2025 HSG Winter Convention (SALT): Intro Topic

Objective

• The goal of this convention is to explore the struggles of fear, worry, stress, and anxiety that many girls experience during their adolescent years
• Through open discussion, spiritual guidance, and practical steps, the convention aims to help participants confront these feelings with faith, peace, and confidence rooted in Christ

Introductory Topic

The opening session will establish the foundation for the entire convention, preparing the hearts and minds of attendees for the discussions to come by covering these points:

• Definition of fear, worry and anxiety
• Healthy vs. Unhealthy Worry
• Root causes of worry and anxiety
• Effects of excessive worry and anxiety
• Biblical perspective on anxiety
• How to overcome anxiety

Overview of the Stations

In addition to the introductory station, the convention will include three stations, each addressing a specific root of anxiety and offering a biblical approach and practical steps to overcoming it

• “When life feels out of control”
  • Worry and anxiety about the future, uncertainty, and lack of control
• ”When I don’t feel enough”
  • Anxiety rooted in comparison, insecurity, and perfectionism
• ”When my heart is overwhelmed”
  • Emotional stress, heartbreak, loneliness, and the weight of relationships or responsibilities

Resources

• https://www.suscopts.org/resources/literature/counseling/anxiety/anxiety-part-one
• https://www.suscopts.org/resources/literature/counseling/anxiety/anxiety-part-two
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Fu8NU7A6g "Overcoming Fear"
  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjslLcbuO8M "Stress and Worry"
  • Functional and Dysfunctional Worry
    • If tomorrow I have an exam, and I have absolutely no worry - then what will motivate me to study?
    • As long as the worry is functional (not dysfunctional) and it motivates me to do things, then I am within the boundaries
    • If I am not worried about eternal life, then I will not repent
      • 'When I realize my many wicked deeds, and the thought of that awesome judgment comes to my heart, a tremble takes hold of me, and I take refuge in You, O God, the Lover of Mankind.," (Midnight Hour - Third Watch #3)
  • Love and Fear
    • "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)
    • We are afraid of God because we don't know Him; we have a distorted image of Him; we don't trust His mercy. But if we know Him very well, then we know He is our LAWYER on the Last Days and will intercede on our behalf.
    • There are some who will be terrified of Him - those who rejected Him and closed the door in His face. But the reason isn't because God won't have mercy on them but because they rejected the mercy of God.
  • Most significant cause of fear, stress, worry in youth:
    • Future, relationships, peer pressure, fitting in, death - summarized as: Lack of Faith
    • Everyone should be worried about his relationships, career, etc. as long as that worry is functional and not impairing the person from attending to his activities, it is healthy.
    • When it becomes dysfunctional, then it is lack of faith
      • There is a psychological illness (imbalance of hormones, etc.) - we are NOT talking about that
    • St Peter faith to walk on water
      • He dropped his eyes from God and looked at the sea, and that's when he was afraid and lost his faith
    • St Stephen was being stoned but his eye was on God
      • If he was looking at the stones, maybe his faith would have been challenged
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGgftslCV3U "Rational vs Irrational Fear"
• https://www.youtube.com/live/pp_kY0Ddhts "Biblical Guide to Overcoming Anxiety"

Topic

Introduction

• Anxiety, Fear, Worry
  • These are complex emotions that are physical, behavioral, spiritual, and psychological
  • They are HIGHLY related to our perception of reality - which is sometimes right and sometimes not
    
  • Anxiety is one of the most common struggles of our generation.
  • Anxiety does not mean you are weak. Anxiety does not mean you are faithless. Anxiety means your heart and your body are trying to protect you - sometimes, in the wrong way.
• We can distinguish between Fear, Worry and Anxiety - although sometimes the terms can be used interchangeably
• Fear: Related to something in the present (something in front of me)
  • Afraid of the dark
  • Afraid of a spider or a wild animal
• Worry & Anxiety: Related to the Future
  • Worry: A healthy response to an impending challenge; healthy because it is what pushes us to tackle the challenge with wisdom. E.g. I am worried I won’t have time to finish my studying because of my work schedule and my service schedule. So I work to make a schedule and a plan for time management so that I can complete all of my responsibilities.
    
