These powerful words were written by St. Catherine, the 14th century saint from Siena, Italy. She penned them in a letter to one of her disciples, encouraging him to get out of his comfort zone, be bold in his faith, and step into all that God had planned for his life.

As stunning as this wording is, and it IS the crux of her message, her statement in its original form actually read: “If you are what you ought to be, you will set fire to all Italy, and not only yonder.” She was urging her disciple to think BIG – past his circle of friends, past his workplace, past his city, even past all of Italy. Because of the way she had seen God move in her own life, she knew that when someone offers Him their full obedience and surrender, He will take them further than they ever thought possible – for their own good and His own glory. 

However, this world-wide fire she’s talking about can only be ignited from the flame within. From Exodus, when God resided in the pillar of fire that led the Isrealites through the wilderness, to Acts, when the Holy Spirit manifested in the flames of fire that descended at Pentecost, we see that God has always been the all-consuming fire that dwells within us. If we can muster up the courage to offer Him even one little match, we can confidently stand back and watch as His glory sets the world ablaze.

Don’t miss that: YOU have the opportunity to partner with the Creator of the Universe in bringing LIGHT to this world that can often feel so dark and hopeless. So, will you embrace your God-given flame and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to who needs the warmth of it the most? The world around you is waiting.