Exchange the lies of hurtful labels and wrong thinking for the truth of who God created you to be! From an early age Alex Seeley was told she was an accident, but she also carried the weight of feeling stupid. Labels like these, sometimes spoken over us by well-meaning people, can cause us to believe lies about ourselves that make us question why we were born and what our purpose on earth could be. Yet, according to Psalm 139, God designed us in His image with a unique DNA and amazing characteristics! We are loved and created for a purpose that only we can fulfill. In Tailor Made , Alex helps us recognize our wrong thinking often brought on by generational patterns, insecurities, circumstances, lack of forgiveness, and an inaccurate view of God our Father, and offers to replace them with a new view of who God says we are our personal destiny. It’s time to find your own sense of belonging and the path to becoming the original, authentic version of you that God intended!
"You are stupid!", "You're a wog!", "You're an accident and a mistake!", "You're the black sheep in the family!", "You're fat!". These are just some labels people may give us. These same hurtful words that impacted us to a degree that we may be living our lives constrained by these labels, and hence doubting our meaning and purpose in this life. In this book, the author helps us to identify these wrong and doubtful thinking and replaced them with biblical truth about ourselves.
This book fared quite well in identifying the roots of our wrong thinking which led to low self-esteem, self-doubt and even doubting the nature of God. Causes such as feelings of insecurity, generational patterns, lacking of forgiveness, and so forth were addressed in the first 4 chapters of the book. They were quite insightful. As for the rest of the book, the author provided applicable ways and methods to help us in overcoming these wrong thinking or lies, with biblical truth. For instance, the moment we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we are a new creation, hence we ought to clothe ourselves with Jesus, strength, dignity, splendour, humility and love. The importance of right biblical thinking were further reiterated with bible verses which I think it is important.
This book is written from the author's personal experience. Growing up she encountered rejection from her family, causing her to constantly crave for verbal affirmation. She has also been name-called by people as she was an Italian immigrant living in Australia. We can in a way relate to these experiences. I appreciate the author's honesty and humility in sharing them with her readers in this book.
While I appreciate the author's honesty, intention and love in sharing her story with us, unfortunately this book suffers from unnecessary trite passages. Truth be told, there were moments when I felt like quitting certain chapters. This is the only no-no for me in this book.
In a nutshell, Tailormade reminds us of who we are in the eyes of God. We are created in the image of God, fearfully and wonderfully made by His loving hands. Thus we are unique and precious to God, and not without meaning or purpose in this life.
"Each of us has been tailormade to reveal God's glory as individuals reflecting His nature." - Alex Seeley
***Sincere gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***
Tailor Made: Discover the Secret to Who God Created You to Be is a heartfelt inspiring book. Seeley writes from the heart and shares many personal stories that are relatable and real. Seeley lets us into the struggles that plagued her before she learned to silence the lies of the enemy, we see that it’s possible for any of us to find the kind of joy and freedom her life exudes. Tailor Made was a fast paced read for me. I was drawn in from the beginning.
Do you feel bogged down and stuck due to the lies that people tell you? Do you feel like you are not good enough? Seeley does a remarkable job in describing and sharing her own stories to let you know you are not alone. You can break free with practical tools that help to free you to freedom from the insecurities and lies. There is scripture throughout and beautiful prayers at the end of each chapter.
Seeley shares stories of disconnect within the relationship she has with her mother. Through thought, prayer and speaking up for yourself you can overcome all the struggles and lies that bring you down. Generational lies and curses can keep you stuck and trapped in unfulfilling relationships. Sometimes it is best to cut all ties and walk away putting your faith in God.
Tailor Made is an outstanding read that is perfect for anyone who is struggling with insecurities and lies. I highly recommend Tailor Made: Discover the Secret to Who God Created You to Be by Alex Seeley.
This book spoke to my heart on the two aspects. I AM God's creature. I was tailor made to reflect God's glory. Unforunately, SIN has tained my image. Gratefully, God sent His Son Jesus Christ for my redemption.
Wholeness and Authenticity is a self conscious decision that you make. It is a process that takes quite some time. So you need to be patient in God and wait to see God bring his ulitimate plan for you to completion.
The author doesnt mince words that God's truth will hit you to the core. I love the way she gave her life experiences with how God moulded her. She had to be vulnerable to God.
To enjoy this book, I had to bring what I read to action and pray a lot. Somedays I won and somedays I lost the battles. But the yearning of God's peace and being the woman God cant wait the world to see, gives you hope.
Although this wasn’t personally one of my favorite books (I can’t point to any specific reason why) it was really good and I feel like Alex had a lot of things to say that a lot of people need to hear. She shares her own story with brutal honesty (something I greatly appreciate) and overall gives an inspiring message about living out who God uniquely designed you to be. So although it wasn’t one of my favorites I would totally recommend it to anyone looking for a book to help them discover more about who God says they are as His child and who He uniquely designed them to be.
Favorite Quote: “I believe there’s wisdom in the counsel of many but when it comes to God requiring you to step out in faith, He may need you to do what He says - nothing more or nothing less.”
