Charlie Lavin

Like the rest of the nation I have  taken up baking during lock down and enjoyed eating all of my creations. I started out easy with classic cookies and flapjacks (See my post for an easy recipe) and then ventured into bread baking. After a while I fancied a new challenge and saw myself as quite the Mary Berry. A few friends posted their Cinnamon Rolls on Insta and I was convinced. I have such   a sweet tooth so Cinnamon Rolls are my idea of a good time. Long story short- they were not meant to be. They failed massively and provided my Instagram followers with a lot of amusement. I saw the funny side, however I wasn’t rushing back to try again anytime soon. I let my pride and perfectionism stop me from trying again. I accepted that because it wasn’t a one time wonder creation that it simply was not meant to be. To some people this will seem OTT and dramatic. However I know I’m not alone in feeling like I have to smash it first time. I was chatting to...

Hello Hello! I don’t know about you, but lockdown for me has consisted of a lot of thinking and reflection time. Just before lockdown, my relationship ended which meant I suddenly had ALLLL the time in the world to process. This has been such a blessing (Mostly… some days a curse) being able to come home and have some healing of the heart time. I have learnt a ton about myself- good, the bad and the downright ugly sides that come out. However, I know this journey has only just begun, so LET’S GOO! I wanted to come and chat about something that God is teaching me SO much about right now. I have been working my way through a book titled ‘Boundaries’ by Cloud and Townsend. In short, I think every person should go and read it because it will likely change you. I wanted to share my thoughts as I read this book and hopefully give you a chance to think about this for yourself. I didn’t realise how much I needed boundaries until I hit the point where every area ...

Hey friends!  It’s been a while right.... lockdown has been such a turbulence of emotions. I went from having uni work to complete and almost feeling overwhelmed, to then having nothing to do.  But I want to be an authentic writer and have the confidence to post whether I’m in a good state of mind or not. I love writing and it truly brings me alive. So I definitely need to do it more!  Anyway I wanted to share a SUPER easy and yummy recipe. If you’re a pro baker, then you may want to stop reading haha. I used an already easy BBC Good Food recipe and made it EVEN easier.  You will need:  • 250g Porridge oats  • 125g Melted butter  • 125g light brown sugar  • 3 tbsp golden syrup  • Dried fruit/chocolate/any topping (Optional)  1. Pre-heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.  2. Mix porridge oats, melted butter, sugar and golden syrup in a mixing bowl.  3. Add topping of choice/leave plain.  4. Press into a greased tin and cook...

Hello! I hope everyone is staying safe and well, despite everything going on. I was watching the sun set a few evenings ago and naturally, I got myself into a deep thought cycle. Which isn't uncommon for me, as I am a big fan of the whole DMC's. As I was watching a rather beautiful day end, I had a few realisations which were very bittersweet, and I thought I would share with you all.  Captured a little too late, but very beautiful still! I'm a big sucker for nature and just being in Gods' beautiful creation, so just watching a sun setting is one of the most peaceful places for me. I feel so blessed that a place like Bournemouth is home, as it's where I've seen some of the most picturesque sun sets.  It was during my time in Bournemouth that I fell in love with the sun and its different episodes. For me sun sets bring all kinds of memories, such as falling in love, being thankful another day at work was done, worshipping Jesus as the sun ...

Hey pals!  I know COVID-19 is probably one of the most talked about topics right now, but I am trying to spread a lil light despite it. So, hang in here!  Yellow is hands down my favourite colour! I've seen endless quotes on social media about coming out of this pandemic with new skills, hobbies, interests etc. All very valid and if you have the head space, then go for it! I have gotten into running properly and have truly gained a love for it. I never expected that to happen haha.  However, I am so aware that this is not a normal time and therefore more time doesn't necessarily mean I can be more productive. I felt all this pressure that if I didn't come out of lock down with my life changed then had I really succeeded in Lockdown?  I came to a place of realisation that Lockdown may not mean I have a new skill to show off and that was okay. However, there's 1 thing I want to come out of Lockdown with and that’s…. To look more and more...

Hey! How are you doing?  This post will hopefully give an insight into how I've found dealing with IBS over the last year. This is only my story and I am sure everyone struggling with it, will have a totally different story to tell.  * This post does involve TMI sections, so maybe skip this one out if you don't like reading about sick etc. * I was diagnosed in March 2019, after having spent 3 months being poorly and being sick a lot. Shout out to my housemate who would look after me whilst I nearly fainted in her room multiple times. Being ill when you're in your first year of university and away from home is quite scary, so I wouldn't have coped without my great pals. I had numerous visits to the doctors back and forth, with blood tests to try and find out what was going on. My GP first suggested I cut out dairy, which was probably about 60% of my diet so took a while to adjust. After a few weeks of it being cut out of my diet completely, I started to f...

