Kevin Reilly – Gdańsk, Poland

Last month I shared with you some of what God was doing in me whilst we were in Australia, earlier this year (read it here); it gives context to all that will follow in this post.

We had just landed in Australia when a few days later, a good friend of ours messaged me John 2:1-11. I think this scripture will be important to you Kevin. It’s the account of Jesus’ first miracle – the wedding at Cana and the transformation of water into wine. I was on sabbatical. I had time and so I read the story a few times and came to the wise conclusion – That’s good! I didn’t really have anything more on what God might be saying, than that.

Throughout January and the beginning of February, the Lord was slowly bringing me into greater and greater freedom (see the last post). In his love and grace he was pulling back the tide from my life and was revealing to me areas of unforgiveness, fear and idolatry. And so by our mid-February road trip to southern Australia, I was lighter, more peaceful and so much happier. We drove about 2500 km during our twelve-day road trip and experienced some amazing things.

Our first stop was in a town called Esperance where, during our stay, a massive bush fire barrelled its way past our campsite. Everyone came out to watch. It was like a community event, except far more dangerous! We visited Lucky Bay – once crowned the most beautiful beach in the world – and we swam at a beach where only a few hours earlier, a shark had been sighted.

Amidst all this beauty, I would head out, to walk and pray. And God spoke so clearly to me – Kevin, you’ve come to the end of your wine.

This is, perhaps, one of the most profound things that God has ever spoken to me. We had been so clearly called to Poland, all those years ago, and so we had gone. But if God hadn’t called us there, I for sure would have found myself heartily engaged in doing something for God, somewhere. I needed little encouragement. But this – you’ve run out of your wine – this was something new. This was on the opposite end of the spectrum of doing something for God. And what was even more remarkable than hearing God’s voice on this, was hearing my own heart response in happy and peaceful agreement.

And so I circled back to our little chalet at the campsite in Esperance, sat with Emma and said, “I think I want to go home…I’ve come to the end of my wine.” I had to say it a few times before Emma was really able to start getting what I was trying to say. She was, of course, very aware of all that God had been doing in me, and had herself felt the strong pull to return to the UK in the last couple of years. But this was new for me.

Throughout the rest of our trip we prayed and talked and reimagined a life for ourselves, outside of Poland – not an easy thing after all this time. We got in touch with our good friends David and Tricia King so that we could share what God had been doing and saying and how we felt we should respond. We wanted, at every stage, to submit these things to wise and trusted friends. “If you see any red flags, tell us. We want to know…“

And on our return from Australia, we began to share the story of what God had done in me and that we were coming home, more widely. We shared the story with our family, with Maurice Nightingale and the other directors of the Lighthouse Community. We shared it with our church community here in Gdansk, and we shared it with the Lighthouse Community; and throughout, there has only been agreement, affirmation and encouragement. No red flags!

Therefore, after seventeen years of loving Jesus here in Poland, we will be returning to the UK in June/July 2025. And so a year of transition begins…

I will be returning to full-time teaching this September for one year in the British International School here in Gdansk, (where I previously taught) as part of my own transition back into teaching in the UK. And therefore, as a result of my reduced availability from September 2024, I am sad to say that our monthly LHC update will no longer be published. Lighthouse Community life will continue but the the actual newsletter won’t – we’ll say more about this in next month’s sign-off article.

This year of transition is a year of change for us all: for us personally, for our church community and for the Lighthouse Community. We are talking together, listening and seeking God as to the best way forward in order to hear what the Lord has to say and to catch the aroma of the new wine he is preparing for us all.

Kevin, you have come to the end of your wine.

It is possible to hear this negatively, of course – when does anyone like to run out of anything? But to hear this in the knowledge that new wine is being prepared and will soon be flowing, is to hear it differently. It’s a gracious word. It’s honest and kind and so we’re full of hope.