Transcript

0:00
What's up everybody?
0:01
Welcome back to another episode of the Christian Agent Podcast.
0:05
I am your host Garrett Maroon.
0:06
I'm so glad to be with you today.
0:07
And I've got one of my friends who's back from the very beginning when we started this podcast in 2021.
0:12
It was called Real Estate Your Way.
0:14
And then I hired a coach and he said, that's a terrible name.
0:16
So we changed it.
0:17
And now it's the Christian Agent, but Belle Tunstall is with me.
0:20
She's a CNU Christopher Newport University alum like myself.
0:24
So it's fun to get back in the studio with her.
0:27
And I don't have a studio that just makes me sound cool.
0:30
I feel like I listen to podcasts, Bell, right?
0:32
And they're like, I got so and so in the studio with me.
0:34
I'm like, I don't have a studio.
0:35
Like this is just my office and my kid's stuff is everywhere, but it made me feel good about myself anyway.
0:39
So Bell's back.
0:40
I'm excited that she's back.
0:42
She's got a lot to share with you and, and Bell, went off from seeing you and made a life for herself and, and me, I'm still trying to figure that out.
0:50
So Bell, we're proud of you as.
0:51
As seeing you alone, but I'm super glad that you're here Christian agents as always if you haven't joined the free school SK OOL serving not selling where I teach Christian agents how to sell three or four homes a month Please check that out in the show notes and if you have joined invite some friends We want to serve and help all Christian agents be more excellent in what they do and I'd love to see you in that space Bell comes today.
1:12
She's part of the redux group Which is one of the largest real estate teams in all of exp.
1:17
She's one of if not, maybe the top agent Bell sell sixty seventy eighty homes a year she absolutely crushes it and has been a a faithful member of the faithful agent community is one of our speakers at the upcoming faithful agent retreat to check it out people is not complex as copper super excited for that but bell before i let you say anything because this is my show that's how to me that i'm gonna do let me let me read you this joke let's see if this is funny bell haven't read it yet a jewish rabbi A Jewish rabbi and a Catholic priest were good friends.
1:54
At a picnic one day, the priest was eating a ham sandwich.
1:57
You know, he said to his friend, this ham sandwich is delicious.
2:00
I know you're not supposed to eat ham, but I don't understand why such a good thing would be forbidden.
2:04
When will you break down and try it?
2:06
To which the rabbi replied, at your wedding.
2:11
What?
2:13
Am I missing something?
2:16
That doesn't make sense.
2:18
Is he?
2:23
break down.
2:25
Hmm.
2:27
Only up from here.
2:28
that's so bad, Bell.
2:30
That's so bad.
2:31
Okay, well, Bell, I'm glad that you're back.
2:33
You probably aren't, but do a quick introduction of yourself, my friend, and we will dive right in.
2:39
Sure, yeah.
2:40
I born and raised in Northern Virginia.
2:43
I went to CNU, studied psychology, played field hockey for years, and then had like a year long job right out of college at CNU as like an admissions officer.
2:57
And so it was sort of, it was easy sales.
2:59
It was kind of an introduction to sales.
3:00
Like of course the school I love and owe everything to.
3:03
I'll sell it to anybody.
3:04
Anyone with ears and eyes, like anyone who has a pulse.
3:08
And, and so, yeah, I did that for a year.
3:11
then my, so Chris Craddock, who's the owner of the Redux group, I've known him since I was 14.
3:17
So he's, he was my youth pastor and so just really good family friends.
3:21
And I knew, I knew of he had started a team, you know, Garrett and I were talking just before, you know, hopping on here and like real estate just wasn't trendy, you know, like it is now there was no selling sunset.
3:33
There were no million dollar listing.
3:35
You know, I don't, think HGTV was like just starting out.
3:38
essentially.
3:39
And so, you know, Chris was just giving me every sales pitch, trying to get me to be a realtor.
3:44
I was like, this is so random.
3:46
No one I know is a realtor.
3:48
And I, you know, I'm just going to go into another kind of sales job.
3:51
And so anyways, I kind of kicked the can down for, you know, about a year while I was considering while I still had my job.
3:58
And I just wasn't feeling any peace at all.
4:01
I knew it was just not gonna be satisfying.
4:03
And I feel like my calling, just kept feeling like people, I just wanna serve people.
4:07
That's what I kind of felt on my heart, like in that year of 2015, 16.
4:13
But I'm like, what job is that?
4:14
Like, how will that pay the bills?
4:17
And all these student loans that I'm about to have.
4:20
And so anyway, so Chris used every sales tactic on me that I now use with some people.
4:25
you know, eventually set the appointment, told me all about real estate.
4:28
And so, yeah, I got licensed.
4:29
I was 23.
4:31
I got licensed August of 2016, and I'm now in my ninth year.
4:36
And it's just been a wild ride.
4:38
I mean, I think the Lord has just provided so much.
4:40
think, you know, I feel, you know, there's seasons for everything.
4:46
So sometimes it's an up season, a down season, a boring season.
4:50
And I've just seen that, you know, I feel like we hear and read all the time, like, The Lord's plans for you are way more than you could ever imagine.
