Josh Tufte, Minister, Business Owner, Author, Weirdo
Josh Tufte, whoam I? Well, I'm kind of weird if I'm honest.
Writer’s bio
I 'm not sure where to start. I guess the most comfortable place is from the beginning. I was born in 1987, which makes me feel young or old, depending on the day. My parents are fantastic; I won the lottery in that department. To this day, they are some of my best friends. Mom and Dad had me when they were very young and somehow turned out to be the best parents ever. We moved to Kernersville, North Carolina, when I was six from upstate New York. A few years after we got here, I found my first love with all things combat-related. Born from watching a Jackie Chan movie, Martial Arts have been a massive part of my life since. I started competing In Kickboxing at 16, Tough Man at 18, and Professional Boxing at 23. There have been a lot of ups and downs. I've won World Titles, then suffered embarrassing defeats back to back. Been called a prodigy and overrated by the same news organizations just months apart. I wouldn't trade those adventures, however.
Currently, I have a 6th-degree black belt as my highest rank. This love translated to running and owning martial arts and fitness gyms later in life. Now, I own Edge Fitness and Combat Arts LLC with my father in High Point, NC.
When I was twelve, dad helped me build my first custom PC. I found my second love, technology. I adore gadgets, computers, gaming, and anything cutting edge. For a while, I owned a business with my cousin that did commercial and residential computer repair. Side Note: Skyrim for life!
When I was thirteen, I found my third love in life when I became a Christian. I'll admit, the church and I have a slightly rocky history. But, once I learned what a relationship with Christ was, I jumped in headfirst. Currently, I'm the full-time lead pastor at The Crossing Church in Kernersville, NC.
I was young when I was married. Heidi was 20, and I was 18 when we started dating. A little less than nine months later, we were married. Took our time, didn't we? We may have jumped headfirst into our relationship, but I got lucky, not so sure if she did. A couple of years later, our little brat came along. To say that Izzy is impressive would be selling her short, but then what parent doesn't think that.
When I turned 18, I was ordained and became the Children's Minister at a church in High Point, NC. I left just under four years later to start a gym with an old business partner and turn pro in boxing. Together with Heidi and Izzy, I live in the Triad, a group of three larger cities in North Carolina. Dad and I own a gym in High Point, NC. Mom and I love to cause trouble, along with my sister Yania. She is the best. We adopted here several years ago. I'll write a blog about that later; in fact, I'll probably write a book about it. To put it in simple terms, she is the biggest miracle I have ever seen first hand. I have my associate's degree in Biblical Studies from Carolina Christian University, and recently I have started pursuing my next degree from Liberty University. I like long walks on the beach and.... well never mind.
It would be accurate to say I never could decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. So I chose everything. I wanted to be a minister, gym owner, professional fighter, author, and business owner. I do wish there was more time in the day, though..
Me and my baby girl before a "Daddy Daughter Dance" at church.
Heidi and I when we were first dating
