This is an extremely lovely book. I have a background in architecture, so the references to art and the aesthetics of life were extra meaningful to me. The author uses the elements of design as analogies for some serious life questions such as: how to cope with discouragement, making tough choices, hearing from God and how God takes us from, in the author's words, 'blah to brilliant'. I also really liked the 'Design Tips' sections which were interspersed throughout the book.

A Redesigned Life is very thoughtfully put together and gets 4.5 stars from me. Oh, and quick note: you don't have to like art or design to enjoy this book, but it will be a treat (cherry on top if you will) if you do.

Many thanks to Revell and Ms. Steel for a complimentary copy via NetGalley. These opinions are mine.

A Redesigned Life met me exactly where I am...trying to figure out what my next step is. This book helped me see God in every twist and turn and reminded me that at the end of the day, God is in control so I can let go of my need to try to control everything. She used six design principles to help me see how God is designing my life while also providing personal examples and some actual interior design principles.

A Redesigned Life gives practical advice to Christians to help get their sights focused onto Jesus and many truths from scripture. I especially loved that this book uses design concepts to explain how our own Designer works in our lives. These comparisons along with the ‘design tips’ for both your heart and your home are especially helpful to someone with any kind of design background. If someone that is uninterested in design picks up this book, I’m not sure how interesting or helpful they would find the content, but I personally very much enjoyed it and know many other who would as well. The author does a great job connecting each chapter and design concept to scripture, although sometimes I thought this connections were a bit of a stretch.

Title: A Redesigned Life: Uncovering God’s Purpose with Life Doesn’t Go as Planned

Author: Tracy Davis Steel

Chapters: 12

Pages: 224

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Rating: 4.5 Stars


When I got A Redesigned life by Tracy Davis Steel I didn't realize that it was a book I needed to read. I just thought it was a book I would read to review; boy was I wrong. In the course of reading this book, it felt like this book was written for me. I feel like I am the target audience for this book. Because for the last three years’ life hasn't gone as I had planned. I knew that I still had a purpose and God had a plan for me my life but I didn't really feel it, till I read this book. And to me, the last two chapters stood out the most. They were the two that I really needed to read (hear). As those were the two that really hit home and dealt with what I am still dealing with.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with life not going to the way that they planned. The Chapters that helped me might not help you but I do think that there is at least one chapter in this book for everyone.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

First of all, I love the premise of this book! Using design principles applied to our spiritual walk is a new and fresh way to look at our walk with the Lord. Considering the way my life isn't what I had planned it to be back when, this book was a must read for me. It did not disappoint! Chock full of practical and Godly wisdom, this book is one I will read again because there is a lot of meat to this read. I especially identified with the sections on contrast and balance. I am already planning a slower reread of this book in the future because I know there is more to glean from only reading it one time. This is headed straight to my keeper shelf!

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

When I decided to review this book, I was intrigued by the cover. The author is able to take real life situations and compare this to scripture. Oh, how I put myself in the author's shoes many, many times in this book. I could see myself in those situations, especially when she talked about being in school, and it helped me to reflect on what has happened in my own life. Our lives may not be what we thought it should be, and yet the author is able to help us look at the brighter side of it all. She is able to help us get through that rough time while keeping God at the forefront of it all. I do recommend this book for those who want to get through a rough patch in their life. The author puts ideas in the book that will help you reflect and see why God has designed your life this way.

Please note: I was given a copy of this book for review by the Revell Reads Book Review Program. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I was a part of the launch team for this book and was granted early access to the first half of Stories that Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business.

I have always been drawn to people who can tell a good story. Kinda Hall breaks down the process of how to become a great storyteller. This book is for everybody. Storytelling is something we each do everyday whether in business or in our personal life. I would highly recommend giving this book as a gift to people just graduating college and who are starting their careers.