4:58
Want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.
5:00
But mean, truly, I really felt like from a young age, I had written off so much, not like of my life, but I just really didn't think, I wasn't very successful in school.
5:09
didn't make the best grades.
5:10
Could do like 10 pull-ups and could climb the rope and do that mile Monday.
5:14
Like best believe athletics, I had it down.
5:16
But I just felt, I was not really confident with school and all of that.
5:21
And so I feel like at a young age, I was like, okay, well I just...
5:24
Like I'll get married and everything will be provided for me and I'll just, whatever.
5:28
That's really what I told myself kind of my whole life.
5:31
And to the point where I was like, I'll just be a teacher and then eventually stop that.
5:34
Cause I'll have a family to take care of and all this stuff.
5:37
And so it's been crazy seeing how the Lord has just shifted that.
5:43
And I've just personally, like I paid off student loans and got, eventually got a car and like.
5:50
my house and a rental property.
5:52
And so he's just provided in so many other ways that truly I could never have like, I could never have written this story ever.
5:59
And so I just feel like, you know, whether you're in a season that's like kind of painful, like there's purpose to that.
6:06
feel like when you're successful and thriving, there's purpose to that.
6:09
And so it's just been really cool to like surrender to the Lord.
6:12
And again, I'm not perfect.
6:13
So of course I, I'm also a toddler and I kick and scream and have tantrums when things don't go my way, but ultimately.
6:20
looking back on just the last nine years and all the opportunities that real estate has brought me and by owning kind of like my own little business and sort of the freedom and shackles that come with that.
6:31
But yeah, excited to dive into a whole bunch of things with you.
6:34
no, that's so good.
6:36
remember a coach of mine used to always say when it would be, you know, talking about the future or whatever, and struggling to see that, you know, whatever I was hoping for would happen.
6:46
And he, I remember him pausing.
6:47
said, Garrett, think back five years ago, would you have ever considered that you'd be here now?
6:53
Right.
6:54
Or even a year ago, you know, the places that the Lord brings us, it's incredible.
6:58
Actually, right now, reading through first, no, wait, first Chronicles.
7:04
And the story of King David in this moment where King David realizes that he's living in this beautiful house, but the Ark of the Covenant is in this tent.
7:15
And so he says to Nathan the prophet, he's like, Hey, I want to build a nice house for the Ark of the Covenant, right?
7:19
For the Lord.
7:20
And so Nathan says, do whatever is on your heart.
7:23
then that night, Nathan gets a vision from the Lord and you know, to tell David all these things.
7:28
So anyway, so Nathan goes back and says to David, you're, you know, essentially you're not going to build this.
7:34
In fact, your son is going to build this, right?
7:36
King Solomon comes along and he builds this awesome temple.
7:38
Your son's going to build this and I'm going to establish you and your family forever, right?
7:42
Basically the lineage to Christ.
7:44
Well, then this reaction comes in scripture of David's response to that.
7:49
And it's this incredible humility from this man who's like, you brought me from being a shepherd boy to now I'm the king and you made me king over Israel.
8:00
And now you're saying you're going to.
8:01
you know, establish my family forever and my son is going to build you like crazy stuff, right?
8:08
You just hear and read the humility in him.
8:11
And anyways, just made me think about what you're saying is, you know, the Lord has this incredible plan and we tend to think that it's going to go X, Y, and Z.
8:20
And we tend to think that that's what it's supposed to do.
8:23
And when he takes it a different direction, if you're a believer, it's for your good, it's going to turn out for your good, which means more like Christ.
8:31
Yeah.
8:33
Yeah.
8:35
Yeah.
8:36
And I think, yeah.
8:37
And even when the Lord like brings you somewhere and then maybe that opportunity eventually ends, like dries out or whatever, and then he's going to take you somewhere else.
8:44
Like just because you're starting one thing in one way, it doesn't necessarily, like it could be right in the moment, but it doesn't mean he's, you know, like that's going to be the next five, 10 years.
8:54
But yeah, I feel like.
8:57
I don't know, for me, real estate is very emotional, right?
9:00
You have, again, the high highs, the low lows, you get a client, you get fired by a client, you get under contract, it falls through because of a foundation crack.
9:07
And I could be dealing with that right now.
9:11
Yeah, they're almost perfect, But, you know, I feel like just trying to, I don't know, harness the emotions and, you know, I feel like allowing, like, of course we all want the Lord to guide us and lead us.
9:28
And I feel like our emotions can be so fleeting.
9:31
And so I feel like letting the truth, you know, shape your emotions, not letting your emotions shape, like, the truth.
9:40
Because I feel like it's, you know, that's where it can get messy if you're like, well, I feel this way.
9:45
So that means, you know, I'm in a low spell.
9:47
And so where are you God?
9:49
And, you know, and then you try to just take it, you know, white knuckle it through.
9:53
So it's just...
9:55
But anyway, so I feel like with real estate, it's just every day is different.
9:59
There's really no, just no two days are the same.
10:03
Yeah, for sure.
10:04
And it's so interesting too, because I think when consumers think about real estate agent, they have a perceived conception, right?