The author went into this book to rough with no polished thoughts. I feel like if there was a true pourpose other than sharing a life story and adding a mish mash of passages to try and get the point across, this book would be easier to understand. It is like reading to find a hidden message that might pair well with the thought process and in more dense places it felt stuck in time. It was not easy to flow with and while I think the the author has a story to tell and I am sorry for the moments that happened in life, I just can not connect enough to give a higher rating.
This book is good for young women still trying to find their place in the world and make sense of their childhood. If you've lived a little bit or have read a lot of books, you may be above the comprehension level of Tailor Made. It reads very YAish, which some people like, but I didn't love it.
“What label are you wearing?” While it may seem simple or even a bit strange, this question can bring up so many potentially life-changing ideas if we understand the context behind it. “Tailor Made: Discover the Secret to Who God Created You to Be” was written by Alex Seeley and published by Thomas Nelson. It is a wonderful guide to learning how to effectively ask this question, and so many others, in ways that help us really begin to understand who we were created to be, and how to be set free to live out that truth... (Hint: it is NOT who the Enemy says we are, which is often so ingrained into us that we consider his lies to be truth).
In this warm and easy-to-read book, Alex shares vulnerable stories from her childhood as she unpacks tough topics such as insecurities, tragic loss, disappointing circumstances, generational “curses”, unforgiveness, expecting miracles, and so much more. Through it all, she weaves in the allegory of a Master Tailor (God) carefully designing us just-so, for a perfect purpose that He chose for us long ago. Do you know what exactly the term “tailor-made” means? According to the book, the definition is “fashioned to a particular taste, purpose, demand, etc.” or “perfectly meeting a particular purpose.” Isn’t that beautiful? We were tailor-made by God, and He “does not want us to wear any other label but His. In fact, He wants us to be such stunning masterpieces that people will either recognize our Designer’s label or want to know what label we are wearing and how to get it too”.
Each short chapter of this beautifully-written book is filled with questions to ask yourself and quotes to highlight, and is concluded with a brief, powerful and pertinent prayer that will serve as a launching pad into living out the truths spotlighted in the chapter. “Tailor Made” is a special little volume that will unquestionably serve as a catalyst for change and beacon of God’s truth in the lives of women of all ages. I know it does for me.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Through the pages of this book I have been reaffirmed in my identity in God. I always knew I was chosen, but knowing that God continues to care deeply about each step in my destiny has been overwhelming. The way Alex writes entwines her life story with the opportunity to experience the love of God wherever you’re at. The journey she writes about is the very journey I am on and I now cant wait to un-peel each label to find out what is beneath, something I’ve been afraid of finding out! Throughout each chapter I have been encouraged and challenged to lean in again, and trust that God is working on me from the inside out: as I learn afresh that I am Tailor Made. I have laughed and cried many tears as I read this book. Alex is so endearing in the way that she writes, and beautifully captures the reality and emotion of her walk with God. As I prayed the prayers at the end of each chapter I have opened my heart to the precious Holy spirit to continue that work that He begun as I read. My heart has been reawakened to my dreams as I read and journaled on this book, and I now have the tools to understand the dreams in my heart and to live them fully. The questions asked in the last chapters make a good personal planner as I more deeply discover my sense of belonging: What inspires me? What makes me smile? Alex compels us to do what we love with no apologies! To risk take and to stop living so safe! I am more aware that I must not unlock the hidden potential that God wrapped inside of me and to activate this with passion and diligence. I know this book will be my ‘go to’ book over the months and years ahead and I will be sharing these truths with my children as they recognise their identity in God, with work friends over coffee, with school mums at the school gates and with my Church family.
Have you ever had someone pin a label on you that had no bearing on who you really are but somehow, became a part of your self-perception and reality?
From the time we are born, people – some well-intentioned, some not – are trying to define us through their own clouded lenses, for their own purposes. Some labels build us up. Some labels tear us down. Some labels are hurtful and untrue, but attach themselves to us anyway.
In her truth-filled book, Tailor Made: Discover The Secrets To Who God Created You To Be, Alex Seeley shares her personal story of how overhearing her mother tell the story of how she was an “accident” when she was 5 years old led her to feel rejected and unwanted all of her life – and how labels continued to define and hurt her until she experienced forgiveness, healing, and freedom through Jesus, and began to embrace the God-given labels that our Heavenly Father gives us.
Tailor Made contains a timely message for our generation – one that each of us needs to hear.
If you’re ready to let go of the labels that limit you and see yourself through God’s eyes, I recommend Tailor Made to you!
This excerpt is part of an original review that is published on my blog. To read my review in its entirety (and to learn how US residents can win a copy for before June 15, 2018), please visit Create With Joy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. However, the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own, based on my assessment of this book. You can read my review in its entirety at Create With Joy.
