Again, I want to thank you so much for participating in the study with me. It was such a honor to be a part of it. I just want to encourage you to continue on with your reading, prayer, and journaling. If you are not sure where to go from here, I'd encourage you to read through the gospels. You can take it as fast or slow as you'd like. Behind seeking wisdom in Proverbs, learning about our Master, Jesus, in the gospels is my favorite reading.
I also wanted to let you know that I'd encourage you to read through Proverbs and Psalms again on your own time. I've been studying them for 6 months now, and just yesterday I read in Proverbs 27 and God gave me a very new and fresh revelation. Just shows that you can learn something new every time!
I will be keeping these blogs on my site indefinitely, so please feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested. You can just refer them to my website and the entire study will be located in September of 2012.
Also, if you are interested in using this as a study for your small group please contact me as I have been working on small group questions to go along with the daily readings. (It would be a 4 week study.)
Thank you so much. Please let me know if you have any feed back regarding the study, this was a first for me and if there is anything I can do to improve it, please feel free to let me know. And thank you to all of you who have encouraged me and given me feedback already.
I love you all very much and am honored to have been a small part of your September 2012! :)
Much Love,
Steen
Showing posts with label journal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label journal. Show all posts
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Day 29: Giving room.
In preparing for today's study, I felt a nudge from my friend, the Holy Spirit.
GIVE ME SOME ROOM.
I've said a lot during this month. But if my heart is truly to help facilitate the learning/execution of this discipline (reading the word and prayer time everyday), then it is definitely time I hand the reigns over to you and Him. So I am taking a back seat over the last few days. Because of course, when the Holy Spirit asks for room, you give it! :)
Here is all I suggest, that you continue with the format we've used over the last month. That before you read the scripture, pray and ask God to speak to you and continue to allow yourself to be open. After reading, write down what spoke to you and journal some prayers. As before, feel free to leave some comments if God moves you to do so. That will be where I'll leave any of my thoughts on the day's study.
But before you begin today, I'd like to pray for you.
Abba, I pray that today, you reveal yourself in an incredibly tangible way to your followers. I pray you open their ears and eyes to your voice and your truth. Honor their commitment to learn more about you and your heart by changing their lives the way you have changed mine. Fill in their gaps, give them what they need to complete the mission you have for them. Energize and revive them. Continue to pursue them and give them an insatiable desire to pursue you. We honor you in all we say and do. I LOVE you Abba.
Amen.
Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 29 and Psalm chapters 136-140. Now go ahead, and do your thing!
GIVE ME SOME ROOM.
I've said a lot during this month. But if my heart is truly to help facilitate the learning/execution of this discipline (reading the word and prayer time everyday), then it is definitely time I hand the reigns over to you and Him. So I am taking a back seat over the last few days. Because of course, when the Holy Spirit asks for room, you give it! :)
Here is all I suggest, that you continue with the format we've used over the last month. That before you read the scripture, pray and ask God to speak to you and continue to allow yourself to be open. After reading, write down what spoke to you and journal some prayers. As before, feel free to leave some comments if God moves you to do so. That will be where I'll leave any of my thoughts on the day's study.
But before you begin today, I'd like to pray for you.
Abba, I pray that today, you reveal yourself in an incredibly tangible way to your followers. I pray you open their ears and eyes to your voice and your truth. Honor their commitment to learn more about you and your heart by changing their lives the way you have changed mine. Fill in their gaps, give them what they need to complete the mission you have for them. Energize and revive them. Continue to pursue them and give them an insatiable desire to pursue you. We honor you in all we say and do. I LOVE you Abba.
Amen.
Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 29 and Psalm chapters 136-140. Now go ahead, and do your thing!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Day 19: Freestyle.
Today we are reading Proverbs 19 and Psalm chapters 91-95. As you read today, I want you to mark specific scriptures that have and impact on you, the ones that resonate with you.
