From Claire's Desk - My It's Time Journey

I have always been creative and as a young teenager when many of my friends struggled to decide what they wanted to do - I knew - I wanted to go into a creative line of work. I studied to be an art director and then worked for many years as a graphic designer.

I got married young and started a family early on and a career in advertising and a family don’t go together very well! After my second child was born I started working from home freelancing and once we had our 3rd child I struggled to cope with freelance work, homeschooling and raising my children.

My design work took a back seat and my family became my priority - I always kept my hand in the mix - picking up a job here and there just because I loved it but not for any financial gain.

I had another child and another and another and another and then I met Michelle at a friends house and while chatting we started talking about design work - unbeknown to Michelle I had started to put out feelers for work on a more serious basis as my husband had had a tough couple of years work wise and I wanted to help alleviate the burden on him. I had prayed and asked the LORD to bring the work - I wouldn’t chase after it but if it came my way I would take it on....

I knew it would be limited as I had just found out I was pregnant again, then Michelle shared her heart about the calendar and her need for a designer to come on board. I knew the LORD had brought us together - my husband is Jewish - a complete Jew we like to say as he accepts that Yeshua HaMashiach is the Messiah... the Son of the most High - so this project was as close to my heart as it is to hers!

Meeting Liz was a dream come true as I had read her book many years ago and to meet her in person was a delight and to see her talent up close is a privilege - it’s been an honour to be on the team....

The unexpected news that I would have to stay in hospital for 6 weeks at 28wks pregnant was a shock... I was expecting my 8th baby and the complications with the pregnancy meant being in hospital for the long stay... in the middle of the project - we all panicked for a while but since I wasn’t actually sick I snuck Paityns' laptop in so I could work at night (being a state hospital it wasn’t advised to keep anything of value in the hospital).

My little man arrived even earlier than we thought and so I made it to the “It’s Time” photo shoot with Josiah being a mere 2 weeks old and not even due for another 6 weeks.

I was recovering from a complicated surgery including a hysterectomy and grateful to have made it through. Father's hand was over the whole situation and Romans 8:28 is a scripture that was a soundtrack to my life during this time.

Romans 8vs28 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

It’s been a journey that I haven’t walked alone and along the way I have picked up more family.

I am so humbled that I get to call this work!