  • Anxiety: An unhealthy response to an impending challenge; unhealthy because I am focused more on my Anxiety than on tackling the challenge.
  • Both are based on my perceived skill level and my perception of the challenge level. Both are based on a low perception of skill level. But the difference between worry and anxiety is the perceived challenge level - anxiety very high, worry is not so high.
  • So anxiety is like the unhealthy form of worry. The problem is not when I care - the problem is when I am PARALYZED.
  • I can distinguish between worry and anxiety based on my response to them.
    • If my response is productive, then it’s a healthy worry. If my response is unproductive, then it’s an unhealthy anxiety.
    • If tomorrow I have an exam, and I have absolutely no worry - then what will motivate me to study?
    • As long as the worry is functional (not dysfunctional) and it motivates me to do things, then I am within the boundaries
    • If I am not worried about eternal life, then I will not repent
      • 'When I realize my many wicked deeds, and the thought of that awesome judgment comes to my heart, a tremble takes hold of me, and I take refuge in You, O God, the Lover of Mankind.," (Midnight Hour - Third Watch #3)
    • Activity (Healthy or Unhealthy)
      1. “You have an exam next week, and you make a study plan.”
      2. “You have an exam next week, and you keep thinking ‘I’m going to fail’ even though you’re studying.”
      3. “You post something online and check it once.”
      4. “You post something online and keep checking it every few minutes.”
      5. “You’re worried you hurt a friend, so you talk to them.”
      6. “You’re worried you hurt a friend, but you avoid them because you’re scared.”

       

Effects of Anxiety

• As we said, Anxiety and Worry are psychosomatic and spiritual - so they are related to our mind, our body and our spirit.
• Physical Effects
  • Headaches, Rashes, Bachaches, Upset stomach, shortness of breath, sleeping problems, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc.
  • Sometimes you see someone who is very tired because they are always worried.
• Behavioral Effects
  • Some people attempt to overcome anxiety by sleeping more, eating more, or even as far as drugs or alcohol. 
  • Some may throw tantrums or let their temper explode or blame others
• Spiritual Effects
  • Robs of Joy
    • Because you are concerned over tomorrow, you are not able to enjoy the present moment. This moment may be full of God’s peace and goodness and blessings, but because I am just focused on tomorrow, I miss out on it all.
    • Overthinking texts or conversations LONG after they happened
  • Wastes Time
    • Anxiety over tomorrow consumes valuable time. If the time was invested in positive thinking, taking proactive measures, it would be more profitable.
    • Difference between anxiety and caution
      • Anxiety is preoccupying and preempting failure
      • Caution is careful planning, wise choices
  • Inhibits Sound Thinking
    • Preoccupied with tomorrow’s unseen and unrevealed incidents blurs our judgment
  • Weakens Faith
    • Pushes faith to the background
  • Paradoxical
    • The reason I am anxious is because I am concerned about my comfort or having a better or more comfortable life… but this anxiety causes discomfort and can even shorten life span

Cause of Worry & Anxiety

• Social Media
  • I posted something and I only got 3 likes… my anxiety might even convince me to remove the post.
  • Everyone on my feed looks happier, prettier, more confidence than me.
    • I’m comparing myself to FILTERED or EDITED or AI’d images
  • What if people are talking to me in the group chat?
  • All of these are PERCEIVED CHALLENGES and they are affecting my perception of my worth. This is an existential anxiety - I feel that my social existence will perish.
• Friendship Anxiety
  • Why wasn’t I invited to xyz? Outing, hangout, etc.
  • They’re acting different - did I do something wrong?
  • What if I lose my friends over xyz?
• Body Image or Appearance
  • What if I don’t look good enough?
  • What if I’m judged for how I dress?
  • I hate how I look in pictures
    • SELFIE THING
  • This is a form of performance anxiety
• Academic Anxiety
  • If I fail this class, my future is ruined
  • Everyone expects me to be perfect
  • If I don’t get into the right college, I’m a failure
    
  • This is also a form of performance anxiety.
• Spiritual Anxiety 
  • What if God is disappointed in me?
  • What if I keep falling into the same sin?
  • What if I never change?
• Paradoxical Anxiety
  • Anxiety about being anxious… being anxious about how to get rid of my anxiety.
• Social Anxiety
  • Wanting to please EVERYBODY (it’s impossible)
  • Unrealistic anticipation of rejection
    • I think I am going to be rejected
    • So the negative anticipation makes me act weird
    • Then I am rejected
    • This reinforces my anxiety and I remain a victim of an unending cycle that has no root in reality
• Anxiety shows us where we are lacking in faith

