I had to see my sweet girls before heading to the airport!
I completed KINGDOM WOMAN
right before I hit the road!
This is a MUST READ!
My sweet Mammy took care of me the night before my flight.
I didn't sleep at all.....
and then was up by 3 ready to ROLL!
God provided all the financial support I needed to
ship all my luggage through the airport without difficulty!
ALL 300lbs or so......
The Lord is humorous......
They checked my carry-ons for free on my connecting flight
so I only had to carry a couple items on the plane!
We couldn't wait to see each other.....
Seeing him.....indescribable excitement!!
a little beach site seeing for Day 1
coconut water.....
finishing up homework before heading to Blackwood....
The precious Boykins......
Trey's apartment above "On Da Corner" Smoothie Shop
Where I had my quite time Morning #1
Romans 15
Trey's Apartment (pink door and all)
buggie FUN with some of my favorite kiddos
FIRST ISLAND DANCE......
Trey's Buggie:
GO WOLVERINES!!
Bro Dave & Momma Kim Gittings
Conch salad.....
Joshua (a friend of a mutual friend) such a small world
and I love how God just details these little meetings!
PAPA SCOOPS SOFT SERVE....YUMMY!
Fellowship of Christian Athletes - Virginia Tech
Heading for FUN and WORSHIP in Blackwood!!
Back in Wadley
Johnny Cakes....
I TRAVELED TO SPANISH WELLS, BAHAMAS ON MARCH 9 THROUGH 11
FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE AN AMAZING SISTER/BROTHER REUNION AND BIG
SISTER SCOPING OUT THE LIVING CONDITIONS. IT WAS ALL THAT BUT GOD HAD MUCH MORE
IN STORE FOR ME. THIS JOURNEY BEGAN THE DAY TREY LEFT ON DEC 22. MY HEART ACHED
FOR HIM BEING NOT DRIVING DISTANCE AWAY FROM ME. AFTER HE HAD BEEN GONE FOR
ABOUT A MONTH, I GOT INTO HIS 4-RUNNER, TURNED ON HIS WORSHIP CD AND DROVE
AROUND WADLEY WITH BIG SUNGLASSES ON TO HIDE THE SOBBING OCCURING BEHIND THEM.
THAT NEXT SUNDAY I STOOD IN THE BACK OF CORNERSTONE CHURCH WITH A SMALL GROUP
OF PRAYER WARRIORS. I ASKED THAT MORNING SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM TO PRAY FOR ME.
I IN MY HEART WANTED TO SEE TREY SO BAD AND SEE ALSO FIRST HAND WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN SPANISH WELLS BUT I DIDN’T WANT TO JUST GO BECAUSE I WANTED TO GO.
I WANTED TO GO WHEN GOD WAS READY FOR ME TO GO.
AS WE STOOD IN OUR CIRCLE HOLDING HANDS BROTHER HAROLD BONNER PRAYED
SPECIFICALLY FOR TREY AND GOD TO ALLOW ME TO SEE MY BROTHER AT GOD’S APPOINTTED
TIME. WHAT A SPECIAL MEMORY OF A PRECIOUS MAN, HIS LAST DAY ON THIS EARTH THAT
HE PRAYED SO SPECIFICALLY FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. AFTER THE SERVICE THAT VERY
DAY, WITHIN AN HOUR OF THAT PRAYER, A GENEROUS MAN WITHIN OUR CHURCH CAME UP TO
ME AND SAID “I HAVE A FEELING YOU REALLY WANT TO GO SEE THAT BROTHER OF
YOURS?”. I REMEMBER CHUCKLING A LITTLE AND REPLYING “YES, SIR I DO. IF THE
OCEAN WERE NOT SO WIDE I WOULD START SWIMMING TOMORROW.” HE SMILED AND SAID
“WELL, I WANT TO HELP YOU GO. I WILL BRING YOU A CHECK NEXT WEEK. SO THAT’S HOW
THIS JOURNEY BEGAN. WITH PRAYER. THEN MY PRAYER WARRIORS BEGAN PRAYING OVER
LUGGAGE. YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE LOOKS FROM CUSTOMS IN THE AIRPORT WHEN I TOLD
THEM I WOULD ONLY BE ON THE ISLAND FOR BASICALLY 4 DAYS YET I HAD OVER 300 LBS
OF LUGGAGE. GOD NOT ONLY ALLOWED EVERY SUITCASE AND PIECE OF SUPPLIES THROUGH
CUSTOMS BUT HE ALSO FINANACIALLY SUPPLIED ME WITH EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY TO
CARRY IT ALL THROUGH SPECIAL GENEROUS PEOPLE.