-Read Scriptures-
Today is going to be a little different. In preparing for writing today's study I got very overwhelmed by the scriptures, especially the Psalms. There was no way I could narrow it down to a specific topic of discussion, then I knew I wasn't supposed to. Today, you are going to have some alone time with God, with no interference from me. :)
I want you to reread some of the scriptures you marked, and use those as inspiration to journal a prayer to your Father. It doesn't have to be long or extensive. I only ask you be genuine. Tell him what overwhelms you about him, what you are most thankful for...What do you find most beautiful about him? Tell him today, in your own words.
Free yourself and allow yourself to be honest. This is a chance to open up your heart to him in a very intimate way. Allow yourself to feel something, don't rush this. Give this moment your FULL attention and you will not regret it.
Abba, thank you for your willingness to listen. Thank you for caring about our hearts. Thank you for wanting and desiring this from us, our honesty. Thank you for wanting a relationship with us. Thank you for wanting more than just our worship, but our love and devotion. And we do love you God. We love you beyond what can be measured. Thank you for our time together today.
Amen.
(If you would like to send me your prayer privately, I was thinking it might be a beautiful blog post at the end of the month to post all the prayers together, (anonymously/no names), as an offer of praise and worship to God. A collection of honest prayers, I can't imagine a more beautiful blog post, or a more moving piece to read. You can email them to me at steenjones@gmail.com or facebook message me if you are interested.)
-Read Scriptures-
Today is going to be a little different. In preparing for writing today's study I got very overwhelmed by the scriptures, especially the Psalms. There was no way I could narrow it down to a specific topic of discussion, then I knew I wasn't supposed to. Today, you are going to have some alone time with God, with no interference from me. :)
I want you to reread some of the scriptures you marked, and use those as inspiration to journal a prayer to your Father. It doesn't have to be long or extensive. I only ask you be genuine. Tell him what overwhelms you about him, what you are most thankful for...What do you find most beautiful about him? Tell him today, in your own words.
Free yourself and allow yourself to be honest. This is a chance to open up your heart to him in a very intimate way. Allow yourself to feel something, don't rush this. Give this moment your FULL attention and you will not regret it.
Abba, thank you for your willingness to listen. Thank you for caring about our hearts. Thank you for wanting and desiring this from us, our honesty. Thank you for wanting a relationship with us. Thank you for wanting more than just our worship, but our love and devotion. And we do love you God. We love you beyond what can be measured. Thank you for our time together today.
Amen.
(If you would like to send me your prayer privately, I was thinking it might be a beautiful blog post at the end of the month to post all the prayers together, (anonymously/no names), as an offer of praise and worship to God. A collection of honest prayers, I can't imagine a more beautiful blog post, or a more moving piece to read. You can email them to me at steenjones@gmail.com or facebook message me if you are interested.)
Friday, September 14, 2012
Day 15: To Revive & Refresh.
Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 15 and Psalm chapters 71-75. Take a moment and clear your mind and set your heart towards an attitude of praise.
-Read Scripture-
Today is a special day! We are halfway through this journey together. I wanted it to be a special day, one that encouraged and spurred you on to continue with this study. In trying to come up with something "special," God reminded me of the most "simple" way to be refreshed and revived. He took me back to the beginning. Day 1. :)
"Let us begin. The worship of the Eternal One, the one true God, is the first step..." in ANYTHING! (Proverbs 1:7 The Voice).
So today, there is no lesson to learn or concept to apply. We are going to re-energize and refresh our spirits by worshipping our heavenly father. I'm going to share my 3 favorite verses from the reading today in Psalm and then pray for you. Then, I want us to assume our prayer/declaration position from day 12 and simply spend time worshipping.
Read your favorite Psalms to him, journal, pray, or put on your favorite praise album and sing to him. Whatever you choose to do, do it with your whole heart. Take your time and let him fill your cup, encourage and revive you for the rest of the month!
"Your righteousness, God, reaches to the skies, you who have done great things. Who is like you God?" Psalm 71:19 TNIV
"You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on Earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock firm and faithful." Psalm 73:25 The Message (I can't help but smile when I read this verse!)
