Joseph Jennings Tackett, lovingly know as just “Joe” passed away last Sunday, September 19th, 2021 - unexpectedly, at just 52 years of age.

Joe was not only my first cousin but a friend.  Joe was the father of my nephew (Nick) and niece (Jenna) whom I love.  The descriptive word penned by Jenna “gentle giant” fit Joe well.  Joe could be a force to be reckoned with but was a gentle soul, really just a softy.

I could never have dreamed my message last Sunday “The changing seasons of Life,” would be met with such a sudden change just a few hours after my message.  The news of Joe’s passing was hard. 

The text in the Bible, I had just expounded on in Ecclesiastes chapter three  “To everything there is a season, time for every purpose under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die” was profoundly real, once again at that moment.  Nothing can truly prepare us for that news!  Jesus said that death is the last enemy.  It is indeed an enemy, one that we cannot defeat or handle the burden alone.  Death is that “thorn” that no prayer will ultimately make go away.   Jesus wept because of the grief death brought mankind.  Jesus came to defeat death and the grave!  Someday Jesus will usher in eternity for all eternity and time will stop as we know.  There will be no more death, no more pain, no more goodbyes - all things will be new!  But how do we go on in the meantime?  By wholly trusting in the Lord Jesus.  Jesus will not take the thorn of death away, but He promised “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

(2 Corinthians 12: 9)  Jesus said, “come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…and you will find rest for your souls.”

(Matthew 11: 28)  Jesus is the great burden bearer - cast all your cares upon Him, because He does care for you!

“We fall - we break - we fail - but with Jesus - we rise - we heal - we overcome!”

Pastor Rodney