Wishing I was by the sea again! Recently I have been trying my best to be more disciplined with getting into Gods word daily. Some days it has been a real struggle, but this morning was such an unexpected joy. I have been working through a devotion book which splits Hebrews up into 26 days, so you read a few verses a day and then have some reflection time. It has been such a great way to access the bible and be fed daily, without the daunting experience. Would reccomend to anybody wanting to get into the word! There's a ton of physical copies on Amazon, but there's also digital ones avaliable for free. Anyway this morning, I was reflecting onto this new season I feel God is taking me into. I have felt a big spiritual battle these past few months and my heart has been pulled in all sorts of diirections. So God has been the only consistent thing I have felt close to me. I was worshiping and the song 'voice of truth' by Casting Crowns came on and man I wa...

It's okay to feel panicked, scared, nervous, annoyed. Just please don't stay there. I feel you and how daunting it is to know you won't return to university until September, or never if you're final years. For some, this may be amazing news, but for the majority it feels disappointing.  You won't have your last classes, graduation shows, graduation etc how you imaged it. No goodbyes. I myself moved back home this week, for the foreseeable future. My parents moved to a small village near Hull last year, which means I have no friends or community here.  It would be super easy for me to feel frustrated (I have had those moments for sure) and just stay in that place.  Whereas I believe in a God who is calling us higher, to see above our own circumstances. To be thankful for what we do have in this time. Also, to make the most of this season we're in.  If you're anything like me and thrive from people, you will probably not like the i...

Photo by  Francesco Ungaro  from  Pexels   Hey! I'm here on a less cheery subject, but there is hope. Now don't be expecting to come here and read educational facts about COVID-19, as honestly I am as stumped as you are. I just wanted to share my feelings and how it's effecting the communities I am apart of. Being a student and living away from home in a time like this can be scary and daunting. The media has covered this with so many agendas that it has left me questioning what is true and what is being hyped up to create moral panic. Should I be going home asap and self isolating for the unforeseen future? Or should I be living my life like normal, just with extra precautions? I am still unsure where I have landed on that one. However what I do know is that I cannot be living this out in fear. My God calls us higher than living in fear and promises to bring us peace in troubling times. As Psalm 91 teaches "v1- Whoever dwells in the shelter of the...

Photo by  PhotoMIX Ltd.   from  Pexels So the other night I was having a chat with a good friend of mine, who never fails to encourage and bring his wisdom. We were talking about University and how much time (might not feel it guys, but it's probably true....) you have compared to working a 9-5 job as a fully fledged adult.  We got talking about how the foundations you put down whilst at University really prepare and speak into how you live after graduating.  I love a good analogy and found this sums up what we were trying to say.  So University is the time you're building your house, which when you graduate you will live in. The disciplines (or lack of!) will be what takes you into adulthood and drives you.  Do you want to build a tent that may be quick and easy to put up, but will probably fail you when storms hit? Or is putting in the hard work now, to live in a secure and safe house with good foundations actually more...

Oh hey! Most blog posts seem to start with an apology of why I haven't posted in 6 months, so lets just skip that and accept this blog is not as consistent as I wish. (Still determined to be a weekly publisher- one day!) Life has been pretty chaotic for me these past few months, with lots of life changes and new seasons. I have been learning a lot about myself- the good, the bad and the down right ugly. So I thought I would share a bit of that with you, in the hope that you can join me on this crazy journey. Lets take a backtrack..... I moved to Bournemouth in 2018 to study a Communication and media degree. I was so fresh faced and genuinely ready to tackle adulthood and all it threw at me. I got stuck into church and university very quickly- trying to make friends with everybody and give everything a go. Looking back- I really was living my best life. This was the year that 20 year old Charlie learnt what an unhealthy extrovert looked like. I would never spend time alon...

So being a 2nd year student myself, I know and feel the pressure of finding a placement. You've applied for 100's of jobs and nobody’s gotten back to you or you've been rejected. Feeling hopeless?  Yep, I get it. Now I was going to write a blog post after I had found one and use it as a chance to reflect and encourage. However I soon realised how unrelatable that is for those of you who don't yet have one.  So here I am giving advice on something I am currently journeying through myself. My journey of this is likely to be different to yours, but I thought I would share some encouragements I have found along the way. It’s not personal. Okay so maybe it is personal because everything you are is not what they’re looking for. This sounds like a real damper and is definitely one way to view it. However I see it as a redirection. I want to be in an environment where I can add to the company and where I’m wanted. When someone eventually hires me (It wil...