"There is no one on earth who can raise up another to grant honor, not from the east or the west, not from the desert. There is no one. God is the only one. God is the only judge. He is the only one who can ruin or redeem a man." Psalm 75:6-7 The Voice
(Please feel free to share with me what Psalms you might of used to worship with today!)
Abba, there is truly no one like you. No one can compare. No one on this Earth can give me what I need. I rely solely on you and your love and grace. I am honored that you chose me, that you choose me everyday. Lord, I choose you! I choose to follow you today. I choose to love you today. I choose to live for you today! Refresh us, revive us, refill us so we may pour you into others. Help us finish this month strong and victorious, all the while knowing YOU completed a great work in us. We love you. We love you. We love you!
Amen
-Read Scripture-
Today is a special day! We are halfway through this journey together. I wanted it to be a special day, one that encouraged and spurred you on to continue with this study. In trying to come up with something "special," God reminded me of the most "simple" way to be refreshed and revived. He took me back to the beginning. Day 1. :)
"Let us begin. The worship of the Eternal One, the one true God, is the first step..." in ANYTHING! (Proverbs 1:7 The Voice).
So today, there is no lesson to learn or concept to apply. We are going to re-energize and refresh our spirits by worshipping our heavenly father. I'm going to share my 3 favorite verses from the reading today in Psalm and then pray for you. Then, I want us to assume our prayer/declaration position from day 12 and simply spend time worshipping.
Read your favorite Psalms to him, journal, pray, or put on your favorite praise album and sing to him. Whatever you choose to do, do it with your whole heart. Take your time and let him fill your cup, encourage and revive you for the rest of the month!
"Your righteousness, God, reaches to the skies, you who have done great things. Who is like you God?" Psalm 71:19 TNIV
"You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on Earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock firm and faithful." Psalm 73:25 The Message (I can't help but smile when I read this verse!)
"There is no one on earth who can raise up another to grant honor, not from the east or the west, not from the desert. There is no one. God is the only one. God is the only judge. He is the only one who can ruin or redeem a man." Psalm 75:6-7 The Voice
(Please feel free to share with me what Psalms you might of used to worship with today!)
Abba, there is truly no one like you. No one can compare. No one on this Earth can give me what I need. I rely solely on you and your love and grace. I am honored that you chose me, that you choose me everyday. Lord, I choose you! I choose to follow you today. I choose to love you today. I choose to live for you today! Refresh us, revive us, refill us so we may pour you into others. Help us finish this month strong and victorious, all the while knowing YOU completed a great work in us. We love you. We love you. We love you!
Amen
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Day 7: Asking for directions...
Today we are reading Proverbs 7 and Psalm chapters 31-35. Ask God to prepare your heart to receive his truth today; because today, he definitely has a truth he wants to share with you. :)
-Read Scriptures-
Before I even opened the bibles and notebooks this morning to begin writing, God gave me a word during my personal journaling time. I pray a ton for my business. I pray for God's favor, wisdom, direction, and guidance. I want my decisions with COLORS to glorify God and his will, so he gave me some encouragement. It wasn't until I opened my notebooks to write today's study, that I realized it was for you as well!
I love in Proverbs 7 how Solomon gives us a clear picture of how temptation works. Seducing and deceiving. The young man, "had no clue his life was at stake; everything was about to change." Proverbs 7:23 The Voice. He had no clue. Isn't that the way it usually works. Temptation never announces itself, and that it's intention is to destroy us. There is no warning is there? But there is, and we just got it.
I tend to look at life as a journey, and through this journey we have opportunities to take different roads or paths. When I pray or read the bible, this principle is constantly used. "...and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6 "...narrow the road that leads to life." Matthew 7:14 I could go on and on and translation after translation uses these words to describe life and our decision making.
Therefore when I pray, I tend to use this vernacular: lead, guide, and direct me.
So here is the encouragement that I received this particular morning, and I believe that it's extremely relevant to our study.
