Category: Protection

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Renewal by Fire

I read those three words yesterday while we were visiting the Gila Cliff Dwellings. We had walked the trail from the base of the mountain, up past the dwellings and were on our descent when we rounded a bend and saw that the entire side of the mountain and down into the canyon had been destroyed by fire.

The Forest Service had placed an informational sign that was headed by those three words “Renewal by Fire”. The placard went on to explain how the grasses, flowers, trees and even the wildlife are renewed after a fire.

The area was scorched. The trees were downed and charred but beneath them new life could be seen. I was saddened by thoughts of fire burning this massive landscape. But then these words popped into my thinking.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has chosen me to bring good news to poor people. He has sent me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent me to tell those who are being held and those in prison that they can go free. 2 He has sent me to tell about the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day our God will bring punishment. He has sent me to comfort all who are filled with sorrow. 3 To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored.” Isaiah 61:1-3 NLV (emphasis mine)

Beauty for ashes! Renewal by fire.

Life’s fires seem devastating. Things we feel are important can be destroyed. However, we have God’s promise that He will give us beauty to replace the ashes and joy to replace our sorrow. The trials and sorrows of life can deepen our faith as we draw closer to the Lord. He is the one we should turn to; He is our source of strength.

“When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. 3 That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. I, the Holy One of Israel, am your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for you. I gave Ethiopia and Seba to make you mine.” Isaiah 43:2-3 ERV

Renewal by fire.

New growth. New life. New purpose.

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To Err Is Human…

…to forgive divine!

That is a saying I heard many times growing up and I’m not really sure where it came from. I just know those are the words that were forefront in my heart this morning.

Have you ever made comments or had thoughts like this; “I just don’t think God could ever love me, forgive me, use me, want me, etc, like He does someone else”? “If people knew who I was or the things I have in my past they wouldn’t love me or want to be my friend”.

Ever had those thoughts? I have and guess what, so did the Apostle Paul.

“But our Lord gave me a full measure of his grace. And with that grace came the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a true statement that should be accepted without question: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst of them. 16 But I was given mercy so that in me Christ Jesus could show that he has patience without limit. Christ showed his patience with me, the worst of all sinners. He wanted me to be an example for those who would believe in him and have eternal life.” I Timothy 1:14-16 ERV

Paul felt that he was the worst sinner to have ever lived, he arrested and had Christians murdered. But God forgave him, changed his life and used him to reach the world with the Gospel.

Jesus was all about forgiving. He forgave Zacheaus, the woman in adultery, the thief on the cross, the soldiers and religious leaders that were crucifying Him. He forgave Paul. He has forgiven us too!

I shared these verses with you the other morning. They are some of my favorites on the presence and protection of the Lord. Take a hard look at the first part of verse one.

“…Do not be afraid. For I have bought you and made you free. I have called you by name. You are Mine! 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not flow over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The fire will not destroy you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, Who saves you… 4 You are of great worth in My eyes. You are honored and I love you… 5 Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east, and I will gather you from the west.” Isaiah 41:1-5 NLV

God isn’t holding our past against us! Our past is that – past!

In Hebrews, we are told that God won’t remember our sins and trespasses. He puts them as far as the East is from the West.

If you are being held captive by your past brreak free by accepting the Father’s forgiveness!

He has ransomed you. He has redeemed you, He is walking through life’s hardships with you and protecting you. You are precious to Him!

God isn’t mad at you. He hasn’t rejected or disqualified you. He loves you!

Thank you Father for your amazing love. Thank you that my past is past and thank you that I have been redeemed and that I am Yours!

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Too Many To Count

When our youngest daughter was in first grade I had a job where I had to be clocked in my 5:30 a.m. That, of course, was way to early for her to be up getting ready for school so Dave would get her off to school each morning.

I would have her clothes laid out and her lunch made but he had to make sure she had breakfast and her hair brushed before he took her to school. Breakfast was no problem but the hair brushing was something entirely different. She had long blonde hair, almost to the middle of her back and she liked to wear it in a pony tail or a single braid.