“This is the secret to freedom. I discovered this freedom when I chose to forgive. I had to take responsibility for how I responded. It was my choice whether to hold onto bitterness or choose to forgive. God is a just God, and He is the One who vindicates and justifies us. When we place those who have hurt us in His hands, we allow Him the power to work on our behalf and to take that which was broken and turn it into a beautiful, redemptive testimony. You may never hear an apology from the people who hurt you, but it won't matter because you can receive the greatest gift from Jesus. His redemption far outweighs the need to hear those words.”
I read this book back in the beginning of 2020 after a therapist recommended it to me. Little did I know I would learn the power of forgiveness to those who have hurt me in deep ways. When I feel angry and unwilling to forgive, I turn back to this quote.
This book is transformative. It took me quite a while to read through it because I found myself going back to re-read chapters over again. Every page is simply brimming with words of truth that can be pondered and mulled over, to say nothing of the straightforward and uncomplicated presentation of these very profound truths. Even a pretty confident person, which I like to think of myself as, can garner deeper insight and understanding of the way words have shaped us. I know I did. Areas I had never considered to be vulnerabilities or hurts were brought to light in my own life while I read through this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Such an amazing book and reminder of how God looks at me and made me. I appreciated the comparison and details and her story to make it real life. Great perspectives on labels and the power words have in our lives and those around us. Speak life to others and truth. I'm thankful that she brought everything back to the Word and Jesus and truth. Great prayers and wisdom. I loved this quote “Our beauty resides inside our spirits; therefore, it doesn’t matter how old we are because our true beauty will never fade. Our spirits are ageless. When your spirit is connected to God’s spirit, your beauty is most visible. Your spirit is what makes you a unique person.” Alex Seeley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars Take this 5 star with a grain of salt because it was five stars to me. This being a non-fiction I keep it in a different category in my head to my fiction books. But I did think that this was really really good. I read it so fast but it’s definitely one that I’m going to go back to and actually study and spend time in because there’s so much in there that I want to meditate on and really sink my teeth into as it has definitely hit home for me at the moment. But I loved how easy this was to read and understand and I look forward to going deeper with it. It’s also a book that I think every single person would easily get something out of.
This has mind and heart healing. I was EMOTIONAL (ie. I cried in chapter 1, and then at least 2x in following chapters. I highlighted a good set here. I want to add at least 2 quotes here. Oh, man. I recommend it to anyone who has had negative things said about them that they've held on to and internalized. That's at least 90% of the world population, but still. lol.
The author has had struggles, like any other person. It's about the perspective/revelation that she received after hearing from God/ Holy Spirit that led to the healing.
I actually really enjoyed this book as I could relate to several passages, insights, and stories she expressed. I've also loved her posts and instagram stories and felt like it helped me connect a bit better with the authors ideas. Specifically for me, her words on forgiveness as this is what I have struggled with the most in my faith with people from the past who have hurt me and it was great to see an author relate!
"I discovered the secret to my freedom was in forgiveness."
Alex Seeley has become one of my new favorite authors simply because God has blessed her in being able to share the truth of the Lord and see His Love for us. I’ve learned so much about Christ and just how perfect and “tailor-made” design is for me and my life. He is such a Good God. I couldn’t recommend this book enough for anyone who is ever questioning their design and purpose on this earth. God has the answers and He’s ready to meet with you.
This book is a MUST have and a MUST read. It’s is filled from beginning to end with the most beautiful reminders of how special we are to our Heavenly Father. Buy this book, highlight everything that stands out to you and go back and read it over and over again. You will be inspired to journey with confidence and strength to your God given purpose and destiny.
Wow! This book helped me reflect on and heal parts of my life that needed to be forgiven and worked through in order for the best version of myself to come forward. I will most likely read this book again and again to continue hearing the truth that Alex so gracefully exposes. Thank you for writing this book! I will share it with others as well!
This is a beautiful book! Reading it, I felt so affirmed in who I am and who God called me to be. Alex Seeley is an inspiration and I’m so very glad I happened to catch a podcast that led me to this book. ❤️
Truly one of the kind. Her personal stories woven into the book were captivating. I related a lot to her growing up experiences, especially with her dad. Her heart was present in every word. Loved it!
A story of brokenness and how Jesus transformed it by truly giving beauty for ashes! Don't settle for the lies of the Enemy "one-size-fits-all", we are unique, we are special, we are God's masterpiece, tailor-made, we are one-of-a-kind.
I can't write enough good things about this book. From when I first started it, I knew it was going to be good. It uplifts, encourages and brings glory to God. You can tell Sister Alex Seeley has a true heart for Him and others.
This is a good book with simple themes on freedom from strongholds, inner vows, and generational patterns. This good starter book for those wanting to inch their way into understanding Christian thought on freedom and spiritual healing.
I...am dnfing this 50 pages in. I've had this book for years, and I think I would have really liked it at the time I received it. But now it feels like I'm reading it just to finish it, and tbh that is a waste of my time.
I appreciate the wisdom in this book and the very raw, honest stories that Alex shared. The labels that the world puts on us will never be as important as who God says we are. God is always there and working on us, helping us to be the unique persons we were created to be!