Gospel-Shaped Womanhood: How losing yourself & finding your identity in Christ changes everything

by Sarah Rice

We all desperately want answers to the same questions: Am I valuable? What is my purpose? Do I belong? But the identity we’re searching for always seems just out of reach. Contrary to what the world tells us, we don’t need to find ourselves. Instead, we need to be found in Christ. More than just a sound-bite, Gospel-shaped Womanhood delves into what having a Jesus-centered identity really means and how it shapes our relationships, our service, our work, and our self-image. Deep, practical, and honest, this book will help build a lasting transformation in the way we see ourselves and all of life.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2024

About the author

Sarah Rice is a pastor’s wife and mother of four living in North Alabama. She holds a Masters of Arts in Biblical Counseling from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and writes regularly at gospelshapedwomanhood.com. She counsels, teaches, and disciples women.

Reviews

[Molly | Visitingmanygoodbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so so good! The author uses scripture to show us how it can shape our lives as Christian women, in a world where society tells us how we should be living. I love that she included discussion questions after each chapter also! I listened on audio, but I would love to buy a physical copy and annotate and tab it. This is a must read for Christian women!

[Maggie Dew · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Gospel-shaped women learn to rest and work by the power of grace as we believe this truth: Only the love of God in Christ tells us who we really are and transforms us into who we were made to be.”

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explores themes of biblical womanhood, Christ-centered faith, and faithful discipleship through a biblical worldview. Throughout the book, Sarah Rice depends a wide use of Scripture with an emphasis on Ephesians to encourage readers to “walk in a manner worthy” of their calling with grace and wisdom. It reminds us that all women are called to be nurturers of life inside the home and the church. It drives readers to important self-reflection on seeing our bodies as a living sacrifice to the glory of God. 

One of my favorite parts was the chapter on Women of War (the Armor of God). It woke me up to the reality that every believer is a “sinner-sufferer-soldier-saint”: we are being sanctified of our sin, suffering for the name of Jesus, fighting  the schemes of the devil with the armor of God, and living out our identify as a Saved Saint of Christ. I also especially loved the chapter on Authentic Friendships and what those should look like within the Church. 

Instead of trying to present a ground-breaking new idea, this book depends on the faithful truths of God’s Word. And don’t we need constant reminders of the Gospel  time and again? I know I do. 

This book is so necessary and so important. I don’t think it’s any surprise that more and more resources are coming out that teach a clear Biblical worldview. We live in a culture that is constantly telling us a false gospel, we must ask ourselves: Are we going to listen to the lies being shouted at us? Or, are we going to turn to the clear and dependable Word of Truth for our meaning, identity and direction? Are we going to allow ourselves to be formed by culture or by God’s Word, to be self-absorbed or God-focused? Are we going to commit to knowing the gospel inside and out, and allow it to “shape” our lives?

This book is enriching to read individually, but it would be especially impactful within the context of a Women’s small group!

Thank you to 10ofthose Publishing and Sarah Rice for a complimentary book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

[Lia Ross Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely PHENOMENAL! In a time when culture and society heavily influence how we view and live out our roles as women, Gospel Shaped Womanhood by Sarah Rice is a breath of fresh air and so deeply needed.

Sarah uses Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to guide readers in discovering what it means to be a woman shaped by the Gospel. The book is split into two parts: Gospel Identity and Gospel Activity.

She first lays the foundation by defining the Gospel, then transitions to how being transformed by it affects how we live out our Christianity—in our work, friendships, marriage or singleness, and even how we view our physical bodies.

My soul needed this book. It’s a powerful reminder of where our identity truly belongs: in Christ alone—not in our work (whether at home or outside), not in appearance, not in relationship status, but only in Christ.

The chapters on work and friendship especially spoke to me in this season of life.

I love how this book is rooted in Scripture. I’m currently studying Ephesians with ladies at my church, and I keep this book close by to share quotes as we pour over this incredible epistle.

Each chapter wraps up with discussion and reflection questions, making it a perfect choice for book clubs or women’s groups at church.

[Brianna Smith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a delightful read! Unlike many other books written for Christian women, this one struck a lovely balance between being deeply theological and helpfully practical. Sarah commends biblical womanhood in a way that feels really attainable because it’s built on the gospel of Jesus rather than our own merit. This would be a fantastic book club read or a mother daughter read!

*I received this book free but was not required to give a positive review.

[Brandi Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gospel-Shaped Womanhood is a true gem—a must-read for all Christian women!

