Endorsements
Thank you, Sissy, for writing such a timely and important book about girls and anxiety. No one we know is more capable of taking on this issue than Sissy Goff. She has done more for girls and young women than anyone we have ever known, and this important book couldnt have come at a better time. As parents of a beautiful daughter, we are so grateful.
Tracie Hamilton, wife, mother, humanitarian, and Haiti activist
Scott Hamilton, husband, father, cancer activist, and Olympic gold medalist
Scripture tells us in this world you will have trouble (John 16:33). Im thankful that God has Sissy Goff in this world to come alongside girls and young women where they are as worriers and grow them gracefully with grit into warriors encouraged and strengthened in spirit for all that will come their way.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck, daughter of a King; wife to Tim; mom to Grace, Taylor, and Isaiah; author of Point of View
The moment I heard my go-to girl expert, Sissy Goff, was writing a book on fear/worry/anxiety, I couldnt wait for it to be published. Countless moms reach out to me, desperate for resources to help their girls become worry-free. In these pages you will find comfort in knowing not only the reasons why your daughter struggles but also how you can help her. Sissy offers hope you can both move toward. She has hands-on, daily experience counseling families through anxiety, and now that expertise and wisdom is available to you. Even though Im a mom to four boys, I believe Sissys work will embolden a generation of girls to stop underestimating themselves and overestimating threats.
Heather MacFadyen, host of the Don t Mom Alone podcast
This is one of those parenting books that catches you off guard in the best possible way. As a dad of daughters, I read it thinking I would learn a lot about my kids, but I ended up finding out a lot about myself too. This guide will do wonders for families.
Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author of Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done
I cant think of a single counselor more qualified to write a book on raising worry-free girls than Sissy Goff. Raising Worry- Free Girls is practical, biblical, and extraordinarily helpful. If you read only one book on helping your daughter understand, navigate, and overcome her anxiety, make it this one.
Jeannie Cunnion, author of Mom Set Free
I met Sissy weeks after my wife, Wynter, suddenly died. But when I met her it was if I had known her my entire life. Sissy has the unique ability to guide you and your girl in truth and love, and point you toward the Light.
Jonathan Pitts, president of For Girls Like You Ministries
Sissy Goff is a gem. Her deep wisdom, compassion, and knowledge helps parents of girls navigate the uncertain waters of modern childhood and adolescence. This anxiety epidemic is an urgent issue to addressboth in our daughters lives, as well as our own.
Shannon Millard, wife of Bart Millard, lead singer of MercyMe
Title Page
Copyright Page
2019 by Helen S. Goff
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-2186-2
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.
Scripture quotations identified ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Scripture quotations identified T HE M ESSAGE are from THE MESSAGE, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Scripture quotations identified N A S B are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
Scripture quotations identified N K J V are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Some names and recognizable details have been changed to protect the privacy of those who have shared their stories for this book.
Cover design by Connie Gabbert.
Dedication
For my mom.
Thank you for being the brave, strong, smart woman
you truly are and have inspired me to be.
Contents
Cover
Endorsements
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Foreword by Carlos Whittaker
Introduction
SECTION ONE: UNDERSTANDING
1. Defining Worry
2. Why Her?
3. How Will This Help?
SECTION TWO: HELP
4. Help for Her Body
5. Help for Her Mind
6. Help for Her Heart
SECTION THREE: HOPE
7. Trouble
8. Take Heart
9. Overcomer
Appendix 1: Types of Anxiety
Appendix 2: Beating the Bedtime Blues
Acknowledgments
Notes
About the Author
Back Ad
Back Cover
Foreword
Growing up, I was a worrier. I worried that my parents would die. I worried that my dog would get hit by a car. I worried that I worried too much. I was that kid. But I muscled my way through it. And then as an adult, by the grace of God, I found an incredible therapist who helped me finally get past my worry. And now I travel the world, writing books and speaking on stages, helping other people overcome their worries.
So you can imagine my fear when I walked into my daughters bedroom a few years back and found her crying because she was worried that I would die. The thing was, I wasnt sick. I was perfectly healthy. In the months that followed, my childs worry grew, and we knew we needed help. Enter Sissy Goff.
After two appointments with Sissy, my kid was a completely different human being. What in the world had happened?
Ill tell you exactly what my daughter told me: I realized Im more brave than I am afraid. So even though Im afraid sometimes, Im brave most of the time.
Thats it. Identifying that singular truth propelled her worry into the abyss and began her healing. And now, five years later, I marvel at the strength and bravery of my former worrier.
This book is a gold minea true gold mine of tools that will help us begin to wage war against this epidemic of worry that is sweeping the world. But not just tools for your girl. Tools for YOU. So read it, and begin to feel the breath of hope fill your lungs like you havent felt in a very long time.
Your kids worry is about to be defeated.