The hair brushing routine is something they still laugh about to this day. Dave’s big hands were clumsy as he tried to pulled up all that hair and smooth it into a pont tail with no lumps or bumps. They finally fell upon a plan that worked for them both. Our daughter would lay down on the dining room table bench, hair hanging over the edge. He brushed it, gathered it together and got the pony tail holder in place.

Success!

A labor of love! A time a father and daughter will never forget. Something special for just the two of them.

Did you know that our heavenly Father wants times like that with us? Special times – initimate times – times that only the two of us can share. He knows the very number of hairs on our head; He saw us as we were being formed in our mother’s womb and considered us perfect. He has been there every day of our lives and has been as intimately involved as we have allowed Him to be.

“But now the Lord Who made you, O Jacob, and He Who made you, O Israel, says, “Do not be afraid. For I have bought you and made you free. I have called you by name. You are Mine! 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not flow over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The fire will not destroy you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, Who saves you. I have given Egypt as pay for your life, and have traded Cush and Seba for you. Isaiah 43:1-3 NLV

“but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book  everything I would do. 17 Your thoughts are far beyond my understanding, much more than I could ever imagine. 18 I try to count your thoughts, but they outnumber the grains of sand on the beach. And when I awake, I will find you nearby.” Psalm 139:16-18 CEV

A friend and I were talking at breakfast yesterday morning about the goodness of God. Our Father is always working on our behalf, even when we don’t see it. His plan is for our good and our benefit. We can trust Him!

We don’t need to be looking at others and wishing we had what they have because we have our Father’s promise. He will never leave us or forsake us. Our help comes from the Lord so we should be “fear free”; our God is greater than any man.

When we ask the question “where is God now, does He know what I’m going through?”, the answer rings clear.

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” Psalm 139:7 NLT

What is your situation today? Are your eyes filled with tears? Is your heart breaking? Do you feel lost and alone? Your Father knows the number of hairs on your head and He is with you in every situation. He has good thoughts of you – so many that they are to numerable to count!

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In the Middle of the Night

I am so done with allergy season!

The last few days have been windy which keeps the pollen stirred up. I haven’t been bothered like this in years. The last two nights I have laid awake staring at the ceiling while trying to breathe.

So what do you do in the middle of the night?

Well, I pray. There are many needs of family and friends that can be carried into the Father’s throne room, laid at His feet and left there. It’s important to remember that – don’t carry them back out. Leave them all at His feet. He can handle them much better than we can.

“Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned. 16 With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:15-16 ERV

Another thing that fills those night hours is song.

“I will honor the Lord at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. 2 My soul will be proud to tell about the Lord. Let those who suffer hear it and be filled with joy. 3 Give great honor to the Lord with me. Let us praise His name together.” Psalm 34:1-3 NLV

My song of choice last night was “Good, Good Father” by Chris Tomlin. I have a large repertoire of praise songs and hymns stored in my head but last night I kept circling back to these lyrics.

Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think you’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night
And you tell me that you’re pleased, and that I’m never alone

You’re a Good, Good Father
It’s who you are, It’s who you are, It’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, It’s who I am, It’s who I am

Oh, I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I’ve known we’re all searching
For answers only you provide
Cause you know just what we need
Before we say a word

You’re a Good, Good Father
It’s who you are, It’s who you are, It’s who you are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, It’s who I am, It’s who I am

Join me as I continue in my praise of the Lord.

“Sing a new song to the Lord! Everyone on this earth, sing praises to the Lord, 2 sing and praise his name. Day after day announce, “The Lord has saved us!” 3 Tell every nation on earth, “The Lord is wonderful and does marvelous things! 4 The Lord is great and deserves
our greatest praise! He is the only God worthy of our worship. 5 Other nations worship idols, but the Lord created the heavens. 6 Give honor and praise to the Lord, whose power and beauty fill his holy temple.” 7 Tell everyone of every nation, “Praise the glorious power  of the Lord. 8 He is wonderful!” Psalm 96:1-8 CEV

Oh…He is such a good, good Father! He dearly loves us and has only the best planned for our lives!

In the middle of the night praise Him!

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It’s a Blustery Day

“I don’t mind the leaves that are leaving. It’s the leaves that are coming.” a quote by Piglet from Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.

That’s how I have felt the last few days. We’ve had a lot of wind in the Southwest and I’m not a fan. One of the things I was glad to leave behind when we moved from Montana was the wind.