Have you ever felt that you have your life plans right on track, when suddenly you are derailed? We all have designed in our minds what we want out of life; what our ideal life looks like. We have laid out the plans for what we think will bring us happiness and make our dreams come true…and then things do not go as planned. Life throws up detours and roadblocks of varying intensities that challenge us, and leave us disappointed, discouraged, and wondering “why?”.

This book provides real life stories, paralleled with design tips you can really use for your home, and solid scriptural encouragement for your heart. Helping us to see that just as we may work to redesign a space in our home to better fit our lives, so does God, the Master Designer, work to do so in the space that matters most…our hearts. A Redesigned Life helps us to see God’s work of molding (redesigning) us; always toward what He knows is best for us. As Tracy Steel reminds us, “It is either my way or God’s way. My name in lights or His name written on my heart”. We are either going to be resistant, or learn how to let the Master Designer mold us when things do not go as we planned. Through this molding, though sometimes painful, our purpose becomes more clearly revealed; and when we give our hearts to God, we will be able to stay more steadily on the right track. We can learn to have peace and contentment right where we are, even if it is not where we thought we would be.

This is a must read for anyone struggling with “this is not what I had planned”; and a great book for a study group!

Keeping God at the forefront during life’s challenges from a designer’s perspective.

We’ve all struggled when our dreams haven’t materialized or when life takes a right turn when we were aiming left. A Redesigned Life: Uncovering God's Purpose When Life Doesn't Go as Planned addresses this exact scenario.

A Designer's Perspective:

Author Tracy Steel tackles how to regain your footing when your life isn’t aligned to God’s plan. Her unique and enjoyable twist is the perspective of the interior designer that she utilizes brilliantly throughout. Both helpful and humorous, Ms. Steel’s anecdotes paint a very clear picture of design concepts as applicable to life.

One of my personal favorites was the analogy of being in an “all red room” and needing some white space. In most of the “designing” examples, I could FEEL the points being made, giving ‘A Redesigned Life’ emotional appeal beyond the words.

As much as I enjoyed the designer’s perspective of this book, there were two terms/concepts that I had difficulty processing. “God’s movement” and the “Process of Sanctification” were somewhat obscure, although I understood the points by definition.

Additional Teaching Tools

Each chapter ends with “Muse Minutes” that are helpful segments for self-reflection. “Design Tips” are interesting designing tips that are applicable to life.

Although scripture references are not a main focus, they’re present and relevant and ensure Ms. Steel’s guidance is based upon the Word.

Kudos to Ms. Steel for not only painting a rosy picture of a relationship with God but also tackling the dreary gray. We’re loved by God, which is wonderful, but there’s also the accountability aspect that we can’t gloss over. God’s wrath is as real as his love and we need to examine our lives honestly. “What sins are clouding our vision?”

The topics in ‘A Redesigned Life’ cover the gamut: Making God your focal point, Staying steadfast when dreams die, Seeing God more clearly, Forgiveness, Grief, etc.

How this book affected me:

I sensed Ms. Steel has the same thirst (obsession) to know Jesus as I have. As she described the “joy” of loving Jesus, I felt a kinship that I don’t always feel with an author. Although I’m not in a place in my life where I’m particularly struggling, I could see how this book could be helpful for someone trying to get their footing when “life hasn’t gone as planned.”

Who would enjoy this book:

Anyone looking for a boost after a setback in life would enjoy this book. More importantly, it can also serve as a general dose of Christian inspiration and direction for taking a relationship with God to the next level.

Our Book Reviews:

The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books, adult and children, fiction and nonfiction.
I chose to read an ARC from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review is my honest opinion.

Tracy’s book was a pure delight to read. She creatively applies metaphors from her background in interior design to our spiritual lives. Though I know next to nothing about interior design, I do have a B.F.A. in graphic design and illustration. As an art student, I learned the same concepts Tracy describes in A Redesigned Life. I had never applied them like she does, and I loved her inspirational twists!