I’VE BEEN ON MISSION TRIPS BEFORE. AT ONE TIME WHEN I WAS
ONLY ABOUT 13 YEARS OLD I TRULY THOUGHT MAYBE GOD WAS GOING TO CALL ME TO THE
MISSION FIELD. SO I KNEW THE EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS THAT WERE AWAITING ME. I
ALSO KNEW THAT GOD HAD ORDAINED THIS SPECIFIC WEEKEND FOR JUST MY BROTHER AND I
TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL SO I ALSO ASKED PEOPLE TO PRAY FOR ME HEART TO BE READY
TO RECEIVE ALL GOD HAD PLANNED. I PRAYED FOR MY HEART TO BE SOFT AND TENDERLY
BROKEN SO THAT IT WOULD HAVE OPEN SPACES TO BE FILLED THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
TREY PICKED ME UP AT THE AIRPORT IN A BEAT UP, WHITE CHURCH
VAN. IT WAS SUNNY AND ABOUT 80 DEGREES. THEY DRIVE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD
OPPOSITE FROM HERE IN THE STATES AND IT IS JUST VERY TROPICAL, JUNGLE TYPE
ENVIRONMENT. WE ARRIVED AT THE DOCK, WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MINTUES FROM THE
AIRPORT. OH THE VIEW IS BREATHTAKING. THE WATER LOOKS AS IF SOMEONE POURED AQUA
FOOD COLORING INTO IT. FROM THERE WE TOOK ABOUT A 5 MINUTE FERRY RIDE TO TREY’S
NEW HOME. THE BOYKINS EMBRACED ME.
THE BOYKINS ARE A PRECIOUS COUPLE FROM AUSTIN TX. THEY HAVE
4 CHILDREN. PRIOR TO BEGINNING THIS MINISTRY, THEY HAD A VERY SUCESSFUL
CONSTRUCTION BUISNESS. THEY LIVED THE AMERICAN DREAM. THEY HAD THE GORGEOUS
HOUSE ON THE BIG FARM. THEY HAD 3 CARS. THEIR CHILDREN ATTENDED THE BEST SCHOOL
SYSTEM. THEY WENT TO THE WELL KNOWN BAPTIST CHURCH. THEY WERE MEMBERS OF ALL
THE SURROUNDING SOCIAL CLUBS AND LOCAL COUNTRY CLUB. THEY ALSO VACATIONED IN
SPANISH WELLS EACH SUMMER. DURING THEIR LAST TWO VACATIONS TO THE ISLAND GOD
SPOKE TO EACH OF THEM AND TOLD THEM TO GO TO THE BAHAMAS. THEY BOTH TOOK THIS
“GO” AS THE GO AHEAD TO BUILD A BEACH/VACATION HOME ON THE ISLAND. SO THEY
STARTED WORKING OVER TIME TO SAVE MONEY. FOR TWO YEARS THEY HAD THIS “GO” CALL
FROM GOD IN THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS….DURING THOSE TWO YEARS WHILE WORKING OVER
TIME AT THEIR JOBS BUT THEIR MARRIAGE BEGAN TO FALL APART. ALCOHOL AND OTHER WORLDLY STRUGGLES BECAME A STRONGHOLDS. THEY WERE EVEN SEPERATED FOR
SOME TIME DURING THESE TWO YEARS. WHEN THEY HIT THEIR ROCK BOTTOM…GOD WAS STILL
SAYING “GO TO THE BAHAMAS”. SO THAT’S WHAT THEY DID. THEY SOLD EVERYTHING FROM
THE HOUSE TO CARS TO LIVING ROOM SOFA AND NOW ARE LIVING DAY BY DAY IN THE WILL
OF GOD ON THIS TINY ISLAND. ONE CHURCH HAS ALREADY BEEN BUILT AND IS THRIVING
AND GOD IS CONTINUING TO MOVE AND WORK NOW IN BLACKWOOD. ……
