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  Chuck Marohn's "Strong Towns" philosophy has been a huge influence on our thinking. StrongTowns.org has grown from a personal blog into one of the most influential urbanist movements in America, with thousands of members and millions of readers worldwide.   Strong Towns is common sense, yet iconoclastic: Cities and towns need to manage their finances responsibly, and develop their infrastructure accordingly.   While Chuck's prognoses may sound pessimistic, he believes that positive changes must happen at the level of the local community, rather than chasing easy money from Wall Street and Washington. This is an approach that we can get behind.   Chuck's forthcoming book "Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity" is available for pre-order, and will be released on October 1st, 2019.   Use hashtag #ana023 to reference this episode in a tweet, post, or comment   View full show notes and links at http://anarchitecturepodcast.com/ana023 ----more----   Intro   Tim met Chuck at an event in Portsmouth NH Joe's urbanism crash course Growth Ponzi Scheme Rothbard defines "Capital Goods" as goods which require maintenance Land is permanent Consumer goods are quickly used up Cities treat capital goods as consumer goods Strong Towns puts the meat on the bones Strong Towns has members from across the political spectrum Hope for libertarians "Stroad" - the "taint" of the built environment 'tain't a street, 'tain't a road ...or is it a foot fungus? Not just about financial resiliency; it's also about safety   Discussion   What is a Strong Town? A place that can take care of itself Maintain basic infrastructure "Most cities today... are insolvent" What makes towns fragile? Post-WWII development pattern - horizontal expansion Infrastructure capital costs wrapped into debt Short term sugar rush for local governments Repair/replacement costs come due in later generations Cities chase more growth and take on more debt to cover repair costs Growth Ponzi Scheme - eventually the math breaks down Tradeoff between growth and stability This sounds a lot like the Austrian Business Cycle Theory (ABCT) Fear the Boom and Bust We don't have any options that aren't painful What solutions does Strong Towns propose? "We have categorically rejected the idea of a solution" Cities are complex adaptive systems - simple cause/effect doesn't work Solutions must emerge through feedback - can be very painful Loans, Federal Grants put off the consequences Good decisions can reinforce each other What are the roles of different actors in developing solutions? "What two policies can we enact that would build Strong Towns" Stop funding the local cul-de-sac from Washington DC SB50 - forces expansion on certain areas Libertarian at the federal/state level Communal organization at the local level Cities need to become competent at basic maintenance Financially productive neighborhoods tend to be the most neglected, older, traditional development pattern Cities need to orient themselves away from looking up the government food chain Small quality of life investments have a huge payoff - street trees, crosswalks, walkability What if there was no city government? Does a city government have an inherent bias towards big projects? Incentives are all messed up When you institutionalize something, it tends to serve itself Debate with Randall O'Toole - the holdout problem on a private street The transaction cost problem - coercive social pressure vs. coercive government Local government works best when it's focused on the people, but has become the tool for implementing federal policy Government has taken the mantle of community The Red Button Libertarian Purity Test Small bets Strong Towns has everyone from hardcore socialists to hardcore libertarians There isn't one path to building a Strong Town Governmental localism It's the best we have at this point The problem is the assumption that the government is the only approach Why do cities take on responsibility for new developments? The price of your home should have factored in the maintenance costs User fees - low density development should pay more Study in Lafayette, LA - how many times is your poop pumped? Baltimore - people have become accustomed to low fees that haven't capitalized the cost of replacement Utilities are local monopolies Privatizing a system - closes a short term budget gap "Privitazation merely runs the system the way that a competently run system should be" Privatization vs Privateering - from public to private monopoly Private Public Partnership Arizona State Capital - sold the building and rented it back We should be leery of these deals - there's not a lot of good decision making being made Are there any examples of successful divestiture of government responsibilities? Memphis annexation to close budget gaps Memphis is twice the size of Detroit, and 2/3 the people De-annexation, shrinking the size of the city The people being de-annexed want to be de-annexed Reversion to county or unincorporated township Tax revenue as a proxy for success An inherent disconnect between tax revenue and user costs City council as a buyer's group Alignment between libertarians and advocates for the poor Older lots - narrow, deep lots - require minimal infrastructure Newer developments - more infrastructure per lot The poorest neighborhoods subsidize the wealthier ones How do you quantify a productive area? Wealth creation is the proxy for success Value per acre correlates with success This holds true regardless of the specific tax regime Empire State building vs. trailer home 1800's planning books obsessed about value per acre Is density an oversimplification? Yes Planners love simple metrics "Urban renewal is a poster child for people who thought density was the answer" Correlation between public investment and private investment Density is a side effect Chuck's family homestead - productive, didn't require services Core downtowns have more infrastructure, but more wealth Big box stores - public investment almost as much as the private investment Minimum 20:1 - 40:1 ratio of private to public investment Should a local small business owner (movie theater) be given a monopoly to keep out the big box chain? Knee-jerk libertarian reaction - no special privileges AMC benefits from the stroad subsidy "People think, when we talk about the free market, that we're talking about something that actually exists" First, do no harm - take away the financial and infrastructure subsidies that prop up the big box model Chuck would recommend the monopoly protection - they can always revoke it later "The more things can be localized, the more our better angels tend to govern things" If government can pick winners and losers - in many cases they'll pick the corporate big box The local ability to adapt and change is paramount We should trust the community to support good local businesses Strong Towns: the book 70,000 words in 6 months No editing changes It's the Strong Towns story Book tour Strong Towns has become a movement "Back when I started, it was me writing a blog instead of going to a therapist" Pre-2008, over 100 years of undeveloped lot supply "Either I'm crazy, or the world's crazy. I was open to either possibility." Almost 3,000 dues paying members, millions of readers Where's the best place to start? Link on the home