It has been a wonderful year of service to our precious Lord, to our congregation (we've completed a decade in the great Southwest since moving here from Hawaii), and to all of you who weekly take time to consider my Reflections on various topics and texts. No matter how much one enjoys one's work (and I truly do), it is nevertheless good to get away for a time of physical relaxation and mental/spiritual renewal. God's Son understood only too well the necessity for those in ministry to "get away by yourselves to a secluded location and rest for a while" [Mark 6:31]. That very much needed time of rest has come once again for Shelly and me ... and we're ready.

We will be loading up our little blue Honda Accord in just a couple of days and then taking off for a trip through a number of states. This will be a journey of several thousand miles, so we request your prayers for a safe journey there and back. Since we will be on vacation for the next few weeks, these weekly Reflections will be on hiatus. These studies will return to their normal weekly distribution after my return to work the second week in June. Until then, may God bless each of you, and we thank you for your continued support of this ministry.

Al & Shelly Maxey