"IF YOU KEEP SEEKING AFTER ME, WHOLE-HEARTILY, YOU WILL STAY ON MY COURSE. YOU CAN'T STRAY TOO FAR OFF A PATH IF YOU'RE CHECKING YOUR LOCATION EVERYDAY. EVERY TIME WE SPEND TIME TOGETHER, IT'S A HEART CHECK, IT'S A CHARACTER CHECK. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET LOST IF YOU STOP. IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP GOING, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE UNSURE, WHO GET LOST. IF UNSURE, STOP AND ASK FOR GUIDANCE. YOU'LL NEVER REGRET THAT. I PROMISE. I AM HERE FOR YOU ALWAYS." ABBA
He is SO right. I have never regretted stopping and asking for directions. You either realize you are heading the wrong way, or you get confirmation that you were heading in the right direction! And in life, I have never regretted pausing and having a heart check.
What if the young man in Proverbs had stopped and asked someone? If he had more information, would he have made a different decision? Imagine how many less bad decisions we would make if we were checking the status of our heart and character every single day? THAT is why this is so important. God promises us, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Psalm 32:8 TNIV
We have all we need to succeed in this life. Let us not be clueless, like the young man in Proverbs.
Todays application: Simply stop and ask God for directions and see what he reveals to you.
-Read Scriptures-
Before I even opened the bibles and notebooks this morning to begin writing, God gave me a word during my personal journaling time. I pray a ton for my business. I pray for God's favor, wisdom, direction, and guidance. I want my decisions with COLORS to glorify God and his will, so he gave me some encouragement. It wasn't until I opened my notebooks to write today's study, that I realized it was for you as well!
I love in Proverbs 7 how Solomon gives us a clear picture of how temptation works. Seducing and deceiving. The young man, "had no clue his life was at stake; everything was about to change." Proverbs 7:23 The Voice. He had no clue. Isn't that the way it usually works. Temptation never announces itself, and that it's intention is to destroy us. There is no warning is there? But there is, and we just got it.
I tend to look at life as a journey, and through this journey we have opportunities to take different roads or paths. When I pray or read the bible, this principle is constantly used. "...and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6 "...narrow the road that leads to life." Matthew 7:14 I could go on and on and translation after translation uses these words to describe life and our decision making.
Therefore when I pray, I tend to use this vernacular: lead, guide, and direct me.
So here is the encouragement that I received this particular morning, and I believe that it's extremely relevant to our study.
"IF YOU KEEP SEEKING AFTER ME, WHOLE-HEARTILY, YOU WILL STAY ON MY COURSE. YOU CAN'T STRAY TOO FAR OFF A PATH IF YOU'RE CHECKING YOUR LOCATION EVERYDAY. EVERY TIME WE SPEND TIME TOGETHER, IT'S A HEART CHECK, IT'S A CHARACTER CHECK. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET LOST IF YOU STOP. IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP GOING, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE UNSURE, WHO GET LOST. IF UNSURE, STOP AND ASK FOR GUIDANCE. YOU'LL NEVER REGRET THAT. I PROMISE. I AM HERE FOR YOU ALWAYS." ABBA
He is SO right. I have never regretted stopping and asking for directions. You either realize you are heading the wrong way, or you get confirmation that you were heading in the right direction! And in life, I have never regretted pausing and having a heart check.
What if the young man in Proverbs had stopped and asked someone? If he had more information, would he have made a different decision? Imagine how many less bad decisions we would make if we were checking the status of our heart and character every single day? THAT is why this is so important. God promises us, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Psalm 32:8 TNIV
We have all we need to succeed in this life. Let us not be clueless, like the young man in Proverbs.
Todays application: Simply stop and ask God for directions and see what he reveals to you.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Day 3: The Dark Side
Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 3 and Psalm chapters 11-15. Before reading, clear your mind of all distractions and allow yourself to truly focus on what you are reading. Giving God all of our attention is the best gift we can give. :)
-Read Scriptures-
No one likes to be disciplined or corrected. We like to be right, and don't like it when we are proved wrong. Why is this? We like to think ourselves capable, independent, and able to provide for ourselves and those around us. We want to make it on our own, proving to those around us that we can succeed in this life.