I am so thankful that we don’t live in an area where tornados are prevalent. I pray for those of you who do.

One of the most comforting stories I’ve read in the Bible is about the wind.

“Jesus got into a boat. His followers followed Him. 24 At once a bad storm came over the lake. The waves were covering the boat. Jesus was sleeping. 25 His followers went to Him and called, “Help us, Lord, or we will die!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then He stood up. He spoke sharp words to the wind and the waves. Then the wind stopped blowing. 27 Then men were surprised and wondered about it. They said, “What kind of a man is He? Even the winds and the waves obey Him.” Matthew 8:23-27 NLV

The winds came. The disciples were afraid. Jesus was asleep. “Wake up Jesus”. He spoke. The winds ceased. They were saved!

There is never a time that we will go through a storm alone. Jesus has committed His life for our salvation. The winds stopped because of His word.

Just a day or so before Jesus got into the boat with his disciples He had been preaching to the crowds on a mountain top. He spoke these words to them.

“Whoever hears these words of Mine and does them, will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain came down. The water came up. The wind blew and hit the house. The house did not fall because it was built on rock. 26 Whoever hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down. The water came up. The wind blew and hit the house. The house fell and broke apart.” Matthew 7:24-27 NLV

Jesus told them that His word was the foundation of strength that would keep them secure in life’s storms.

When he finished teaching he came down the mountain and with His word He healed a leper. Then He spoke and a centurion’s servant was healed. He went to dinner at Peter’s house and healed his mother-in-law. After dinner Jesus healed many more people who had come to Him and He delivered many who were demon possessed. All of this is recorded in Matthew chapters 7 and 8.

Great crowds of people were gathering and Jesus told His disciples “Let’s go to the other side” of the lake. So they got into the boat. Jesus didn’t say “Let’s go half way across and drown”. He gave them His word to be a solid foundation for what was to come.

His disciples had seen him cleanse the leper, heal the sick and cast out demons; they really didn’t need to be afraid of a storm.

When life’s waves try to swamp us and its winds try to blow us off course that’s the time to hold tightly to what God has said, to confidently trust in His power and remember that our foundation is securely planted in Him.

The wind and the waves will cease and we will be safe in Him.

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Life Giving Water

The weather is warming up and everyday in the desert is beautiful but even more so when it’s blooming and the trees are budding.

It’s important to remember to take plenty of water when you go out hiking or exploring. It doesn’t take long in the desert sun to dry out or feel the effects of dehydration.

Every hiker knows to take life giving water.

As a girl we never went on a car trip without having at least two gallons of water in the trunk of the car. If the car overheated we would add it to the radiator and we would have some to drink in case of an emergency. Water is a necessity of life.

But what about our soul? How long does it take for the soul to dry out and become parched? How many emotional dry spells can it endure?

Since the soul is more fragile than the body the withering takes place more quickly. It isn’t always as visible as physical dehydration but it is just as devastating.

Have you had those times? Times when you say I just feel like I want to shrivel up and die?

King David spent quite a bit of time being pursued by King Saul in the desert of Israel. He knew what it was like to thirst both physically and spiritually.

“God, you are my God. I am searching so hard to find you. Body and soul, I thirst for you in this dry and weary land without water. 2 Yes, I have seen you in your Temple. I have seen your strength and glory. 3 Your faithful love is better than life, so my lips praise you. 4 By my life, I will praise you. In your name, I lift my hands in prayer. 5 When I sit down to satisfy my hunger my joyful lips hunger to praise you! 6 I remember you while lying on my bed. I think about you in the middle of the night. 7 That is because you are the one who helps me. It makes me happy to be under your protection! 8 I stay close to you, and you hold me with your powerful arm.” Psalm 63:1-9 ERV

Body and soul desire life giving water. Physical water refreshes the body and praise refreshes the soul.

We are waiting patiently for the Spring rains. Nothing smells better than rain in the desert, nothing brings signs of life like a desert rain.

“Let’s do our best to know the Lord. His coming is as certain as the morning sun; he will refresh us like rain renewing the earth in the springtime.” Hosea 6:3 CEV

Life giving water restores the soul.

