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.

Young Adult - Mental Wellness discussion with Bryan Stickney

By Mace Hall • 01 Mar, 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 • 07 Dec, 2023
Doug Hurd from Skyland Trail discussess mental and emotion welll-being with young adults

SEEN and LOVE: Helping Teens with Depression and Anxiety

12 Mar, 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

02 Jan, 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

24 Oct, 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.
Don’t Worry Be Happy: The Age Of Anxiety | Martha Tate

Don’t Worry Be Happy: The Age Of Anxiety | Martha Tate

24 Oct, 2022
If you read the first line of this title and felt like throwing a tomato at me, chances are you may be struggling along with 40 million Americans with some form of anxiety. Anxiety is a complex issue, parading itself in many lives along a continuum from simple to severe. “In normal amounts, anxiety is healthy, adaptive, crucial for survival and often leads to greater productivity and enhanced performance. When daily anxiety is excessively high, however it can interfere with functioning.” Elke-Auercher-White, PhD.
Book Review + Video “Unwinding Anxiety”

Book Review + Video “Unwinding Anxiety”

24 Oct, 2022
The more one seeks to understand personal behavior and are curiously exploring their habits and reactions, the greater the ability to change. This last part notes the importance of breathing, love, kindness, and resolution. The importance of the eyes in handling anxiety is interesting. The above is a quick summation of UNWINDING ANXIETY. The book would appeal to those who are searching to understand personal anxiety or the anxiety of another.
Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled | Mace Hall

Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled | Mace Hall

24 Oct, 2022
In the years to come, I discovered that worry wasn’t simply an emotional state. It was more of an activity, a sport of sort. One in which nearly all the women (and some of the men) in my family, participated, regularly. It was as if they worried enough, they could worry the problem away. Even though worrying was time consuming, exhausting and frustrating, the people I love most allowed worry to worm its way into the fabric of their lives.
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