I was having a chat with a lovely couple from my church whom I value very highly. They came over for dinner (I got to try out my NEW slow cooker- 10/10 recommend!)  and they were saying how they so often host and cook meals that they never get invited out. Then it hit me. We’re such consumers. As a student in church, we’re highly blessed with families who love to support us by cooking, praying, chatting to us. However it’s so very rare we ever invite them over, ask what we can pray for and invest in their life. If you’re reading this and you do this, then well done you. I am clearly late to the party haha. Ever since that conversation it’s been on my mind how much we take those gestures for granted. So In response to this, I am going to try and be a blessing to those who bless me. Now I have an awful lot of blessings to catch up on, but I’m ready! I am sooo guilty of this too but being a student doesn’t mean you can’t host. Just because your house may...

Choosing the Tea over the Gin Why don't I drink?  This is not a topic I tend to really discuss all that openly, as nobody ever really asks. I find in most cases people have their pre-set assumptions about 21-Year-old students who don't drink. Boring. Can't handle it. Light weight.  Since starting at University last year, I found out way more people don't drink at this age than I ever thought. I used to be really self-conscious about the fact I don't and would hate bringing it up.  However I now realise it really isn't a big issue. Me not drinking doesn't mean I judge those who do, or I can't hang out with people who do. I have a few reasons as to why I have decided to not drink over the past few years.  The first reason is I just don't like the taste of most alcoholic drinks, so what's the point? I'd rather remember my time and enjoy what I am drinking, than get really drunk and not even enjoy the experience...

Oh, hey there! I know I was 'coming back' in March, but I suck ok. Here I am and I will genuinely try to upload regularly with whatever waffle comes to mind. Enjoy this month’s book recommendation. I am one of those book worms where once I start a book, it’s all I can think about. So much so that I had a dream last night about the current book I am reading.  That could have been a lovely dream if the book wasn’t about Auschwitz, based on a real story too. As you will see the books, I read aren’t always the happiest. However, I find a gripping novel of true stories far more interesting than reading a fairy-tale.  The book I would recommend to anyone and everyone must be “The Librarian of Auschwitz”. However, if you haven’t already read “ The Tattooist of Auschwitz” then read that first! They follow on from each other giving a different perspective each time.  “Cilkas Journey” is also on similar lines with the same story. However, I am yet to get my han...

Oh hey!  So February and March were a rough few months for me, as I spent most of the two months in bed. I was constantly being unwell and had no energy. I decided enough was enough and bookedin an appointment with the GP.  He took a blood test and suggested I avoid dairy and to monitor the effects. After a few weeks I felt tons better. I felt less lethargic, less bloated and all around better.  Then sunshine hit the UK and I almost forgot how unwell I was before. I decided to grab an ice cream. How bad could an ice cream really be?  Well I can tell you, it was not worth it. The next day was again spent in bed mopping around. No sympathy was given because I should have known better. But don’t tell me you wouldn’t have risked it for ice cream too....  This pretty much confirmed to me that dairy just wasn’t good for me. The relationship had to be broken and we both had to move on. It was a tricky few weeks as my body craved milkshakes, cheese, ice cream and all th...

Hey Gals/Guys (This isn't just written for girls) I am writing this post after so much thought and conviction because I truly believe we need to start living in a more honest and open world.  When I was about 12, my mind got curious and would often question sex and how female and male bodies worked etc.. This is normal right?  Then when I was 13, I started to get more interested in boys and would have a loooooong list of guys that I fancied.  Then when I was 14, my addiction to Porn started. Yup that's right, a girl addicted to Porn. Unheard of? Yes. Very common? Absolutely.  I am cringing just writing this because I have no control over who is going to be reading this. However that is the exact reason I am writing this too. I'm here to back those girls who feel stuck in a vicious dark secret that Porn is. I long to live in a society where as Christians we are so transparent about our short comings and struggles. Now I totally get there is a time...

Oh hey there- long time no see. I love writing blog posts, as it lets my external process run wild. I love sharing what Gods been doing in my life. I just love that community feel of sharing the love of God with believers and not yet believers. So I am back. I cannot promise this will be regular, but I will try my damn hardest. So Lent starts tomorrow, which is very exciting! I was praying about what to give up for the next 40 days and it soon came to me. I am addicted to social media and love the procrastination of scrolling. I am sooo reliant on it for a variety of moods I find myself in. I told myself I couldn't possibly give up socials because of X or Y or V or W. That's when the penny dropped (Or Jesus spoke lol) I realised this was why I needed some time away. I will be deleting Messenger, Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp for 40 days. I will be able to be contacted via text or phone call (Or email if we are old school) and I will also be using this blog. I am...