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SPEAKER_00 0:01

I'll take you the latest online. Yavonka and your guests discuss everything from life, love, and business with the Tennessee player. Always relatable, always relevant, and always a good time. This is Talking Tennessee, and now your host, Yavonka.

SPEAKER_01 0:22

This episode is brought to you by the Landis Team, your go-to real estate family in East Tennessee. If you are looking to buy or sell, we are the ones you should call. Give us a call at 865-660-1186 or check out our website at yavonka salesrealestate.com. That's Yavonka Y V-O-N-N-C-A Sales Real Estate.com.

Welcoming Dr. Deja Lundy Back

SPEAKER_03 0:48

Welcome back to Talking Tennessee with Yavonka. I am your host, and I am here with a dear friend of mine. It's Dr. Deja Lundy, and she is the president and CEO of Knoxville College. And welcome back. I had to bring you back for a part two.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:04

It's such a great, such a great conversation. And I'm just like, I just told her, I said, whoa, the spirit of the Lord is in this room. And it is so heavy. Uh, but heavy in a good way, a very good way. And so let's talk about that.

Finding Purpose Starts With Yes

SPEAKER_03 1:22

How can someone find their walk with God, their purpose, and leadership potential?

SPEAKER_02 1:33

I think it always starts with your yes. If someone's asking that question, they gotta say, I'm ready. And I'm gonna walk this journey. So I don't know if you remember me talking about when I was early in my career, 32, God told me to quit my job. And at work for four years. Speak on. Because he was prepping me for something I didn't know. You know who told me to uh to because I always I was so nervous and I needed confirmation. I said, if you want me to quit my job, give me confirmation. God used We'll give it to you. And yeah, and God used the lady with dementia. Really? And that's how I knew it was God. I used to see these two sisters, and I was a traveling therapist at the time. And I used to see these two sisters that live together. They live in living in Tennessee, and they both had dementia, but they were still highly functional. They had family check-on, but they lived by themselves. Um, and as soon as I walked in the house, you know, with one of the sisters, you know, we grew, they always prayed for me. They love the Bible. That was very interesting to uh about them. And I took one of them outside, and it was like a November, and we were just walking, and she said, Honey, God is about to use you in a mighty way. I cried. Because I she's she wasn't a new patient of mine. She's not she knew she knew she knew nothing what I was hearing, and I just cried. I like, okay, God.

SPEAKER_03 3:12

What was let me ask you this, and this is funny that you're saying this because I just two days ago, I hadn't even said this to you, two days ago, Adrienne was struggling in her mind. And I said to her, Adrian, you can't stay on the problem. You have to show God, even in the struggle, you have faith. I said, if you stay on the problem, you'll he'll keep you in darkness. But the day that you come out of that and you're and you're and you're praising God through the storm, through the struggle, and I and viewers, let me just tell you, it's not the easiest. But I had to learn through David when David got sick. Um God told me to go pray for all these people. I was like, God, I need prayer. How am I praying for people? But what God was showing me was I've got you. These people need encouragement. I'm using you to go encourage these people. So you got to get off of your situation because I got that. I need you to go over here and be that be the vessel for me. And so I was telling Adrian, I said, You need Deja to tell you the story of when God told her to quit her job and and basically depend on him and how it shook her life up. And then you bring this up today. Oh well. And you know I hadn't said it to you. This was two days ago. I slipped a minute. Yes, I said, you need to call Deja and let Deja tell you as I said, because I think that if you hear Deja's story about that and what all it how it felt, you know, I said, and I'm not trying to put your words out, I'll let you tell it, but just how you had to truly surrender. And that was hard. Can you speak on a little bit about quitting your job and what

Walking Away From Comfort And Control

SPEAKER_03 5:17

that season was?

SPEAKER_02 5:18

Yeah, that was a tough, tough season. So, of course, as a young female, I'm coming out of a relationship, a long-term relationship of somebody that I thought I was gonna marry. So you got that. And then that's a hard that's very hard, especially when you're in your 30s. You know, it's all about you know, kids and marriage and reaching your height of career.