In this book, Sarah Rice shows us how the book of Ephesians helps shape our identity and activity as Christ-following women.

Starting with what Christ has done for us in part one, Sarah breaks down the good news of the gospel, its benefits, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and belonging to Christ and others.

Knowing this is what drives our activity for Christ, which she discusses in part two. Those topics include our work and friendships, how we use our physical bodies, sexuality and marriage, and spiritual warfare.

In a world where so many books about womanhood get it wrong (even self-proclaimed Christian books), Gospel-Shaped Womanhood was a breath of fresh air. Steeped and saturated in Scripture, this book does an amazing job rooting the core of our identity where it belongs—in Christ!

This is one I’ll be coming back to and recommending! Well done, Sarah!! 👏🏾

Thanks to Sarah and 10Publishing for providing me with a copy to read and review!

[Tristany Corgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In order to be gospel-shaped women, we must be able to distinguish the authentic gospel from its many sneaky counterfeits, and once we know it, we must root our entire lives deep within it.” -Sarah Rice

What does it look like to be a Christian woman whose life and identity is truly shaped by the good news of the gospel? This is what Sarah Rice discusses in her latest book, Gospel-Shaped Womanhood. Rooted in the teachings of Ephesians, Sarah examines what the true gospel is and what that means for Christian women today. She then goes on to explore how our identity in Christ impacts our work, friendships, sexuality, and more. Gospel-Shaped Womanhood is rich in theology, yet still written in a way that will benefit both young and seasoned believers. If you’re a Christian woman who wants to truly live out her faith, I recommend picking up this book!❤️

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A big thank you to Sarah Rice for sending me a copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that more and more Christians are feeling called to write books that address the cultural obsession with self that has become so pervasive in society today. I think God is on the move with a wake up call we all need to heed and I am grateful for authors like Sarah Rice who are boldly stepping out with a message of gospel truth.

Sarah shares what it means to have a gospel-shaped identity and how we walk that out in our daily lives for the glory of God. She grounds her thoughts in Scripture, primarily in Ephesians. Each chapter includes reflection questions that can be used for personal reflection and further study or for group discussion. This would be an excellent book for women’s small group studies.

Check out my favorite quotes:
“Although we have unshakeable worth and value as women made in the image of God-regardless of whether we’re a Christian or not- apart from Him we are not worthy. Left to ourselves, we are not good, and we are not enough. We’ve done nothing to merit God’s favor or love; in fact, we’ve merited his wrath (Rom. 3:23). To truly appreciate the God-given value all people possess as image-bearers, and to be made truly righteous, we somehow need to be reunited to God himself. This is why the gospel is such good news and why our identity in Christ has such powerful and life-changing benefits.”

“Because Christian women are Spirit-empowered, we need not endlessly pursue worldly, female empowerment. The same power God worked when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him in heaven above all powers dwells in us (Eph. 1:20-21)! This is a mighty, upside-down, resurrection power by which we daily die to ourselves so that we may be raised to live for Christ and his glory.”

I’m incredibly grateful to the author and publisher for a gifted copy of the book. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Taliah Kendrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an essential book on what gospel-shaped womanhood looks like. As Sarah walks through the book of Ephesians, she lays the foundation of what it looks like to find your identity in Christ. It is easy to feel weighed down by extra-biblical messages women are presented with today, so I appreciate that this book is based on Scripture alone! You will walk away reminded that the Father lovingly sent His Son to die for our sins, and the Spirit is continuing the work in us today. Chapters 5-7 were some of my favorites.

📚 This would be a great book for #bookclub + there are questions for reflection and discussion at the end of each chapter.

Thank you to the author and publisher for my complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Noelle Barrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a good read. Sarah explains basic Faith doctrines like justification and sanctification, discusses Christian women’s role in modern society, and gives biblical encouragement. I would recommend this book to women who are new believers, because it quickly goes over many hot-topic questions that women face.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up. I really wanted to like this one, but it was about a mile wide and an inch deep. It covered way too many topics and most of them at surface level. No real meat here. Plus, there were some doctrinal issues as well. Although there were plenty of of things that were true, I wouldn’t recommend this book.

[Caroline McGill · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - Overall, this book was solid and helpful, but it wasn't what I was expecting or really what was advertised. I thought it would be a book primarily about womanhood or even about identity in Christ, and really, it's a book about Ephesians (though she did skip parts of Ephesians and I wished she hadn't) and living as a woman in light of it. So not bad. Just confusing.