10:11
Whatever that is.
10:12
We're all super rich and we just look at nice houses all day and whatever.
10:15
But there's such a wide expanse of what that is, right?
10:19
You could be, listen to this, you could be 75 and a grandmother, grandfather on your third career, whatever, doing it, because you just want to help a couple of people.
10:27
It's awesome.
10:28
You could be a stay at home mom trying to figure that out.
10:31
You could be...
10:32
an 18 year old getting started today trying to figure out what in the world is this supposed to be?
10:36
How do I do it?
10:36
And it's such a wide picture of who's in this industry.
10:41
And yet as believers, we have that unity that we all share, right?
10:46
I don't care if you're new or old or young or old or it doesn't matter, right?
10:50
Like we share this same truth and bond that comes from this biblical worldview.
10:56
And so we might not have had the same experiences as experiences is this the the same opportunities or experience in the industry but we understand right like I can empathize with you when you lose a client because of whatever and understand how hard it is not just to lose a client but for you to remind yourself to lean back on the Lord and trust that this was his purpose right like because that's what I deal with every day whether I'm in real estate or not I'm a as a believer we're gonna start with that anyways and so Like I think it's beautiful that that unity that binds us together as Christians, specifically in this industry as well.
11:33
You know, you're the one that said, Bell, I think it was after the very first conference, which was literally about two years ago today.
11:41
This was the day after the first conference, which super cool the day we're recording this.
11:45
Yeah.
11:45
Yeah.
11:45
March 3rd.
11:45
So it was, March 2nd, my birthday.
11:48
That was day two of the event.
11:50
And so anyway, super cool.
11:52
But you're the one that said.
11:55
you felt like your soul finally took a sigh of relief, right?
11:58
Being in the room surrounded by believers, we just need those things.
12:03
People who understand in a deeper way.
12:05
Go ahead.
12:06
No, please.
12:07
again, I stand by it.
12:09
think even a podcast like this, I think it's nice to find community.
12:15
mean, again, as believers, we all need community and we all seek it out, whether it's with church, a Bible study, home group, whatever.
12:21
And but then with work, like, what are you going to do?
12:24
Just go to work and be a different person.
12:26
you know, so it's I and again, as realtors, we love our conferences.
12:31
So it's like, feel like we're always going to Austin, Vegas, you know.
12:35
Florida, whatever.
12:36
And so two years ago, I was kind of on my own little like tour, I felt like, because I was doing, I was doing some teaching.
12:44
was, you know, I was invited to speak with the faithful agent.
12:47
I think I had gone to Vegas, which I don't ever need to go there ever again.
12:50
I'm tired of Vegas.
12:52
But yeah, and so like, it was so much traveling and going to all these different conferences and just hearing different.
13:01
know, worldviews and opinions on your business and how you should be grinding or what you should be focusing on, you know.
13:08
And I just, this, you know, by no mistake, the Faithful Agent, that was my last, like that was the last thing I was attending.
13:16
And, you know, and I remember at times, many times on this stage, like my brain just kind of went flat.
13:22
I just was so exhausted.
13:25
And that was honestly, I think that was like really the only profound thing I said.
13:30
And which is fine, I'll stand by it.
13:32
I hope that's like the one thing someone remembers is that, you know, as a realtor being in this community, it is a place that you can just show up broken, burnt out, tired, and know that, of course we'll get some tactics, you know, some business things, but ultimately you're just in a room of, I don't know, two, 300 people that just love and care for you and care for your soul.
13:55
your salvation and, want to help your walk.
13:57
Cause I think at end of the day, it's just like, that is what makes us all the same.
14:01
Like we all love the same God.
14:04
Like we're all here for the same purpose.
14:05
And also we all want to serve our clients.
14:08
And so I felt like that, I was just knocked over the side of the head.
14:11
I felt like that whole conference, I was like, this is different, but this is amazing.
14:15
Like I felt like time kind of slowed and that never happens, you know?
14:19
So I can't, that was two years ago.
14:22
Yeah, I think the one you were at was maybe in October.
14:25
I don't think you came to the Virginia Beach one.
14:27
Yeah, yeah, you're not that cool, but that's fine.
14:32
That's okay.
14:32
Next time you can come and you are because you're a speaker again.
14:35
no, but all those things, right?
14:38
And as we try to figure this out, you know, I'm constantly reminded that every house we sell literally will crumble, right?
14:45
Every client we have will die.
14:48
And that's not morbidity.
14:50
It's just like, that's just what happens, right?
14:52
That is what happens.
14:53
And every dollar we make will fade away and all of these things.
14:57
doesn't mean these are in and of themselves vain pursuits, right?
15:01
But it does mean that when we are in community with someone who's going to try to pull us towards the world's direction and what the world offer, I mean, think about how the devil tempted Jesus.
15:13
Here's the world.
15:13
I can give it to you, right?
15:15
You just have to worship me essentially.
15:17
And that's literally, you know, like the self-help community and, you know, some of that's really good.
15:24
Don't hear me bash all of it, but the, this industry of you can have whatever you want.
