stop complaining

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

- Philippians 2:14-16a (NIV)

 

Entitled. 
That seems to be the label that we put on people that think they should get something for nothing. 
There are several generations out in the world that want everything handed to them. 
Many ages and genders that protest everything whether they understand it or not.

We have many “warped and crooked generation” people that we encounter every day, and we cannot change them.

I know that I cannot change the world, but I can do everything in my power to change me so I can shine.

I hold on to the Word because I know that my life is in Him.

 

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welcome

Give a warm welcome to any brother who wants to join you, even though his faith is weak. Don’t criticize him for having different ideas from yours about what is right and wrong.

- Romans 14:1 (TLB)

 

Some people have trouble going into a new environment. 
Me. I’m “some people”. 
Face it, we do not always thrive in new situations, around new people, sharing our thoughts and ideas because many of us have had our ideas shot down and some of us have been publicly shamed for ideas that others considered “dumb”. 
Don’t be the person that shoots down the suggestions of someone else. 
There is nothing as disappointing as being in a group brainstorming session and hearing someone else say “we don’t want to do that” or “that is a bad idea”. 
I also want to share The Message translation of this verse: 

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.(MSG)

Just because you see things differently does not mean that they are wrong and you are right. 
Listen to others when they share their opinions, they are not always bad or incorrect, they have a reason for feeling the way that they do. 
As brothers and sisters in Christ, it is our responsibility to be warm and welcoming to everyone, to love everyone.

No matter what.

 

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F.R.O.G.

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.

- 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT)

 

We hear a lot about instinct and the “trust your gut” or “listen to your heart” mentality, but we were not created to live life on our own. 
Years and years ago, when I taught Sunday school (don’t fall over, I got roped into it!) we had a campaign called F.R.O.G.

Fully Rely On God.

The point of the lessons was to teach our children that they do not have to make it in the world by themselves.

It’s dangerous to go alone! <- that is a Zelda reference for my youngest son, you are welcome, son.

Don’t be uninformed – fully rely on God.

Don’t be afraid – fully rely on God.

God is bigger than your troubles – fully rely on God.

And never ever give up – fully rely on God.

 

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teach me

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you".

- Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

 

Teachers come in all shapes and sizes. 
I have been fortunate to have some great teachers in my lifetime, and not all of them had a formal teaching education. 
Some of God’s creation has instinct, like the sea turtle.  
Female sea turtles lay 80-120 eggs on the beach and never return to their nests, the eggs and hatchlings are left to fend for themselves.
Studies show that almost all the eggs in a nest hatch at the same time and the baby turtles find their way to the ocean with their siblings. 
No one teaches the baby turtles to do this, they know instinctively that they must find the sea. 
Baby bears have momma bears to teach them to hunt and protect themselves, if left alone at too young of an age the cubs will not survive. 
Humans are more like bears that sea turtles in that we need to be taught the basic necessities in life, but who teaches us about God?    
We can’t grow if we don’t learn, and we can’t learn if there is not a teacher. 
Look to the Lord for instruction, He is the best teacher. 

 

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I’m happy

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

- Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

 

Habakkuk was a “minor prophet”, so we don’t really hear a lot about him.

From this verse though, we can tell that he learned to always rejoice in God, no matter what his circumstances were.

We can learn a lot from him.

I’m happy even though I have bills to pay, even though my car’s check engine light is on, and the navigation system is lost, even though I am under a lot of pressure and stress, I will continue to praise and trust Him, and I am happy.

The chorus of a Lauren Daigle’s song Trust In You really speaks volumes to me:

When You don't move the mountains

I'm needing You to move

When You don't part the waters

I wish I could walk through

When You don't give the answers

As I cry out to You

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You

I’m happy even though my life is a crazy mess right now, I know that praising Him and trusting Him will result in my peace and keep me happy.

It is well with my soul.

 

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sparrows

What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Not much more than that. Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And He knows the number of hairs on your head! Never fear, you are far more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows.

