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Today, it is my pleasure to bring you an important post, one from a special cyber-friend, Diana Scimone. She fights diligently for those children who are sold into sex trafficking. She has written a book just for...well...here are Diana’s words from her site...

“Most kids are lured into sex slavery because they don’t know the deceptive tactics of traffickers. Wherever awareness training takes place, the rate of trafficking plummets. There’s just not enough, nor is it available in the languages of most at-risk kids.

The Born to Fly Project is a strategic 4-stage plan to educate kids, parents, and teachers about the dangers of child trafficking—with the ultimate goal of ending it.

Stage 1: Write a children’s book called Born to Fly, an allegory about the world of child trafficking that teaches kids to make wise choices as they pursue their dreams.

Stage 2: Develop a wordless book based on the Born to Fly storyline and distribute it to kids worldwide. Why wordless? So we don’t have to translate it into hundreds of languages—saving thousands of hours and dollars.

Stage 3: Produce a companion curriculum to teach children the important concepts found in the wordless book, and distribute it to schools, community centers, and NGOs worldwide.

Stage 4: Create multimedia awareness materials including posters, fliers, DVDs, web-based games, etc. to supplement and expand on the B2F message.”

And here is her message...

Christmas is all about One special Child. I’d like to tell you about another child—actually 1 million of them. That’s the number of children who are sold into sex trafficking every year. Some of them are just 4 years old. They’re in your city and mine.

I know, this is not your warm, fuzzy 3-weeks-before-Christmas blog post, but it’s a story that must be told. Lynn has written about this subject before here, here, and here, and to help with my organization, The Born2Fly Project, to stop child trafficking.

Most anti-trafficking organizations rescue kids, which of course is needed, but B2F works to cut off the supply line of kids—by reaching kids before the traffickers do. They do it through an awareness and prevention program that they’re testing in 5 countries right now.

To raise funds for this, B2F has published a delightful e-book for children called Born to Fly: The tale of a dream that would not die. Here's a taste...

"Blossom is in big trouble. Her grandfather warned her not to go beyond the village gates. After all, no caterpillar in Twig Valley has ever ventured there and returned to tell.

For centuries the caterpillars of Twig Valley have lived with a Dark Cloud over the land. For as long as anyone can remember, no caterpillar has ever become a butterfly. In fact, no one thinks about being anything more than a bug that crawls in the dust of the ground.

Until Blossom."

Proceeds from ebook sales go to the Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. A companion website, www.borntoflybook.com, has games and activities for kids and a free reading guide/curriculum for schools.

You can purchase Born to Fly for Kindle, iPad, Nook, etc. (links are here). (Or download it on the Kindle PC.)

It would be a great Christmas gift for some young child and you’ll be helping to stop child trafficking with every word.

***I pray you will visit and support Diana’s site Born2fly and her blog Diana Scimone.

“Rejoice greatly, O my people!
Shout with joy!
For look-your King is coming!
He is the Righteous One, the Victor!”
(Zech. 9:9 TLB)
Shepherds oversee their flocks in the field.

A blazing star illuminates an ebony sky.

A choir of angels bursts forth to announce a Divine Appearance, proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14 NKJV)

The veil of time rips.

The King of heaven bows low, entering earth’s time capsule.
A Child’s cry pervades the cool, night air with new life.
The Babe Jesus...dressed in a suit of humanity...arrives, just as Isaiah prophesied...

“For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end.”
(Is. 9:6-7a NKJV)
As Mary exuded to Elizabeth, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47 NKJV) Even though my surroundings and circumstances are not what I’d like them to be, my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices for His coming as a Heavenly Visitor.

Is your soul magnifying the Lord and your spirit rejoicing this season? No matter what the circumstances?

Paul exhorts us, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4 NKJV)

“Jehovah is King! Let all the earth rejoice!”
(Ps. 97:1 TLB)

~~Hope you enjoy this beautiful O Holy Night from Josh Groban~~



~~This post is part of...

* One Word at a Time Blog Carnival hosted on Peter Pollock's site. Check out the other entries on his site.

* ChristianWriters.com blog tour. Check out the other entries in the sidebar.~~

I was a Daddy’s girl. I loved my dad. I loved that I looked like him. He was a great man. A generous man. A godly man, honorable and well-respected. Qualities to be emulated.

I learned a lot from him…just by watching him.

Are you a parent? When you look at your child, do you see yourself, your spouse, or some other family member? Does your child “have” your eyes, your fingers, your build, your hair, your nose, your mouth?