15:30
You can build this crazy big life and, blah, blah, blah.
15:32
let you see like families broken apart and you see all this stuff.
15:35
And that doesn't mean that you can't be super successful and have a great family life.
15:39
That's absolutely, you absolutely can do both, but it's the devil saying, Hey, you can have the entire world.
15:45
And I started to believe that that's true.
15:47
and i think we need is it as as believers in general right but especially in this industry for us to say yeah but that's that won't satisfy you right i remember a great story tyler who was never on the show anymore miss you buddy and your terrible person but i forgive you but i don't give an answer forgiveness so you're not forgiven yet anyways will never listen to this bell is the honest okay so anyway so i remember but i'll talk to share the story so talisman professional baseball player right in pitch for the balkan orioles in he shared the story with me early when we had reconnected and any says you know get among on on the mound getting ready to pitch against the new york yankees and he says i'm i'm staying there and i i don't know it is the first better whatever the next batter up is alex rodriguez like you know the pinnacle of your career you're pitching against alex rodriguez you're on the mound on the esp and whatever whatever and he said i had this moment i stepped off the mound and i thought Thank you, Lord, because if this was all there is, this is nothing, right?
16:48
And, and, know, most of us think if we could do what Bell does and sell that many homes, if we could build a big, massive business, if we could, if we could be a professional athlete, like, then I would feel the satisfaction of whatever I've worked towards X, Y, and Z fell in the blank.
17:03
And reality is you won't, like you just won't none, none of it, right?
17:08
And praise God that no matter what we do, it's not meant to satisfy because if it did, we would love the world even more and we already struggle with that, right?
17:15
So we just need each other around.
17:18
You you said early on pre-show, you said, my purpose is more than being just the realtor who responds in 30 seconds.
17:27
What do you feel like you've been learning past year, past year, it doesn't matter, over this past year or so of just your purpose?
17:34
What does that mean?
17:34
Right?
17:35
Cause you're doing really well in the industry, but that's not all there is, but you must struggle with like, do I do more?
17:41
How do I do this?
17:42
What do you feel like you've been walking through and learning?
17:44
Yeah.
17:44
I think, you know, also the nuance of it is in many ways long gone.
17:49
think, you know, my first few years, well, I would say the first like three years, you know, I was 23.
17:54
So I'm doing what every 23 year old is doing where I'm like just traveling and being on vacation, calling it work, closing a deal every four months and living off of that.
18:04
And then, you know, so I was just, it was, you know, my business was such a joke.
18:10
But I, well, maybe the first like two years and then kind of that third year.
18:14
So, you know, I, I started to like climb through like over the years where it was like 20 some closings and 30 some closings and it was COVID and it was 72.
18:23
So I really, you know, thought it would be 50 and then it went to 72.
18:27
And then the next year was 80.
18:29
And so the next year I'm like, okay, a hundred, here we go.
18:33
And it was, I think 65.
18:37
And then.
18:38
Last year was like, I think, oh no, 65, then 50, then last year was 72.
18:45
But I remember, I was so grateful for that, like after the 80, where it was sort of like, okay, I guess I do 100.
18:51
And then it was like, you know, it was, and again, these numbers are crazy.
18:55
I'm not like, it was only 65, but you know, it's just, yeah.
18:58
So I'm aware of how obnoxious that kind of sounds, but I'm getting to a point.
19:03
But I know.
19:05
disappointing.
19:06
Yeah.
19:07
Yeah.
19:07
No, no, no, not at all.
19:08
So, but I was grateful because I just knew there would be a moment where I was going to fall short of a goal.
19:14
Right.
19:14
And, and I was glad it happened because it happened and then that was it, you know, and, and then I parted ways with, know, my showing partner at the time.
19:22
And then the next year, I think was mostly me and it was, and I did 50.
19:26
So it just, I kind of had to like break up with that image where, okay, I'm going to do a hundred and basically sacrifice my whole life for that.
19:35
Because I mean, you really reach a point where.
19:38
I mean, to do 65 plus, it's just such a crazy lifestyle, to be honest.
19:46
so anyways, I say all that because it had to happen.
19:52
And I didn't necessarily feel like a failure, but I just needed to face the reality of I am only human.
19:57
I am one person.
19:58
I have one phone that is my personal and my work.
20:02
And I have family.
20:03
I wanna train for...
20:05
runs and races and things I want to travel.
20:08
so I just started to face and ask the questions of like, I didn't ever believe real estate was all, you know, it wasn't like I was like, is this all there is?
20:16
wasn't like that, but kind of, you know, it's like, I was pouring so much into this career that was in return paying off my student loans.
20:23
Like I was able to buy a car and then, you know, buy a property and then eventually a investment property.
20:29
But you just, you know, I remember I was at a conference one year and they were saying, There are two things that struck me.
20:35
You know, they were talking about with your goals, do you ever reach like the end zone?
20:39
Are you always moving back the goalposts?
20:42
And, you know, and being able to actually celebrate your successes.
20:46
And also that year they had said something like, is it vacation or did you just move your office?
20:51
Like, is your office just now in Florida?