AS SOON AS I GOT THERE THAT FIRST DAY TREY AND THE BOYKINS
KEPT ENCOURAGING ME TO HAVE A LOT OF QUIET TIME. THEY KEPT TELLING ME TO GO TO
THE BEACH AND GO TO THE SUNRISE TOMORROW MORNING. GET ALONE WITH GOD. THEY SAID IT SO MUCH THAT I FELT I WAS ALMOST
GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE IF I MISSED THAT FIRST SUNRISE. SO THURSDAY NIGHT ONE OF
MY STUDENTS THAT I TAUGHT AT AUBURN WHO I HAVEN’T SEEN NOW IN ALMOST A YEAR
SENT ME A FACEBOOK MESSAGE THAT JUST SAID SHE SAW THAT I WAS ON A MISSION TRIP
AND SHE WAS PRAYING FOR ME AND WROTE ROMANS 10 AT THE CONCLUSION OF HER
MESSAGE.
SO I SET MY ALARM FOR 5:30 AND HEADED TO THE BEACH WITH JUST
MY BIBLE. I WAS JUST TALKING TO GOD AND STILL QUESTIONING IT ALL. I TOLD GOD I
DIDN’T UNDERSTAND. I BEGAN ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND ANALYZING EVERYTHING,
ALMOST IN A JUDGEMENTAL ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BOYKINS AND MY OWN BROTHER….LIKE
WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE???
….MUCH LIKE I AM SURE SOME OF YOU ARE DOING. YOU LOOK AT
THESE GORGEOUS PICTURES AND YOU HEAR ALL OF THIS AND IT JUST DOESN’T MAKE
SENSE. IT’S OK. I GET IT BECAUSE I WAS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. BUT I OPENED MY
BIBLE AND I JUST PRAYED GOD WOULD YOU SPEAK TO ME. I NEED SOME PEACE. I OPENED
TO THE SCRIPTURE MY STUDENT HAD REFERENCED AND BEGAN READING IN ROMANS 10. I
CONTINUED READING AND THEN I GOT TO ROMANS 15 VERSE 4 AND THE HOLY SPIRIT BEGAN
SPEAKING CLEAR TO MY HEART THROUGH THESE VERSES…… V4-9 AND V.12-14
THAT’S WHEN THE LIGHT BULB WENT OFF FOR ME. THAT’S WHAT THEY
ARE DOING. THEY ARE TAKING WORD AND PRESENTING IT TO THESE PEOPLE. THEN THEY
ARE DISCIPLING THEM. THEY AREN’T JUST TELLING THEM THE TRUTH, BAPTIZING THEM
AND LEAVING. THEY ARE LIVING DAY TO DAY LIFE WITH THEM. LOVING THEM. HELPING
THEM GROW IN CHRIST. THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BUILT A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM BY GOING TO AN OPEN FIELD AND PLAYING BALL WITH THEM. OR
HOLD THEIR HAND AND WALKING DOWN A DIRT ROAD. YES, TREY IS SURROUNDED BY
GORGEOUS BEACHES AND BREATHTAKING SUNSETS BUT SO ARE WE. WE ARE ALL SURROUNDED
BY GOD’S CREATION. THERE IS NO PRETTIER PLACE TO ME AND MY HUSBAND THAN OUR
FARM. I CAN GO THERE AND OVERLOOK THOSE PASTURES AND PINE TREES AND THE SUNSETS
THERE ARE JUST AS BREATHTAKING. AND JUST LIKE TREY WE ARE ALL SURROUNDED BY
PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HEAR THE TRUTH. THEY NEED TO BE LOVED BY US AND THEN
DISCIPLED DAY BY DAY.