- Luke 12:6-7 (TLB)

 

One of the things that I love about visiting my father-in-law in Iowa is watching the birds in his back yard. 
Dad has multiple bird feeders set up in his backyard and he feeds the various birds, squirrels, and rabbits every single day no matter the weather.

I’ve been up there at Christmas time and watched him go out during a blizzard to put food out for them. 
He did research and he buys food for the specific types of birds in his area which can vary from season to season.

It’s because of Dad that my husband and I started hanging bird and squirrel feeders at our home in Arkansas.

I was already feeding the neighborhood stray cats, raccoons, opossums, and the occasional fox so it wasn’t out of the question to add birds and squirrels to my “backyardagains”. 
It makes me feel good to see “the regulars” coming to the feeders and yes, I name each of the cats, raccoons, and opossums.

I can’t keep up with all the birds and squirrels to name them, they all look alike. 
I wonder, do all people look alike to the birds and squirrels? 

It’s amazing when you think about the fact that God knows every single bird, cat, raccoon, opossum, and human by name.

God may not call us by the same names we call each other, but He knows us and loves every one of us. 
He never forgets us.. 

We are so valuable to Him, more so than flocks of birds that are on this earth (have you seen the starlings when they fly? Look it up on you tube, it is wild!) 
We are so lucky to have a Father that loves us that much. 
I need to go feed my “backyardagains” now.  I’m very thankful that I am not the only one that knows their names.  

 

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you can’t hurt me

But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me?

- Psalm 56:4 (TLB)

 

Anyone who has been reading my daily messages for a while knows that I am open and honest in my writing. (Did you know that you can read my messages since I started publishing them in 2016 on my blog? https://dailybreadgodswordmythoughts.blogspot.com/ ) 
I have a lot of joy, sadness, and fear that I have shared here. 
Some of the emotions are silly, I’ll be the first to admit that, but some of them have merit. 
I am terrified of spiders, storms and things being out of my control. 
I feel the emotions of others on a very deep level. 
We need to turn to the Father when we are overcome by our fears, no matter how big or small they seem to us. 
God has promised to love us, and we can count on that promise 100%. 
Romans 8:31 says if God is for us who can be against us, which just reiterates this verse; when we trust in God, what can man do to us? 
Just don’t throw spiders at me while it is lightning and thundering. 

 

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I stand corrected

But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin.

- Job 5:17 (NLT)

 

I was wrong.

Why are those three words so hard to say?

They are just words, but they can help or hurt in any situation. 
I’ve been wrong many times in my life and if my husband or kids are reading this, yes, I have admitted it in a public forum that can be used against me now. 
At some point in our lives, we are all going to need discipline regardless of our age, and how we choose to accept that discipline is up to us as individuals. 
If we get into a situation where we are wrong and someone calls us out, we shouldn’t be angry and we shouldn’t take the correction negatively.

If we are upset about being corrected, we need to ask ourselves if we are angry because we did something wrong or because we got caught.

When someone corrects us, we should be thankful for that person that loves us enough to set us straight. 
On the same note, when we offer advice or correction to another, we need to do it from a place of love, always. 
When we stand corrected it should be taken with an open heart especially when that discipline comes from God. 
After all, He has our best interests at heart. 

 

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trees

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

- Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJV)

 

I am not a big fan of trees. 
When you have had a tree fall on your car from a lightning strike, then a tree falls on your house when a branch snapped, then branches go through your roof from an ice storm it tends to make you leery of trees.

I may not like trees in my yard, but I do love all the Biblical references to trees.

When you think about a tree and the process it goes through to become strong and compare it to ourselves, it can be very eye opening.

A tree needs roots, firmly planted in fertile soil to allow it to get nutrients and water so it can grow big and strong.

It needs sunlight so it can make its food and carbon dioxide to fuel the tree.