20:53
Is your office just now in a bachelorette, like on a bachelorette weekend?
20:57
And so, but you know, I think it's something I still kind of wrestle with, but I think something early on was, okay, well, I'm young and I have the energy and not so many distractions.
21:08
Like I have to take advantage of this.
21:10
But I also feel like, you know, I really, I want to honor the Lord in what I'm doing.
21:16
I want to love people and serve people.
21:18
And, but also I think it reached a point where I was like, I'm not loving myself.
21:21
I'm not honoring myself.
21:23
I'm not growing myself.
21:25
And so I think headed into this year, we were talking before we started recording and Garrett had, you know, kind of pulled me aside.
21:33
I guess the last one.
21:37
Yeah.
21:38
And, I mean, you know, Garrett, you can't hide.
21:42
So he was just like, how are you?
21:44
And I'm like, you know, he's like, how are you?
21:46
Like, how, how is everything like, you know, obviously doing a lot of business, like, how are you?
21:51
And so I really couldn't be BS my way out of any of that.
21:53
But, you know, it just, it kind of got me just talking out loud and I was, you know, just saying certain things of Yeah, I just don't really feel comfortable in silence.
22:02
Like, I don't even know why I said that because then, you know, then I was being held accountable.
22:07
Garrett was checking in on me.
22:09
I know, I know, extreme ownership over here.
22:12
But yeah, so I don't even know why I blurted that.
22:15
And then he's asking me about it.
22:16
And then it got me thinking, cause I was like, well, why, you know, why do I always have to have music or, you know, stimuli or, you know, I can't calm down.
22:24
And it was just this lifestyle that was so fast.
22:27
Like, I made no time for myself, made no quiet time, just space for even me and the Lord just to be quiet.
22:35
like, cause I think Garrett even said something like, well, what's the Lord saying?
22:38
I'm like, I have headphones.
22:39
I don't know.
22:40
Like I, it's never quiet.
22:42
How could I ever hear?
22:43
And so I feel like for a good chunk of my career, it was just this like blasting music, sprinting, grinding.
22:51
mean, hundreds of deals over the years.
22:55
And I just feel like the nuance really lost its like burn, you know?
22:59
I mean, what to me, January is the worst month because I mean, December 31st, January 1st, it doesn't matter what you did last year.
23:07
The whole scoreboard reads zeros.
23:10
And that to me is just so sad.
23:13
mean, it's like, kind of have to mourn it for a moment.
23:15
So I'm like, wow, that was great.
23:17
And now, yeah, like it doesn't matter.
23:20
It literally doesn't matter what I did last year.
23:22
Accolades don't matter.
23:23
Volume doesn't matter.
23:24
Like, because You restart.
23:26
Yeah.
23:27
So I just, I started to just feel like the glit, the glitz and glamour of it was just fading and pulling back.
23:34
And, know, to your point of Tyler story, you know, I remember, so I had received like an all American award in my junior year and I remember senior year, I was like, okay, I could probably go for it again.
23:46
Like that would be cool.
23:47
Our season wasn't as good, but I thought maybe I could get it.
23:50
I don't know stats, you know, and But I had also kind of come to peace like, well, that'd be cool.
23:55
I hope I do, but if I don't, you know, okay.
23:58
And I got the email saying that I had gotten it.
24:00
And I remember reading it and feeling like, wow.
24:02
And then literally just like that, any moment I was like, and literally similar to Tyler.
24:08
I remember thinking, I'm so glad.
24:10
Like I know the Lord and I know that my work isn't in this, like it wasn't even a day.
24:17
It was, I mean, I read the email and like closed it and was like, okay.
24:22
You know, and so I feel like same with like real estate and making money and grinding and all that stuff.
24:27
I mean, you have these wins and then it kind of fades.
24:30
So, you know, I think for me, it's trying to be comfortable with who I am and like where my strength is coming from, like my foundation.
24:39
It's not so much like what my past clients say about me, my current clients, like my reviews, because again, those can be good and bad.
24:50
And I need to be firm in who I know that I am because ultimately I have to look to the Lord for like my identity check and not look at, what people are saying.
25:01
Cause again, we've also had those moments where a deal is going sideways and you're distracted the whole night and then it ends up fixing itself or everything's fine.
25:10
And then you're like, well, I just lost that whole evening, the wake-up family, the wedding, whatever.
25:16
Yeah, yeah.
25:17
It's hard, know, when, and I appreciate your honesty, because when we're running at a certain speed, right, really all of the feedback we're getting is all exterior feedback, right?
25:29
Like there's no internal cycle for us to replay what happened or, you know, take the time to think through or pray through.
25:39
What was that?
25:40
Was that good?
25:40
Was it bad?
25:41
Was it hard?
25:41
Whatever it was, learn from it, whatever it was.
25:43
We're going so fast that we just get these exterior feedbacks, which is, hey, you're selling a lot of homes, you're doing a great job.
25:51
You're always doing stuff with your kids.
25:53
You're always whatever it is.
25:56
Whatever the feedback is, we're just getting it.
25:58
And so we just keep striving for that and we go get more.
26:01
mean, that's why social media is effective.