[Reece Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book both challenged and encouraged me to look towards Christ in all areas of my life. I loved how the author rooted everything in Scripture! I would recommend this book for all Christian women!

[Cori van Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes through Ephesians, encouraging us in the work Christ has done for us and teaching us how we are called to live as Christians and as women. It is truth filled and relevant to all aspects of life. It would be a great companion book to a Bible study of Ephesians.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, it can be so disorienting being a Christian woman in a world that is consumed by pursuit of self—self-esteem, self-glorification, self-centeredness… But our culture often deems it as positives, because without God to center our lives around, we are left searching for our center. We search for it in careers, in relationships, in families, in homes, and most often we come to the conclusion after these have let us down to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and say, “I’ll do it myself!”

When I began reading Gospel-Shaped Womanhood, I kept thinking Sarah Rice and I are cut from the same cloth. The inner dialogue I’ve had in regards to my work, my single days, my married days, my body, my seasons of suffering were written on these pages and held up to Scripture for me to see whether it was accurate or not. Sarah outlines the book basing it on the book of Ephesians, even recommending that women read through Ephesians as they read through the book. This was a refreshing approach, instead of looking at topics and pasting random verses to it, allowing Scripture to be the frame to hang the issues on. Often times in Christian literature, a topic becomes the focus with a few verses pulled out of their contexts to fit the narrative of the writer, instead of Scripture affecting the topic. This is not how Sarah approaches a woman’s gospel-shaped identity.

She begins with the orthodoxy, “right belief” or the theology of how the gospel changes things and the fundamentals of having a gospel-shaped identity. She reminds us: "…the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection for sinners. The sad reality, however, is that many women (even professing Christians) have not believed this good news—this “word of truth”—because they have not grasped their own desperate need for it. Without the bad news, there is not good news. The gospel is only necessary and gloriously good when shining brightly against the dirty backdrop of our ultimate human problem: sin. We cannot receive God’s salvation until we understand our need. And we cannot embrace a freely given identity in Christ until we understand and admit the ways sin has marred our true selves." (p. 12)

One thing I really appreciated was how she placed common mantras of the "gospels of self" against the gospel of Christ: “‘gospel(s) of self’ assure us that we are basically good people—people who have the power to overcome our own flaws with enough effort. Although we naturally want to believe we are virtuous, grace debunks the prevalent myth that we are born with a fundamentally good nature (Ps. 14:1-3, Heb. 17:9, Rom. 3).”(p. 13) But the Bible tells us that we are all in the sinking ship of sin.
“Believe in yourself!” is met by a call to believing and “resting in Christ alone for salvation.” She points out that “Self-belief will eventually crush us under constant striving and ultimate failure, but belief in Christ leads us to a hope that won’t disappoint (Romans 5:2-5)...“Be true to yourself!” is met with the simplicity of the gospel “enabling us to know and live the truth about ourselves and everything else.” She points out that “our truth” leads to death, but God’s way leads to life and being made new. She states blankly, “Jesus doesn’t make good people better; he makes dead people alive. The gospel renders us new creations in Christ.” (p. 16-19)

She also helps us to understand that since childhood we have tied ourselves to defining categories like our families, our physical appearance, our preferences, our work, our hobbies, etc. She reminds us that these categories are not insignificant because they are ordained by a sovereign God who has shaped us each uniquely and individually, but she warns: “We run into problems, however, when we rely on categories to do more than just to describe the particulars of our own lives and instead look to them to define as people—to tell us who we are and why we matter. In our quest for self-discovery, we often look to one or more of our categories to be the source of our identity and measure of our worth, and this is ultimately crushing.” (p. 26)

Isn’t this the truth? Maybe you have seen a woman shaken by her empty nest and feeling like she has lost her identity as her last baby moves out. Maybe you have lost your husband and are reeling from the loss of your identity as a wife. Maybe you have seen your dreams vanish before your eyes as you see another door close on the career you planned your life around. Maybe you are hastily buying every face cream and scheduling every procedure to try to outrun aging. Sarah states, “When the waves of age, change, loss, unfulfilled desires and unmet expectations crash into us, we sink.” (p. 27) I especially appreciated Rice’s bold, yet gentle approach to pointing out the contrasts between cultural womanhood and gospel-centered womanhood. As she broaches the subject of feminism, she states:
"Worldly female empowerment is not the hope to which we have been called because women cannot ultimately right all the wrong. Women cannot remedy the human condition or redeem the cosmos. We cannot heal all the wounds of abuse and set every captive free. Female empowerment cannot bring perfect justice for the sins committed against others. But Jesus can…and he will. This is our ultimate hope in this broken world." (p. 52)

