Previously featured by OTS Magazine, Blessing Claire Rotimi returns with a story that feels less about arriving and more about becoming. In an honest conversation, the model, makeup artist, and entrepreneur reflect on faith, identity, boundaries, beauty, ambition, and learning to trust the journey, one step at a time.
When we featured you previously, you were in a different season of your life. Looking back now, what would today's Claire say to the woman we interviewed then?
I would tell her, “You are becoming, even when you cannot see it.”
Looking back, I realize I was so focused on figuring everything out that I didn’t always appreciate the woman I was already becoming. I would tell Claire to trust God more deeply, to stop being so afraid of the unknown, and to understand that not every season will make sense while you are living through it. But most importantly, I would say thank you.
Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for choosing to keep going, even when you didn’t have everything figured out. Thank you for choosing life, for choosing to love regardless of what you had experienced, and for choosing to remain a blessing to others even while you were still becoming.
I would tell her that I am proud of her for staying soft in a world that could have made her hard for continuing to love, to give, to dream, and to believe. She didn’t have all the answers, but she kept moving, and I think there is something powerful about that.
Today, I understand that my journey is not just about modelling, makeup, or the things I am building. It is about purpose. God has been teaching me to surrender, to grow, to be disciplined, and to allow Him to shape my identity beyond what people see. And I think one of the greatest things I would tell that Claire is this: "It was never about you. It was always about Him.”
Nothing I was then, and nothing I am becoming now, truly belongs to me. Every gift, every beautiful opportunity, every achievement, every door that opened, every good thing people saw in me was God’s and is still God’s.
So I would tell her not to take the glory for what God is doing through her. Give it back to Him. Whatever is beautiful, whatever is glorious, whatever is good, let it point back to the One who gave it. Because when I look back now, I don’t just see what I survived or what I accomplished. I see the faithfulness of God. And looking back, I’m grateful that while I was trying to figure life out, I didn’t stop choosing to live it.
So, Claire, thank you. Thank you for staying. Thank you for loving. Thank you for becoming. And thank you for trusting God enough to keep going.
You may not understand the process, but trust the One who is leading you through it. The woman you are becoming is worth the process.
All glory, honor, and praise belong to God.
Without sharing anything you're not comfortable discussing, what experiences over the past few years have shaped your outlook on life the most?
What happened between yesterday’s Claire and today’s Claire was, first and foremost, an encounter with God. There was a moment when I clearly heard a voice, and that encounter changed something in me. It opened my eyes to how much I had been living from self-learning, leaning on my own understanding, my own strength, and trying to figure everything out by myself.
At the time, there were so many things happening around me. My relationships, my career, my decisions, and the people I allowed into my life. I was moving, but I felt like I was moving in circles. There was activity, but very little direction. And, honestly, there was a lack of peace. That encounter brought clarity.
Today, I live by the Word of God. It has become my compass. Before I make decisions, I have learned to pause, think, pray, and ask. I don’t want to make decisions simply because I feel pressured to act. I have learned that nothing good comes from making important decisions out of pressure or emotions.
The Word has taught me to remain in God, to stay with Him, and to allow Him to direct me. It has also changed the way I look at difficult seasons. I have learned to look for the good in the process. I may not always know how something will turn out, but I have become hopeful and expectant because I know that, whatever the outcome, there is something to learn.
I think one of the biggest lessons for me has been remaining a student of life. I never want to stop learning. I have also had to confront some of the choices I made about the people and things I allowed into my life. There were moments when I felt that I had disappointed myself by giving access to people and situations that were not aligned with who I was or who I was becoming. Those experiences taught me discernment, boundaries, and the importance of knowing my worth. But I don’t look back at those seasons only with regret. I look at them as part of my learning.
The biggest thing that changed my outlook on life was realizing that it was never really about me having all the answers. It was about learning to trust the One who does.
That encounter with God taught me to pause, to listen, to remain humble, to remain hopeful, and to see purpose even in the process.
I am still becoming. I am still learning. But today, I know where I want my direction to come from, and that has made all the difference.
As a strong woman navigating both personal ambitions and professional aspirations, what parts of your culture continue to influence the way you carry yourself, make decisions, and define success?
Many of the values that shape how I carry myself today were learned at home, particularly respect, honour, generosity, and being a blessing to others. I was taught to respect people and what belongs to them, but more importantly, I had the privilege of watching my parents live those values out. I remember my father showing gratitude and returning kindness whenever someone helped him, while my parents would often find ways to help people even when they didn’t have much themselves. That taught me that being a blessing isn’t necessarily about abundance; sometimes it is simply about having the heart to give what you can.
