Wrap Yourself in Joy Podcast

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Wrap Yourself in Joy Podcast episodes

April 15, 2024Esther for This Time #10 – Celebrating God’s Goodness & the Feast of Purim
Esther and Mordecai Writing the Second Letter of Purim, Painting by Aert de Gelder, 1685
Celebrating God’s Goodness
Do you celebrate God’s goodness? Reflecting on what God has done can inspire you to trust Him more and will strengthen your faith. For Esther and Jewish families, the Feast of Purim is an annual celebration that reminds them how God delivered them from their enemies and continues to do so. Join the podcast today to celebrate God’s goodness and review the many reversals in the Book of Esther.
Reversals Continue
Approximately two months and ten days after the first decree was issued, Mordecai wrote the second edict, empowering the Jewish people to defend themselves against their enemies. The turnarounds were astounding! Today, we share at least 15 reversals and cover these points:
No Plundering (Esther 9: 1-17)
To plunder means to steal goods by force, often during a war and with an objective of making profit.
In Esther 9, the Jewish people remembered the violation of God’s commands in their heritage (1 Samuel 15) and acted in holy retribution for self-defense but took no plunder for their profit.
The Feast of Purim Established Forever (Esther 9: 18 – 10: 3)
Mordecai and Esther declared two days of celebration in an official decree to be remembered forever.
Purim means “lots” or dice which is what Haman used to pick the date for the Jewish annihilation.
The Book of Esther, also called the Megillah, is read twice during the Feast dated according to the Hebrew calendar.
Children “boo and hiss” and throw popcorn when they hear Haman’s name.
Today, Jewish families celebrate by bring gifts to the poor, giving gifts to each other, and eating fruit-filled triangular cookies called Hamantashens [haa·muhn·taa·shn] or Haman’s Ears. They are delicious! You can pick up a recipe card on my website WRAPYourselfinJOY.com or in my book.
Banquets and Feasts in Esther
Esther begins with a banquet and ends with a feast, all with great joy.
Four pairs of feasts celebrate the turnarounds and triumphs of God.
The Dream, Memory, and Plot (Esther 10 – 16).
Esther 10 -16 , the Deuterocanonical additions A – F, suggest Mordecai remembers a Dream. It foretold God’s deliverance relating to the main events in Esther. In addition, these chapters add a few details to the occurrences.
The Hero of the Book of Esther is GOD
God used the beautiful Esther, caused the sleeplessness of the king, brought down Haman, exalted Mordecai, and gave the Jewish people victory over their enemies.
God showed tremendous power on behalf of his people. Almost like fireworks, the reversals came quickly and spectacularly, fifteen in all.
Remembering God’s Goodness
The Feast of Purim, still celebrated yearly in the Jewish tradition, helps families remember God has delivered them and will continue to deliver them.
Psalm 77 calls us to remember God’s goodness.
Personal Reflection
Do you set aside time to remember, joyously celebrate and thank God for what He has done for you? How can you implement Esther’s example?
Do you call upon God for creative solutions or turnarounds when problems arise? Try it!
Are you encouraging others that God intervenes in history when his people seek him with prayer, repentance, and fasting? Please consider it!
New Podcast Series & Cup of JOY Women
Join my newest podcast coming this summer: Ruth – Finding JOY in Tough Times and Trusting in God’s Goodness. If you would like to host a weekly one-hour “Cup of Joy Women ” study with your friends, email me: [email protected]. It’s free and I will send you all the materials you need for the weekly one-hour discussion and study over coffee. You can read more HERE on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group.
Links
You can download Bookmarks (and recipe card) from this podcast series at my website: WRAPYourselfinJOY.com
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here to find the book: Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY
The post Esther for This Time #10 – Celebrating God’s Goodness & the Feast of Purim appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
20 min
April 08, 2024Esther for This Time #9 – Creative Solutions and MORE Reversals
Esther Reigns as Queen
Creative Solutions for Esther & Her People
Do you need some creative solutions for your life? It may look like there is NO way out, but God working behind the scenes can always give a perfect solution. Today, we watch the reversals in Esther unfold through a second edict as many watching Esther and the nation’s deliverance express a desire for conversion.
