In this final episode of our Christmas series, Pastor Brian Johnson helps us explore the powerful connection between Jesus and the ancient promise God made to Abraham — a promise to bless and redeem the entire world. We discuss how Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise, the true substitutionary sacrifice who pays the price for sin and keeps both sides of the covenant on our behalf. Through this conversation, Brian invites us to see Scripture — and our own lives — with Christ-centered eyes. Key Themes & Quotes • Blessed to bless: “God says I’m calling you to be a blessing for the whole world.” • Christ in all of Scripture: “The early church was so obsessed with Jesus that they read their Bible, the Old Testament, and saw Jesus everywhere.” • A Jesus-shaped lens for life: “What does it mean to look at life and be so obsessed with Jesus that we see Jesus everywhere?” • God’s faithful love: “God is always faithful and faithfulness doesn’t always look like what we want it to look like… faithfulness can sometimes be painful.” • Jesus as covenant-keeper: “Jesus is the one person who can keep both sides of the promise.” About Pastor Brian Johnson Brian Johnson serves as Lead Pastor at Williamsburg United Methodist Church. Whether organizing local service projects or crafting meaningful sermon series, Brian’s heart is to make the gospel tangible through both words and action. He lives in Williamsburg with his wife and their two sons. Together, they love sports, Star Trek, Tex-Mex nights, exploring historic trails, and adventuring through Busch Gardens. Connect with Williamsburg UMC Visit: williamsburgumc.org Connect with Lisa: www.lisagranger.com

In this episode of A Woman’s Heart, we continue our Christmas series, The Promises of Christmas, by exploring “Christ in the Fire” with Pastor Dean Woodward, lead pastor of Eastside Church in Williamsburg. Dean helps us revisit the powerful story of the three men in the fiery furnace from Daniel 3—and how Jesus met them in the fire. Their courage didn’t come from sheer willpower but from a deeper, truer worship. As Dean says, “The reason they wouldn’t bow was because they already had something in that place. They were already worshipping something so much more wonderful.” We talk about how these men lived in a world surrounded by idols, temptations, and cultural pressure—much like the world we live in today. And yet, their steadfast love for God preserved them. Dean reminds us, “We live in the midst of a place where we need Jesus to preserve us.” Together, we explore what it means to walk through our own “fiery trials” with Jesus right beside us: “I remember when there used to be that fire… and Jesus, you walked with me then.” And how God can redeem what feels destructive: “He turns a fire that could destroy you, into a fire that could warm you.” You’ll be encouraged to love Jesus above all else because, as Dean puts it, “God is that good. He’s better than our life. He is the best, so we should love Him the most.” “Jesus is so good. He’s worth dying for.” We also discuss how God works uniquely within each of our lives— “God deals with us all differently. The results should be similar… but not the experience.” This conversation will strengthen your faith, deepen your love for Jesus, and remind you of the promise that He is always with us—even in the fire. About Pastor Dean Woodward Dean Woodward has been a pastor for 38 years and currently serves as the lead pastor of Eastside Church in Williamsburg. He and his wife, Lynn, have been married for 42 years and have three children and seven grandchildren. Learn more or connect with Eastside Church at eastsidechurchwmbg.org . Connect with Lisa: www.lisagranger.com

In this Christmas series, The Promises of Christmas, we continue exploring the ways Jesus is revealed throughout the Old Testament. In this episode, Pastor Hunter Ruch helps us look deeply at Christ in the Tabernacle—the sacred place where God dwelt with His people in the wilderness. Hunter explains the purpose and design of the Tabernacle, how it represented God’s desire to be present with His people, and how every part of it ultimately points to Jesus. We reflect on the truth that God’s heart has always been to dwell with us, and that Christ fulfills every promise of God’s presence. Key Themes & Highlights • The Tabernacle as a dwelling place for God among the Israelites—and a foreshadowing of Jesus. • God’s consistent heart across Scripture: “That’s always been His heart. To dwell with His people.” • Jesus as the fulfillment of every Old Testament symbol and promise: “Jesus Christ is better. He is the better priest, and the better King, who brings better promises.” • The challenge and beauty of living humbly: “Humility is the most important virtue in the Christian life, but the least practiced because it’s hard.” • The incredible reality of God’s nearness today: “The person of the Holy Spirit, God is personally present within each of us.” • The message of Emmanuel—God with us at Christmas and always: “God with us. That’s the beauty of Emmanuel and the season of Christmas, but all the time as well.” • Hunter’s three simple, powerful truths for believers: “Jesus loves you. Jesus is with you. Jesus is the King.” • A reminder to stay rooted in Scripture: “If you want to get to know the heart of the Father, read His love letter to us. Read the Scriptures.” About Pastor Hunter Ruch Hunter Ruch is the Associate Pastor of Care and Connection at Williamsburg Community Chapel, where he serves alongside a dedicated team helping people grow as disciples of Jesus Christ by connecting them to God’s Word and His body. He holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Dallas Theological Seminary. Hunter and his wife of over 25 years are parents to four children and the owners of a very energetic golden doodle. Connect with Williamsburg Community Chapel • Website: https://wcchapel.org/ • The Chapel Institute: https://wcchapel.org/resources/the-chapel-institute// Connect with Lisa: www.lisagranger.com

In this episode of A Woman’s Heart, we continue our Christmas series, The Promises of Christmas, by looking back into the Old Testament to see how Christ’s coming was woven into God’s story from the very beginning. My guest, Colin Curtis of Coastal Church, helps us uncover the history and significance of Passover—and how it points directly to Jesus.

Colin explains how God’s pattern of salvation is revealed through it. As he shares, “God in instituting the Passover is laying out for us His pattern of salvation.” We talk about Christ as our Passover Lamb, the meaning of the blood, the role of a substitute, and God’s desire to bring His people out of bondage.