Overcoming Anxiety

• Matthew 6 - Reasons I should not worry
  • 25: Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
    • Because our life extends to eternal life. 
    • Without food, we would lose our life.
    • Without clothing, our body would freeze.
    • So why is He saying this? To show that our life and our body are more than just physical life. Don't be anxious about your soul and your body because those who might take away your food and your clothes and even cause your death, cannot take your real life of the resurrected body
      
    • Our life extends to eternal life. God will clothe us with the glorified body in eternal life.
      
  • 26:  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
    • You are more valuable than the birds; and these birds are taken care of by God
    • Premise 1: God is so completely in control of the natural universe, that He is in control of feeding the birds of the earth - a berry from here, an insect from there, a worm from the ground, etc. it is God who provides that berry or that insect or that worm
    • Premise 2: You are of more value to God than the birds. God values you and is committed to you. He purchased you with His Blood.

    • "casting all your care [worry] upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

  • 27: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
    • Anxiety does no good; it accomplishes nothing; it doesn't help you.
    • If you start to get anxious, remind yourself that the anxiety does not benefit you
  • 28-30: “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
    • Similar to point #2 but different
    • Here, the focus is that these lilies that God takes care of them, they last for only one day. But you are eternal! If God cares about the grass and lilies that lasts one day and clothes them more beautifully than King Solomon, then God definitely will care about you because you are eternal. God is active in the life of the grass and flower.
    • Anxiety is a trust issue; a faith issue.
  • 31-32: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek."
    • Anxiety is understood for non-believers; they don't believe in God who takes care of them. They don't have history of 7,000 years of God taking care of His people - even those who were persecuted, martyred, etc.
    • But we, believers, we should not! Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things
  • 32: For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
    • Your heavenly Father knows
      • God is a Father and one of the responsibilities of a father is to take care of his children
      • He is Heavenly - so He has control over the earth
      • He knows - since He knows your needs, He will provide for your needs
  • 33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
    • God wants you to be righteous; so He will supply everything you need to do His will and His righteousness
    • Parents tell their kids "don't worry about anything, just focus on your studies... don't worry about working, don't worry about meals, don't worry about anything I don't want you to be distracted. Just focus on one goal."
    • Same with God - I want you to focus on one goal - your eternal life.
    • I cannot stand in the last day and say "Sorry I was distracted by the worries of the world - He will say no! I promised you that I would take care of those."
    • Three Holy Youth in the fire
    • St Peter sleeping a deep sleep in prison
    • Paul and Silas chanting in prison
  • 34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
    • God, in His economy, does not overload one day with troubles more than can be endured
    • Sometimes when we worry about tomorrow, we overburden ourselves
    • Each day has its appointed amount - this is God's plan for us
    • Don't bring tomorrow's worries to today
• Keep your eye on the Lord
  • St Peter faith to walk on water
    • He dropped his eyes from God and looked at the sea, and that's when he was afraid and lost his faith
  • St Stephen was being stoned but his eye was on God
    • If he was looking at the stones, maybe his faith would have been challenged
• Seek Guidance
  • FATHER OF CONFESSION
  • TAKE HIS ADVICE
  • Anxiety grows in isolation - but when it’s shared, it weakens. 
• Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving
  • Philippians 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
    
    • Kinds of Prayers
      • Supplications - Make a request
      • Prayer - Communication
      • Thanksgiving - Thank God for something
      • Praise - Praise God for who He is
      • Intercession - Pray for someone else
    • St Paul chose three of those very purposefully: Supplication, Prayer, Thanksgiving
      • Even in the way we deal with each other - if I have a request from you, I will start by communicating with you "hi, how are you" and end with my request
    • The peace of God is totally different from the peace of the world
      • Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
      • The peace of God doesn’t mean that the problem disappears - it means that I am able to endure the problem and my heart is guarded as I endure it.
  • Turn your list of worries into a list of prayers
    • ACTIVITY? If time permits