Who does your child act like? Does he or she “have” your mannerisms, talents, same interests, and so on as you or your spouse? Then that child is like its parent, in the same manner, the same character. Just a smaller version.

Do you have a little boy who wants to imitate and pattern everything after his father – walk like him, talk like him, act like him? Does he follow Daddy around like a little shadow? The same is true of little girls wanting to mimic their mothers. Little kids love to imitate. That’s how they learn.

The Father says we are His family, His sons and daughters, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:18 RGT)

When God looks at you, what does He see? He sees you as His child, made in His own image. If He made us all in His likeness, then we must put on His behavior and act like Him. We are His Name’s sake, His family.

Paul told the Romans, “For God, in His foreknowledge, chose them to bear the family likeness of His Son, that He might be the eldest of a family of many brothers. He chose them long ago; when the time came He called them, He made them righteous in His sight, and then lifted them to the splendour of life as His own sons.” (Rom. 8:28-30 Phillips)

He told the Ephesians, “Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].” (Eph. 5:1 Amp)

Just like our Brother Jesus copied His Father, we are to be like our Heavenly Father. Do what He does. Walk like He walks. Say what He says. Be what He is.

Only by close interaction and contact with the parent will a child pick up the same habits, tendencies, and character of the parent. And so it is with us. To learn to be like God and His Son, we must be constantly in His presence, following Him around like a little shadow. (Or is that in His shadow?)

The Father desires His children to learn of Him, to listen to Him, to obey Him, and just to be with Him. But until we sit at the feet of the Source of Peace, we will not resemble the Father of Peace or our Brother, the Prince of Peace. This is true with all the other qualities of God.

I want to be like my heavenly Daddy. In order to do that, I need to keep my eyes on Him, watching His every move.

Years ago, Amy Grant sang a song entitled Her Father’s Eyes. This last part is my prayer...

On that day when we will pay for all the deeds we’ve done
Good and bad they’ll all be had to see by everyone
And when you’re called to stand and tell just what you saw in me
More than anything I know, I want your words to be…

She had her father’s eyes, her father’s eyes
Eyes that found the good in things when good was not around
Eyes that found the source of help when help would not be found
Eyes full of compassion, seein’ every pain
Knowin’ what you’re goin’ through and feelin’ it the same.

~Yes, Lord, may I have Your eyes to see the needs of others, their pain, unrest, and confusion, and may I be Your hands of comfort and strength to lift them up, Your lips to give Your words of encouragement, Your ears to listen to them, Your shoulder on which they may lean, Your feet to walk with them, and Your heart of compassion to offer what they need. Amen!

Have you ever noticed the difference in parents that attend a child’s softball game? Let’s look at three very different dads that have taken their sons or daughters to the ball field…

1. One stays in the car, reads a book and pays no attention to his son or daughter.

2. One sits in the bleachers with his back turned to the field, chatting with others.

3. One sits, perched on the edge of his seat, his eyes glued to the son or daughter that is so dear to his heart. He fervently watches the whole field to see how the game is going. With earnest vigilance, he scans the other players to make sure no one does anything to bring harm or is unfair to his precious son or daughter.

He is ever prepared to spring to his feet, jump up and down with total delight, and scream as loud as he can in utter enjoyment when his son or daughter makes the most incredible catch or tries to inch his way closer to home plate.

When the game is over, win or lose, the father puts his arm around his child, pats him or her on the back, and says, “Good job!” Then, he proudly takes his child out for a treat as the reward for a great performance.

Now, let’s compare these three dads to our heavenly Father. Which one sounds like your heavenly Father…

1. He sits on His throne in heaven involved in other things, not paying much attention to you. You wonder where He is. Sometimes can’t seem to find Him.

2. He sits rigidly on His throne, arms folded across His chest, sternly watching every move you make, ready to point His finger at you and to whack you with His rod. You wonder if you will ever do anything right in His sight.

3. He sits, perched on the edge of His seat, His eyes glued to the child that is so dear to His heart. He fervently watches the whole field to see how the game is going. With earnest vigilance, He scans the other players to make sure no one does anything to bring harm or is unfair to His precious child.

He is ever prepared to spring to His feet, jump up and down with total delight, and scream as loud as He can in utter enjoyment when His child makes the most incredible catch or tries to inch his way closer to Home plate.

When the game is over, win or lose, the Father puts His arm around the child, pats him on the back, and says, “Good job! I give you your reward.”

If you have never pictured God as being actively involved in what you do, begin now. He (along with the whole host of heaven) is ever ready to jump to His feet in pure delight over each step of your faithfulness and obedience.

Let His joy be your comfort.