In return trees provide us with oxygen, fruit, flowers, paper, wood, and many other products.

The roots keep the tree steady and allows it to withstand storms, weather changes and other disasters like earthquakes, floods, and fire. 
Humans need roots too. 

If we are strong in our faith, we say we are firmly rooted there.

It is our faith and trust in God that gets us through our storms and disasters. 
I could reminisce for hours recounting all the times that my faith has carried me through storms that would have broken other people.

We all go through a lot, even those of us who are good at hiding our emotions (I am NOT that person – lol), every single one of us has storms. 
The world wants to make us victims of our tragedies, but when we take on that victim mentality, we become ineffective Christ followers. 
We are warriors for Christ.  
We fight and train as His warriors and we are called to refuse the victim status and not become neutral in our very polarized world.

A world where intolerance is acceptable and the refusal to allow any other opinion other than your own is common.

As warriors we must fight to show God’s love, to stand strong as a mighty tree, showing others the truth of the Father, reaching out with our arms as the branches of a tree reach out to grow stronger. 
It is not an “us against them” world, it is us against the powers of darkness. 
We are called to be bold, to be strong, to be brave, to press in, to be firmly rooted in Christ.

Dig deep and grow into the strongest version of you that you can be in Him.

 

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happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

- 1 Chronicles 16:24 (NKJV)

 

Happy Saint Patrick’s day! 
I have found many fun facts about St. Patrick that I want to share! 

• The patron saint of Ireland was in fact born in Britain.
• He was never canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
• He did not drive snakes out of Ireland.
• He used the shamrock, a three leafed plant to explain the Holy Trinity to unbelievers.
• He had the permission of the High King Laoghaire of Tara to spread the Gospel in Ireland.
• He is credited with expanding literacy in Ireland and converting a large majority of the population to Christianity.
• He championed the causes of women, the poor, and slaves.
• His death date is recorded as March 17^th, but the year of his death is speculated.

St. Patrick wanted to spread the Gospel, as we are all commanded to do, this is the Great Commission, to declare His glory to all nations.

Wear your green, eat chocolate coins, and watch out for leprechauns today, but above all, tell someone about your Jesus.

 

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it is done

I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

- John 17:4 (NKJV)

 

Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer.
In this verse He was preparing for His betrayal, knowing that He would soon die to fulfill the prophecies that had been spoken.

In the time He spent on Earth, He did everything that His Father asked, even though some of those things were unpleasant. 
The worst of the unpleasantness was yet to come. 
Jesus finished the work on Earth that God had given Him.  

In the lyrics of the song It Is Finished by Passion Music we hear these words: 
The cross is my beginning

The line drawn in the sand

The end of all my striving

Now I am born again

There, Jesus was forsaken

So I will never be

His grace is my salvation

The gift of God, the work of Calvary

It is done, it is finished

Christ has won, He is risen

Grace is here

Love has triumphed over death forever

The cross needs no addition

His mercy is complete

His love is not in question

The Son of God has spoken over me

...

Strongholds bowing to the Savior

Resurrection power over every circumstance

His word stands final and forever

It will not be shaken, He alone has won it all

...

It is done, it is finished

Mercy won, I'm forgiven

Sing His name, He is worthy of our praise, Jesus

He has won, He has won

Oh, He is worthy of our praise

Oh, Jesus, oh, Jesus

We sing your praise forever

It is done. 
Because of His sacrifice we are forgiven and free. 
Don’t forget the sacrifice He made for us. 

 

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beware, the Ides of March

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

- Hebrews 12:28 (NKJV)

 

History tells us on this day in 44BC Julius Caesar was murdered by his friends.  

William Shakespeare’s version of events included a warning of the impending assassination by a soothsayer’s words “beware, the Ides of March”.

Nations rise and fall, leaders disappoint their people, kings and queens are replaced often after periods of war and not all of them were warned of the impending doom. 
In many cases the fall of a ruler would do great harm to the nation which is why most world leaders today have a great security detail.