26:03
I got another like, or I got a whether, whatever.
26:06
I don't know what the terms are.
26:08
because i don't get any uh...
26:10
everybody go like my post okay so uh...
26:12
but like you know that we just have this a external feedback and i think pretty quickly you know it's it's anything you can train anything to train a dog to do whatever if you just give enough treats right it'll eventually just go that direction uh...
26:26
you know you can i don't have any other allergies but uh...
26:29
you can train anything to do anything that you want if you just give them what they think they're looking for and you know i feel like in my life the devil can't deceive me right i know the truth i've been you know we've been the spirit has confirmed that in me has has kept me and will keep me forever praise god because i would quickly lose it but the reality is the double can't see me but can distract me any can say hey i think this is what you want and i get it and i call you know it's cool like whatever i made a lot made a lot of money or people think i'm really good at whatever and so i'm gonna go do more of that i'm gonna go do more of that and then the things that I should be pursuing that are God-honoring, I don't get that kind of feedback, right?
27:10
Like for me, if I sit down and I have a really good heart-to-heart conversation with my son, right, and just tell him how proud I am and talk to him about whatever it is, right, like those are the God-honoring things.
27:23
Not that you can't honor the Lord other ways, but I don't get feedback on that, right?
27:26
There's no one saying, well done, right?
27:29
Keep going in that direction.
27:31
And so it's really easy for us to see Well, it feels like over here, these plants are growing pretty well and they're having a really good time.
27:40
So I think I'll go do that as opposed to pausing long enough to say, what is the work that you have for me?
27:47
Right?
27:47
There's, no, well, you and I aren't the same, right?
27:49
You and every other person is different and the Lord's purpose is completely different for you than it is for me and vice versa.
27:56
And, and if we don't stop long enough, then we're just going to go with what the world tells us because where, what other feedback are we getting?
28:03
Right.
28:04
Yeah, I think too, you know, because also I feel like it was like I was in college, had a little baby job and then this career.
28:12
So I feel like I kind of look at it in, you know, broader chapters as well.
28:16
And I think something that I, you know, definitely fall victim to is looking back at like college Bell and thinking, like she was so like.
28:23
holy and pure and she was so, you know, in the word every day, was like mentoring like 10 girls, you know, was leading, helping, you know, was in a Bible study, was leading FCA, like all these things.
28:34
And then, you know, with that same tone, I kind of, you know, shame myself now, like, oh, but you're not doing enough, you're not, and, but at the same time, I wasn't paying taxes in college.
28:45
I had a meal plan, like I didn't have a mortgage.
28:49
And so, you know, there's things that have changed and evolved, but I think it's just.
28:53
It's just those rose colored glasses.
28:55
again, to your point of a distraction, mean, I'm sure I'm very, you know, I'm sure the devil is using that as just a way to, you know, well, don't even bother.
29:03
You're so behind, like you don't even have time.
29:07
you know, and actually, so I'm really big into running.
29:10
I'm, know, I'm always training for like a marathon or half marathon.
29:12
And I remember at one point talking with someone and they're like, well, why don't you just, you know, I was venting because I just wasn't having enough time for like long runs because I feel like long runs.
29:22
really cleanse my mind, you I feel closest to the Lord with like worship music in nature.
29:26
So that combined check, you know, I'm running.
29:30
And, but I remember at one point being so extreme about it.
29:32
I was like, I can't, you know, if I don't have time for six miles, I'm just not going to run.
29:36
And they were like, well, just like, just do two.
29:38
Like what, what about, what if you did two really fast or like as fast as you could?
29:42
And so I feel like that is kind of a pattern for me where I'm, I'm so all in or all not.
29:47
And so, you know, in the same way, I feel like with the Lord, it's, you know, I feel like a lot of people would relate to Well, oh, I only have a two minute drive or I'm waiting for my Chick-fil-A order, or I'm so tired, I'm just gonna go to bed, or I don't have an hour to just do a whole deep dive into the Old Testament.
30:07
So then you just write it off, you just don't even do anything.
30:10
And I feel, mean, there's so much that you could learn with the Lord.
30:14
I mean, I think for me with church, especially, I was telling you before we were recording, I just go in and put my phone on, airplane mode because things break through.
30:24
I do not disturb intentionally, like for certain work things.
30:29
and I, like the peace that I feel when I'm in there.
30:32
And again, at first it is uncomfortable.
30:34
I'm like, is this happening?
30:36
Is that okay?
30:37
And then I kind of ease into it and I kind of forget.
30:40
And yeah, I'm in church for a while, but I mean, I feel like I'm just such a sponge.
30:45
Like, I feel like the worship feels different.
30:47
The community, like saying hi to friends afterwards feels different.
30:50
And it's because in a way I've just kind of shut the door on those external distractions.
30:55
Yeah, it's good.
30:56
mean, it's the, I struggle with the two, right?
30:59
It's the art of presence.
31:00
You know, just being where your feet are is really hard.
31:04
Just is.
31:05
mean, you know, it's easy to blame the phone and the reality of the phone is I'm looking for distraction, right?