SPEAKER_03 5:36

So everything And the world tells everybody, every woman to go get married and have kids and all that kind of stuff. Plus, you were in the public eye, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

Yeah, so I was uh involved on different boards, so yeah, people knew me. This was before a county commission and all that stuff. So yeah, I was uh But you were already old in that row of being in the public eye figure. Yeah, yeah. So 32 and I was making 90,000, which 90,000 was 90,000 was good money at when at when I was 32. Now it's probably not, but that's another story. Yeah, so I like I'm leaving $90,000 traveling. My the company I work for, they're paying for my hotel and food because I'm a traveling therapist. And my life was very comfortable. So you had a good one. Yeah, comfortable. Um and so I did it because that that well, that late that one lady confirmed, and then I went to another lady who did not have dementia. She was in her 60s, my regular routine patient. As soon as I walked in the house, she looked at me and she like, don't move. And I'm like, okay, so I had to stand in her living room and she's like, I got something for you. She gave me the devotional that has Jesus calling. I said, Okay. God's not playing with me. Then I said, probably scared. I was very scared. Then I'm like, okay, if this is real, you gotta tell my mama. God said, If my mama's okay, then we good. I told my mama, my mom said okay. She didn't understand, but she like, okay. She just left it there. So I quit my job, 32. Um, no income for four years. Uh, what was my assignment? Did you lose the rest?

SPEAKER_03 7:21

Did you lose friends?

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Oh, yeah. I mean, I was just in that season by myself. I'm trying not to throw out. You're okay.

SPEAKER_03 7:29

Speak on it. God just shifted.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

It was the best season because I did not know I would be leading the institution. I had no idea I was gonna be a county commissioner.

SPEAKER_03 7:41

Come on.

SPEAKER_02 7:41

That was not my goal in life. My only goal in life was to be married and have five kids. That was my only goal.

SPEAKER_03 7:50

And so you lost your relationship. Yeah, even though you quit your job, you lost your job. Um, you lost your friends. Because I know there was probably times. I love you.

SPEAKER_04 8:04

It was I don't usually cried.

SPEAKER_03 8:05

No, you're fine. But you had there was times that normally Deja making $90,000 a year could go out, go do things, all this stuff, go try with your five, with your friends, and she loves to spawn you. She loves to spawn. Okay. But then you couldn't do that anymore.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

No. And it was the it was God humbling me. Because your money doesn't save you.

unknown 8:33

Thank God.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Your intellect doesn't save you. Your degrees mean nothing to God. Nothing. It is your obedience. It's God that qualifies you for the assignment. So when people talk about my assignment now and they always say she's not qualified. I'm not worried about that. Because the assignment belongs to God. And he assigned you. And he assigned me. So yeah, going through that season for the year. Yeah, but you just trying to walk it out. But then, you know, during that time, I was tired. You know, you work, then you got to do all your board commitments, out running around, doing this and this and that. So when it was, it was kind of relieved to quit in a way, because I just wanted to sleep. You know, I I forgot myself.

SPEAKER_03 9:26

So it was churning and burning.

SPEAKER_02 9:28

Yeah, because that's what you do as a young professional. You just keep moving and you're going to do that.

SPEAKER_03 9:33

And everybody's telling you to do this and do that. I try to make our resume. I'm like, Adrian, pace yourself. Pac yourself. Don't overextend yourself. Enjoy young life. And and and the reason why I'm talking about this, for one guy just shifted it. Uh, and when he says shift, I shift. Um, but the reason why I talk about these things is because so many people need to know that purpose God-given purpose doesn't knock on your door. You don't see it, you know, within the second, and you know it all. And uh it faith is the biggest thing in prayer and getting in the word, you know, that type thing. And when I say get in the word, because I I don't want to just assume that everybody knows what I mean when I say that. Get in the word is get in the Bible. Read the Bible, read the Bible and understand that sometimes gotta take you to being broke. Broke, broke, broken broke, to get you where he wants you to be.