If you think about it, Jesus was also a man in power betrayed by someone close to Him.

Several of His disciples tried to protect Him but Jesus also knew how His story would end.

Fortunately for us the kingdom of God did not end with the death of Jesus.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we receive the kingdom of God that cannot be shaken or broken.

The kingdom of God is eternal, and it can be ours if we serve Him. 
No need to beware the ides of March or any other month when we serve a mighty God and King.

 

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let’s go

As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

- John 17:18 (NKJV)

 

Jesus often went to pray in solitude, time spent with His Father was sacred to Him.

Before He was betrayed, Jesus prayed for Himself, for His disciples, and for all believers. 
In this verse He was specifically praying that the men who had followed Him would continue His work, glorifying the Lord. 
He had spent His time with them teaching them, training them, warning them that as they continued His work they too would be persecuted.

Not much has changed in 2000 years, in many nations Christ followers are still considered enemies and there are still countries where even owning a Bible can result in death. 
God sent Jesus to this world so that we could be saved. 
God brought us into the world to accept Him and share the Gospel.   
I think that Jesus might pray for us this way too, that as God sent Jesus to the world, we have also been sent. 
We shouldn’t disappoint Him; we should go and tell others about our Savior. 

 

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I’m not afraid

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

- 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

 

Most of us have played games at some point in our lives, board games, video games, card games.

In just about every game, you are given something to begin playing, a set of cards, dice, dominoes, or perhaps a sword, magic, or a map.

In Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda, your character walks into a cave and is given a sword with the direction “Here, take this.  It is dangerous to go alone.”

Now imagine today you are starting a great adventure and you go into a store for supplies and happen across someone that tells you that your journey will be dangerous, but they have something that will help guide you, and hands you a Bible.

In the Bible you will find stories of courage and power, stories of love and sacrifice, all for you.

Your spirit can be calmed just by reading the Word and knowing that God has not left you alone.

God gives you all the power you need to defeat your monsters rescue the princess, prince, or yourself.

Find His Word and let it fill you, then go on your journey.

You are never alone.

 

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but wait, there’s more

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

- Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NKJV)

 

Everyone is familiar with Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 
But did you know there is more?  

There is more!!

Often, we hear people ask, “Where was God when this happened?” because as humans we tend to forget that He is with us always, even when bad things happen.

God is always there.

God does not “let” bad things happen.

When you shut Him out, you are doing the exact thing that the devil wants you to do.

Believe me when I say that God has never left your side.

God loves us so very much and it hurts Him when His precious children shut the door to our hearts to Him.

Tenth Avenue North’s song “By Your Side” says a lot: 
Why are you striving these days?

Why are you trying to earn grace?

Why are you crying?

Let me lift up your face

Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love?

Why are you still searching?

As if I'm not enough

To where will you go, child?

Tell me where will you run

To where will you run?

'Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

And please don't fight these hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you

Look at these hands at my side

They swallowed the grave on that night

When I drank the world's sin

So I could carry you in

And give you life

I wanna give you life

God is always there.

We don’t have to look far when we seek Him, He is waiting for us to let Him into our hearts.

Where is God? He is right beside us, all we need to do is ask Him to come in.
Please, let Him back in.

 

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lean in

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

- Romans 15:1 (NKJV)

 

What do we do to “bear with the scruples of the weak? 
What does that even mean? 
Let’s look at the Message translation: Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”

I don’t think that means that we should try to fix everything that is wrong with the world, but I do believe that it means we use our knowledge of God and our strong hearts to uplift and support one another. 
We are taught to accept one another just as Christ accepts us in order to bring praise to God (see Romans 15:7). 
We cannot go on every day and turn a blind eye to those who are hurting spiritually, we must lean in, step in, and help them see the Father.

Who are we if we don’t support each other in everything?

 

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tempted?

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

- James 1:13 (NKJV)

 

“The devil made me do it”.