31:11
I'm looking for a way to not be here and be engaged, right?
31:16
I mean, even I forgot to turn off my notifications on my computer, right?
31:20
And it's like new text messages, new text message.
31:22
Like I don't want to see it.
31:23
Yeah.
31:24
it's there.
31:24
And so we're trained and, it's, can blame outside whatever, but I think the reality that I forget too is it scripture literally says the devil is moving to and fro across the earth looking to devour us.
31:37
Right.
31:37
And yet I think, well, it's okay.
31:40
I'll do a quick two minute prayer and I'll be fine today.
31:43
And again, I'm with you a thousand percent.
31:46
If that's how your day goes, then just take it when you can get it right.
31:49
The Lord and His kindness is with you.
31:52
but.
31:53
When we don't try to set that aside or, there isn't period of silence and I'm not good at it either.
31:57
mean, I like, talk a lot, right.
32:01
and that's why no one listens.
32:03
And so, but like I'd like things happening, right.
32:07
My buddy, said to me the other, or like, earlier this week he came over and he, we had gone on this guy's trip, right.
32:14
And, and we went to the mountains and it snowed and then for some reason, instead of like going skiing or anything, which I've never done before, but.
32:22
Instead of going skiing, we sat there and played Settlers of Catan literally all day on Saturday.
32:28
And like they wanted to sit around and talk.
32:30
I was like, no, no, no, let's play a game.
32:31
We can talk while we play a Let's do something.
32:33
And he was like, why do you feel like you always have to do something?
32:36
And he asked me that.
32:36
This is earlier this week, or this is Monday.
32:39
last week, and I stopped and I was like, dude, I don't know.
32:42
I said, but I think there's a part of it.
32:44
And I got to figure that out.
32:45
said, I think there's a part of it where like, I'm scared if I just sit still.
32:49
and wonder like, what have I just been pushing to the side I haven't dealt with?
32:53
What is it that, you know, what am going to realize about myself?
32:56
Like maybe I can just keep going fast enough where I never have to pay attention to anything that I don't want to pay attention to.
33:03
And, that's the phone, right?
33:05
It's the distraction.
33:06
It's the speed at which we go.
33:08
It's always needing to have whatever input, going on around us or noise or whatever it is, because it can be scary to stop.
33:15
And, but I think it's those moments where.
33:19
we are still enough, right?
33:21
And the Lord can't speak to us at any point, but still enough where the Lord just, so in Scripture, right, first Samuel, Elijah, I think it's Elijah or Elisha, but I think it's Elijah.
33:31
He's out in the, he's out in the wilderness.
33:33
He falls asleep and then an angel comes and wakes him up and gives him food, which awesome.
33:39
And then he goes back to sleep and I don't, and then he wakes up again.
33:43
Anyways, he's walking around the wilderness, right?
33:45
And I, I don't remember exactly where forward, but it says, You know, the mountains catch fire or whatever, but the Lord wasn't in that, right?
33:53
Then it says the hurricane came, but the Lord wasn't in that.
33:56
And then the lightning came, but the Lord wasn't in that.
33:58
And then it says something to the effect of like, the still soft wind came by or whatever.
34:03
And the Lord was in that.
34:05
And I just think, man, do we ever even get to that point, right?
34:10
Or do we, by our own nature and sin, right?
34:14
certainly the devil trying to distract us.
34:17
Does he just say, here's more stuff, here's more stuff, here's more stuff?
34:19
I don't want you to listen to the wind because if you do, that's where the Lord is.
34:23
And it's hard.
34:24
It's hard to stop long enough to say, I, know, I've seen all I've seen the fire.
34:29
I've seen the lightning.
34:30
I've seen the hurricane.
34:31
I've seen all those things, but the Lord wasn't in that.
34:33
And once it starts to get still and like, okay, I'm bored.
34:36
I need to go do something.
34:37
Well, what if that's where the Lord is?
34:39
Right.
34:39
And so for us to practice stillness, right, go ahead.
34:44
yeah, yeah, I'm just thinking, mean, again, for those who are realtors, it's just like, you're always going, you're always looking to the next lead, the next call, like, you know, it's just like this, again, kind of a self-help little hamster wheel.
34:58
And I feel like there have been moments in my life where I know there are things that I'm dealing with, but I'm just like, I don't have the answers.
35:04
And I feel like I'm a very productive person and I wanna use my time wisely.
35:09
And so, you know, I've had...
35:11
People over the years that are, know, if they know I'm upset about something, they're just like, well, you can just sit with your sadness.
35:16
And I'm like, I don't have time.
35:17
Like I don't have time like to sit with it.
35:20
And also I don't want to, I don't want to look inward.
35:22
I don't want to know what I've kind of, you know, swept under the rug.
35:27
And I've also heard that you sweep enough under the rug and eventually you trip over it.
35:30
So it's like, if you're not dealing with these things as they come up, but again, for us, like who, at least for those listening that are a little bit more extreme, maybe like myself.
35:40
I feel like it's also, you know, I heard a word a couple of weeks ago at church, we were reading through John 11 with like Lazarus' death and how, you know, Jesus was saying that, you know, this illness doesn't lead to death.
