,
I never got to do a room for her how I wanted to because we were always renting and then moving and you know and that was always I mean guys can't totally understand but for me that was.

Sarah:
[58:17] You want to Nest yes yeah.

Chelsea:
[58:19] Upsetting you want to Nest you want to give them a room and like you know all the special things and I was never able to do that and so it's cool in this season and really sweet getting to do double and getting to do her room how we want and to,
his room and to be settled into a home for a while with
two kids and just to kind of have double in the season with that when being I mean we want to do a lot but at the end of the day from the time I was little if he asked you wanted to be what I wanted to be when I grew up I always say a mom because that's all I've ever wanted to be,
and so that's for me really sweet in the season.

Sarah:
[58:56] I love it I love it Levi did you think of something I just want to piggyback on that's fine if you.

Levi:
[59:01] Yeah gonna make some covid jokes but I better just refresh my better refrain from.

Sarah:
[59:08] From the covid jokes that was yours.

Levi:
[59:11] Going down that rabbit hole.

Sarah:
[59:13] Do you li are you a joke person Levi do you like jokes do you have a joining other job that maybe.

Levi:
[59:20] We grew up different most of my jokes or not.

Sarah:
[59:23] Naranja jokes that you can.

Chelsea:
[59:26] To work on that real.

Sarah:
[59:27] I mean we're a family-friendly podcast but also we can.

Chelsea:
[59:31] Yeah I know I just your dad.

Levi:
[59:31] Now that now I just get made fun of by the young big girls that coach for some people that Levi and his dad joke so Mike what you took all my good jokes away from me now I got Steve's now I gots these dad jokes I guess I'll wear that,
that's something good I'm we're just grateful.
To be where we're at right now and just to know that we are loved and,
you know all the things that Jesus did for us on the cross and that no matter what's happening here eventually we're not going to be here anymore and we know where we're going.
Also excited just to raise our kids too,
I know and love Jesus you know like growing up that was never you know that wasn't a thought for me I don't think about those things and now to be they're just excited about that to walk,
Journey with our kids and just again no one we're not going to be perfect parents but to be intentional about,
you know our kids core beliefs and who are they and just all those kinds of things.

Chelsea:
[1:00:32] It's more than that and we believe that our mission to like we have a lot we want to do but at the end of the day our kids.
Our Hope and prayer is that they were building the life that we're building and we're hustling and are sacrificing because we believe in them so much born and unborn,
that they're going to take the torch and they're going to run way farther than we ever could and we just hope our life is just like a launching pad for them to go,
do that and take it even farther so.

Sarah:
[1:00:59] Yeah absolutely definitely something good awesome well thank you guys so much for coming and sharing your story today really appreciate it.

Chelsea:
[1:01:07] Thank you.

Levi:
[1:01:07] Thanks for having us.