page   Links/Resources   Strong Towns Newcomers page Pre-order Strong Towns, the book Strong Towns Podcasts Connect with local Strong Towns groups Strong Towns Articles discussed Sprawl is Not the Problem Chuck's Debate with Randal O'Toole Lafayette - Poor Neighborhoods Make the Best Investments Arizona State Capitol Building - Desperate Times... Desperate (Insane) Measures? Memphis's U-Turn: How the City is Commiting to a Stronger Future - (blog and podcast episode) On the Value per Acre metric: We measure car value based on miles per gallon, not miles per tank. Why don't we do the same for our cities' developments? Other people/websites mentioned Joe Minicozzi - Urban3 Randal O'Toole's "Antiplanner" blog Anarchitecture Podcast episodes mentioned: ana020: The Power of Place-Based Community | Tim’s Freecoast 2018 Speech Austrian Business Cycle Theory (ABCT) resource page (Bob Murphy) Mark Thornton's "The Skyscraper Curse" is a great explanation of ABCT and shows the effects of the business cycle on city development Baltimore Votes to Become First Large U.S. City to Ban Water Privatization - Reuters Rothbard: Capital goods require maintenance (Man, Economy, and State, p. 484): We can, instead, reformulate the concept of “land.” Up to this point we have simply assumed land to be the original, nature-given factors. Now we must modify this, in keeping with our focus on the present and the future rather than the past.  Whether or not a piece of land is “originally” pure land is in fact economically immaterial, so long as whatever alterations have been made are permanent—or rather, so long as these alterations do not have to be reproduced or replaced. Land that has been irrigated by canals or altered through the chopping down of forests has become a present, permanent given. Because it is a present given, not worn out in the process of production, and not needing to be replaced, it becomes a land factor under our definition. In the ERE (evenly rotating economy), this factor will continue to give forth its natural powers unstinted and without further investment; it is therefore land in our analysis. Once this occurs, and the permanent are separated from the nonpermanent alterations, we see that the structure of production no longer stretches back infinitely in time, but comes to a close within a relatively brief span of time. The capital goods are those which are continually wearing out in the process of production and which labor and land factors must work to replace. When we consider physical wearing out and replacement, then, it becomes evident that it would not take many years for the whole capital-goods structure to collapse, if no work were done on maintenance and replacement, and this is true even in the modern, highly capitalist economy. Of course, the higher the degree of “capitalist” development and the more stages in production, the longer will it take for all the capital goods to wear out.  

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] Watch the live interview below   [/fusion_text][fusion_youtube id="https://youtu.be/JMgEjKUCdzQ" alignment="center" width="" height="" autoplay="false" api_params="&rel=0" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]   Transcription (was completed by automated process. Please ignore any speech-to-text errors)  [00:00:00] I'm Beatty Carmichael on the CEO of agent dominator and I'd like to welcome you to another session of get sellers calling you. This is both aN audio podcast and a YouTube podcast and this is where we focus on how do you get more sellers. This is also just like you know this is an Internet interview. And so we may have periodic Internet issues and if you do just bear with us on that. But I'm real excited to have actually one of our clients is how I met Brandon. But Brandon Carroll and he comes to us from Virginia. So Brandon welcome to the call. Thank you Beatty. And Brandon just for kind of perspective where in Virginia are you?   [00:00:48] I’m in Culpeper County which is the southernmost outskirts of Northern Virginia. So we are if you if you ask anybody who's from Culpeper they will say that they do not understand that. But nonetheless that is how the state has decided to categorize them.   [00:01:07] I love it. The northern most right there on the edge. So just above you. Is this the best part.   [00:01:15] Yeah. OK. So. Well tell me. So we were talking a little bit before we got started here a little bit about your real estate career saw how you got into it and the type of volume and I wanted to visit with you because I thought you had a great message to share in terms of just. I'll say just a really good strong steady business but a business where as we've kind of been talking back and forth a little bit I just get the sense that you have no worries about how your business going come in or if you're going to have business. And I just thought that was such a really neat approach that I wanted to kind of visit with you on that. So can you give us just real quick background of who you are and how you've gone in business and just some. Anything that comes to mind that you might want to share. Sure absolutely.   [00:02:02] So thirty six years old I got out of college around the age of twenty three years old worked as a chemist for several years and then went to seminary to get my degree in Christian counseling and discipleship worked in that world for about six years seven years and then had flipped a couple of personal residences and was engaged with a fellow believer who was a real estate agent who sold my house at the time and she thought that I was doing honestly a better job than what she was doing in the listing. I learned a lot and she is a very gracious woman to be able to even say such a thing. And so from there I just began to inquire a little bit more took some educational classes have been in real estate now full time since the end of 2014. And so going on about four and a half years that's really neat.   [00:03:08] You know it's interesting how the Lord takes your direction because if you were to ask my story how I got here is this very securities round but when you look backwards see guys fingerprint all over it.   [00:03:19] So it sounds sort like that happened with you with your household.   [00:03:22] Absolutely. Absolutely.   [00:03:25] That's neat. And then tell me. So we're talking also about your volume so I know that you know the typical agent out there does 15 20 transactions a year. You do a little bit more than that. So talk to me about your volume in and how consistent it's been.   [00:03:41] I have done since starting full time I've done 30 transactions a year. Okay. And that has come in many ways it sounds a little unrealistic but in many ways that has come by the providence of the Lord to speak in a little more tangible sense. I do grow up in a community where I have some family. So I would say you know maybe 15 to 20 percent of my business is come from my family. But then the other aspect is just being available taking phone calls. Being willing to do what we call desk duty in our office which is a foreign concept to a lot of agents and then engaging people chasing down every lead going above and beyond. So if somebody calls in on a warm call if you will. It calls into the office. My objective is to exceed this individual's expectations. So what are they asking me for they're asking me for the price on a house located within Culpeper County. Most often that's a realistic scenario name. But I am engaging them in conversation right. We're talking about the house we're talking about their family their children their wives what are they trying to accomplish. And we're doing this in a matter of minutes.   [00:05:18] So I've got two questions for you. So I want to kind of pursue two angles real quick.   [00:05:23] You mentioned the providence of God in terms of your your volume and you're mentioning kind of what you do when you're engaging with someone. Let me go down what you do when you're engaging with some because I think this is really cool as you're picking up these calls from from servicing the floor. You're just engaging with them at a relational level. This sounds like that was what your last comment was kind of building a relationship. Can you just kind of expand you know in terms of in your mind you've kind of had this process it sounds like that when a call comes in when you're engaging some there's sort of this the step by step process of what it is that you do structurally so that you can then take it the next step. Can you enlighten me a little bit more on that.   [00:06:06] Yeah so obviously in my mind. So if you reverse the roles and you put yourself in that individual shoes how would you want to be engaged. And I think through. If I'm on if I'm on the phone and I'm calling in. I want to be provided something of value and that is essential. So if you can give the individual value. And that's not always so easy to do to determine what it is this person perceives as value but you can ask open ended questions. I think we all know that yes no questions can make conversations and rather quickly. Yep but you ask an open ended question such as what what brings you to Culpeper you can get a myriad of things that. Somebody will tell you. And so from a structural standpoint it's just aimed at getting the individual to open up to give me helpful information so that I can provide. Excellent world class client centred experience.   [00:07:18] That's interesting because what I've learned what you don't know about me is I used to teach telephone sales and an appointment setting many years back to a totally different industry.   [00:07:29] And one of the things that I found is is if you can engage that person at a relational level just talking with them then they start to trust you. And then in that conversation you can start to determine which direction they need to be guided or which direction they want to take this approach and now you built up the trust you built up enough relation you know value that you can actually start to do something with them.   [00:07:56] Does that make sense is that kind of what you're doing that hits to hit the nail right on the head.   [00:08:01] I love it. So I want to go back to something because this is this is the thing that really kind of attracted me to you and I want to interview you on this.   [00:08:12] You mentioned that your very first year you had a first year full time you had about 30 transactions and you maintain a very level business at that point. And I asked you a question I'd like you to expand on this further because I think this is really important at least in my world view on that. And I ask you the question So are you purposely maintaining your volume steady or are you trying to grow and you've hit a ceiling. And your response was Do you remember. Not the exact verbiage but   [00:08:48] So purposely purposefully grow. I think that is how we got connected. And I'd say that the business that I've had over the last five years has just simply been the providence of God in him. It's difficult to explain as are some spiritual things but him and just providing the business. So when that outlook was rather bleak you just hit your knees you pray and then God would open up the doors and people would call.   [00:09:22] So for instance let me try to put some skin on that.   [00:09:28] This February March I was strongly considering doing a couple of different things maybe picking up some kind of a part time job in granted. This sounds like ye of little faith given God's track record. But now I have five or six listings coming on the market. So six houses in the last 45 to 60 days and I can't attribute that to much more than. Praying. I know that that may seem dissatisfying for some folks but it is all the more convicting for me.   [00:10:09] Well let's pursue that because like you I've been in similar situation. Let me tell you one this is November 2002. I'm preparing to give my stewardship testimony at my church   [00:10:23] At this time. We have had three months without actually more than three months without a paycheck. I have three months remaining in my savings and then it's all out. We maximize all of our lines of credit on the business and everything is in this shambles and I'm Wednesday night about eleven o'clock. I'm up there prepping for my stewardship test my I'm going give that Tuesday at that Sunday and one of the things I believe in is you know you cannot out give God's ability to take care of you. So I was kind of prepping this and roleplaying what I would say you know someone comes to me and says Hey baby I just lost my job my car broke down my water heater display what I do now that my standard response would be well increase you're getting right because you can't give God. And and when I said that I heard God's spirit just kind of speak in my spirit speak to my spirit this as well why don't you increase your giving baby.   [00:11:23] Well you have to. Exactly. And to make a long story really short as much as I can. I said OK now what do you want me to do. And he said well you know give it all. I said OK so here's the deal. I've got three months of cash remaining I haven't had anyone ask me for money recently. I normally have a lot of people asking for donations and stuff. And I said whoever asked me tomorrow I'll give whatever they made up to everything I have in my savings account and I'll just trust entirely on you. So I go into that day all excited that God's gonna sense our number and give it all and it's going to be you know entirely cast my trust on him and and all I had was one person that needed three hundred and twenty five dollars. So I was actually dejected I got home later that night and I said Lord how do you make it. So you know I was ready to give it all. And there's image of RAM cord with his thickets is his horn in the thickets came to mind you remember that story in the Bible. Yeah sure yeah. What was Abraham and his sacrifice of Isaac and this message just kind of came to me that said I made it easy on Abraham too. But here's what happened. Within three months. We had paid off all of our lines of credit.   [00:12:47] And the third and fourth month because we give each month based on whatever our profits are. The third and fourth month were maybe his fourth and fifth. We gave more in those two months than most people earned in a year. It was just that turnaround just like what you were talking about know at that point that you're ready to give up you trust the Lord and he felt I had a rabbit out of the hat so to speak because I agree.   [00:13:12] You know I'm studying very briefly I'm studying Zachary right now. So very prophetic book. But there are some things in there. So for instance Zach Rice says when he's talking about rebuilding the temple. He says that's not not by my power. Nor by night but by my Spirit not by your power or your might but by my spirit that rings true and in many ways of course. You know the Scripture has one meaning in and of itself not reading it many meetings but applications wise a lot of times it's what we think about our strong military or our great speaking abilities. But these are all gifts things. And there are many people who have those things. You have nothing.   [00:14:03] And it is by Spirit.   [00:14:05] It is thus Zachariah Chapter Four I believe because that's one of the things he's spoken to me not by my nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord you will succeed in the work I called you to do the cause of my spirit.   [00:14:21] And he's trying to debunk their allegiance or they're their hope in their military alliances. That's what he's really trying to bring down here. And that's true. The board will do that in any of our lives right. Anything that we put trust in part from him. He will write it down.   [00:14:45] He will. So let's.   [00:14:46] I'm really interested in pursuing further just this trust in God's providence as it relates to your business because as I talked to a lot of realtors especially you know you have the realtors that are kind of in this middle area they're doing well but they're frustrated because they can't seem to break through and do great. OK. It's you know what you know. You know what I'm talking about right. Sure of course. OK. So there's obviously a lot of frustration. There's concerns just like what you mentioned. You know you're thinking about well do I get a part time job right now and then all of sudden the Lord opens up some floodgates for you and blesses you can you talk to me a little bit more about just your first off how we're on the subject just maybe bring people up to date with this reliance on the Lord. How did you get that reliance What do you you know what does that mean to you and talk to me in terms of the peace that you have in this turbulent world of trying to build a real estate business. Well that's a. That's a snippet of my testimony that would be very fragmented and I think it's it's it's worthy to mention a disclaimer that I am no spiritual   [00:16:06] Superhuman. You know I think as Paul grows in his theology he actually sees himself all the worse and thus casting himself upon the grace of God all the more. So I think it's it's notable that everybody who listens or sees this knows that there are real struggles that go on in my mind and my heart. On a day to day basis. My faith is I'm 36 years old. My faith is 18 years old so I have been saved as long as I was unsaved. It's difficult to quantify the scriptures say that each man's been given a measure of faith. Right. It's difficult to quantify how I've. Come about peace and spiritual maturity. Apart from God's grace. I have made it a pattern of behavior simply to read the scriptures and obey them in a very practical sense. What does that mean. So one of the things that you had kind of alluded to was tithing that has been a practice from day one. Just because in my mind it was never a question of why should I give 10 percent. When you come from a state of total depravity and you've been forgiving of everything that you've ever done then the question really is why not more than 10 percent.   [00:17:45] If you know that makes sense. And so in my 18 years of running from the Lord before he finally was able to pin me down I had done a lot of things in my life that one person would say they could never possibly be forgiven right. And so when you are. Forgiven. Of much it in your mind in my mind makes the thankfulness. All the more overwhelming. If that makes sense that I am grateful for what God has done for me as a result of that. I just tried to be obedient to the things that he is calling me to do. Such as taking care of my family. Building in natural spiritual disciplines such as fasting reading of scripture this sacrifice. What does it mean to to give. Jesus says to whom much is given much is required. What does that mean. Do I have a lot. Do I have a little you know. So asking those kinds of questions and then looking at it prospectively oneself.   [00:19:02] But let me ask you on that so because you know it's hard to separate your personal life from your real estate life because your real estate is you and you are your person your father your son your husband your real estate agent and this whole idea of separation of each of those compartments really does and doesn't fit. So in terms of how do you apply maybe this is a good question. How do you apply your faith within your business. And maybe if I can clarify that maybe a little bit further in terms of priorities okay. In terms of fear or peace in terms of how you interact with people let's talk first about property and then we'll talk on the other ones   [00:19:56] Yeah it's it's very difficult. I'm a single income family so there's a real struggle there to provide for your family. My wife stays home. With our two children. We have normal expenses like every other American family. Priority so obviously my priorities were set in order let's say about twelve thirteen years ago speaking with a lot of wise men men who had gone before me men who were in their 50s 60s who had raised children who have been married for 30 40 years just emphasizing to me through the study of scripture that God is first and foremost. And if you remove him out of that position then you can anticipate to have   [00:20:51] Different kinds of problems and all different kinds of areas of your life such as parenting marriage your work life your sexual life all the different kinds of things that scripture will warn you against. And so it is very difficult to be self-employed.   [00:21:11] Trying to strike a balance between OK well we need money to live day to day but yet it needs to stay in its rightful place as well. So I have missed out on business over the years going on vacations just naturally missed out on business but nonetheless. So in my mind God comes first then it's family and then it's work and then it's church.   [00:21:46] And those are you know in a very concrete way you dive into each one of those but those are the way that I have tried to keep things aligned and prioritized in my life.   [00:21:57] So in terms of God being first in your life if I were to look at the average day in the life of Brandon what does that day look like.   [00:22:05] How do you make God a priority first.   [00:22:09] Yes I'm somewhat of a nomad. I don't like structure in many ways and I think you know not to dive into that but that has a lot to do with my upbringing. But some of the non-negotiable are me spending time with the Lord by myself. Me my wife spending time with the Lord Reading the scriptures and then me and my children. Doing devotionals together. Those are non-negotiable. And so if work is stacking up for instance today negotiating two offers working on two listings that are coming this weekend it is a very busy week.   [00:22:49] But despite that those things will be put to the side at some point in time. And it is. 315 in the afternoon and the day has had its way of taking me by storm today   [00:23:06] Just because of some things that are going on in church but there will be a set of part time at some point and this happened in granite. I have the flexibility because my wife stays home to be able to do those things on a more flexible basis. I don't have a 9:00 to 5:00 am well aware of that but nonetheless no excuses or more or less are permitted. When it comes to personal awards to the side of my family.   [00:23:34] So on that. Does that mean because we were talking about this earlier today before this call.   [00:23:40] You spent time with the Lord first at the first part of your day before you get your day started. Is that correct. No not always. OK.   [00:23:49] Not always. I'd say the majority of the time morning starts out with the Lord. But that's 75 percent of the time there sometimes. For instance this morning our accountability group meets on Monday morning at 730. And if you know anything about me 730 is the crack of dawn. Oh yeah. It's not four or five o'clock. That's just not who I am. It's not how I'm wired. Some of my best devotional times with the Lord come in in the wee hours of the night when my wife and my children are asleep and I'm immersing myself in some of the songs and prayer and just find a quiet place in the house.   [00:24:30] Well let me springboard from there into the next topic on this time I was asking the three questions because I think that I think this kind of sets the stage for what I want to ask.   [00:24:39] So you put the lord of a priority in your life long before business. So then when it comes to business and you start to you know there are two ways to look at business at times. Either I'm fearful what's going on I don't have enough business how am I going to pay the bills or I'm at peace because of it I'll use your term because knowing the providence of God is going to take care of you. Talk to me in terms of that whole approach that attitude that you have as you build your business of fear or peace as you go through life. Does that make sense when I'm asking a little bit.   [00:25:17] I think if I'm reading correctly you know it is a constant ebb and flow. That's why I say this spiritual titans it's not like I wrestle with fear I had moments but in my mind the a healthy Christian. I constantly involves repentance and turning back. And so that. That is that is always happening for me in varying degrees.   [00:25:50] So could I have a couple of days strung together where I'm fearful thinking well what am I going to do tomorrow. What am I going to do today.   [00:25:59] And wrestle with that. But it is not staying in that place repenting of it and turning back to the Lord and then getting perspective right. So you had said previously looking back   [00:26:14] In your past seeing the Lord's handprint on some of the things that you had gone through and that that is looking back 18 years now I can see God's hand and that that should build on one's faith being able to see how faithful he is. And then obviously on a daily basis just constantly being reminded of his goodness in his faith and this steadfastness and. All those characteristics qualities of who God. Is   [00:26:50] And how we can draw upon that deep well it's ever sustaining. But again you know it is a struggle and it is it is a very real struggle we.   [00:27:01] And why I say that so where am I right now we are in our third house that we are flipping renovating we say and I'm about four years. This by far I'd shoot off more than I could have ever imagined with this house. It is a 5000 square foot house. It is in my mind the house had never been built because it's just so excessive. It's got five bedrooms four bathrooms a big pool out back. And I think after this one after we do this when we will downsize and build a smaller house maybe 15 her square feet something like that with the basement. And that would be more than enough. But but this house has really made me depend upon the Lord because I had about one hundred and fifty grand to spend on it and I blew through that really fast and there's still work that I get to see on a daily basis that I say well Lord obviously got myself into a big pick a bigger pickle jar that I thought I was jumping into and now I'm kind of swimming around in it and I can't get out.   [00:28:11] Talk to me. Talk to me in terms of testimonies for a moment because you know is is the Lord is leading Israel out of Egypt.   [00:28:19] He shows him his hand and his power. Time after time after time after time to create and instill in them the testimonies that you can trust me because I'd take a took care of you here and here and here and here so you can trust me to take care of you right now. You mentioned just recent you know at the first part of this call that right now in this time of your life right now and just last couple of months you were at the point of wondering if you ought to get a job and now you have like six or seven listings and everything's coming in. I am fairly confident that's probably not the only time the Lord has taking care of you can you just talk about just a couple of the times in your real estate career where you trusted on the Lord because you knew he was faithful and and he showed up. Are there some extra stories you can tell on that.   [00:29:14] Yeah there are. I'm thinking through a couple of them. One in particular was when we had moved from this house from our previous house to this house. We took somewhat of a leap of faith. We had done a a lot of work on our other house and had a lot of money equity tied up into it and we carried both houses for a while and there wasn't a lot of business on the radar either. Now granted we had some cash reserves that would never stretch myself so thin that everything would be jeopardized in one decision. But we had to dip into those cash reserves and that's obviously know again if you know anything about me that is the disavowing my allegiance to Christ. I think you may have a bank account. So so we had to do that right. And again it was a time of purifying the Lord uses those instances to refine and remove a lack of faith. To remove things that don't honor him and work by him. And that's kind of the 30000 foot view of those circumstances what I see God doing in me is purifying me in those moments because because. Of who I know him to be. He's not manipulative. He doesn't twist the truth. He's not deceptive he's he's not ill will towards me. He doesn't hold grudges. There are real consequences for sin. Of course but he is a good father and he's promised to take care of me if I put him first. So if I am doing that then there is almost an expectation on my part that God is going to step in and provide the material things that I need on a day to day basis as he does the birds in my backyard.   [00:31:28] You know I love your word. There is an expectation on my part that God is going to step in and provide.   [00:31:34] I think if we go back to I think it's Mark the story of Mark when Peter's walking on the water. OK so you kind of set it up. Jesus is walking on the waters early dawn. Everyone. All the guys get a pride in the boat and Jesus said don't be afraid it's just me. So Peter says Well I try to command me to come out now on the water to you know. Jesus says Come right. And yeah. And so he says that he stepped out of the boat and began walking on the water. As long as he trusted in the Lord. But then when he took his eyes off the Lord and put his eyes onto the wind in the waves he sunk. And Jesus says Why did you doubt your memory. I know you know that passage. Absolutely yeah.   [00:32:18] That's a very good comparison to describe. You know you can you can do miraculous things and we have to be careful too in our American Christianity to equate that to the wealth and health and prosperity gospel that is is rampant. People just in droves go into that realm. But nonetheless you worry fear God will cast all those things away and provide you.   [00:32:53] And I think put it in what it has taught me as I go through as I look back at that and look at those things in my life.   [00:33:00] And this is where I was kind of leading when you said you kind of had this expectation the Lord was going to take care of you. You had the expectation I would be willing to bet because the Lord has indicated it to you scripturally first. He's he has set a precedent. And as you follow and serve him. He takes care of you. You know he's called you to this line of work and therefore you have this expectation that he will continue to take care of you. Does that make sense.   [00:33:30] And I do. It sure does. Yeah absolutely.   [00:33:34] And that's how you and I met was God has provided and I think about. So if if we can rant if I can ram from 30 to 45 transactions each year. That would be a. Pretty significant increase but one that I see as very possible. What. What else could I do to impact God's kingdom here and Culpeper Virginia. And maybe beyond. Right. Right. You know I think it's always healthy to have a local national and international perspective on how we can play a part in what God is doing around the world nationally and here in our community. And my desire is in growing the business from 30 to 45. It's not about self consumption. There are some things that my family and I would like to do and accomplish but it's also keeping God's kingdom in mind because we are one quite quite clearly. That we are not to be about building our own kingdom here but about digging and building the Lords.   [00:34:49] So let's talk about that for a moment because you know how do we impact.   [00:34:53] Okay so years that the Lord directed me to use my distance as a platform for ministry so I internally I kind of have this description of who I am. I'm a full time minister secretly disguised as a businessman okay. And as a realtor you had the same opportunity. I remember when we bought the home that we now live in. The realtor as we were filling out the offer on the kitchen table she said Okay now let's pray about this. I thought that's a great way to do it and ask for God's blessing upon that offer. If this is his home for us and it's turned out to be far beyond every expectation we had set in a home. It's just amazing. So the third thing that we want to talk about your priorities. Fear or peace. And then how do you live your Christian faith with your clients so as we're talking about how do you make an impact. Talk to me in terms of what do you deliberately do. In working with clients. That is how you live out your faith and how you make that impact.   [00:36:02] I think the thing that comes to my mind and foremost thing that comes to my mind is again putting myself in their shoes right. And it's what is widely known amongst Christian community and the second community is the golden rule. And in doing unto them. How you would have them do unto you. And so again what does that look like. That means. So from a bear day to day to day realistic practical standpoint in the real estate world is that you listen to people you actively listen to what they want and what they need and what their desires are. And you. Aim to hit that mark for them. And I think in the real estate world. Naturally there and in any state in any business. Whether it be I.T. in the medical world there are self-serving individuals right. And so they do in many instances what is best for them. And the real estate world what does that equate to well. An agent may have very close agents to me that I can say this with. With great certainty that they will steer people away from a certain house or. Painted in a negative light because it pays less of a commission or they will do backroom deals where they will get people into houses before anybody else is privy to them. So there are there are principles and biblical principles that we live by and I'd say the main one that really is a thrust from me is doing what is best for this individual. And you could say Well Brandon how do you know what's best for that individual. And that's where I go back to listening to them and hearing what they have to say. And that's how I'm operating.   [00:38:00] Can you give me some one or two examples that come to mind of. All. Of this that you're talking about. I think that so for instance right now I have a dear friend of mine who is in the process of selling his house and he's one of the contracts or offers that we are currently negotiating and they had in their mind a price. That they wanted to give for the house and we have gotten them twelve thousand five hundred dollars more. And so they're super excited. How does that play into this situation. He's he's super anxious super nervous. A I want it now kind of guy and he's he's well aware of the temptations and when we even sat down and did the listing agreement talked through all of this he said I want you to know my my initial reaction is just going to be get to get things done as soon as possible. Now. Whatever offer comes in. Let's take it. And so we were having a conversation last night when the offer came in came in twelve five lower and he was inclined to. Don't you scare them off don't you scare em off. I don't you get greedy I don't want to get greedy and I say you know look let's let's think about this from a different vantage point and let's let's define greed. So we sat there on the phone while we're negotiating right we with. I mean this is either what we do or we don't do. And so we sat there we defined greed and we defined negotiation and what those two things look like. And then I asked him to come to a conclusion are we being greedy to which it was.   [00:39:59] No.   [00:40:00] This is this is the art of negotiation. This is this is what we are here to do. We are here to get you the best deal. Just like the other agent who put together the original offer is aiming to do with their clients. And I think that at the end of the day everybody could sit down at closing table and shake hands and say wow this is such a smooth great transaction. We got a great deal you got a great deal and and define greed in very realistic terms to him. So you know if we went back at X price and we took this this and this off the table then I think we would probably be meeting the definition of being greedy right. Well we had already in our minds decided what would be acceptable reasonable and we were operating within that Metro during. Very one you know one recent scenario I think that faith has played itself out especially with another believer.   [00:40:58] Mm hmm. So can you imagine building your real estate business without Christ   [00:41:06] Absolutely not. No. I can't. I can't imagine living today apart from Christ in our accountability group. This morning we were just talking about whether there's or I was talking about whether there's much to do whether there's little to do with those big tasks or menial tasks. I desperately need Christ so to answer your question. Not a chance. I'd look around at colleagues in our community and I see how they operate do business. And it's very alarming it's something to pray for and but for the grace of God there goes me. I would be doing the same things had not God chase me down pin me down declared me his son.   [00:41:58] You know I have a friend over in Texas who's an agent and he's a high volume producer and he's always frustrating.   [00:42:05] Frustrated and complains whenever we talk that he can't do what his competitors are doing. His competitors are hiring telemarketers calling all through the neighborhoods. He said Those people are on Do Not Call list they are violating laws and my integrity my relationship with the Lord. At least that's the way I'm interpreting what he's saying. It won't allow me to do that. I am drained. So   [00:42:30] That's absolutely right. And I was reading some 73 the other day and Issa was talking about the prosperity of the wicked and how he had become jealous. Right. You look around and you're like OK I'm selling 30 like I sell on 60 and there were all this fucking crazy stuff. And he goes in and it goes into the house of the Lord and says but I've perceived their end.   [00:42:59] Right. Mm hmm. And   [00:43:03] It's a matter of perspective. It is. There seems to be wrapping up. There seems to be just a real great contentment on your end.   [00:43:12] You want to go from thirty to forty five. You probably like to be higher but there is this I just get the sense of the great contentment with where you are. I think I know the answer but help me and help the listeners understand because I'm sure there are other listeners in that same type of boat there now who are they want to be there. How do you maintain your contentment so that you're content where you are.   [00:43:38] I don't know that I'm qualified to speak of happy I really go I just finished going to the acts of Book of Acts not too long ago and I think it was twenty twenty four policies I count my life as nothing unless I fulfill the ministry that the Lord Jesus was laid before me to do. I think in a very simple way that is and there are other scriptures to support this to that that I am not my son. And if I am in the care of someone else who is it is Zebedee.   [00:44:19] My wife more and is it my boss No I'm in the hands of the father and so if I am there what do I have to worry about. And so just from a very biblical truth simple biblical truth point of view if we are there and we are fulfilling his will for our lives there is nothing to worry about. And again I am ill qualified to speak on the topic and that's not a false humility.   [00:44:52] That's just a reality. Nobody knows me better than myself.   [00:44:56] With the exception of the Lord and He knows how weak and feeble I am. But I also have a a high and grain view of who he is and so I can   [00:45:11] I can rest securely in that.   [00:45:13] That's great. That's really good. Is there anything else you'd like to share anything on your heart. Before we wrap up this call that you just like to. Share with whoever is watching or listening.   [00:45:25] You know I operate in a pretty small town. Like I said we're on the southern most point of Northern Virginia. So we have a some of the richest counties in the entire United States that are just 30 miles drive away. And in our little Culpeper town there's probably about one hundred and fifty agents. There's a lot of competition. And I can't say that I know more than maybe one or two other agents who are Christians. And so that that makes things very difficult for me in many ways that I don't really need to expound upon now. But it's almost like. That it's good to know that there are other men and women out there who love the Lord who are doing this. This kind of business and I would just hope to provide a shred of encouragement to other agents who are out there doing things the right way that the Lord will honor them. And whether that is honored in you know you go from 15 to 30 sales maybe he does it that way. You know what. But there is a very realistic possibility and maybe this isn't. All that appropriate for the end of the year. But that glory may come and eternity as well. But stick to those things which you hold dear and those convictions which you hold dear and don't budge don't mean I'm in full agreement with that.   [00:47:12] Well Brandon thank you so much for being on this call and just sharing your heart and sharing your life. I know you got a lot of busy things right now and you still took time out for this. I do appreciate it.   [00:47:23] Thank you. Appreciate it very much.   [00:47:27] And for those of you watching or listening if you like this podcast please be sure to subscribe to it also like it. And if you want to learn more about us also how to grow your business. Lots of great free content on our Web site and get sellers calling you dot com. So thanks for watching and listening. Have a great day. We. P027  

Another episode of #thepetepodcast where I describe my current mental state and waning interest level in seeing the world burn. #politics just aren't as fun as they used to be. Either I'm getting old or they are. Here is a direct download of the 10 minute mp3 of this week's #thepete #podcast, or you can subscribe to #thepete #podcast! ;)Got iTunes? Sure, we're all forced to! Subscribe to #thepete #podcast on iTunes! You can also listen to this podcast on Audioboom!  In fact, you'll get to listen one day earlier than iTunes and RSS subscribers! Let me know what you think of this podcast! Leave a comment here or on Twitter or where ever you found my podcast. THANKS! Like what I do online? Support me on Patreon or by buying my long-form comic, INKSTREME BALLPOINT ADVENTURES!  Or, hey, just buy me a cup of coffee!  Seriously--every bit helps!!  Thanks!

Earlier in the week I engaged with Dr. James White, host of the Dividing Line and notable Calvinistic scholar, on Twitter regarding the doctrine of Predestionation and election.  Oh, and Stewie is back by popular demand. Below are some of the messages from the twitter discussion from my side of the discussion and this podcast dives in a little deeper on the subject.  