As I’ve grown, I’ve also learned to hold on to what God says about me. There were experiences that affected how I saw myself, but I’m learning to let God’s truth become louder than other people’s opinions, rejection, or validation. I hold on to the truth that I am wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), blessed and called to be a blessing (Genesis 12:2), and loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3). Those truths have become a foundation for how I see myself, make decisions, and navigate both my personal life and my ambitions.
I also define success differently now. It isn’t simply about what I accumulate, how visible I become, or what I achieve. For me, success begins with the heart. Can I help someone, provide a solution, encourage them, make their life a little better, or leave them feeling valued? I want what I build to have meaning beyond myself.
I have big dreams and I’m not afraid to pursue them, but I’m learning that ambition and contentment can exist together. I can desire more while remaining deeply grateful for what I have today. I want to embrace each season, learn from it, and allow it to shape me.
Ultimately, success isn’t simply arriving at a destination. It is becoming the kind of person who can carry that destination well when I get there. When the heart is in the right place, I believe everything else finds its proper place too.
Has there been a moment where your priorities shifted completely? If so, what became more important to you than it once was?
Yes, completely. A lot has changed. One of the biggest shifts has been learning not to make decisions simply from impulse, pressure, or the fear that, “If I don’t do this, everything will fall apart.” I used to feel like I always had to do something, fix something, or make something happen. Now, I have learned to pause and ask, “Is this aligned?”
That has changed the way I approach almost everything, my relationships, my career, my decisions, and even the way I show up for people.
I still deeply desire to be a blessing to others, but I have also learned that loving people doesn’t mean forgetting myself. The Bible says we are to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, and that has taught me that I cannot pour into everyone while neglecting the vessel that is doing the pouring.
For me, that isn’t about becoming more self-centred. It’s about staying connected to the Source.
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” He also says that whoever abides in Him and He in them bears much fruit, because apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
That has become very real to me. I have learned that I cannot continually pour out if I am not first connected to the Source. I have to abide in Him, receive from Him, learn from Him, and allow Him to fill me before I can truly give to others.
Understanding has also become a major priority for me. I don’t just want to do things; I want to understand them. I don’t want to speak just because I have something to say; I want to understand what I am carrying. Because I believe that what you truly understand, you can communicate, teach, give, and live out.
So today, my priorities are less about doing everything immediately and more about being aligned, staying connected to God, understanding what I am carrying, and becoming intentional about what I give to others.
I still have dreams. I still want to build. I still want to achieve great things. But I no longer want to pursue those things at the expense of my peace, my values, my relationship with God, or myself.
I have learned that being a blessing also means allowing yourself to be blessed, filled, restored, and loved. And for me, that has been a very important shift.
Growth often asks us to let go before it allows us to move forward. Is there anything you've had to release, whether it was fear, self-doubt, expectations, or something else, to become the person you are today?
For me, letting go has happened in layers. I don’t think I’ve completely arrived at a place where I can say, “I have let go.” I’m learning to surrender every day and allow God to lead me.
I’ve had to release my need to control outcomes, expectations of how I thought my life and career should look, certain relationships, versions of myself, and the pressure of where I thought I should be by now. There were moments when I wondered if I would continue modelling or felt that my career had to unfold a certain way. I’m learning that I can have dreams and goals without becoming so attached to them that I lose my peace when things don’t happen according to my timeline.
One of the biggest things I’m learning to release is fear. Fear can make us feel like we’re running out of time, falling behind or needing to force things to happen. I now try to stop and ask myself, “What is really driving this decision? Is it faith, or is it fear?” I’ve learned that people and circumstances are not always the enemy; sometimes it is fear influencing the way we see them. People are not my enemy; fear is.
That realisation was strengthened by watching Harriet, starring Cynthia Erivo. The story stayed with me because of the way fear can stand between a person and purpose. It came at a time when God was already teaching me about fear, trust, purpose, and surrender, and it gave me another perspective on what I was already learning.
I’m also learning to trust God’s timing. I don’t have to panic because something hasn’t happened yet or compare my journey with someone else’s. I can dream without being afraid of the timing. I can work, prepare, and pursue my goals without trying to force the outcome.
For me, letting go has ultimately meant releasing the need to know and control everything, releasing the pressure to have my life figured out, and choosing trust instead. I can dream, plan, and work, but I don’t have to be afraid. I’m still learning, still becoming, and every day I’m learning to surrender a little more and trust a little more deeply.
That, for me, has been one of the greatest freedoms of becoming who I am today.
When life becomes uncertain, where do you find your strength? Is it your faith, family, creativity, community, quiet moments, or something entirely different?
When life becomes uncertain, I run back to the One. I run back to God, His Word, worship, prayer, quiet moments, and fellowship. But I’ve learned there isn’t one formula for every season. Sometimes I need to pray, sometimes to be still, read Scripture, worship, seek wise counsel, or simply step away from the noise and listen.
