One Lamb: Anxiety

“Perfect Love Casts out fear.”   John 4:18

“Anxiety is a feeling of dread, agitation, or foreboding associated with a danger that does not exist in the present moment. It can also be defined as a general and pervasive sense of dis-ease without an identified source. Anxiety, while often experienced in the body, is a head state that keeps its prisoners trapped in the realm of unproductive and fear-based thinking. Anxiety keeps you on high alert, and at its core, lives the belief that you’re not okay, that you’ll never be ok, and that you’re not safe physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually. Anxiety and trust are mutually exclusive.’   Sheryl Paul, THE WSDOM OF ANXIETY


If you struggle with feelings of anxiety, you are not alone. 

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that in 2021, 19% of adults in the U.S. were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. 23.4% of women. 14% of men. Among adolescents ages 13-18, 31.9% were diagnosed, 38% of females and 26% of males.


Of course, the numbers reflect those who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Countless others suffer in silence without seeking mental health care. In the DSM-IV, the diagnostic “Bible” of psychiatry, 11 specific anxiety disorders categorize the various types of symptom clusters that anxiety presents.

If you struggle with anxiety, you are not alone.

As with most mental health issues, the difference between discomfort and disorder is a matter of degree. We all feel anxiety. It a natural and valuable part of human life. While it is usually uncomfortable, when it becomes intense, pervasive and impacts our functioning in work, play, and relationship, it becomes a disorder.


Anxiety is an important aspect of our normal human life. It is an internal alarm system hardwired into our nervous systems which alerts us to potential threats and signals our need to respond. When triggered, the anxiety response fuels our bodies with chemical messengers that propel us to respond to emergencies and challenges.  Anxiety is our friend when it motivates us to take care of the responsibilities of our lives, sharpens our thinking and response patterns, and heightens our awareness and sensitivity to the world around us. 


When we heed anxiety’s nudges, we prosper. 

When the messages run rampant and overwhelm us, we are inching into the disordered territory of this natural, human warning signal. If we ignore the signals, anxiety will get worse over time.


Signals include:

  • Difficulty controlling worry
  • Restlessness
  • Difficulty concentrating, mind going blank
  • Muscle tension
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Pounding heart
  • Excessive fear


When we heed the signals, not only can we mitigate the disabling feelings, we can tend to the deeper meaning and growth potential anxiety brings. Sheryl Paul teaches us that; “Anxiety is a doorway into a self that longs for wholeness. Anxiety is evidence of our sensitive heart, our imaginative mind, and our soul’s desire to grow toward wholeness.”


May the articles, videos, and book reviews that follow support you in your heeding the call to move through this doorway into healing and growth.

From Worried to Well: Managing Anxiety in an Anxious World

By Mace Hall • January 10, 2025
Sunday, February 16th 10-11am – Heritage Hall Title: “From Worried to Well: Managing Anxiety in an Anxious World” Dr. Ben Hunter, Chief Medical Officer at Skyland Trail Dr. Hunter will present on anxiety, exploring how social factors often prioritize safety and certainty over resilience. He will discuss how avoidance behaviors can drive anxiety and how challenging these behaviors is key to fostering personal growth. This session will provide an overview of diagnostic information as well as effective treatment strategies for managing common anxiety disorders.

Raising Resilience: Parenting Anxious Kids to Bravery Workshop for Young Families

By Mace Hall • January 9, 2025
Thursday, February 20th 6:30-8pm – The Loft Title: Raising Resilience: Parenting Anxious Kids to Bravery Workshop with Young Families Program description: Parenting is hard enough, but navigating the push-pull of supporting anxious kids makes it that much more challenging. Knowing when to encourage your child to face their fears and when to help them rest and recuperate often leaves parents feeling completely stuck. Join us as Marti Munford, clinical mental health therapist, sheds light on the formation of anxiety in kids and the powerful ways to bust it. With humor (because how can you parent without it?) and compassion, we'll discuss parental patterns that enable anxiety and engage tools that help break the cycle. Programming for Parents (recommended for parents of children through 5th grade) Register Here: https://peachtreeroadumc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/592/responses/new
Meredith Hydrick – Anxiety

Meredith Hydrick – Anxiety

January 7, 2025
Reverend Mace Hall and Meredith Hydrick have an in-depth and personal conversation about anxiety. For Meredith, anxiety was always a part of life, but she finally realized that her internal feelings of being overwhelmed were on another level than most. With the right tools and support, she was able to manage her anxiety and live an abundant life.

Young Adult - Mental Wellness discussion with Bryan Stickney

By Mace Hall • March 1, 2024
Sunday, March 3 at 1:30PM in the Peachtree Road, United Methodist Church Hospitality Suite Bryan Stickney, Atlanta-based therapist and counselor, as well as an excellent speaker, will talk about mental and emotional wellbeing topics as they pertain to young adults, in particular. It will be a time for learning, questions, dialogue and discussion with other young adults.

Young Adult Discusssion of Mental Wellness with Doug Hurd from Skyland Trail

By Mace Hall • December 7, 2023
Doug Hurd from Skyland Trail discussess mental and emotion welll-being with young adults

SEEN and LOVE: Helping Teens with Depression and Anxiety

March 12, 2023
Dr. Chinwé Williams, a best-selling author, international speaker, mental health consultant, and local counselor delivers a message of inspiration and motivation for helping young people feel seen and loved through the power of connection. This program was jointly presented by the One Lamb Initiative & PRUMC Youth Ministry.
SEEN written by Will Hutcherson & Chinwe Williams, PH.D

SEEN written by Will Hutcherson & Chinwe Williams, PH.D

January 2, 2023
This book is short and insightful. It addresses the difficult subject of depression, despair, and suicide amongst young adults. As the news continues to report, the numbers of teens suffering from mental illness continues to rise. According to the authors, the largest increase in suicide rates is in the 10-14 year old range.
“When The World Is No Longer Normal” | Dr. Mark Crawford

“When The World Is No Longer Normal” | Dr. Mark Crawford

October 24, 2022
A video presentation by Mark E. Crawford, Ph.D. In addition to his outpatient practice, Dr. Crawford is a consulting psychologist to the Westminster Schools and to Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. From 2003 – 2008 he was the team psychologist for the Atlanta Hawks Basketball team. He continues to consult with professional athletes and professional sports organizations. He is regularly requested as a speaker to churches, parent groups, professional groups, organizations, and schools.
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