TREY DOESN’T LIVE IN A LITTLE HUT AND HE ISN’T HUNGRY. HE
LIVES IN A SMALL ONE ROOM ATTIC SPACE ABOVE A SMOOTHIE AND DOUGHNUT SHOP. HE
DRIVES A GOLF CART THAT THE ISLAND PEOPLE REFER TO AS A “BUGGIE”. HE IS A BIG
BROTHER TO THE BOYKINS KIDS, HE PREPARES A RENTAL HOUSE EACH WEEK FOR A NEW
TEAM TO COME IN BY DOING LAUNDRY, PROVIDING LINENS, PREPARING FOOD. THEN HE
SPENDS TIME IN BLACKWOOK DOING BIBLE STUDIES AND COACHING TEAMS.
HE AND THE BOYKINS ARE JUST LOVING AND SERVING THESE
PEOPLE…..
I GOT TO SEE ALL OF THIS FIRST HAND AND NOW I GET IT.
THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES FROM VIRGINIA TECH FLEW
IN ON SATURDAY. THEIR CHAPLAIN IS BROTHER DAVE GITTINGS.
SUNDAY MORNING WE ALL WENT TO CHURCH TOGETHER. THEN SUNDAY
AFTERNOON WE HAD OUR FIRST SERVICE IN BLACKWOOD AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. THEN
THAT NIGHT WE ATE SUPPER AS A TEAM. BRO DAVE LEAD ASKED TREY AND I TO STAY
AROUND LATER WITH THE TEAM FOR BIBLE STUDY. HE BEGAN WITH SOME SCRIPTURE AND
STATED THAT “A TESTIOMONY” IS DIFFERENT THAN “YOUR TESTIMONY”. TELLING
SOMETHING GOD HAS DONE IS “A TESTIMONY” OF HIM CERTAINLY. BUT “YOUR TESTIMONY”
IS WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN AND THROUGH YOU.
SO I KNOW I HAVE ALREADY TYPED A LOT BUT I WANT TO SHARE
“MY TESTIMONY” WITH YOU.
I WAS RAISED IN CHURCH AND I PRAYED FOR JESUS TO BE MY
SAVIOR AND TO COME INTO MY HEART WHEN I WAS 9 YEARS OLD. I WAS BAPTIZED IN THE
TALLAPOOSA RIVER ON APRIL 18, 1999. IT WAS FREEZING!! THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE
READ MY BIBLE, CONTINUED GOING TO CHURCH, BEEN INVOLVED IN YOUTH GROUP AND THEN
COLLEGE AND WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDIES. I’VE TRIED TO BE A GOOD GIRL BUT I ALWAYS HAVE
DONE THINGS ON MY OWN TERMS. ONE AREA OF MY LIFE THAT I DID SURRENDER
COMPLETELY TO GOD WAS MY SCHOOLING WHICH LEAD ME TO MY CAREER. NOW LOOKING BACK
ON THAT SURRENDER I SEE THE BLESSINGS FROM THAT COMPLETE SURRENDER. I HAVE NO
STUDENT LOANS TO PAY BACK, I AM PASSIONATE AND EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I DO EVERYDAY
AND I DO IT 20 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE.
OTHER PARTS OF MY LIFE THOUGHT, I DIDN’T SURRENDER. I TRIED
TO CONTROL AND FIX AND DO THINGS SAMANTHA’S WAY. BEING A DAUGHTER, A SISTER AND
A WIFE HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVE TRIED TO DO IT IN MY OWN
STRENGHT. I HAVE TRIED TO ORCHESTRATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND PEOPLE IN MY LIFE.
