LEGACY: Week 1

January 12 – January 19

Well it has been one week on the farm and I swear it was the longest week of my life. Ask anyone and they said the same. The days were so long and the content very deep. Combine those and you have the longest week of my life. Getting up at 7 AM every morning did play a part too.

I got to the farm at 4 on Saturday and there were so many people here that I couldn’t tell who was a student and who was there just visiting. Usually I thrive in situations like this. I can befriend strangers in 5 minutes and know everything about their dog, family, and medical history. BUT something was different. I was nervous – I even cried and said I wanted my momma. It was like I was five years old. I realized later that night this is the first chapter in my life that I have done alone…I really am growing up.

On Sunday we have a dedication celebration and old friends of the Ranch (alumni of LEGACY too) came and it was perfect. Two dear friends, Eric and Katie Nickoli, came and they offered to be my stand-in parents. When I worked at the Ranch we told everyone Katie and I were cousins- she has orange hair too. During our celebration we had our first assignment – we had to stand up and give a little bio to the crowd and say something that everyone could come in agreement with. I said that I was at LEGACY because I wanted more – more time with Jesus, more of Jesus, and more of a relationship with Jesus.

The next day started our first official day at LEGACY and it was F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G (the fact that it rained ALL the time didn’t help). I realized that I am a Florida girl to the bone. We have class in a barn and there is no heat for the main areas. We have this pellet fire, but of course it wasn’t working properly so instead I had on 3 layers and a blanket and looked like a marshmallow and I still wasn’t warm. I have never had so much coffee and hot tea in my life.  The content we have been learning this week was all about laying foundation. I can’t really explain everything that I am learning because truthfully I don’t even think I understand. I am trying to process and absorb it all, but it’s a lot. We usually work in the vineyards from 1-4 allowing us a lot of time to process, but because of the rain we stayed inside and either had further teaching or assignments. One day we had to go through the lesson and read the Scripture for 3 hours. I can’t tell you the last time I spent 3 consecutive hours in the Word.

There are 11 girls and 8 boys: Claire, Mackenzie, Morgan, Leigh Wilson, Brynn, Leigh Ann, Rachel, Pricilla, Brooke, Katie, Max, Benjamin, Brent, Ryan, Stefan, Jacob, Matt, and Patrick. I live with another recent college graduate, Mackenzie, in a room that is tiny, maybe 10x7. I have the top bunk (I am really hoping this is the last time I will ever have to get out of a top bunk) and the fan is a foot from my head. I can’t get in and out of my bed without ducking my head or I will get hit. This makes mornings especially difficult because if you know anything about me its that I am not a morning person and remembering to duck is asking a lot. Our room is literally right next to the boys bathroom so we always have either 1) boys singing in the shower or 2) a nice aroma wafting into our bedroom. The boys and I became real close and fast when I said they needed to take their business elsewhere. They appreciated my bluntness.

The Lord is doing a work in me right now. I am not sure what exactly, but something. Every Friday night is family night and we start by sitting in a circle and telling people how they blessed us that week. The girls were all like “I just love you” and my thought was when did we starting just loving each other? Then there was a bonfire and everyone went out and I didn’t want to go.

–-->Insert dialogue in my head: Who are you Brinley and what has happened to Tom Standifer’s people-loving daughter? You are choosing to be alone when everyone is hanging out----->

Today I went to Tuscaloosa to get some very necessary food items at Publix. Why drive 45 minutes fro Publix you ask? Well because in Eutaw there is a Piggly Wiggly and 4 dollar stores within a stones throw of each other. Basically they have never heard of anything organic or otherwise healthy. Our free time flies here. I have a few more hours until I have to turn my phone back in. Not having my phone or internet all week is actually nice. I love turning my phone on and watching my phone freak out with all the text messages (hint hint: text me throughout the week).

I also LOVE snail mail. If you want to talk or hear from me I suggest you write me. I would love to tell you everything that is going on and I am a really good pen pal.

My address is 

LEGACY c/o Brinley Standifer

211 Vineyard Lane

Eutaw, AL 35462

I wish I would tell you everything that Francois (Fran-swa) is teaching, but its just too much so instead I suggest going to www.legacyencounter.org and watching the teachings. LEGACY has archived them so you can start from the beginning. I would suggest starting with the first because Francois builds on each one.

I leave you with this: 1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.” Truth means reality. I am praying that Jesus would become my reality!