Colin reminds us that:

• “God saves through a substitute, through the shedding of blood, and by bringing us out of bondage.”
• “Jesus has come to be the ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’…to every single one of the promises.”
• “Our salvation is not dependent on the strength of our faith, it’s dependent on the object of our faith.”

Colin encourages us to faithfully steward the gifts God has given us—without letting our gifts take priority over Jesus Himself: “God has wired us up differently…our job is to steward those giftings for His glory.” “We don’t pursue our passions or our giftings more than we pursue Jesus himself.”

To find out more about Colin and Coastal Church: https://gocoastal.org/williamsburg/

Show notes and links can be found at: www.lisagranger.com

In this special Christmas series kickoff, Promises of Christmas, Lisa welcomes Pastor John Morgan, Lead Pastor of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. With a heart for preaching and a love for restoring his classic 1960 Austin Mini, John brings warmth, clarity, and deep biblical insight to this conversation as we look for Christ throughout the Old Testament. John begins the series in Genesis, exploring Christ's presence in creation and reminding us that the story of Jesus didn’t begin in Bethlehem—it began “in the beginning.” Together we talk about how Christ has always been part of God’s plan and what it means for us to bear the image of God in our everyday lives. Key Themes • Christ was present in creation—“Jesus was not an afterthought of God, but actually part of the whole beginning of creation and God’s plan for us all along.” • God brings order out of chaos—“Before God came to bring order and form to creation, things were in chaos.” • Even in a chaotic world, God is near—“There’s a lot of chaos and things going on but the Spirit is still present with us.” • The miracle of the Incarnation—“He knew that one day, He would enter that fragile flesh to show us what the image of God is like.” • Our identity and calling—“We have the image of God in each of us… We were created to be image bearers of God in this creation, in this world.” • Faithfulness in daily life—“Each and every day follow that passion even if it’s just for a few moments. Keep it the main thing in your life.” About Pastor John Morgan John serves as Lead Pastor of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. After pastoring congregations in New Jersey, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, he continues to live out his passion for preaching and shepherding people. He and his wife are proud parents of two married daughters and grandparents to one beloved granddaughter. https://www.mywpc.org/

In this episode of A Woman’s Heart, I sit down with Amanda Hope Haley, biblical scholar, author, and the Red-Haired Archaeologist® for a fascinating conversation about how archaeology brings Scripture to life. Amanda has devoted her career to helping people understand the Bible within its historical and cultural context. With an MTS in Hebrew Scripture and Interpretation from Harvard, and experience contributing as a translator, writer, and editor for The Voice Bible, she brings deep insight into the world behind the text.

Amanda explains how biblical archaeology isn’t about proving the Bible but about contextualizing it—helping us see Scripture within its original culture, language, and landscape. Amanda shares insights from her newest book, Stones Still Speak and opens up about the moments in her faith journey when learning history challenged long-held church traditions and assumptions.

Throughout our conversation, she invites us to read the Bible not as isolated stories, but as one unified narrative of God’s work. She reminds us that the beauty, complexity, and even the “human-looking imperfections” of Scripture point to its divine origin.

Key Quotes from Amanda

• “I desperately want people to dive in and learn more about what God says in the Word.”
• “God gave us this [Bible] so that we could interact with Him more.”
• “Scripture is very complex when you try to break it down… but the way it all came together really could only be the work of God.”
• About David & Goliath: “God spent years preparing him for exactly this scene.”
• “When God places something in your heart, you are not going to be happy doing anything else.”

Amanda’s passion is clear: she wants people to dive deep into the Bible, explore its historical context, and discover a deeper, more grounded faith.

You can dig into it with Amanda: https://redhairedarchaeologist.com/

Connect with Lisa: www.lisagranger.com

What does success look like in God’s Kingdom? It may not match the world’s definition — and that’s a good thing. In this episode of A Woman’s Heart, Lisa talks with Andrea Lende, founder of Beatitude Publishing and compiler of the upcoming devotional anthology Successful in His Eyes, which Lisa is honored to be part of. Andrea shares her heart for helping women tell their stories and reminds us that true success is found in doing what God has called us to do — not in numbers, titles, or recognition. She offers encouragement for those who feel called to write, including practical places to start and words of wisdom for when resistance makes the journey tough. This conversation is a beautiful reminder that God loves you right where you are, and you are already successful when you’re walking in His will. Connect with Andrea: BeatitudePublishing.com Book Launch: Successful in His Eyes https://a.co/d/eXTjXGj

This week on A Woman’s Heart, Lisa talks with Donna Barber, author of Enough for Today: 40 Reflections for Surviving the Wilderness. Donna is a contemplative writer, preacher, educator, and co-founder of The Voices Project, where she mentors and promotes leaders of color. Together, Lisa and Donna explore what it means to walk through the wilderness seasons of life—those times of uncertainty, waiting, and transformation—and how God meets us there with daily grace and purpose.

Donna shares wisdom and reflection on what the wilderness teaches us about God and ourselves:

• “We don’t like not knowing where we’re going to end up.”
• “[God] cares for us enough to not allow us to stay the same.”
• “The wilderness is a place where God calls us into His office sometimes.”
• “We’re never giving God new information.”
• “I suspect that God doesn’t tell us or ask us to do things until He knows that we are ready to say yes.”

They also talk about remembering our first love—when we first met God—and letting go of the “fig leaves of busyness” that keep us from the deep relationship He desires with us.

If you’re walking through a season of waiting or uncertainty, this conversation will remind you that you are not alone and that God’s presence is enough for today.

👉 Learn more about Donna and her work at donnambarber.com

👉Connect with Lisa: www.lisagranger.com