IN 24 YEARS I HAVE MADE MY LITTLE WORLD A LOT ABOUT SAMANTHA AND MY HAPPINESS.
I HAVE TRIED TO PLAY GOD’S ROLE. BUT ON JULY 20, 2014 MY BROTHER TREY STOOD AT
CORNERSTONE CHURCH AND SHARED HIS HEART, HIS LOVE FOR A SMALL ISLAND AND THE
POSSIBILITY OF GOD CALLING HIM THERE. HE SHARED TWO SCRIPTURES THAT DAY: 1 JOHN
5:20 & PHIL 3:7-14
THAT DAY I WALKED DOWN THIS AISLE, HIT MY KNEES AND
REDEDICATED MY LIFE TO THE LORD. I KEPT IT TO MYSELF THOUGH. SINCE JULY GOD HAS
REALLY BEEN WORKING IN MY HEART AND HE HAS KEPT TELLING ME TO TELL SOMEONE WHAT
HE HAD DONE IN MY HEART. I’VE STRUGGLED AND I’VE BEEN DISOBIDIENT TO GOD
THROUGH NOT SHARING WHAT HE HAD DONE IN MY HEART AND SOUL BECAUSE OF FEAR. FEAR
OF WHAT OTHERS WOULD SAY OR THINK. FEAR OF WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO DO. SO THIS
CONVICTION HAS BEEN HEAVY ON MY HEART FOR ALMOST 8 MONTHS.
SO BACK TO MY LAST NIGHT IN SPANISH WELLS. WE ARE SITTING AROUND
IN A CIRCLE AND THESE BUGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS BEGIN GIVING THEIR TESTIMONY. 2
ACROSS THE ROOM FROM ME SHARED AND THEN, NICK, THIS WELL OVER 300LB SOLID
MUSCLE GUY THAT IS SITTING SO CLOSE TO ME THAT EVERYTIME HE MOVED HIS ELBOW
BRUSHED MINE BEGAN TO SHARE. THIS HUGE, SOLID AS A ROCK GUY CRUMBLED RIGHT
BESIDE ME AND SOBBED THANKFUL, JOYFUL TEARS AS HE TOLD OF HOW GOD HAD SAVED HIS
LIFE FROM THE EVIL OF THE WORLD. FROM PRIDE IN FOOTBALL, TO ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
AND EVEN SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. THEN HE BEGAN SHOUTING THROUGH HIS TEARS TO THE
GOURP “ LET’S BE REAL YALL. LET’S BE BROKEN”
I COULD FEEL MY HEART BEATING FASTER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
HEAVY IN THE ROOM. IT WAS AS IF GOD WAS SAYING STRAIGHT TO ME “ SAMANTHA BE
REAL. BE BROKEN AND ALLOW ME TO PUT THE PIECES BACK TOGETHER TO BUILD MY
KINGDOM”.
ONE OF THE GUYS STARTED PLAYING HIS GUITAR IN THE CORNER AND
WE SANG “I GIVE MYSELF AWAY” IN WORHIP. WE SANG THAT WHOLE SONG AND I HAD KINDA
SETTLED BACK INTO MY CHAIR AND KINDA THOUGHT I WAS OFF THE HOOK. I HAD MADE IT
THROUGH YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT GOD HAD DONE FOR ME BUT I COULDN’T
MOVE. THE BROTHER DAVE STOPPED THE GROUP FROM BEGINNING SONG NUMBER 2. HE SAID
“EVERYBODY, THE LORD JUST LAID SOMETHING ON MY HEART. SAMANTHA”. HE CALLED MY
NAME. I SET UP A LITTLE STRAITER AND LOOKED UP AND HE WAS MAKING INTENTIONAL
EYE CONTACT WITH ME. HE CONTINUED “GUYS YOU KNOW SAMANTHA IS LEAVING US
TOMORROW, LEAVING HER BROTHER BEHIND AND TRAVELING ALONE BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT
GOD IS WORKING IN HER HEART AND DOING SOMETHING WITHIN HER SPIRIT SO WE NEED TO
PRAY FOR HER. SO SAMANTHA I’M GOING TO ASK YOU TO COME TO THE CENTER OF THE
ROOM AND WE ARE GOING TO LAY HANDS ON YOU AND COVER YOU IN PRAYER.”