The second half of the book is all about gospel-shaped activity, or the orthopraxy, meaning “right practice”. She engages with topics like work of all kinds, body image, and relationship status. These were delicately, yet biblically handled and you will have to read the book to find out! But I'll leave you with this beautiful quote: "Single and married Christians alike are to faithfully tell the gospel story with their lives, but they tell it from two different angles. Marriage reveals the shape of the gospel by picturing the gospel covenant relationship with Christ. Singleness reveals the sufficiency of the gospel by showing that our relationship with Christ is ultimate." (p. 157)

Sarah closes the book after a vivid explanation of how we need to be women dressed and ready for spiritual battle in our everyday lives with this statement, “The goal of a Christian woman is not to be remembered but to faithfully serve a Savior who will never be forgotten. Our names may not be in the history books, but when our identity is rooted in the hero of history, we become part of his world-wide, eternal legacy that cannot be frustrated.”(p. 177). And at that statement, I was left with a breath of gospel grace to not pursue my identity based on what the world says, but on who I am in Christ and to keep faithfully serving him as a steward of all He has given me.

[Ruth Clemence · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely wonderful book and a gift to the church. Sarah addresses real challenges to identity that women face with gospel hope and tender grace. Her words are written from experience of both her own sin and suffering and her amazing Saviour Jesus in and through weakness and difficulties.

She writes with a real depth of knowing Jesus personally and from time spent studying at a theological college which permeated through every chapter. It was vulnerable in places but incredibly refreshing to relate to these hard moments, and be reminded where real hope is found for the struggles of identity.

This is a book I will be recommending to others and returning when my heavy heart needs to be reminded of the love and compassion of Christ for me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Paul makes it clear that every saint is also a soldier in an intense spiritual war. The problem, however, is that few Christian women in the West view themselves as either saints or soldiers. When it comes to our sense of identity, we rarely equate being in Christ with being a soldier, especially if we've lived relatively comfortable lives devoid of persecution and the horrors of physical war."

I'm always a bit hesitant in reading women written Christian non-fiction books because they – to the use the best term I think I can – are a bit on the 'flowery' side. This isn't an necessarily an insult. I've just found that most women Christian writers don't go any deeper than empowering identity books, and there's only so many of these I can read before I feel I've read the whole genre.

Don't get me wrong empowering identity books are needed. Christian women, who juggle so many things, wear so many hats (sometimes within a matter of minutes) need to understand how their identity is rooted in Christ. If there's a bunch of people that need to know that we don't need to do things in our own strength, it's us women.

But the style of writing I've noticed in this genre swings from that 'flowery' light touch, to raging females who are practically yelling at us through the page. This book I'm happy to say is a good middle ground. Sarah Rice I admit does a good job of not been too light, but also not too angry, and to me that's a rare feat. So for that alone I recommend this over other books of this genre.

With this been said, I am however over the identity genre of women Christian writing. I'm sure that there's nothing new to be read in this subject area, and yet this seems to be the only subject that women Christian authors write about – even if they name the book something else non-identity wise, that is basically what it is. Why is the male Christian authors that are writing the books on prayer or forgiveness or other more meatier subjects? If you know of any female authors that do, then please point them out.

This has been a swinging pendulum of a review, but remember this is based on what I personally need in Christian non-fiction book. For others, I would actually highly recommend this. I can see the value on what she's written, it's just not 'deep' enough for me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars - based on the fact that it genuinely one of the better books I've read on identity.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.Ephesians 3:17b-19

When I met Sarah Rice at the TGC Women's Conference in 2024, she inscribed my book with a reference to these verses beneath her autograph.

The book of Ephesians is rich with doctrine with practical applications galore. Her book explores this epistle with a goal for GOSPEL-SHAPED WOMANHOOD.

My DIL Josie and I set out to study this book together and also learn more about the letter Paul wrote to the city of Ephesus. Here are some things we loved:

👯‍♀️Studying the book together was so enriching. Josie was also listening to a podcast and I was reading Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary. These additional sources gave us much to discuss.
👸Part 1 was called Gospel-Shaped Identity. We were especially fond of Chapter 1 - The Only Good News (What the gospel is and what it isn't) and Chapter 3 - True Female Empowerment (The indwelling Holy Spirit).
👷‍♀️Part 2 was called Gospel-Shaped Activity. We both especially enjoyed Chapter 10 - Women of War (Changing the world in the strength of the Lord).
🙏Our weekly meetings gave us the chance to pray together, share treats, and family news. It was sweet fellowship.
🙋‍♀️These partner studies are enriching and encouraging. After our study Josie asked me to fill out a survey about her spiritual gifts for a class she is taking with my son at their church. Our studies together are a testimony to her gifts of Faith and Discernment.

