Christmas spirit comes alive in others!

December 31st, 2014

Traci Green and her team in Victoria, TX were able to assist in the financing of a home for a first time home buyer. Below is her article, published in the Victoria Advocate. We are extremely proud of the Victoria Team!

Christmas spirit comes alive in others by Jennifer Preyss

The other day, I was on the phone with a journalist friend of mine, shooting the breeze, discussing Christmas plans.

I told her mine were nontraditional this year, but exciting, since I'll be spending the holiday moving into my first house.

She was proud of me, not only because she knows the panic and unexpectedness that goes along with being a first-time homeowner but also because she chose to buy her first house as a single woman, before she married.

So as a feminist, Christian woman, she jumped immediately to a "You go, girl" cheer.

It was then I had to stop her.

Because this home purchase has been anything but an on-my-own event, as much as I initially wanted it to be.

For the past few weeks, I've received a heaping dose of humility.

God has used this time to force me to realize that I can't and will never be able to make big decisions, or work out big events in my life on my own.

If I sat down and wrote out a list of everyone I've been on the phone with lately, who have offered their wisdom, support, prayers and time to make sure I move in this house by Christmas Eve, the names would fall right off the page.

He has shown me how much we need a team in our lives, even if that team is made up of people who scarcely know me.

Their Christmas kindness has overwhelmed me on certain days, to the point of tears and dumbfounded gratitude.

I don't know why they've been so kind to me - Traci, Shanda, Angela, Cathy, at Wallick and Volk; Caleb Shaw at Priority Realty; Erika at Suntrust Bank in Marietta, Ga.; my boss, Chris; my human resources director, Peggy; my mother and brother and sister-in-law; my friends who've padded my heart when I've reached stress levels of titanic proportions - but I'm so filled with gratitude I can hardly stand it.

It's as if I'm running a relay race, and this team of champion runners is ready and willing to jump in and grab the baton at any moment and carry me to the finish line.

And I guess what has my soul dancing with joy, is that I know none of this would have happened if just one of them had chosen to say "no," or "not right now," or "I can't help you."

With so many distressing events going on in the world of late, you read the headlines like I do, I've had the unique pleasure and blessing of looking around and realizing that not only are there true, kind people in the world, but there are true, kind people in the world willing to help little me.

And little me doesn't always like to admit that I need help sometimes, just like the rest of the world.

So I hope your Christmas was merry and bright, and you continue to experience the joy of the season.

I can't wait to pay it forward, to pay it back.

I can't wait for 20 years from now to look back at all my Christmas memories and remember the one in Victoria when God showed up with a killer team of joyful helpers who taught me what the Christmas spirit is all about.

Thank you, all from the bottom of my heart. Merry Christmas.

Source: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2014/dec/26/christmas-spirit-comes-alive-in-others/