In each chapter, Tracy explains how she applied a design concept in her personal life for spiritual growth. She includes several design tips for your life, so you have instant takeaways. Tracy also includes a brief testimony from another writer in all the chapters. This makes for a lively, interesting read that I enjoyed straight through.

As you might expect, the book is laid out in a visually pleasing way. I enjoyed learning more about Tracy’s life stories of both pain and triumph. You will appreciate her winsome tone and receive fresh inspiration for your spiritual life through this book.

I received a preview copy of A Redesigned Life from Revell.

A redesigned life is a quick read. Tracy’s book is full of inspiration and she gives us lots of things to think about. What a great reminder that God is in many areas of our life. Tracy uses the design principles to show us different ways that we have god woven thru our lives. I love her quote “I’m living a i didn’t design but that God designed for me.” I love the muse minutes at the end of some chapters. I definitely recommend this book.

I am not finished reading this book quite yet but it is a life changing book. It has spoken to me about areas in my life that are making me rethink my relationships with people and the Lord. It is a book for anyone who wants to “redesign” his/her personal space. I highly recommend this book!

I was given an advance copy of this book and asked to read them review it.

This book uses the “gimmick” of comparing your life as a Christian with design in your house. This book was just a bit too contrived for me. The author is both a degreed interior designer and a seminary graduate, and is an ok writer. I did not relate to the premise, though.
i received a complementary copy of this book on NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I've always battled the plan or image of what my life should like inside my head. I dreamed of two kids (boy and girl), a house with a white picket fence, going to a job where I'm enjoying what I love to do (even if I never knew what that was in my plans) and returning home to my two kids doing homework while they're getting along beautifully...This is not my reality ....I'm a stay at home mom to four boys, we live in a townhouse, they do not do homework willingly and they most definitely do not get along beautifully. God had other plans and being type A, means I want to know those plans up front so I can go over them with my own red pen. This book is a fantastic read, helping those who struggle when life isn't going as planned- well at least not according to their own plan. Sometimes we just need help to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and see what God is doing in the midst of what we think is chaos. Definitely recommend for those who might be struggling with this very thing.

To see Tracy's book come to fruition is a tremendous blessing. Her personality shines and her extra extroverted self with a humongous heart for God is evident.

I truly love this book! The writing is powerful and relatable. All of us, no matter the season in our life, have experienced challenges that changed the design of our lives which makes this inspirational read a must for everyone!
A Redesigned Life is a great reminder that when we give our hearts to God, we will be just fine. In the book, Steel writes “It is either my way or God’s way. My name in lights or His name written on my heart.” Having his name on my heart is what has gotten me through so many bumps in the road and sharper turns than I would have liked. Steel’s message reinforces that God was, and is, always with me and that as life unfolds, my purpose will be more clearly revealed as he guides me in love.
So what are you waiting for? Go read this gem!

"A Redesigned Life" is a book made for those of us who love to watch "Fixer Upper" and dream of being Joanna Gaines. Tracy Steel crafts this unique book, highlighting the principles of interior design, which she intersperses between stories of her own life and those of other valiant women.

Steel uses her skills as a Bible teacher to explain how God can change our perspective and encourage us to accept the life that actually is, rather than our expectation of what life should be. Between the stories of Steel's work in youth ministry, married life and parenting a child newly diagnosed with special needs, we see biblical stories of those who had a wrench thrown into their well organized plans. Through each story, some of which could be considered difficult, Steel continues to offer hope and encouragement to the reader.

Each chapter has questions at the end that lend themselves to discussion or self reflection. There is much to be gleaned from "A Redesigned Life" and it would be perfect for a group, as the material could be applicable to many generations of women. I truly found great encouragement here and believe this would be a thoughtful gift to a friend who loves DIY projects. So pull up a comfy seat, your Bible and a cup of tea--why not begin the process of finding God's purpose instead of the plan you've crafted for your life? You might just find a new design that fits far better than anything you could dream of.

I had the opportunity to read this book early, thanks to Baker Publishing. All opinions are my own and I chose to review.