2000 for 25

I’m Leslie Buhler, a media artist inspired by God’s glorious creation and the beautiful people I share it with. I am 22 years old and I’m pursuing a dream that the Lord ingrained in my life at the age of 14. My first record of this dream reads “Europe has captured my heart”. I wrote this phrase on the opening page of my childhood scrapbook filled with European memories. I didn’t fully comprehend this heart cry yet, but with time it grew in clarity.

Years later, my love for Europe led me to a semester of studying abroad in Italy. While there, my heartbeat grew louder and more defined - Love for the people. Love for the culture. I knew that my life was somehow supposed to be in Europe, but How? When? Why? Through experience, relationships and countless traveling mercies, my heart became attune to the Lord’s lead in Europe’s spiritually treacherous territory.

“Today, more than 800 European people groups found all over the world are considered unreached (less than 2 percent of a people group population is evangelical Christian), and nearly 515 of these people groups are also unengaged (no church-planting methodology consistent with evangelical faith present among the people group)” IMB. As my heart became broken by this fact, God picked up the pieces. He redefined my heartbeat for sharing the gospel and the love of Christ with Europeans. For further reflections on God’s leading check out this previous post.

Currently, I am based in Charleston, SC working and raising support & prayer partners for ministry. In February 2012 I was appointed to serve with GemStone Media (the media branch of Greater Europe Mission). At GemStone Media I will be creating effective web, video and print communication tools that have eternal value – reflecting the love of Jesus. By April 2013 I aim to be fully funded, and by August 2013 I hope to make the big move to Germany. Taken from Leslie's website. 

A whisper of a dream made real by God's heartbeat.

You can play a part.

To pay for some one-time expenses she will have during her missionary journey, Leslie is selling gorgeous prints from her European travels.  The goal is to get 2000 people to buy prints for $25 - this includes shipping, handling, it all.

Please, please, please, friends.  I don't often share things like this, but I believe so much that you should have a part in this story.

I think I'm going to buy this one (it's so hard to decide)...
To support Leslie's journey by purchasing a print, go to her Etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Heartbeat4Europe

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Please, take a moment to at least share the cause.

I've Missed You!

I'm linking up to the new mommy-of-two's Miscellany Monday:

1. Our Mission Trip was just wonderful.  I'll update more about it in spurts, I'm sure. And this post might be not-so-random due to all I want to share!
2. The place we stayed was just gorgeous.

3. My friend Chelsie and I became really close with these two sisters at the church we worked with.  It was such a blessing to see their dedication to their community.  I felt a partnership with them even though we came from such different backgrounds!

  4. I am always reminded of God's presence while worshiping in Mexico.  I know it is partly cultural, but the reckless abandon with which these people run into God's presence is humbling and inspiring.
5. My guest bloggers, Cole and Lauren, were amazing last week.  To read their posts: Change the World Tuesday: Feed My Starving Children & Where Would You Go to Meet God?
6. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement while we were gone.  It meant so much and I know God worked because you interceded.

Missions!

I decided to do Kelly's Show us Your Life today, and I was so excited to see that today's topic was Missions!


From the time that I was 9 until I was 13, my family lived down in Laredo, Texas (one of the driest, hottest places in America) and my parents worked for a mission organization that hosted short-term trips into Mexico, Cuba, and El Salvador.  I had the amazing privilege of going on more mission trips than I can count and having a complete change in my perspective.  Since I could go on for many posts about these experiences, I decided to limit myself to five things that I learned then and on mission trips I've been on since:

1.  American culture is not the only culture in the world.  After years spent immersed in a culture completely different than mine, I had to learn how not to judge.  It's amazing how highly we think of ourselves.  Sure, we like to learn about different cultures, but we often think that ours is the best.  My mind had to open, and I found that I loved some of the ways that things are done in Mexico, even better than the way we do them here!  

2.  God is the same on the mission field and off.  I would get frustrated every time I returned to normal life after a summer filled with mission trips.  Why did God speak to me then, and not now?  One realization changed my life, though, and that is that God is never changing.  He was the same God there as he is at home.  I'm the one that changes!  I'm the one that pulls my focus away from the things of him.

3.  Hand Sanitizer is the bomb.  Yep, I said it - the bomb!  I think I have used over 5 gallons of this stuff in my lifetime.  Ok, maybe not, but it really helps.  There are some super civilized and clean places, but there are some crazy dirty outhouses that you have to squat over and find that little 6 inch hole and hope... And then not only rub your hands, but your ankles and your arms... all over with whatever germ-x you can find.

4.  Orphanages need help.  I remember one in particular in Nuevo Laredo, MX that was just horrific.  There was one little girl that was never adopted or helped, and I think she had some mental issues.  She would come sit in your lap and get really close and whisper in your ear: "I love you; do you have any money?"  It was just awful.  I saw roaches climb in babies' diapers and I saw children with scabs on their heads that showed just one of many diseases available.  They need help badly, badly, badly.  More than anyone I met there.

5.  God is bigger than me.  And he's bigger than language barriers, and culture barriers, and my presuppositions.  He is the change agent.  He may use us on trips, but he is the one who softens hearts and saves his children.  I have nothing to offer except willing hands and words and heart, but He is everything and provides all we need, no matter where we come from, or what side of the ministry we are on.

Sharing God's Word all over the world is part of my heartbeat, and I'm thankful to have married a man that feels the same.  This will always be part of my life, in a big, big way.