I pray that you will know what it’s like to be spiritually thirsty, to have soul-thirst, and then to be completely refreshed by the falling rain of God’s amazing love!

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Great Things

Sunday afternoons are travel days at our house. Dave and I watch several travelogs and plan the destination for some of our next adventures. Beautiful places, remote places, interesting out-of-the-way places.

Yesterday we saw a place we never knew existed in Idaho, Craters of the Moon National Park. The whole area was created by a lava flow. It has amazing caves and interesting lava fields to hike and explore.

It is a testament to our great God!

“Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty. 2 You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; 3 you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. 4 The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants. 5 You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved.” Psalm 104:1-5 NLT

Please take time to read Psalm 104 in its entirety. It details God’s greatness in creating this earth of ours.

He has done great things!

“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble;
  the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” Psalm 121: 2-5 NLT

The vastness, the variety, the exquisite beauty of creation tell the story of our all-powerful Father. But they also proclaim loudly His protection and provision for those He loves. Never does He fall asleep; He is constantly watching over us!

Our Father does great things!

Yesterday morning one of the worship songs we sang reminded us “He has done great things”.

“Come let us worship our King
Come let us bow at His feet
He has done great things
See what our Savior has done
See how His love overcomes
He has done great things
He has done great things

Oh hero of Heaven, You conquered the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
Oh God, You have done great things
We dance in Your freedom, awake and alive
Oh Jesus, our Savior, Your name lifted high
Oh God, You have done great things

You’ve been faithful through every storm
You’ll be faithful forevermore
You have done great things
And I know You will do it again
For Your promise is “Yes and amen”
You will do great things
God, You do great things”

Great Things lyrics by Phil Wickham

Creation declares the greatness of God’s power. Jesus declares the greatness of His love.

Experience the great things of our Father!

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What To Wear

Have you ever had one of those days when you got up and just didn’t know what to wear? For a soldier that’s never a question. They are issued a uniform when they are inducted into service, it’s standard issue.

The Apostle Paul says that we also have a uniform and each piece is specifically designed for our purpose and protection.

“To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. 11 Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. 12 Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. 13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.

14 So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. 15 On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. 16 And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One. 17 Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit—that sword is the teaching of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.

19 Also pray for me—that when I speak, God will give me words so that I can tell the secret truth about the Good News without fear.” Ephesians 6:10-19 ERV

The first thing I would like you to see is that this armor has been tested. This is God’s armor and it will withstand any attack launched against us. When the battle is over, we win. We are still standing – we are overcomers and more than conquerors.

Our armor belt is the belt of truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life”, so our waist or midsection is protected by Jesus, himself.

Our chest is protected by the righteousness that we have in Christ. Our vital organs are covered by our right standing with God.

Our feet are not vulnerable, we are wearing the shoes of the Good News of peace. We can stand and fight because we are established on the solid foundation of God’s Word. We will not run, we’ll stand firm.

We have an impenetrable shield to protect us from incoming artillery. It is the Shield of Faith. Just like the centurion who heard the words Jesus spoke and believed, we hear and believe the words Jesus speaks to us. Jesus said that heaven and earth would pass away but God’s Word would never be destroyed.

Our head is under our helmet of salvation. There is only one name given under heaven by which we can be saved, that is the name of Jesus. Jesus, who is the head of this body of Christ, has us covered.

With a shield in one hand we are free to wield a sword with the other. Our sword is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The book of Hebrews says the Word is sharper than any other two-edged sword.

Our last piece of armor is prayer. When we pray in the Spirit we are edified, built up and strengthened in our faith.

Every piece of armor that we are issued comes with instruction from God’s Word. This armor is not just given to the elite forces, but it comes as standard issue to every believer. The Commander-in-Chief has made us all victorious in Christ.

It’s time to get dressed – put on the full armor of God!

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When Birds Sing

Have you ever experienced one of those life lessons that no matter how old you are or how much time has past it is still as fresh in your mind as it was the day you first learned it? If you have then you know where I was last night.

Dave and I are enjoying our time away so much. It’s very relaxing and we keep telling each other how blessed we are to be here. Yesterday we moved our fifth wheel trailer to a new camp site right above the lake.