Enjoy! "From Augustine of Hippo to the twentieth century, Western Christianity has tended to interpret the doctrine of election from the perspective of and with regard to individual human beings. During those same centuries the doctrine has been far less emphasized and seldom ever controversial in Eastern Orthodoxy. Is it possible that Augustine and later Calvin, with the help of many others, contributed to a hyper individualization of this doctrine that was hardly warranted by Romans 9-11, Eph. 1, and I Peter 2? Is it not true that the major emphasis in both testaments falls upon an elect people -- Israel (OT) and disciples or church (NT)?" Now, whether you acknowledge the FACT that two different people can read the exact same sentence and understand it differently based on their cultural up bringing is not within my control, but it is a fact, not just my opinion. And the facts also reveal that the 1st Century culture of Jews and Greeks was very "us" and "them" (tribal), thus the perspective of God predetermining to justify, sanctify and glorify whosoever believes IN HIM regardless of their nationality is most certainly viable and worthy of objective consideration...much more so than your Westernized view of God predetermining certain individual to believe in him, a view clearly not reflected in any of the Early Church Fathers, OR in much of the current cultures who view the text from the corporate perspective today. And of course Adoption and redemption is intensely personal. Who would deny that? Again, you still act as if this view is not equally inclusive of individuals being saved (adopted and redeemed) as your view is... BUT, is your adoption completed yet? Rom 8 indicates adoption is something 'we eagerly await'. So, did God predestine that all who believe would be adopted, and that is why we have hope in that coming adoption, OR does it say that God predetermined individuals to believe so as to be adopted? Again, it is a perspective shift, and BOTH perspectives equally involve individuals. Are you now equating the concept of God's "creating an autonomous creature" with His "creating another God?" Now, who is making categorical errors? So, as to be clear, are you saying that God could NOT, even if he wanted to, create a creature who is autonomously free to make his own moral determinations, because that in itself would be EQUAL to him recreating Himself? Is that your argument? Secondly, man's responsibility is most clearly and undeniably taught though out all of scripture. I happen to believe being response-able is equal to being "autonomous" or as some call it, "contra-causally free" (the ability of the will to refrain or not refrain from a given moral action). The fact that Compatibilism even exists affirms the reality of the biblical teaching regarding such matters, otherwise you'd all be hard determinists without the need to explain how such texts are 'compatible' with your deterministic views.  Third, ironically your explanation regarding the difference between the personhood and being of God is very much parallel to how I would attempt to explain my particular take on the mystery of God's omniscience in light of his creation of morally accountable free creatures...if I were so bold as to tackle such a mysterious matter via Twitter.  Do you appeal to mystery regarding anything, Doctor? And what if God so ordained for autonomous freedom to come to pass? Or is that what you think is beyond his creative abilities? Maybe I'm not being clear so allow me to quote from AW Tozer to make this point:  "God sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he does not thereby countervail the sovereign will of God but fulfills it, inasmuch as the eternal decree decided not which choice the man should make but that he should be free to make it. If in His absolute freedom God has willed to give man limited freedom, who is there to stay His hand or say, 'What doest thou?' Man’s will is free because God is sovereign. A God less than sovereign could not bestow moral freedom upon His creatures. He would be afraid to do so." - A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God Responsible or punishable? Because you deny, or at least the tenets of your dogma denies that man is "able to respond." (Total Inability) When Calvinist say men are "responsible" I think they mean that men are justly punished due to the federal headship and Fall of Adam, which I likewise affirm, but when I speak of mankind be RESPONSE-ABLE (able to respond) I'm talking about their being held to account for how they respond (for or against) to God's revelation and appeal for reconciliation after the fall. Are you saying lost man IS ABLE to willingly respond to God's revelation? If not, I'm not sure how you can use the term 'responsible' given its connotation of actually being "able to respond." Maybe consider another word? Culpable? Guilty?  So you never 'hide behind mystery,' you have it all figured out and explained? Of course you appeal to mystery on some points...as we know all Calvinists must when it comes to the question of why all his children aren't granted the ability to accept Calvinistic soteriology (Why wasn't CS Lewis Calvinistic? God's choice? Why? Mystery?). We all appeal to mystery at some point in this debate. To claim, as you do, that "God's Word provides clear answers" begs the question up for debate by presuming the Word of God clearly supports your dogma. If anything is clear about this topic is that we, believers, haven't had clarity (or at least uniformity) on it since about the time of Augustine. I think you mean that your view of the scripture is clear to you, which I could likewise claim...but that doesn't help the discussion much. The parallel has to do with the Personhood as it reflects His Immanence and his Being as it reflects His Transcendence, all of which is best summed up in an appeal to mystery, because such matters shouldn't be approached with any more certainty than that which is revealed in the text. To presume upon the text, as I believe Calvinism does, that God must be unable to create response-abled people, on the basis that He knows their responses beforehand is short-sighted at best. My point regarding 'responsibility' has to do with its given connotations, as it makes little sense to call someone responsible who is born unable to respond. We wouldn't call an infant responsible. Why? He isn't able to respond. We don't hold mentally handicap responsible because we recognize their INABILITIES to control themselves. I'm merely suggesting that for clarity you use a word like "guilty" when explaining your view because mankind, according to Calvinism is actually held culpable for God's responses (or His determinations as to how mankind will certainly "respond"...if you can call that a 'response') As to your comments about going beyond the limits of revelation, I could not agree more. But who is going beyond those limits in this case? The guy who says, "I don't know because the bible doesn't reveal enough for us to come to a conclusion as to how man is free while God is omniscient, I just believe both are clearly revealed to be the case (something even Compatibilists affirm)," or the man who denies one seemingly clear truth (human responsibility) due to the mysterious nature of how it works with the other (divine foreknowledge)? BTW, both of us could accuse the other of denying the 'truth' of a text because they don't like what it says. The point regarding the appeal to mystery is that I could likewise accuse you of "hiding behind it" just as atheists are notorious to doing to believers... but it is self defeating unless you never appeal to mystery yourself. Begging the question is to presume true the very point up for debate, and the question up for debate here is which of our views IS clearly supported by the text. Your statements which ultimately claim, "The bible clearly supports my view," are nothing more than question begging fallacies. I learned when judging CX debate years ago that the easiest way to spot question begging is to ask yourself if the opponent could make the exact same statement. We all know you believe your views to be true, but stating that the bible clearly supports your views doesn't amount to more than "I'm right because you're wrong." And one point you refused to engage is this: Either I'm right, or I'm determined by God's sovereign decree to be wrong. Either way, you are debating God... Good luck. :)