NOT ONLY DID THIS TEAM LITERALLY HOLD ME UP BUT BROTHER
DAVE, MY BROTHER AND THESE PRECIOUS ATHLETES FROM VIRGINIA TECH BEGAN PRAYING
SPECIFIC PRAYERS OVER MY LIFE. THEY SOBBED AS THEY PROCLAIMED HOW PRECIOUS I
WAS IN GOD’S SIGHT AND HOW HE HAD CREATED ME TO BE A KINGDOM WOMAN.
IT WAS IN THAT MOMENT THAT I KNEW THAT GOD HAD TO BRING ME ACROSS
THE OCEAN, AWAY FROM SAMANTHA’S BUSYNESS TO HELP ME COMPLETELY SURRENDER MY
LIFE TO HIM. SO THE NEXT MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 9, 2015 I WAS RE-BAPTIZED IN THE
CARRIBEAN OCEAN BY BRO DAVE AND MY LITTLE BROTHER JUST AS A PUBLIC PROFESSION
OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN MY HEART AND THE CHOICE OF SURRENDER TO HIM. THAT’S THE
TESTIMONY GOD GAVE ME. NOW I HAVE TO CHOOSE DAILY TO LIVE WITH AND FOR HIM.
PUTTING ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD AND GET TO WORK BUILDING HIS KINGDOM.
MY QUESTION FOR YOU TODAY IS WHAT IS YOUR TESTIMONY? YOUR
TESTIMONY MUST HAVE 3 PARTS.
1)
AN OLD SELF
2)
A PLACE WHERE GOD CHANGES YOUR HEART AND YOUR
SURRENDER TO HIM
3)
A NEW SELF
WE LIKE TO STOP THERE IN THE MIDDLE AT THE “GOD WORKING”
PART BECAUSE OF FEAR. THE FEAR OF WHAT A SURRENDERED LIFE WILL LOOK LIKE. I
DID. BUT JOHN 10:10 SAYS THE THIEF COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY BUT I HAVE
COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.
JAMES 4: BEGINGNING IN VERSE 7 SAYS SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEN
TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. COME NEAR TO GOD AND HE
WILL COME NEAR TO YOU. WASH YOUR HANDS YOU SINNERS AND PURIFY YOUR HEARTS YOU
DOUBLE MINDED. GRIEVE, MOURN AND WAIL IN SINCERE SORROW FOR YOU SINS. HUMBLE
YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD AND HE WILL LIFT YOU UP.
GOD CREATED EVERY SINGLE PERSON READING THIS.... I WANT
YOU RIGHT NOW TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH. GOD GAVE YOU THAT BREATH. AND HE IS GOING TO
GIVE YOU THE NEXT ONE AND THE NEXT ONE AND THE NEXT ONE BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU
TODAY. BUT HE CREATED YOU AND ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE THE NEXT BREATH FOR ONE REASON
AND ONE REASON ONLY AND THAT’S TO GLORIFY HIM THROUGH THE BUILDING OF HIS
KINGDOM.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A TESTIMONY DON’T BE FEARFUL TO HIT YOUR KNEES! MAYBE YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND LIKE I WAS YOU HAVE BEEN
WRESTLING WITH GOD. THE FREEDOM CAN BEGIN TODAY. DO NOT BE AFRAID. LUKE 19:10
FOR THE SON OF MAN CAN TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THE LOST
DON’T BE AFRIAD TODAY. THIS IS BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. THIS IS
YOUR LIFE AND YOUR ETERNITY.
IF GOD IS KNOCKING ON YOUR HEART TODAY THEN IT’S YOUR DAY.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO SURRENDER! DON’T LET THE DEVIL HOLD YOU
BACK FROM A BLESSING.
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