How Faith Changed My Real Estate Journey
If you’ve been in real estate for five minutes, you’ve probably heard the script:
“Make 200 calls a day.”
“Door knock every Saturday.”
“If you’re not doing open houses, you’re not serious.”
And maybe you’ve tried to wear that hustle like a jacket that just…doesn’t…fit.
Meet Linda Bayliss-Spence. For over two decades, Linda has led her local pregnancy resource center—quietly loving people, serving her church, and showing up for her town. When she stepped into real estate, she didn’t swap that heart for a headset. She brought the same faith, warmth, and creativity with her.
Year two started slow. Like gulp…there’s nothing in my pipeline slow. Then April hit—and ten homes went under contract in a matter of weeks. Some big, some small. She celebrated every single one.
“Anytime someone asks me to represent them, I consider it an honor.”
That sentence tells you everything about how Linda works.
The myth: “If you don’t follow the script, you won’t make it.”
The truth? People hire people, not scripts. What people remember is how you made them feel.
Linda isn’t a “36-touches-on-the-15th-at-7:13am” person. She’s a “you matter” person. That shows up in wonderfully human ways:
Red-carpet closings. Yes, literally—balloons, aisle runners, the whole thing. It says, this matters.
One Facebook page for all of life. The center, her family, community needs, and yes—listings. People aren’t one-dimensional; why should your presence be?
Playful creativity. A branded golf cart for hometown listings. A Trunk-or-Treat setup where kids “sign” buyer agreements for a playhouse. Silly TikToks that make people smile.
Is any of that in the “Top Producer Blueprint”? Nope. Does it work for her? Absolutely—because it’s her.
Try this: What are the two or three things that feel most you? Circle those. Do more of that, on purpose.
“But won’t I fall behind if I don’t do what everyone else does?”
Linda would’ve burned out trying to be someone else. Maybe you have too. Here’s the shift:
Work from your identity, not for your identity.
If you’re relational, be in relationship.
If you’re a teacher, educate.
If you’re playful, bring fun.
If you’re steady, be the calming guide.
When your activity matches your wiring, consistency gets easier. And consistency—not trend-chasing—creates trust.
What about the slow seasons (and the gut-punches)?
Let’s be honest: deals fall apart. In year one, that wrecked Linda. Sleepless nights. Knots in the stomach. You get it.
Year two, she sounds different:
“If it doesn’t close, I trust it wasn’t God’s will for them. I can live with that.”
That’s not apathy; that’s peace. It’s the freedom of doing faithful work and releasing outcomes. You care deeply and you sleep at night. That makes you a better agent—and a kinder human.
Quick self-check:
Is there a deal you’re carrying like it’s yours to control?
What would change if you said, “Lord, I’ll be excellent with the inputs. You’re Lord of the outputs.”
Excellence is worship. Generosity is a reflex.
Linda opened a separate “kingdom investments” account. Every commission, a portion goes in. When God nudges—another ministry, a missionary, a quiet need in town—she gives. No spotlight. No scoreboard. Just obedience.
“People believed in our center when we needed it. I want to be that person for others.”
This is a big reason I cheer for Christian agents to be excellent: excellence increases your capacity to give. We’re not the Provider—God is—but our stewardship can multiply blessing.
Ask yourself: If your income grew by 30% next year, who else would God invite you to bless?
“Do I have to play the status game?”
Linda was honest: the pull is real. The luxury car itch. The “top agent” image. She almost did it. Then she remembered: stewardship > status.
“I don’t need it. The money isn’t mine anyway. I’m a steward.”
That posture keeps your hands open and your heart free. Buy the nice thing if it’s wise and you can—just don’t need it to be somebody.
So…what do I actually do this week?
Here’s a simple, Linda-style plan you can copy and make your own:
1) Name your “real you” lane.
Write down two strengths that feel natural (e.g., “I’m great 1:1” or “I love making people smile”). Commit to activities that fit those strengths first.
2) Create a light-touch rhythm.
One personal check-in weekly (text, voice memo, or video)
One handwritten note weekly
One “community care” post weekly (share a need, spotlight a local, celebrate a win)
Rinse and repeat. That’s 150+ meaningful touches a year—without feeling like a robot.
3) Celebrate every client like a VIP.
Balloons. A red carpet. A Polaroid photo at closing. A frame with their new address. It’s not about the price point; it’s about the moment.
4) Open a generosity account.
Pick a % from each commission. Move it the day you get paid. Pray. Give when God whispers.
5) Choose your scoreboard.
Add two non-negotiables that actually matter to you (e.g., weekly date night, dinners at home, one tech-free night with your kids). Guard them like a listing appointment.
If you’re thinking, “I don’t know if I can be myself and make it…”
Linda would look you in the eye and say:
“You’re made in the image of God. He gave you specific gifts. Use them—at work, at home, in everything—and trust Him with the harvest.”
You don’t have to become someone else to succeed. In fact, trying to be someone else is the fastest path to burnout.
Be faithful. Be excellent. Be you. Let the business catch up.
Final Word: Faithfulness Over Formula
If there’s one thing Linda’s story reminds me of, it’s this:
you don’t have to become someone else to succeed.
There’s a lot of noise in this industry — a lot of voices promising quick results if you’ll just grind harder, post more, or copy someone else’s playbook. But that’s not what God asks of you. He calls you to be faithful, not formulaic.
Faithfulness looks like showing up with integrity, loving people well, and trusting Him with the outcome.
It’s what Linda’s done for decades — first in ministry, now in real estate — and it’s why her business is blooming. Not because she cracked some secret code, but because she stayed rooted in who God made her to be.
So if you’re reading this and feeling that tug of comparison, exhaustion, or uncertainty about whether you’re “doing it right,” take a breath. You are. You just have to keep sowing seeds — the kind that matter.
Love people. Serve faithfully. Work with excellence.
And when the results come, whether they look the way you imagined or not, remember: success in God’s economy has never been about numbers — it’s always been about obedience.
Keep walking your lane, friend.
The world doesn’t need another version of someone else — it needs the real, faithful, you.
The Faithful Agent E-Book: The Faithful Agent E-Book equips Christian real estate agents to build businesses that honor God, serve others, and protect what matters most—your family and your faith. Packed with practical strategies and biblical insight, it’s your guide to succeeding in real estate without losing yourself in the process.