I think we have all heard this phrase and some of us have even used it to excuse our poor behavior, but nothing is further from the truth.
We can blame the devil, we can blame others, we can even blame God if that takes away our guilt, but the truth is that it is us failing to address our own hearts.

Temptation begins with our own hidden agendas.

Fortunately, we have an out: Jesus came to deliver us from temptation so when we recognize the great love that God has for us, we can bring our darkest motives to light.
And let them go. 
We need to admit the temptation, where it lives and stop it before it grows from temptation to sin. 
Because we all know that once it is sin, surely it will bring us death (Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. [NKJV]).
Don’t live tempted. 

 

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I’m safe

You will feel safe because there is hope; you will look around and rest in safety.

- Job 11:18 (NCV)

 

I remember when I was a teenager my friends and I would walk everywhere, many times this meant that we were in parks and downtown after dark, curfew for teenagers was midnight. 
Even in a town of 80,000 people with some areas that were considered “bad” we were never afraid about being out late at night; we didn’t have cell phones and I only remember one time when we thought we were being followed. 
There were even times that I would go walking alone to clear my head from whatever teenage drama I was having.

How times have changed, I am not sure that I would allow a teenage girl to be out alone after dark these days.

Still, I feel safe because I have God. 
Different translations of this verse say we will feel secure, confident, or bold and we will explore and be protected, sleep in safety, lie down secure or be emptied of worry.

What an amazing feeling it is to know with confidence that we are protected. 
In this chapter of Job, Zophar is urging Job to repent because he thought that Job had somehow offended God. 
Zophar tells Job that if he admits what he did wrong that God keep him safe no matter what is happening.   
While Zophar and Job’s other two friends were clearly wrong in their assumptions and even their advice, we do know that God sees our pain, our suffering, and our fear and that we can trust Him to protect us always.    

 

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wait

Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

- Isaiah 30:18 (NKJV)

 

I am going to age myself here, but that is ok, I am getting old, and I admit it! 
There were several commercials in the late 70’s for Heinz Ketchup that used Carly Simon’s song “Anticipation” as the theme, showing a little kid waiting patiently for the ketchup to come out of the bottle, their slogans were “it’s slow good” and “the taste that’s worth the wait”.  
Sometimes anticipation is good, as described in the commercials, it’s worth the wait. 
Other times anticipation can be nerve racking. 

But when we wait on God, we are blessed with good things.
Chris Tomlin tells us this in his song “Everlasting God”: 
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord

We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord

We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever

Our hope, our strong Deliverer

You are the everlasting God

The everlasting God

You do not faint

You won't grow weary

...

You're the defender of the weak

You comfort those in need

You lift us up on the wings

Like eagles

...

It’s ok to anticipate the good things that the Lord has in store for us because when we wait on Him the blessings are definitely worth it. 
God is so good, and when our praises go up His blessings rain down! 

 

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blessed

If anyone pays attention to what they’re taught, they will succeed. Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord.

- Proverbs 16:20 (NIRV)

 

Since my family moved south, there are a few phrases that I now hear on a regular basis such as “bless your heart” and “God bless you”.
I have learned that “bless your heart” is not always nice, but often a gentler way of saying “I’m glad it’s you and not me”. 
“God bless you” is sometimes an automatic response to a sneeze. 
Have you ever really stopped to think about your blessings?
In the song “Blessings” by Laura Story, the lyrics resonate with me: 
We pray for blessings

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

And all the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?

What if Your healing comes through tears?

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You're near?

And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

...

When friends betray us

And when darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

It's not our home

...

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise?
I once saw a sign that said, “What if you wake up this morning with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?”

I think I stopped in my tracks; do I thank Him every day for the many blessing in my life?

I am ashamed to say that I don’t believe that I do.

The verse says, “blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord”.

I DO trust Him, and I believe that I am very blessed.

I hope you feel the same.

 

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