Gabriella Archives - As It Is in Heaven

June 7, 2021June 9, 2021

Spirit or Flesh – Which is More Important?

spirit or flesh, eternal vs temporary, seen vs unseen, God, Jesus, faith

Have you ever thought about how much our society focuses on tangible, physical, and surface level things? Whether it be social media platforms, your favorite sports team, a trending video game, or the viral recipe circulating the internet – there’s always something new that needs to be seen. The world does anything it can to grab our attention, and you know what? It works.

We’ve become so focused on finding happiness on the outside, that we tend to forget about what’s on the inside. Don’t get me wrong, taking care of ourselves and physical needs are important. But how are you doing on the inside?

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021

Why Is God So Angry in the Bible?

God's wrath, God's anger, faith, love, betrayal, obedience, disobedience

Why does God seem so angry in the Old Testament? And why does He always destroy the Israelites, the very people He created and chose? Why doesn’t He just forgive them? Isn’t He the God of love?

I’ve grown up hearing these questions my whole life when it comes to God. Things like this made me believe in the idea that there was the wrath of God versus the peace of Jesus. These ideas grew into assumptions that God was the one who was always full of anger and wrath, while Jesus was our friend, brought peace, and never acted out in anger…or at least not as intensely as God did.

March 25, 2021April 1, 2021

Which Parts of the Bible Apply to Me?

Have you ever picked up the Bible and wondered, “Where do I even begin? Which parts of the Bible apply to me?” I was once told that the New Testament was all that us Christians need to read. They even went as far as saying that the Old Testament was just history. Just references and laws of the past that have nothing to do with our future. The instruction was to start reading from the Gospels to Jude, neglecting the Old Testament and Revelation. Have you ever heard anything similar? It seemed odd that I was only being told to read parts of the Bible, with the assumption that the Old Testament didn’t apply to me.

March 15, 2021April 1, 2021

Music to God’s Ears: How to Pray a Prayer that Pleases God

Picture this. You’re at a church gathering, everything is coming to an end and it’s about time for the closing prayer. They’re about to choose someone to pray and everyone starts to get nervous. You know the drill… smile, don’t make eye contact, don’t act suspicious, close your eyes, get ready to pray. But then, you hear your name. “Gabriella, will you pray for us?” My whole body seizes, and I forget how to talk. But I’m somehow able to mutter a nervous, “Sure,” with a smile on my face. Have you ever felt like this before? Or is it just me?

January 22, 2021August 19, 2021

Does Questioning My Faith Make Me A Bad Christian?

I’m a millennial. Now, don’t leave just yet. I know millennials don’t always have the best reputation, but just hear me out. Or maybe you’re even a millennial yourself – welcome, you’ve come to the right place. Millennials can be known as those who are always creating change. We’re also opinionated, we dig deep, seek truth, seek justice, and my personal favorite, we ask questions.

December 14, 2020April 15, 2021

The End of the World…Or Is It?

Revelation.

Did you shiver? Does it scare you? We’ve made it into the book of destruction, the end of the world. When’s the last time you read Revelation? Take a moment, skim through it…does it seem ominous? Terrifying? With things like dragons, seven-headed ten-horned beasts, a great prostitute, and beasts coming out of the sea and earth…and of course we can’t forget…the mark of the beast…6…6…6. This book is filled with things that make for the perfect apocalyptic movie (and actually has been used for them many times).

December 9, 2020April 1, 2021

Could a World of Peace Ever Exist?

Peace.

What does this word mean to you? Does it bring up any specific feelings? Do you think about peaceful moments in your life? Or maybe moments where you wished for peace more than anything else in the world? What is it about this word that gives us a ray of hope in times of trouble or it helps us release the air in our lungs that we didn’t even realize we were holding in?

December 7, 2020April 1, 2021

How I Left the Church and Still Found God

Twenty-five years.

Each one of these years was spent in the church, my second home. Generations of family, the best of friends, conferences, events, memories to last a lifetime, but then, it all changed. There was a voice inside of me that I had quieted over the years…and it became louder and louder, like she could no longer stay silent. I found myself feeling empty, not learning anything, like my eyes were opened to a church that I didn’t even recognize.