Addicted? Maybe...

So we have decided that Chick-fil-a openings might just be the best find ever. My parents call us addicts. We stick with followers.

So in honor of the first Wednesday in the past couple of weeks that we HAVEN'T been to an opening, here are a few pics.

Opening number 1: Stef and I drove 13 hours to Florida, had a day full of sunshine, tornados, and thunder storms, spent the night in a tent where the air mattresses floated because there was so much water, stuffed ourselves with free food, met our BFF John, and became the proud owners of 52 free combo meals. It rocked!

Opening number 2: Christie, Stef, and I drove only two hours... this time to Cincinnati. We spent the day reading, soaking up the sunshine (and shade!), meeting tons of awesome people, getting tats, and receiving 35 free combo meals and 9 free sandwiches! Success. Holla!

So here's to Chick-fil-a openings. We hope to be back soon. Until then, we are enjoying lots of combo meals as our henna tats fade away. I mean, who wouldn't want to hang out with your friends outside all day, meeting tons of new people, eating free food, playing games, and THEN receive over $300 worth of free food when you leave? Love it!

"Tennessee... wait, you made it too? You made it in the top 100?"

"Why can't I be my favorite number? In Cincinnati, they gave us t-shirts and they put my favorite number on it."

"You mean we get those poop nuggets again? They taste like diarrhea."

-Favorite quotes from Chick-fil-a's #1 fan.

Love of God, overflow... permeate all my soul.

"In our differences, we are the same. We are a wide spectrum of people, with distinctive traits and talents, each reflecting a different characteristic of God. Each of us is playing a role in a saga so big that it can not be confined by time or space. In our pockets of isolation, we search for significance and yearn for community. So we come together, broken and injured, looking for a place to rest. Some come to support, some come to be healed, in coming together we are made whole. They all come to be known, to matter. We are here as more than just a number or statistic. We are here because we were created to bring value. We are here to make her laugh, to cause him to think, to convict them, and to grow. Here to be more than one person, one failure, one sinner, or one saint. We are here as a part of the ones. And we are here... because we were never meant to be alone."

While unpacking from school, I found this quote I received from a friend. I absolutely love the picture of community it paints. God has been teaching me and stretching me and molding me like crazy since I have been home. True, pure, real, and honest community is being pressed upon my heart. I have been forced to look at my relationships and examine whether they are all rooted and centered on Christ... examine what I am doing to let the love of Jesus overflow into every aspect of my being, including my relationships with people.

I think we throw around the word, "accountability." We seem to use it frequently enough, but I don't know that we truly comprehend its meaning and implications. If we are honestly trying to build each other up and sharpen each other in Christ, then we must keep each other accountable. This means asking the tough questions when it isn't always easy. This means confronting sin. This means keeping each other in check. Though confrontation is neither easy, nor fun, it is a beautiful picture of authentic community and growing together in Christ. Authenticity... I'm striving for a lot more of it. I fail. But God's grace is infinite.

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."
Philippians 2:1-2

I'm excited to live in community this summer with 15 new faces! It's gonna be faaaab!

Yo tengo gozo en mi corazon!

So I have been really bad at this whole blogging thing... seeing how my last blog was in February, but I am making a promise to myself that I WILL blog frequently while I am in the Dominican! Now frequently may mean only once a week, but hey, that's better than once every three or four months. As long as I can find internet, I will attempt weekly blog updates.

That being said... I leave for the Dominican for atleast 15 months in 8 days! Background on that: I have spent the past two summers living at an orphanage in the Dominican Republic and doing Bible camps in the surrounding villages. From that very first summer two years ago, I felt the Lord placing the DR in a very special place in my heart. For the past two years I have prayed much over where God wanted to use me. It has been quite the journey, but I have complete peace that God's vision for my life right now lies on Dominican soil (Phil. 4:7!). Thus, in 8 days I will pack my bags and head back down to that little island where I left my heart.

This summer holds something new and incredibly exciting! I will not be returning to the same orphanage I have always lived at. Instead, I will be living at an orphanage in Jaibon (pronounced Hi-Bone) about an hour away from the other. This new orphanage is the home to 22 boys. The organization that I go down with, Orphanage Outreach, has never partnered long term with this orphanage. Essentially, we will be starting completely new programs at this orphanage this summer. We will be constructing volunteer housing, providing camps for the 22 boys, and going into local villages and schools to provide Bible-focused camps.

I will be moving to Jaibon along with John and his family, of whom I'm sure you will hear a lot about! John will primarily be the Team Leader (working with volunteers) and I will primarily be the Program Leader (laying out camps/programs) although our roles will definitely mix. We will also have around fifteen interns that will be joining us for 8 weeks this summer. Our passion is to see their lives radically changed for Jesus. We want to see their relationships with God come to a new level where they go home changed. We long to ignite passion. The internship program is going to be amazing! I'm pumped! There will also be individuals and groups from high schools, colleges, churches, etc. that join us for a week or two at a time throughout the summer.

So that's a general overview of the upcoming summer! I can't wait! I appreciate all of your prayers. Some specific prayer needs...
-That I find rest in the Lord through this constant preparation craziness
-For the unity and community of our team
-For open hearts

As far as staying in touch is concerned, the best way to reach me is through the internet (facebook, email: heatherleighcolbert@gmail.com, skype!). I'm not sure if we can receive mail in Jaibon, but I will post an address ASAP when I find out!

Shalom!
John 14:27