After we were set up we sat for most of the morning in the sunshine just taking in the beauty. However, not too long after lunch the clouds rolled in and with them came a light wind. By four o’clock it was a strong wind so we came inside to observe the beauty through our picture window. Normally, desert wind dies down after sunset but not last night. It got stronger and stronger.

Now to the memory.

During our summers working in Iowa we had a number of occasions when the winds were fierce and were accompanied by tornado warnings. Tornados were not something this Arizona/Montana girl had ever experienced. The first few times I was almost overcome with fear.

I would lay awake in bed praying for them to pass. Every nerve in my body seemed to be on high alert. I could not and would not allow myself to give in to the fear.

“The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.” II Timothy 1:7 ERV

Eventually I came to the point where I could sleep through those stormy nights, resting confidently in the peace that God gave. The lesson I learned during that time was to listen to the birds. As long as the birds were singing in the trees and gathering bugs in the grass things were ok. Birds will seek shelter in a storm and they will begin singing as soon as it is over.

“Let all who run to you for protection always sing joyful songs. Provide shelter for those
who truly love you and let them rejoice. 12 Our Lord, you bless thosewho live right, and you shield them with your kindness.” Psalm 5:11-12 CEV

Dave didn’t know how badly this all bothered me until I told him last night. Those physical storms taught me to trust God’s protection, they taught me that I could always depend on His word.

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” Matthew 7:24-25 NLT

God’s word will be our firm foundation in life’s storms. His teachings will keep us from collaspe. The Lord provides us with His covering and we will be able to sing with joy, just like the birds, when the storm has past.

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Thankful for Protection

I was sitting here for the last few minutes mulling over what I might share with you this morning. Several different things were running through my mind but nothing seemed to gel.

It was then I felt something crawling on my ankle. It was something small and I figured it was a moth. I uncrossed my ankles and looked down but didn’t see anything. I sat here a bit longer and there it was running across my keyboard. Now, don’t freak out when I tell you this but it was a baby scorpion!

Yikes! I had a tissue handy so I pinched it in the tissue. Problem solved. No more scorpion. Living in an arid climate we find scorpions in the house on rare occasions. It’s something we learn to be on guard for.

Years ago Dave and I learned to take these words of Jesus at face value:

“Jesus said to them, ‘I saw Satan falling like lightning from the sky. 19 He is the enemy, but know that I have given you more power than he has. I have given you power to crush his snakes and scorpions under your feet. Nothing will hurt you. 20 Yes, even the spirits obey you. And you can be happy, not because you have this power, but because your names are written in heaven.’” Luke 10:18-20 ERV

Jesus had sent his disciples out to surrounding cities to preach the good news or the Gospel. He told them to heal the sick, cleanse lepers and cast out demons in those places to demonstrate the power of God. When they came back to where Jesus was they were telling Him of the miracles they had seen.

Jesus’ comment was what we read above. “I have given you power over the enemy, over serpents and scorpions but the greater miracle is that your names are written in heaven. The greater miracle is that you have relationship with the Father”. (my paraphrase)

Our hearts should be overflowing with thankfulness because our names are written in heaven’s Book of Life when we come into relationship with the Father. God has been gracious and kind. There may have been disappointments and even heart aches in the last year but God remains faithful and trustworthy. He continues to bring blessings and benefits into our lives. He protects and provides! He covers us with His love.

“Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God. He is the One Who made all light. He does not change. No shadow is made by His turning. 18 He gave us our new lives through the truth of His Word only because He wanted to. We are the first children in His family. 19 My Christian brothers, you know everyone should listen much and speak little. He should be slow to become angry.” James 1:17-19 NLV

He is the giver of every good and perfect gift and He does not change. We need to listen more and murmur less.

“We praise you, Lord God! You treat us with kindness day after day, and you rescue us. 20 You always protect us and save us from death.” Psalm 68:19-20 CEV

One translation of this verse says ” Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.”

Daily, He loads us up with benefits…Selah (stop and think). As we get ready to go about our day let’s stop and think about the ways the Lord has been good to us. You probably haven’t started your morning by killing a scorpion but I know you’ve already experienced some of God’s goodness.

Be thankful for protection!

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