AHG: 25 Years of Building Young Women of Integrity, Through Service to God, Family, Community and Country: ‘Dismiss Fear and Shine as a Beacon of Certainty’
February 1, 2021
CINNCINATI, Ohio —The past year tested not only Americans’ fortitude, courage, patience, and strength, but it also shook mankind around the world. The ultimate fear came to fruition; a cataclysmic event created feelings of hopelessness and helplessness in men, women, and children, driving them to socially, physically and mentally distance to the detriment of their relationships.
“Fear is debilitating,” Patti Garibay, founder and executive director of American Heritage Girls (AHG, www.americanheritagegirls.org) wrote in the Raising Godly Girls Guide. “It manifests itself into 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.”
Raising Godly Girls is a culmination of 25 years of building women of integrity through American Heritage Girls, the premier, Christ-centered character and leadership development program for girls ages five to 18. The “Raising Godly Girls Guide to Fear and Anxiety in Uncertain Times” gives parents, ministers, and educators the knowledge, tools, and Scripture-based advice to tackle fear and anxiety and, in turn, raise up a Godly girl.
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 31% of all youth have diagnosed anxiety disorders.
“Note the word ‘diagnosed.’” Garibay continued. “Imagine the percentage when we include those who have not sought medical or psychiatric help. Fear has reached pandemic levels: terrorism, COVID-19 and economic downturns. But in this fallen world, there will always be reasons to fear.”
Garibay explained that it is what we do with that fear that makes the difference. “As part of the Body of Christ we are called to faith over fear,” she said. “We are called to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God will never leave us or forsake us.
“My prayer at this time 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,” Garibay concluded.
American Heritage Girls was founded by a group of parents wanting a faith-based, scout-type character development program for their daughters in 1995. The AHG Program is dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country. American Heritage Girls across the nation and the globe participate in badge programs, service projects, leadership opportunities, and outdoor experiences, all with an emphasis on Christian values and family involvement.
Today there are Troops in every state and in 15 countries around the world through the Trailblazer Program. A variety of Christian denominations are also represented as Charter Organizations for Troops. There are thousands of volunteer members across the country helping girls to grow in their faith, cultivate a heart for service, enjoy the great outdoors, and have more fun than they can imagine.
To schedule interviews with Patti Garibay, founder and executive director of American Heritage Girls (AHG, www.americanheritagegirls.org), contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Marjorie Pratt, 610.584.1096, ext. 107, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
