Today it’s my honor to introduce to you Charles E. Allen, Jr.  Charles is my first guest blogger.  I’ve known Charles and his family my entire life from church.  With that said, Charles E. Allen, Jr. is a Johnson City businessman and entrepreneur. He has spent more than 30 years in the financial services industry. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a CPA and CFP. In 1984, he founded and currently serves as President of Charles E. Allen Company, which develops and manages self-storage facilities under the name Stowaway Storage. He is also a former member of the Tennessee General Assembly.

Charles’ Dad was Dr. Ed Allen, an internist in Johnson City for decades.  It is very safe to say that without Dr. Allen’s hard work for many years, there would be no Quillen College of Medicine.  Certainly having a well-respected medical school in our midst has helped not only Johnson City, but our entire region in many ways.  To name a few include medically, educationally, and economically.

Dr. Allen passed away in 2013.  I saw this post on Charles’ Facebook page recently and immediately asked if he would use it for a guest blog.  I’m thankful he replied in the affirmative,  because although I’m not a worrier by nature, the headlines of the last several weeks have tried to work on me to change that. 

Take a few minutes and read with me Dr. Allen’s wise words.

Several years ago, a few days after my Dad passed away, I was flipping through his Bible and found Dad’s notes for a Bible Study he once led about Worry. Now seems like a good time to share.

Worry – a plague and a help by Charles E. Allen, MD

Matthew 6: 25-34 – from Sermon on the Mount

I. “Good” Worry

Stimulus to take precautions, plans, etc. – Fuel for winter, provision for ill health, retirement, etc.

A sense of accomplishment comes from heeding “good” worry.

II. “Bad” Worry

A.  Worry about matters which can’t be changed

                        1.  Possible future illness

                        2.  Existing illness

                        3.  Safety of loved ones

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?” 

B.  Worry about “who knows what” – a habit of worrying, even with nothing to worry about.

III. What to do about Worrying

A. Decide what things can be helped and what things can’t – then with God’s guidance, set about correcting that which can be corrected or which you intend to correct.

B. For those matters which can’t be helped, stop worrying.  Trust in God’s wisdom and mercy.  No burden will be placed on us which we cannot bear.  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Copyright March 23, 2020 by Charles E. Allen, Jr. and Rebecca Henderson