For me, the goal isn’t the practice itself; it’s understanding. What is God saying to me right now? What is He asking of me in this season? I don’t want to become so attached to a particular spiritual practice that I miss what God is actually leading me toward.
That’s why the Word is so important to me. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). I want to remain close enough to God to recognise His leading and test everything against His Word.
I’ve also learned that an answer not coming immediately doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Sometimes the waiting is part of the preparation. God may not only be preparing the answer; He may be preparing me to carry it.
And I’ve learned to love God beyond what He can give me. Even when He doesn’t give me everything I ask for, He is still God, still good, and still worthy of my trust. The foundation of my relationship with Him is not what He provides, but His presence.
I also see people as channels rather than the source. God may use a friend, family member, conversation, or circumstance to bring encouragement or provision into my life, and I’m grateful for those people, but I honor the Source, not the channel. People can disappoint us or change, but God remains God.
So when life is uncertain, I may go back to prayer, worship, Scripture, quietness, fellowship, or wise counsel. But ultimately, I go back to God.
My strength is not that I always know what to do. My strength is knowing who to run to when I don’t.
What projects, passions, or dreams are currently bringing you the greatest sense of purpose? We'd love to hear about anything exciting you're working on or hoping to bring to life in this next chapter.
Right now, a lot of my excitement and sense of purpose are centred around The Touch of Blessings (TOB).
TOB started with makeup, but the vision has always been bigger. I envision six branches under the TOB umbrella, including TOB Makeup, TOB Jewels, TOB Skin, and other expressions of beauty, creativity, and purpose that I hope to bring to life. But I’m learning to build it one step at a time.
Moving into a new studio space feels especially significant because it represents movement. It reminds me of where I started, everything I learned along the way, and the fact that growth doesn’t always come through one dramatic moment. Sometimes it simply means recognising when it’s time to take the next step.
Right now, I’m focused on building the foundation, growing the makeup business, developing the jewellery brand, creating, learning, and serving my clients well. I no longer feel the pressure to bring everything to life at once. I want to build properly, enjoy the process, and allow the vision to unfold naturally.
And then there is modelling and creativity. That part of me is still very much alive. I’m still modelling, creating,
and exploring opportunities when they come. I may not always create as consistently as I would like because life can be full, but I’m learning to flow with the season I’m in rather than feeling pressured to prove that I can do everything at once.
Beyond the businesses, the modelling and everything I’m building, one of my greatest dreams is to become a woman who carries God well, a woman who creates opportunities, encourages other women, and uses whatever has been placed in her hands to make someone else’s journey a little lighter.
For me, success isn’t simply building something with my name on it. It’s building something that can outlive me, something that creates value, provides opportunities, solves problems, and becomes a blessing to others.
So yes, there are big dreams, places I want to go, people I want to reach, and ideas still developing in my heart. But I’m not in a rush to become everything at once.
I am becoming. I am building. I am learning.
And right now, that journey is called The Touch of Blessings. I don’t know exactly what every chapter will look like, but I’m excited to find out and trust that, as the journey unfolds, the vision will unfold with it.
The definition of beauty has evolved. In today's world, what does beauty mean to you beyond appearance?
For me, beauty has become so much more than appearance. As a model and makeup artist, I understand that physical beauty and presentation matter. They can attract attention, open doors, and bring you into certain rooms. But what keeps you there is character, presence, wisdom, and the way you carry yourself.
Your appearance may create an opportunity, but what happens after you walk through that door is determined by your attitude, integrity, humility, ability to learn, and the way you treat people. I think attitude is especially important because, like a fragrance, people may not see it, but they experience it.
Beyond appearance, beauty is about who you are when nobody is watching. It is kindness, confidence without arrogance, integrity, purpose, and how you treat people when you have nothing to gain from them. For me, it is also about what God has placed inside you and the light you carry into the world.
I’ve become more interested in what people experience when they encounter me. Do they feel seen, encouraged, or at peace? Do they leave feeling better than when they arrived? Those questions mean more to me now than simply asking whether I look beautiful.
Physical beauty can attract attention, but character determines what you do with that attention. I want to be beautiful in the dark, when there are no cameras and no audience. I want my beauty to be something people can feel and remember, not simply something that photographs well.
So I don’t believe we have to choose between physical and inner beauty. Both matter. Physical beauty can open the door, but what you carry within you determines what happens when you walk through it. Ultimately, beauty is not just what people see; it is who you become, what you carry, and what you leave behind.
If a young girl somewhere looked at your journey and wondered whether she should keep believing in her own dreams, what would you want her to know?
I would tell her to trust God with her life, her dreams, and her timing and to stay rooted in His Word. You don’t have to understand everything or see the whole picture before taking the next step. Sometimes you simply have to take baby steps. Keep moving, and when you need to rest, make sure you rest; just don’t confuse rest with giving up.
