Introducing:
A Raising Godly Girls Guide
to Fear & Anxiety
Girls today live in a reality laden with fear and anxiety, and it’s affecting their mental, physical, and spiritual health. This guide gives you the knowledge, tools, and Scripture-based advice to tackle fear and anxiety and, in turn, raise up a Godly girl. If you parent, educate, minister to, or ever interact with girls, this resource is for you!
Download this Raising Godly Girls Guide to Fear and Anxiety presented by American Heritage Girls, the premier character and leadership development program for girls ages 5 to 18.
To download your free e-book, visit:
ahg.pub/RGGebook-fear-anxiety
Can’t wait to dive in?
Enjoy an excerpt from the e-book, a letter from Patti Garibay, American Heritage Girls Founder & Executive Director & host of the Raising Godly Girls Minute and Raising Godly Girls Podcast:
Dear reader,
What an interesting time in which we are living. Looking back, you might think that the last few years of major events are the fodder for the basis of blockbuster feature films, the reason to create a new video game, or at the very least, a bad dream. The human spirit has always feared an “act of God,” a global pandemic, or any other cataclysmic event of which we have no control nor an explanation of the apparent cause. In our fallen state, it is only “human” to feel hopeless and helpless when events bigger than us take over every facet of our lives.
Fear is debilitating. It manifests itself in a variety of unhealthy behaviors. One such behavior, worry, is a negative focus on the future. Speculating what might occur under potential circumstances can provide each of us hundreds of sleepless nights. Today’s teens are experiencing the effects of worry and its parent cause, fear, in unprecedented numbers. Diagnostic interview data from the National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement[1] shows nearly 32% of all youth have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Note the word “diagnosed.” Imagine the percentage when we include those who have not sought medical or psychiatric help. Fear has reached pandemic levels.
Why so much fear? Well there is a lot to fear in this world—terrorism, illness, social unrest, economic downturns, to name a few. But in this fallen world, there has and always will be reasons to fear; it is part of the human condition. Whether we are an Israelite meandering in the wilderness or an Acts 1 disciple being sought by the Roman centurion, it is how we handle fear that makes all the difference.
As Christians we are told over 500 times in the Bible not to fear. That means there is a fear warning for virtually every day of the year and then some. The Lord warns us that fear that results in worry is not from Him, it is from the adversary. He knows that fear can keep His followers from fulfilling the destiny that He has designed for us, and so He warns us in His precious Word. The apostle Paul spoke about fear regularly. He warns the people of Philippi: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)
Yes, fear is part of the human condition, but as part of the Body of Christ we are called to faith over fear. We are called to know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God will never leave us or forsake us.
My prayer in the midst of anxiety and distress, is for each of us to dismiss fear and shine as a beacon of certainty that we serve a sovereign God who is the creator of the earth, the Prince of Peace, the Alpha and the Omega, and the Lord that provides (Jehovah Jireh). Faith over fear.
Raising Godly Girls is a culmination of nearly 30 years of building women of integrity through American Heritage Girls (AHG), the premier character and leadership development program for girls 5 to 18. I pray you find this guide helpful as you navigate uncertainty with your girl. Whether you’re a parent, a pastor, an educator, or a volunteer for a youth-serving organization like AHG, this guide is for you. If you like what you read here, be sure to visit us online and learn more about empowering girls through the love of God at raisinggodlygirls.com.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Patti Garibay
Founder & Executive Director of American Heritage Girls
1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20855043/
In Christ,
Patti Garibay
Founder & Executive Director of American Heritage Girls
Host of the Raising Godly Girls Minute & the Raising Godly Girls Podcast
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