It is counter-intuitive, but the bible tells us to, "Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely; never depend upon your own ideas and inventions." Proverbs 3:5 (The Voice) And let me tell you the truth, from my own experience, God's ideas and plans are far superior to ours. They are more grand, more creative, and have more impact than we can even comprehend.
Relying on ourselves can be, not only ineffective, but dangerous. When you ignore God and trust only in yourself, then you begin to give yourselves the credit when something works or is successful. You feel you've earned it. You feel entitled, and entitlement can lead to a very dangerous path. It can lead to an abundance of pride, anger, bitterness, hate, and greed. You earned that promotion but didn't get it. Anger and pride. The person who got it didn't deserve it. Bitterness and resentment which eventually turns to hate. You get the picture. Even Hollywood gets this right, remember Star Wars and the path to the dark side, "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering..."
When you forget that it is God that provides, it's a slippery slope to a dark place. People don't become foolish or wicked overnight, it is a gradual hardening of one's heart. What do you do if you find yourself in this dark place?
"My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Proverbs 3:11-12 (TNIV)
God loves you enough to intervene when you are heading down a dark road. Don't resent it or fight it. If you saw a child heading toward the street, you'd run after them and scold them for running towards danger. Yes you scolded them, but you did it to teach them the importance and gravity of the situation. God is constantly saving us from the multitude of worldly dangers.
Sometimes God's discipline and correction is simply Him shielding us from hurt or pain. We don't always see the future results of our decisions, (no matter how seemingly insignificant), but he always does. And many times, he steps in to prevent trouble. Don't look at His rebuke or discipline as a failure or punishment. In reality, he could be saving you from suffering, or course correcting you to somewhere better!
I want to leave you to meditate on one of my absolute favorite verses, "God's business is putting things right, he loves getting the lines straight, setting us straight. Once we're standing tall, we can look him straight in the eye." Psalm 11:7 (The Message)
Today, and anytime in the future you find yourself in a dark place, I want you to picture God coming down, picking you up off the floor and standing you in front of him, so you're looking him in the eye. Face to face. No shame, just an overwhelming sense that he loves and is proud of you. Picture and meditate on this for a few minutes, and the weight of it's meaning.
-Read Scriptures-
No one likes to be disciplined or corrected. We like to be right, and don't like it when we are proved wrong. Why is this? We like to think ourselves capable, independent, and able to provide for ourselves and those around us. We want to make it on our own, proving to those around us that we can succeed in this life.
It is counter-intuitive, but the bible tells us to, "Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely; never depend upon your own ideas and inventions." Proverbs 3:5 (The Voice) And let me tell you the truth, from my own experience, God's ideas and plans are far superior to ours. They are more grand, more creative, and have more impact than we can even comprehend.
Relying on ourselves can be, not only ineffective, but dangerous. When you ignore God and trust only in yourself, then you begin to give yourselves the credit when something works or is successful. You feel you've earned it. You feel entitled, and entitlement can lead to a very dangerous path. It can lead to an abundance of pride, anger, bitterness, hate, and greed. You earned that promotion but didn't get it. Anger and pride. The person who got it didn't deserve it. Bitterness and resentment which eventually turns to hate. You get the picture. Even Hollywood gets this right, remember Star Wars and the path to the dark side, "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering..."
When you forget that it is God that provides, it's a slippery slope to a dark place. People don't become foolish or wicked overnight, it is a gradual hardening of one's heart. What do you do if you find yourself in this dark place?
"My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Proverbs 3:11-12 (TNIV)
God loves you enough to intervene when you are heading down a dark road. Don't resent it or fight it. If you saw a child heading toward the street, you'd run after them and scold them for running towards danger. Yes you scolded them, but you did it to teach them the importance and gravity of the situation. God is constantly saving us from the multitude of worldly dangers.
Sometimes God's discipline and correction is simply Him shielding us from hurt or pain. We don't always see the future results of our decisions, (no matter how seemingly insignificant), but he always does. And many times, he steps in to prevent trouble. Don't look at His rebuke or discipline as a failure or punishment. In reality, he could be saving you from suffering, or course correcting you to somewhere better!