If you are part of a women's group who would like to study the book of Ephesians, I would definitely recommend this book to you.

[Molly Grimm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came into my life at exactly the right time.

Gospel-Shaped Womanhood gently but clearly reoriented the way I think about identity, purpose, and what faithfulness actually looks like. One of the most impactful takeaways for me was how much of what we often assume is “biblical womanhood” is actually shaped by Western culture rather than Scripture itself. Sarah Rice carefully and graciously untangles those assumptions, offering thoughtful, well-supported biblical insight along the way.

In a world that constantly emphasizes productivity, visibility, and achievement, this book was a needed reminder that God’s definition of faithfulness and success looks very different from the world’s. So much of what we feel pressured to do is man-made, not God-mandated.

This was a grounding, clarifying read that invited me to slow down, examine my assumptions, and root my identity more fully in Christ rather than cultural expectations. I’m grateful for the timing of this book and would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a more gospel-centered understanding of womanhood.

[Arianna Pattullo · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have been walking with God for a long time, or serve in vocational ministry, the first few chapters of this book might feel elementary and you might want to bail. Let me encourage you to stick it out! I told myself "the Gospel is never too elementary", and decided to push through and I'm really glad I did. I liked every chapter more than the previous one (whereas, I feel a lot of Christian living books tend to start strong and then get repetitive as they go on...this one gets stronger as it goes on). It *really* grabbed my interest and started challenging me starting in Part 2 (ch 6). Good read!

[Sophie Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I’m so tired of (and mostly ignore) books about “biblical womanhood” that centers on femininity and marriage rather than the ultimate purpose of women: image bearers of God whose highest calling is not marriage or motherhood (or being gentle or quiet) but to bring glory to God in the ins and outs of everyday life.

This book is not the norm. This book is about the ultimate calling of a woman—life in Christ. It’s really well done and I’m so grateful for this necessary voice and message.

[Niya · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just okay. Some very eye-opening quotes now and then and brilliantly passionate paragraphs but for the most part it feels more like a vague sermon than a helpful guide. I found myself congratulating the book for the few times it did what it set out to do (or at least I expected it to) i.e. giving practical advice, enlightened counsel or educated pointers on how to know, love and follow Christ. Maybe just not my type of writing style.

[Laurie Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has “gospel hyphen topic” gone by the wayside because of over familiarity? I’m glad a younger voice has brought it back especially regarding biblical womanhood. This book is new look at the old story of the gospel and how it shapes who we are and what we do as Christian women in a day that favors ambiguity and devotion to self. Helpful for women of all ages, seasons, and circumstances.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not bad in the sense that it was not untrue. It is full of truth from Scripture. But like most of the Christian books I’ve read lately, it was inspiring. It was the formulaic topical chapter arranged by personal anecdote-facts from Scripture- application. But I kept zoning out when I was reading it because it didn’t have any pathos.

[Ashlyn Puckett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was so good. Such powerful truths in it and encouragement in my faith especially as it pertains to my identity as a woman. This book is based in scripture and not feelings and that is something I will always appreciate. I would recommend this book to any woman wanting to grow herself and her identity in Christ!

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book. It took me back to the basics and than even went further into how the Gospel shapes our lives as women. This book could not have come at a better time and was such an encouragement.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this solid read on Womanhood as seen through the scriptures. Potentially better as a group read with the free discussion questions which are available, I nevertheless enjoyed working through this in my quiet times and reflecting on the questions it raises.

[Beverley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read detailing exactly what is says on the cover. We are reading this for our church book group & already women are saying how they can't put it down, and we haven't met to discuss it yet!

[Kassidy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good. I did think some of it was a bit cliché and I felt Chapter 6 “Women who Work” was too broad. The author tried to please everyone in a single chapter and it didn’t feel like any message was received.

[Erica Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completed this year’s Growing Together Group book :’) I loved it. The questions at the end of each chapter were actually helpful/thought-provoking and good for conversation. This book encourages me to be gospel-saturated in my womanhood. I recommend!