With the market a little slow we seem to have some extra time.

Why not make the best of it. We can work on our web site, take some CE. I just signed up for a 12 hour class at the MLS Center.

This is a great time to teach our children about financing. We need to teach them to set a budget that does not spend every dime they have each month. Teach them that they do need to have money saved for a rainy day. I suggest at least six months worth of expenses. One year would be better. So many people have lived pay check to pay check for years. That is no way to live. Life happens, the car breaks down, it needs new tires, and the washing machine breaks and so on. Some one will get sick or hurt and need to go to the doctor. They need to plan for that. It takes work and sacrifice to save. We may have to spend vacation at home. We do not need to trade for a new car every two years. There is nothing wrong with driving a 10 year old car, just take good care of it. They also need to know it is better to live in a common house and have savings than to live in a big fancy house and be broke all the time.

This slow market will soon turn around and we will be busy again. I suggest everyone take advantage of the break.

Here is an encouraging word in the midst of our current economy and continual bad news cycle.:

1 Praise the LORD. ^[b]
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who finds great delight in his commands.

² His children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.

³ Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.

⁴ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. ^[c]

⁵ Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.

⁶ Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.

⁷ He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

⁸ His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

⁹ He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn ^[d] will be lifted high in honor.

¹⁰ The wicked man will see and be vexed,
he will gnash his teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

I hope this blesses you. You will see that the fear of God is the beginning of blessings. I also note the characteristics of a Blessed person: Upright, gracious, compassionate and righteous (vs 4). What wonderful qualities to ask the Holy Spirit to grow in our lives. Thanks for reading. Let's hide God's Word in our hearts.

I just completed my third Boot Camp with EXIT Realty's Alex Szinegh. I have known Alex since I met him at a RE/MAX convention back in 1997 out in Las Vegas. I was a rookie and he was a featured speaker. Alex is now the Vice President in charge of training for EXIT Realty Corp., International.

Alex held a fabulous Boot Camp focussed on phone prospecting here in the Atlanta, Georgia area. We had 85 agents and brokers in the room for three days. We spent three hours calling each day and ended the Camp with 187 listing appointments and several hundred leads. I made 7 listing appointments and 3 appointments to meet with agent prospects.

Alex is always inspiring and certainly hit a home run with this Boot Camp. I keep hearing "that just doesn't work in my community," to which I can only respond . . . "no, you just don't work in your community!"

For more information about EXIT Training, tools and technology, send me an email!

Wishing you and the World a Very Merry Christmas and celebration of the Birth of Christ. Our team in Dahlonega Georgia is trusting the Good Lord for a wonderful year in 2009. We wish to remind everyone that though the market and economy are seeming dark . . .

It was at night that the Light shone for the Wise Men

It was in the darkest night that the Angels proclaimed the birth of the Savior of humankind

It was in a damp stable that the Baby Jesus was born.

It seems that things often must seem bleak and dark for us to see and recognize the truth that God loves us with an amazing love . . . and that we can trust Him and Him alone for all things good.

Merry Christmas.

- Jeff Knight

EXIT Four Seasons Realty is proud to announce that we continue to be the number ONE EXIT Franchise in Georgia. We also want to commend our agents who have ranked high in our state's standings. Here are the rankings for all the TOP EXIT REALTY OFFICES and AGENTS in Georgia.

EXIT Four Seasons is

# 1 in Closings based on closed sides (November)

# 5 in New Listings taken

And Congratulations to the following agents who were in the top 20 for gross closed commissions in November:

Philippe Gooby

Tom Doyle

Scott Surles

Shane Henson

Sharon Thomason

Congratulations to Tom Doyle for being Ranking # 3 in the state for # of sides closed in November.