My last Active Rain post was several months ago. If you look at my AR activity, it was as if I dropped off the face of the Active Rain World. Which I did. Why would I post for months on end, earn over 100,000 points, avidly comment and interact with some of the most incredible people in the world almost daily - and then suddenly just stop? What happened? The opportunity to be involved in a life-changing project that so filled my mind and heart that I could focus on nothing but that one project until it was completed. A project I believe with all my heart will be life changing for many of the men and women who have served our country in the U.S. Military.
At the end of 2011, I agreed to lead an initiative within my company that I now consider to be one of the most important missions I have ever undertaken. Now at the time I began this project I have to be honest - I had no idea of how much time, energy, emotions, and money this was going to take. What I did know was that I was (and am) passionate about serving the members of our military and our veterans with excellence - and I wanted to be a part of setting the standard for other loan professionals to do the same.
Many of you might be saying to yourself that you could have kept blogging, posting, writing. But at that time, I couldn't. It was a season of my life, where I was totally focused on this one mission and any extra energy I did have went to my family or my church. During this time, the only writing was for a national industry publication once per month, and nothing more. I am an avid reader but the only books I read were books on war or PTSD or military affairs.
After I was named director of the national division of the Military Mortgage Specialist™ of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, it meant writing the curriculum for this designation, arranging for special speakers/trainers, orchestrating the necessary boot camps, planning and working for days on end with one of the experts of real estate education and then authoring a detailed follow-up coaching, teaching, training plan for these individuals.
The initial Boot Camps have been designed and developed as a platform whereby loan professionals could be equipped, trained and certified to be the "Military Mortgage Specialist™" in their respective areas of the country. Here are just a few of the 200 graduates of our boot camps:
I believe the effort has been worth it. Part of this program involves a "give back" campaign to wounded warriors. More details will be forthcoming about this "give back" program, but the short version is that the incredible giving individuals within our company have pledged enough money over the next twelve months to give away a MORTGAGE FREE HOME to a wounded warrior every month for a year!
And now I'm back with Active Rain. Why? I love Active Rain! I love the community and the passion. I love the sass and the wit and the honesty. But sometimes there are seasons, like mine, you just have to do what you have to do. I had to get my boots on - and then get my boots on the ground to serve those who serve - I did. I'm glad.
Boots ON!
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