35:54
Like it's for the glory of the Lord, which again, you know, he was ill and then he died, but then, you know, Jesus rose him.
36:00
And, you know, but he was saying that like through all of that, like the Lord will be glorified.
36:04
And I think for me, like, It's been a humbling and comforting word over the last few weeks or so, just thinking about the pain in our purpose.
36:15
There is a purpose to it.
36:17
And again, I'm not to make it all so sad, because again, there is purpose in your successes, and there is purpose in when you don't get something and when you do get something.
36:27
But I think just reminding yourself that you will never be faced with anything, you know...
36:36
like in or through which like the Lord is not going to use it to like bring glory like to his name.
36:42
And so I think in times where, so again, I hope it, I mean to encourage myself and you know, you and whoever like listening, it's a word to myself, but you know, in those moments where I don't want to look inward, I don't want to journal, I know that something's bothering me, but like I, I don't have the answer.
36:59
So I don't want to think on it because I've already thought on it and I don't know the answer.
37:03
But I think surrendering it and bringing it to the Lord and just, you know, that like sense of peace that comes over when maybe for me it is journaling.
37:11
Like I just, you know, I like to write out things.
37:14
And so I feel like in that way, it is very literal way of me writing it out and just like closing my journal and, you know, surrendering it to the Lord.
37:22
And again, is it fixed in an afternoon?
37:24
No, probably not.
37:25
But just that daily surrender of like our anxieties and our worries and things like that, I think has been like really helpful.
37:33
Cool.
37:34
Yeah.
37:34
mean, it's just such a good reminder.
37:36
You know, I definitely, and I have the similar personality.
37:39
We run full steam ahead and then we run into a wall and then we get up and we're like, Oh, that hurt.
37:43
And we just do it again.
37:45
There is no like, I wonder what I should do differently.
37:48
It's like, I just guess I'll just do it again.
37:51
Yeah.
37:51
Right.
37:51
Right.
37:52
Yeah.
37:52
I can do that.
37:53
I was fine.
37:53
That does that all you got wall?
37:55
Yeah.
37:55
And I think that for all of us, we're so different, but again, I think the whole point is for you, I love that you said earlier, there's purpose to that, right?
38:02
At the end of the day, whatever we're going through, there's purpose to that.
38:05
When you are running too fast and you're doing all these things and you think for a second, wait a minute, I should probably pay attention to the Lord.
38:12
You know, there's purpose to that too, right?
38:15
Don't hear me say that the Lord is making a sin, that's not biblical.
38:18
What I mean is that these things that are going on, the Lord somehow in only the way that He can is orchestrating all of it to have real purpose for those who love Him.
38:28
it to both bring glory to Him and to make us more like Christ.
38:31
I don't know how He does it.
38:33
Praise God, He's the one in charge, because I don't even know what's going to happen in 10 minutes, right?
38:36
But there's purpose to that.
38:39
Whatever it is for you audience, there's purpose to that, right?
38:42
And we can learn and we can grow and we can encourage each other.
38:45
So hope you all are going to come and hang out with us.
38:48
Bell and I will be there.
38:49
Many others will be there for the Faithful Agent retreat.
38:51
It'd be just...
38:52
Like if you're not there, which I understand if you can't come, but you being there is a blessing to us, right?
38:58
Just like we hope us being there is a blessing to you being in fellowship with brothers and sisters.
39:03
We want you there.
39:03
I just, I want to hang out with whoever's listening to this.
39:07
I want to spend time with you.
39:08
I'd love to get to know you.
39:09
know belt the same cause we can encourage one another.
39:12
Why?
39:12
the spirit lives in all of us.
39:14
and he is much wiser than we could ever be.
39:16
So, bell.
39:18
how do they get in touch with you or how do they follow you or if they want to learn more or if they stupidly want to start running where where where would they go Shamrock Marathon, Virginia Beach, quite local to a lot of people.
39:31
Yeah, so, Bell, B-E-L-L-E.
39:36
So I've yet to meet another Just Bell, so hopefully it's not too hard to find.
39:41
But yeah, name's Bell Tunstall, so Instagram, Facebook, please don't LinkedIn me.
39:46
I check it once a year.
39:48
But yeah, my Instagram is, bye with Bell.
39:53
by BUI underscore W underscore Bell.
39:56
But again, B.
39:59
you meant B-U-Y.
40:00
I'm gonna play that back.
40:02
I think you said B-U-I, but maybe not.
40:05
I'll play it back.
40:07
It's B-U-Y, just in case.
40:09
Yeah, yeah, B-U-Y.
40:12
just, or just type in Belle and then T-U-N.
40:15
And I think all of my, it'll all pop up.
40:18
So yeah, but I'm an open book.
40:20
So always happy to chat with newer agents, people with questions, but definitely show up in a couple of weeks at the retreat.
40:26
I would love to chat with anybody.
40:28
Thanks, Belle.
40:29
appreciate you as always.
40:30
Christian Agents, we love you.
40:31
I hope we will see you at the retreat.
40:33
If not, I will see you next week right here on the show.