What You’re Made Of by Leslie McKee: Knowing Your Worth in Christ

There are seasons when the hardest truth to believe is not that God loves other people.

It is believing what He says about you.

That tension sits at the heart of Leslie McKee’s “What You’re Made Of,” an uplifting Christian pop song about identity, value and refusing to let the voices of inadequacy have the final word.

But behind the encouraging message was a very personal struggle.

The Story Behind “What You’re Made Of”

Leslie McKee did not write “What You’re Made Of,” but when it came time to record it, the song became deeply connected to her own story.

At the time, Leslie was battling significant issues with self-worth.

She later explained that she was struggling with feeling as though she was not beautiful enough, good enough or thin enough, along with seemingly every other version of “not enough.”

That made singing a song about recognizing your God-given worth particularly difficult.

The first vocal recording did not go well.

Leslie had already scheduled students from the National Praise and Worship Institute choir to record group vocals the following day, so those sessions continued even though she was unsure whether the song would ultimately remain on the album.

Months later, Leslie began working through the album’s vocals with Tasha Layton Smith. When they returned to “What You’re Made Of,” the struggle was still there.

Leslie knew what the song was saying.

She simply wasn’t convinced those words were true about herself.

She cried while working through it.

And eventually, the recording process became something far bigger than getting a good vocal performance.

Leslie said she had to let go of what she was struggling with and allow God to redeem the situation and speak His truth into her life.

That changes the way the finished song lands.

“What You’re Made Of” is not merely Leslie singing encouragement to someone else.

It became a declaration she first had to learn to receive herself.

When “Not Enough” Gets Too Loud

The story becomes even clearer within the larger context of Another Mile.

In the years leading up to the album, Leslie experienced a painful church situation that contributed to a prolonged battle with depression, anxiety, loss of trust and diminished self-esteem. She described having to dig deeply into Scripture to separate God’s truth from the lies and other voices competing for her attention.

Through that process, Leslie said she was learning to embrace who God says she is, recognizing that she has value, is loved and has purpose.

That is precisely where “What You’re Made Of” finds its strength.

Sometimes insecurity does not disappear because somebody gives us another compliment.

We need something stronger than another person’s approval.

We need truth.

Listen to “What You’re Made Of”

Listen closely to “What You’re Made Of,” and allow its message to challenge the voices that have been defining your value.

Then save the song, share it with someone who may need the same reminder and follow Leslie McKee on Spotify for more music rooted in hope and faith.

“I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:14 NASB

Your value does not originate in somebody else’s opinion of you.

It does not rise when you succeed and disappear when you fail.

You were intentionally created by God.

Ephesians 2:10 goes even further, describing believers as God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.

That means there is both value and purpose attached to your life.

There may be things God is still changing in you. There may be wounds He is still healing. There may even be lies you have believed for so long that accepting the truth feels uncomfortable at first.

Leslie’s experience recording this song is a powerful reminder that sometimes we have to keep returning to God’s truth until our hearts begin believing what He has already said.

The question becomes:

Which voice are you going to trust?

The one telling you that you will never be enough?

Or the God who created you, knows you completely and still calls you His?

Watch “What You’re Made Of”

Leslie McKee released an official lyric video for the song through her YouTube channel.

Watch the lyric video and take a moment to consider what voices have been shaping the way you see yourself.

From a Difficult Recording to a No. 1 Song

There is another beautiful part of this story.

The song Leslie struggled so deeply to believe became the song chosen to introduce Another Mile to Christian radio.

“What You’re Made Of” debuted at No. 1 on the Christian Radio Chart Weekly chart and later reached the top of its monthly chart as well.

Leslie herself recognized the irony.

A song she once wondered whether she could convincingly record became one of the defining songs from the project.

Perhaps that is fitting.

Sometimes God uses the truths we have struggled hardest to believe to eventually encourage someone else.

About Leslie McKee

Leslie McKee is a Christian recording artist, songwriter and worship leader whose ministry centers around themes of redemption, restoration and relationship with Jesus. Her official biography describes those themes as being woven through songs and stories drawn from her heart and life.

McKee began releasing music through Creative Soul Records with her debut EP in 2009 and released her first full-length album, Another Mile, in 2017. The project combined contemporary Christian pop, ballads and elements of pop/rock while addressing real struggles, brokenness, perseverance and hope in Christ.

She has also spent decades involved in church music and worship ministry, bringing both her testimony and her music into churches, conferences and other ministry settings.

For Leslie, the message behind “What You’re Made Of” ultimately became personal:

God’s voice gets the final word over our identity.

And sometimes learning to believe that truth is part of the journey itself.

Written by kingdomchorus