SPEAKER_02 10:41

Negative zero was in my account several times. So uh, so people see how she's leading the college. I like, well, I've been here in my personal life. So God is the same in my personal life than um as he is in KC's life, or me as a leader. Because it's not, I'm just Dr. Lundy as a leader, just so happened to be over an institution right now.

SPEAKER_03 11:08

So at 32 years old, you had the life that you thought you wanted. You had the the relationship, the job, the friends, the travel. The car, the home, the car, everything. And God said, No. Leave it. So

The Assignment That Led To Office

SPEAKER_03 11:30

then how did county commissioner come?

SPEAKER_02 11:32

That was God. So, of course, didn't work for four years. So I'm I'm brokeny broke, if that's the word. Okay. And God sent me to work for a small uh company in Cott County. So when they called me, now I'm broke now. Remember this. So you're thinking that I I spent four years in the Bible, eating good. I mean, I was so small, but that's not.

SPEAKER_03 11:57

I was so small.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

But just going through that and just journaling and finding who I am. And then he sends me back to work part-time, and they call me, and I'm like, I don't want to do that. Now so I'm still having learned my lesson. I didn't have any money. And they call, like, I ain't traveling nowhere. I don't want to. God, I took a shower. God said, that was me and you were going where I tell you to go. Oh. And I like, I called him back. I said, yeah, I'm interested. Yeah. A true blessing to work for the company. It's a woman-owned company, and she's amazing. And um, I have to shout Tammy Francis. You are amazing. Uh, CEO of Smoky Mount Home Health and Hospice.

SPEAKER_03 12:39

What's her name again? Tammy Francis. Tammy Francis, thank you for taking care of it.

SPEAKER_02 12:43

You are amazing. And I I thank God had me there because I get to see how she leads as a woman in a world that with healthcare and being a small business, they want to buy you out. They want to do this. You know, there's always these big corporate ones, and she's still hometown and she's still a servant leader. Yes. So just watching how she runs, and she probably don't even know that I watch her, or just seeing the culture that she has provided for the company.

SPEAKER_03 13:12

I think, and I think a lot of times people don't realize that we all watch somebody that inspires us. You know, I hope you do, you know, because especially when you're trying to find your way, you need to have somebody that you're watching that will inspire you to do amazing things.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

Because it comes. So went back to work, uh, got a little money, still not making as much, but it's not about the money for me anymore. It's just trusting me walk. And then so I got back involved. I became president of Burlington Neighborhood Association and just doing little things, part of the East Tennessee Design Center. And I just started with a question I asked God, I said, why is it on every Martin Louie King Boulevard there's always blight, poverty, and stuff, and it doesn't make sense. So I'm just trying to figure this out in life. So I just started going on that quest of answering that question, and then somehow by me leading these different organizations, uh, guys, like, I don't even know if God said county commission. People kept saying you should run for office. And I'm like, I don't want to do that. No. That's not in my She's like, no. Politics. I don't want to be in the politics. And then I remember sitting with God, that's like, so many people are asking, this is something I'm supposed to do, am I ignoring it? Mm-hmm. And uh, I don't know if I even got an answer, but I felt like I was being pushed in it into that role. And I ran and had no idea what I was doing, and I had to beat the incumbent. I had like nine weeks to beat the incumbent. Oh. And I didn't know anything about it. I did not know that. Yeah, because the the the election, you pick up your petition, I think it was December 2019, I think. Okay. And the uh the election was March 2020.

SPEAKER_03 14:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 15:00

And so I ended up winning and had and and had no clue what she was supposed to do. And I just remember, I said, God need a campaign measure. I need this. The guy said, I am your campaign manager. I said, Oh, how does that work? Oh I heard that clear as day. I'm like, I don't know what that means, but okay. And you think my faith would be there, considering I just came out a season of being broken and I have some money. But it will, it still wasn't where God wanted to be. It wasn't strong, so God was leaving it. So it took pure faith to run county commission and go through that. And I did my four years. I decided not to run again. Well, God decided, because I when people ask, because I cried, people know that I cried in the last meeting. I bought um people are like, why didn't you run again? I said, My assignment was up. I can't explain to you why my assignment was.

