Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
— Romans 12:2 NLT
Renewal is about releasing old things and embracing new ones.
On June 2nd, Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day), the Italian people will be celebrating an act of renewal.
They’ll commemorate the day Italy transformed from a monarchy to a republic and the Italian people transformed from powerless subjects to influential citizens, including its women who voted for the first time in a national election.
Those are changes worth celebrating.
So how much more worthy of celebration is it that you, as a believer in Jesus Christ, have both the opportunity and the Holy Spirit power to embrace new thoughts and attitudes that can enhance your life—and that of others—in significant ways.
Take, for example, William Wilberforce:
He was climbing the ladder of success in the British Parliament when spiritual renewal refocused his considerable talents on abolishing the slave trade within the British Empire.
The result?
The end of the trade in most of the Empire during Wilberforce’s lifetime and the end of slavery itself throughout the Empire five years after his death.
Consider also an aging Michelangelo who, pondering eternity, refused the Pope’s repeated invitations to serve as lead architect for St. Peter’s Basilica and create its dome—still the world’s tallest—until spiritual renewal led him to finally say “yes.”
Finally, I was writing a website about interesting things to do, see, and eat in Southern New Mexico when spiritual renewal, bit by bit, shifted my focus to international adventures that have been more in keeping with God’s calling on my life.
Has God been nudging you into a new way of thinking and doing things? How will you respond?
The more your thoughts align with God’s, the more naturally you’ll begin to walk in the direction He’s already prepared for you.
PAINTING ACROSS BORDERS
🎨ORDINARY PEOPLE WALKING INTO THE LIGHT
Il Quarto Stato by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo is a portrayal of Italy during a period of transformation.
At the turn of the 20th century, as the country moved through industrial growth and rising social awareness, Pellizza captured the quiet strength of ordinary people stepping forward together.
There’s no chaos here, just resolve.
The workers or the fourth estate for which the painting is named—the other three estates are the clergy, the nobility, and the middle class—are claiming their place in the nation’s future with dignity and purpose.
Decades later, in 1949, when Italy officially became a republic and left its monarchy behind, this painting found new meaning.
It reflected not only a shift in power but a more profound truth: that fundamental transformation happens when people step into the light.
🖊️✨🖌️✨🖊️✨🖌️
CREATIVE PROMPT: Draw or paint Mount Etna.
QUOTES FOR CREATIVES FROM CREATIVES
✨ON THE TRANSFORMATION TRAIL
True transformation in the way we think occurs slowly and comes through difficulties. Thankfully, revelation comes along with those difficulties, as we align ourselves with God’s purpose for our lives.
“In His will is our peace.“—Paradiso, Canto III
🇮🇹Italian Poet and Thinker Dante Alighieri
“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different?”
🇬🇧British Thinker, Writer, and Academic C.S. Lewis
“Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.”
🇩🇪German Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer
THE FLAVOR TRAIL
🍅TOMATO BRUSCHETTA
Bruschetta may be simple, but like many Italian classics, it’s all about the details.
This fresh tomato version is a timeless favorite—perfect alongside a generous board of cured meats and cheeses.
The secret to creating a bodacious bruschetta?
Use homemade or bakery-fresh bread, and don’t rush the tomatoes.
Let them sit with basil, olive oil, and oregano. Long enough to let their full flavor develop.
Ah, but enough talk about this delish dish. Let’s eat!
Until the next time, stay curious and dive deep!
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