I want to leave you to meditate on one of my absolute favorite verses, "God's business is putting things right, he loves getting the lines straight, setting us straight. Once we're standing tall, we can look him straight in the eye." Psalm 11:7 (The Message)
Today, and anytime in the future you find yourself in a dark place, I want you to picture God coming down, picking you up off the floor and standing you in front of him, so you're looking him in the eye. Face to face. No shame, just an overwhelming sense that he loves and is proud of you. Picture and meditate on this for a few minutes, and the weight of it's meaning.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Day 2: Learning to listen.
Before we start, ask God to open your ears and heart to hear and receive anything he may have for you today. Then go ahead and read Proverbs chapter 2 and Psalm chapters 6-10.
-Read Scripture-
Today we are going to talk about the biggest, life changing thing that has happened to me. (Regarding my relationship with God.) And that has been training myself to hear and respond to God's voice. Over the past 5 years or so, I would hear him speak to me, but it was sporadically. It wasn't until about a year and a half ago that I started hearing him regularly.
And it wasn't because he wasn't speaking, it was just that I wasn't listening.
"If you listen for Lady Wisdom, attune your ears to her, and engage your mind to understand what she is telling you, If you cry out to her for insight and beg for understanding, If you sift through the clamor of everything around you to seek her like some precious prize, to search for her like buried treasure; Then you will grasp what it means to truly respect the Eternal, and you will have discovered the knowledge of the one True God." Proverbs 2:2-5 The Voice
Attune your ears, sift through the clamor. I love these verses, they gave me the instruction I needed. Like much of the world today, I suffer from some form of ADD. I would pray, say in the car, then I would find myself mentally preparing my grocery list...or I would be reading the bible, then out of nowhere be thinking about the movie I watched the night before.
It wasn't until I started journaling where everything changed for me. I started journaling on my trip to Thailand in January of 2011 and never stopped. I journal and read every single morning. It has gotten to where my whole day feels out of sorts if I don't! Each morning, I start out journaling about what is going on in my life, family, friends, upcoming events or vacations. I tell him the funny story that happened the day before (this has also done wonders for my memory!) I ask him for help with problems I can't solve, etc.
Then I read some scripture, then I close by praying. I journal ALL of my prayers. It allowed me to focus and an amazing thing happened. As I'd journal, I would hear God answer or respond to me! So I started writing his responses down in capitol letters so I wouldn't confuse myself. Now, I'm able to go back and reread what he has said to me.
It's incredible to be able to go back a year and read the things God prepared me for and how they all came true. I get to see how God saw the whole picture way before I could! Now I do hear God other times, but when I "attune my ears, engage my mind, cry out to him, and beg for understanding...when I sift through the clamor," THAT is when I hear him best.
People have asked me how I know it's him, or what does it sound like. Now this is just my personal experience and I'm wanting to share it with you so that you will not be afraid to share your story with others. It's not a booming voice of God, he speaks through the Holy Spirit inside me. So it kind of sounds like me talking to myself, but I always know when it is him. There are two ways I know.
1. It's always something that I would NEVER say to myself.
2. It almost always moves me emotionally.
Whenever the Holy Spirit speaks to me or prods me, it is very overwhelming. It is almost as though I feel warm inside and on the verge of tears. It is, my absolute favorite feeling.
My challenge for you today, and the rest of this month, is to journal some of your prayers. Put your phone in another room, (mine has buzzed 3 times in preparing this study, talk about clamor!), sit it in a quiet place, and ask God to show up. Then wait. Don't think about anything else. (I've found the easiest way for my ADD mind to do this, is to visualize a picture of God I have in my mind and rest there.) Praise him, thank him.
And if he speaks, write down what he says. It may not make any sense to you at that moment, but I'm willing to bet that if you go back and read it later this month, it will. There is NO confirmation of faith like going back and reading God's personal words to you, especially when you've seen them play out! I promise.
Abba, may we open ourselves up to you. Let us forget about the world around us and ignore the clamor for just a moment. Let us be open to hear what you have for us and the truth about how you feel about us. We rely on you. Let us simply rest in your presence today.
Amen
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