SPEAKER_03 15:51

Oh, I know that feeling. When everybody thinks you should do something and God is telling you no. And when the assignment's up, I'll tell you one of the things. Like my Facebook Live I did for literally four and a half years. And Deja, that assignment, I thank God for my daughter. Oh my God, I thank God for my daughter. Because when God gave me that assignment to do my Facebook Live, I would work all day long.

SPEAKER_04 16:22

Me and Adrian.

SPEAKER_03 16:23

That's why that's that's my girl. Me and Adrian would work all day long, and I knew I needed somebody to be able to talk to during my live because I didn't want to just hear myself talking. Some people like to hear they self talk. I don't like to hear myself talk. And so I was like, I need somebody to have a conversation with. And so we started doing these lives. It was times I would come off and be bawling my eyes out. Like, God, why my husband questioned it? Everybody questioned while I was doing the lives, everything. And then I kept apologizing to David. I'm like, I'm so sorry. I'm like, David, I know that when you married me, you knew nothing about your wife was gonna have a call in her life. I said, I did not know this. I said, but this is an assignment from my calling, and I have to do it and see it through. And that was times that me and Adrian would be like, we think, Adrian laughs about it and tells me this all the time. That sometimes I'd be like, okay, with this bit, this is the end, we're about to end. It's 10:30 at night. And somebody would ask a question and it would shift. Adrian would be like, okay, she's she's on her last question. She's not gonna, she's not gonna talk about nothing else. And Gurry would be at 10:30 and it turned into 12 o'clock at night. Literally. And so I understand when you're talking about that assignment. And when the assignment is over, it is bittersweet because it was something that I was used to doing, but it was relieving to lick to I can never I don't see myself ever going back to that because it was such a big assignment. Um like we're about to do a live for turning knots, but it's once a week. And it's for 30, 45 minutes max, because I don't want to go back to that, but I can imagine, you know, even the all the good work that you know that you accomplished in that in that um seat it was over and it was probably bittersweet.

SPEAKER_04 18:28

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:29

You know, and how do people treat you?

SPEAKER_02 18:33

I think some people were mad.

unknown 18:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:37

And then I decided they didn't get it. They thought I was just bailing out because it was hard and it wasn't. It was just the assignment. But I want people to think about it. If I would have ran and won that seat, I couldn't leave the school because I would be in office right now. Oh, that's true. And you know, and then for the record, I did run for state and I did not win. But I know that was a reason I had to run for state. I know God called me to run. It was a reason. It was a reason, and I learned so much from that election. But I wasn't supposed to win it because I couldn't be here. I couldn't be at Nasser College and be at the state.

SPEAKER_03 19:14

But you do know that when you left in 2023 that

Trust, Criticism, And Godly Leadership

SPEAKER_03 19:22

publicly people came after you. Oh yeah. I was the worst thing. People came after you, people questioned you, people questioned your integrity, the whole shebang. And me and you weren't even friends like that then. You know we wasn't. And uh we had met, let me let me say, we had met before this, okay? But First Horizon had an event, and we all went and uh Renee Kelly, shout out to Renee. Um she was there and Deja walked up. She was cordial, she spoke, everything, but she still was reserved. And so the more that you stood there, because you remember Renee, that was the night that Renee was like, you need to do leadership knoxful. And I was like, at the time I did not know y'all. I I've been in a business a long time, but I didn't know what leadership knox was, okay? And Renee's like, just Google it. You need to be a leadership, you're an epitome of that. You need to do leadership knox for you. And I was like, I trusted what Renee said, you know, and so I went and uh did the research. But while I was there, Deja, you talked, but you didn't at the same time. You really, and I was like, I was intrigued. Because I meet so many people, but you intrigued me. I was like, who who is this person? Why does this person intrigue me? I am a quiet person though. But it wasn't just that, it just your spirit just intrigued me. And so I remember reaching out to you and one of our uh one of our other friends, uh Angela Dennis, shout out to Angela. Um I sent a text and I said, because me and Angela had just had lunch, and I said, what next time Deja uni comes along? Do you remember that? I do. And so Deja, okay, just let me know, or whatever. Months went by. We didn't talk. And but Deja, God kept putting Deja in my sight. You know, and so I can't remember. I don't I think I asked you for lunch, and me, you remember me and you went to lunch um at um, oh my gosh, what's the daily? Is it salmon and salmon and salmon, and that's how me and Dave. Asia, we sat there and talked and we just started calling each other and it developed into a true sisterhood friendship. And I told y'all I trust Asia. This is my dog. Okay. You hear me?

