Find and Replace: Reference data in a closed workbook

I'm curious if there is a way I can call for the values of Columns("A") in Sheet1 of a closed workbook, so that the values can be used as an array for a Find/Replace Array? It seems feasible...

Code:

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Sub Find_Replace_from_Excel()

'PURPOSE: Find & Replace a list of text/values throughout entire PowerPoint presentation from values in a reference workbook
Dim sld As Slide
Dim shp As Shape
Dim ShpTxt As TextRange
Dim TmpTxt As TextRange
Dim FindList As Variant
Dim ReplaceList As Variant
Dim x As Long
Dim i As Long
Dim j As Long
Dim tbl As Table
' FindList from a workbook column "A"
FindList = GetObject("C:\Users\Joe\Desktop\Test.xlxs").Sheets(1).Columns("A")
' ReplaceList from workbook column "B"
ReplaceList = GetObject("C:\Users\Joe\Desktop\Test.xlxs").Sheets(1).Columns("B")
'Loop through each slide in Presentation
For Each sld In ActivePresentation.Slides
    For Each shp In sld.Shapes
        'for tables
        If shp.HasTable Then
            'give name to table
            Set tbl = shp.Table
            'loops on table rows and columns
            For i = 1 To shp.Table.Rows.Count
                For j = 1 To shp.Table.Columns.Count
                    'Store cell text into a variable
                    Set ShpTxt = tbl.Cell(i, j).Shape.TextFrame.TextRange
                    'Ensure There is Text To Search Through
                    If ShpTxt <> "" Then
                        For x = LBound(FindList) To UBound(FindList)
                            'Find First Instance of "Find" word (if exists)
                            Set TmpTxt = ShpTxt.Replace( _
                            FindWhat:=FindList(x), _
                            Replacewhat:=ReplaceList(x), _
                            WholeWords:=False)
                            'Find Any Additional instances of "Find" word (if exists)
                            Do While Not TmpTxt Is Nothing
                                  Set ShpTxt = ShpTxt.Characters(TmpTxt.Start + TmpTxt.Length, ShpTxt.Length)
                                  Set TmpTxt = ShpTxt.Replace( _
                                  FindWhat:=FindList(x), _
                                  Replacewhat:=ReplaceList(x), _
                                  WholeWords:=False)
                            Loop
                        Next x
                    End If
                Next j
            Next i
        Else
        ''''for all shapes excluding tables
        If shp.HasTextFrame Then
          'Store shape text into a variable
          Set ShpTxt = shp.TextFrame.TextRange
          'Ensure There is Text To Search Through
          If ShpTxt <> "" Then
              For x = LBound(FindList) To UBound(FindList)
                  'Find First Instance of "Find" word (if exists)
                  Set TmpTxt = ShpTxt.Replace( _
                  FindWhat:=FindList(x), _
                  Replacewhat:=ReplaceList(x), _
                  WholeWords:=False)
                  'Find Any Additional instances of "Find" word (if exists)
                  Do While Not TmpTxt Is Nothing
                      Set ShpTxt = ShpTxt.Characters(TmpTxt.Start + TmpTxt.Length, ShpTxt.Length)
                      Set TmpTxt = ShpTxt.Replace( _
                      FindWhat:=FindList(x), _
                      Replacewhat:=ReplaceList(x), _
                      WholeWords:=False)
                  Loop
              Next x
          End If
      End If
  End If
Next shp
Next sld
End Sub

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