Stay curious. Ask questions, seek wisdom, and never be ashamed of not knowing. We are all learning. And don’t let comparison become your compass. Your journey will not look like someone else’s, and you are not behind because your timeline is different. Start small if you need to, and don’t let fear, failure, or other people’s opinions make your decisions for you.
Be intentional about who you allow into your life and protect what you are still growing. Keep trusted people around you who can encourage you, challenge you, and tell you the truth. And don’t forget to laugh. Life can be difficult, but don’t lose your joy. Allow yourself to feel, dream, and take up space without shrinking because a room doesn’t know how to receive you.
Keep your heart, too. People may disappoint you, but don’t allow their actions to change who you are becoming. You can love people and still have boundaries, forgive and still learn, and remain soft while becoming wiser. Learn when to speak, when to listen, when to say no, and when to recognize that some “no’s” are actually blessings.
Above everything, when fear speaks, go back to the Word. When you’re tired, rest. When you fall, rise. When you’re uncertain, pray. When you’re blessed, remain grateful. And when the things you once prayed for begin to become reality, remember who brought you there.
You are not late, and you don’t have to become everything overnight. Keep going. Keep learning, laughing, loving, and becoming. Your story is still unfolding. Trust God, take the next step and be at peace.
Success is often measured by achievements, but fulfillment is something much deeper. At this stage of your life, what does living a meaningful life look like to you?
At this stage of my life, I’m learning that success and fulfilment aren’t necessarily the same thing. You can achieve your goals, build a business, or receive recognition and still wonder whether you’re truly where you’re meant to be. For me, fulfilment is about alignment, obedience, peace, learning, loving, serving, and being a blessing.
I still plan and dream about the future, but I’ve learned not to become so consumed by tomorrow that I miss what God is asking of me today. Sometimes that means working or building; sometimes it means resting, learning, encouraging someone, or simply being present. There is a particular peace in knowing I have done what is mine to do.
At the centre of it all is God. Whatever I build, whatever opportunities come my way and whatever impact I make, I want it to point back to Him. When I think about the life I want to leave behind, I care less about what I accumulated and more about who I helped, encouraged, and loved and whether I used what God placed in my hands well.
I have big dreams. I want to grow Touch of Blessings, model, create, and pursue things bigger than what I can currently see. But I don’t want achievement to become the measure of my worth. I want to look back and know that I lived intentionally, that I loved, learned, served, gave, and became a blessing.
For me, that is fulfilment. That is peace. And ultimately, that is a meaningful life.
Finally, if this chapter of your life had a title, what would it be, and why?
If I had to give this chapter of my life a title, I would call it Becoming: One Step at a Time.
Because I don’t think I’ve arrived.
I’m still becoming the woman God is calling me to be. I’m still learning. I’m still unlearning. I’m still surrendering. I’m still discovering what it means to trust God, to listen, to obey, to love, to serve, and to build without losing myself in the process.
There was a time when I thought I needed to have everything figured out. I thought I needed to know what was next, where I was going, how everything would happen, and when it would happen.
Now, I’m learning to take the next step. One step at a time and I’m learning to trust God’s timing. I’m learning to let go of fear. I’m learning that not every door is mine, not every person is mine, and not every opportunity is mine, and that’s okay.
I am building Touch of Blessings. I am creating. I am modelling. I am learning. I am growing. I am making mistakes. I am starting again. I am becoming. And through all of it, I am learning that this life isn’t ultimately about proving who I am, but about discovering who God has called me to be and becoming her.
So, becoming, one step at a time, feels right for this chapter because I am not rushing to arrive anymore. I am learning to enjoy the process. I am learning to trust the One who is leading me. I am learning to be grateful for where I am while still believing in where I am going. And I am learning that I don’t have to see the whole road to take the next step. I just have to trust God enough to take the step in front of me. That’s this chapter of my life.
Before we conclude, is there anything else you'd like our readers to know? Perhaps a lesson you've learned, words of encouragement, or a message close to your heart?
If there is one thing I would leave with anyone reading this, it is this: seek God first.
Seek His kingdom, His Word, His wisdom, and His heart. Invite Him into your decisions, your relationships, your purpose, and even the things you do not yet understand. As Matthew 6:33 reminds us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
Whatever season you are in, keep seeking, keep learning, and keep trusting. Don’t allow fear or uncertainty to make you lose sight of what truly matters.
For me, that hope is found in Jesus. His return is a promise I hold close to my heart, and it reminds me to live with faith, purpose, love, and intention.
Keep seeking God. Keep trusting His timing. And keep becoming.
______
Model: Blessing Claire Rotimi - Instagram