SPEAKER_04 22:14

Um we'd be cutting up, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:16

We cut up, we do. But we we hold our each other accountable. We sit and we cheerlead for each other. If we see an opportunity that we think would be good for each other, we will literally either tell a person, hey, this is this, or we'll be like on the phone trying, you know, to bounce off ideas and stuff like that. And I want you to know you are in the right position because what you've done in the short time with me, you know, being a public figure, you know you can't trust that many people. Okay. And then you always feel like somebody's out to get you or want something from you. I never felt that way with you, never have, never will. And just true organic relationship. And so the reason why I'm saying all of this is to say, Knoxville College, y'all have a steward, y'all have an angel from God that does not want anything to gain from Knoxville College besides to see it grow. If you do not pivot and allow this person to do what God has called her to do, shame on East Tennessee for not seeing a true shepherd. Okay? And when I say shepherd, a shepherd is the head. Y'all get in your word and read about a shepherd, okay? Is a head. She is a true shepherd, God ordained, and her heart's right. And I can't say say I know that many people that I would say that about. I know that's kind of sad in a certain t type of way, but Deja, I just feel like that because she went four years, you allowed God to strip you. There ain't nothing you could do if he didn't.

SPEAKER_04 24:28

He was gonna strip you regardless.

SPEAKER_03 24:30

You allowed him to strip you, you allowed him to humble you, you allowed him to take everything of the world away from you. Because all that stuff we talked about is worldly things. It's worldly things. And I think it was to position you here. So when 2023 came for Knoxville College and and and you were the whistleblower, God allowed them to try to expose, they thought they was exposing you, and they didn't realize they were elevating and positioning you into what you're in now. And I think that Knoxville College could be a great institution. But I think that the powers that be, I'm not talking about God because I'm talking about the powers that be that think they that they're in control, um need to be careful because when you mess with God's people, you know, when people when you come after God's people, he's coming for you. Deja Knoxville College needs a rebranding, it needs a reboot, it needs things erased and not steal people stewing over what has happened. It needs good stewards to come by and to lend their money and their time. And I and and I am a person that believes in that you know, people don't like to talk about money. But money does exist. And we need it. Money does exist. And so I think now I want to talk about what does Knoxville College need?

SPEAKER_02 26:19

Knoxville College needs partners, um, need people to walk with us, volunteers. And of course we need money. Okay. But I start with the heart. Their heart has to be right. Their heart has to be right. And you have to have faith. And I tell our board that, and I'm grateful for a board that walks in faith. Because as we are searching for new board members, I just said that it has to be a person that has some kind of faith. Because when you look at the bank account and you look at that school and you look at what it is, you're gonna be like, nah, I ain't doing it. So um it's a faith walk for all of us. Faith walk.

SPEAKER_03 27:04

Okay,

Knoxville College Debt And Land Strategy

SPEAKER_03 27:05

is there do you have a plan?

SPEAKER_02 27:09

I have a plan. My plan is to get rid of this debt. When I came in, we have a 4.4 million something dollar debt that is 20-something years old.

SPEAKER_03 27:20

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_02 27:21

And um I think that's why people criticize, because it's if you don't take care of that debt, you can't move. You can't get accreditation. Not because we have debt, we can't get accreditation because that debt is put is a liability on our financial. So we we don't uh qualify for accreditation. So my goal this time was take care of that debt and get a divorce from that lander.

SPEAKER_03 27:49

Do you have people in place?

SPEAKER_02 27:51

I have people in place, so now it's just prayer. Found found somebody that can partner with us. Now we're just going through a process to see if we can completely close that deal. But my goal was to develop the land and let the revenue from the land uh support the institution of education. Uh so that's one more time. You the plan was to develop the land. Okay. We have 52 acres of land in the heart of our community where you gotta think about it. Nostalgia is in McCannisville community. So that's two generations that have grew up with a nostalgic display. So we gotta use that land to serve the people. And whatever that is, we will go through a community process. What do people want to see? What would you support? Well, we are post-we are called to use that land to serve, not to put student housing on there and cafeteria for the students. This is a community hub.

SPEAKER_03 28:50

So you need to basically pay off the lender.

SPEAKER_02 28:55

Pay off the lender and start from the beginning. And to partner with the developer who is aligned. Okay. So people don't understand my prayer was to God. I said, well, it wasn't really a prayer. Maybe it was a declaration. I said, God, you have already prepared the person who supposed to partner with us.

SPEAKER_03 29:15

And you feel like you found them? Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 29:17

And when I found that person, I said, they're the one.

SPEAKER_03 29:22

Does does the does the lender realize that you truly have somebody?

SPEAKER_02 29:28

I hope they do. Because I'm I'm, you know, being having the scarlet A, the little A on my thing, um, there were some, they said that they didn't believe me. Okay. But they found out that person's real. So now we just have to go through the process.

SPEAKER_03 29:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 29:50

And see if it be clear. Because that was my goal. And I told the chair of the board, I said, we gotta get rid of this debt by homecoming. Okay. And that's a bold thing to say.

SPEAKER_03 30:02

But God's saying, ask, and it shall be given. He said, You have knocked, because you asked not. So you're asking?

SPEAKER_02 30:09

I'm asking because we can't stay in bondage and move to the future. So I'm putting God's word. That's why it's important to know your word. Because the enemy always comes into the mind and say it's not possible or it's not this. But when you speak God's word back, God's like, okay.

SPEAKER_03 30:24

Do you remember early in this podcast we talked about you've got we've got to get past what has happened. We've got to set a new history. A transparent history, a given history in your time, your money, laboring, standing with Deja and her board, and making a difference in your community that's lasting for generations to come. Do you agree? That's it.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

That is it.

SPEAKER_03 31:00

So, for personally, what's next for Deja Lundy? Dr. Deja Lundy.

SPEAKER_02 31:05

What is next? I think only God knows that. But I see a lot. You see a lot? I see, I see my leadership going to another level. Um, my desire, my legacy is that I hope that when people watch me and watch my journey, that they find their path back to God and know that God is worth it. In the Bible, it's it's worth it. It's worth sitting down. Um, it's worth being at peace, it's worth not striving. Um it's just worth being yourself.

SPEAKER_03 31:42

Yes. So, Dr. Deja Lundy, she has said it. She's standing on faith, she's standing on promise, she's aligned and assigned. And all she

Legacy, Peace, And Closing Prayer

SPEAKER_03 31:58

needs is more people, godly people. And that's why he says, surround yourself with Christ-like people. Okay. And that's what Knoxville College needs. Thank you so much for coming in and talk to me. Oh, well, thank you. I'm excited. I I'm excited too. And the door is always open. You know, Talking to a C podcast is always open to my guests, especially the ones that I call a true sister to me. So I love you. I love you. And I pray that all things work together for the good, and that God gets the glory. That's what it's about. It's not about me. She said it's not about her.

SPEAKER_02 32:40

I'm good on my porch.

SPEAKER_03 32:42

You know that. She is good on that porch. She she's gonna finish out with her porch and that dog is Naya. Naya. I mean, that's her baby, y'all. So thank y'all so much for listening to uh this part one and part two. It has been totally amazing. And I just want to say Nas for College still lives. All it needs to do is grow. Bye, guys.

SPEAKER_00 33:09

Thanks for listening to Talk in Tennessee with Yavonka. Watch out for our weekly episodes from the first family of real estate. And check us out on the web, www.yavanka stylerealestate.com. See our videos on Yavanka's YouTube channel or find us on Facebook under YavonkaLanded and Twitter at YavonkaLandit. Don't forget to forget the list to the list and Yavonka Linux.