In this podcast, we will cover the following points.
Mordecai Authorized to Write a Second Edict (Esther 8: 3-8)
Mordecai not only acquired Haman’s wealth and property but also his position. The king gave him his signet ring making him the second most powerful man in Persia.
However, there was still unfinished business! If Haman’s first edict issued in the king’s name was not overturned, all Jews would still be killed. Legally, a king’s edict was irrevocable.
For the second time, Esther appeared before the king, and using gentle leadership asked for Haman’s decree to be revoked.
The king had given Mordecai his signet ring allowing Mordecai to write whatever he pleased.
Reversals: Jewish People Empowered (Esther 8: 9-10, 13-17 & 16: 15-23[E])
Two months and ten days after Haman issued the first edict, Mordecai summons the king’s secretaries and wrote a second edict that counteracted Haman’s edict, empowering the Jews to defend themselves. At least six more reversals transpired:
Haman‘s edict was written and dispatched to kill the Jews (3: 13-15) The Reversal (8: 10-14): Mordecai’s edict was sealed and dispatched to give the Jews authority to attack those who would attack them.
Haman‘s edict becomes the law (3: 14) The Reversal (8: 10-14): Mordecai’s writ becomes a decree that all must obey.
Mordecai mourns in sackcloth, and ashes (4: 1). The Reversal (8: 15): Mordecai wears royal robes of blue and white, a crown, and a mantle.
Mordecai wails in disgrace at the king’s gate (4: 2). The Reversal (8: 15): Mordecai was honored as the whole city shouted and rejoiced.
The Jews mourn in sackcloth and ashes with fasting (4: 3). The Reversal (8: 16): They celebrate a time of gladness, joy, and honor with a royal festival and holiday.
The Jews were weak and dispersed in the culture (3: 8). The Reversal (8: 17): The turnarounds brought about such fear of the Jews that many Persians converted or said they were Jews.
Personal Reflection
Do you need creative solutions and more reversals? Don’t give up. Ask our Lord to show you creative solutions for your impossible situations. Invite the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and your ears to what you don’t yet see. Remember God loves reversals and His solutions are always the best solutions and they will bring JOY!! Principles from Esther to help guide you in difficult times might include:
When God defeats your enemies, they are vanquished.
Assemble with others for increased strength to defeat foes.
God can give gladness, joy, and honor to replace sadness, darkness, and despair.
When people observe reversals and empowerment on your behalf, it could lead to turnarounds, change of heart or conversions.
Links
Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy small group study that accompanies each podcast series, especially this one. Read more on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group. It’s free, and I will send you the materials you need for the weekly one-hour discussion and study over coffee.
Download Bookmarks from this podcast series: WRAPyourselfinJOY.com.
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here to find the book Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY
The post Esther for This Time #9 – Creative Solutions and MORE Reversals appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
7 min
April 02, 2024Esther for This Time #8 – Reversals Begin
Painting: Esther reveals Haman’s plot to the King by Jan Lievens, 1623
God Loves Reversals
Do you need reversals in your life? Let Esther encourage you. God loves reversals, and He can make them happen for you.
Three Reversals
Today in our podcast, we encounter three reversals in Chapter Seven of the Book of Esther. This is God’s providence, bringing dramatic changes in circumstances in response to the prayers of His people. It can happen again, and it can happen in your life! Join us today as we cover these points:
God’s Intervention
When King Ahasuerus cannot sleep, he reads his chronicles and discovers Mordecai’s service needs a reward.
The King asks Haman what he can do for the man he delights to honor.
Haman replies the man should wear the King’s clothes, ride the King’s horse, and be proclaimed for service throughout the streets.
A Peripety
Haman hates Mordecai and is humiliated when the King tells him to proceed with these actions for Mordecai.
It is a peripety – a significant reversal of circumstances or turnaround of intentions written in heaven.
When Haman told his friends and wife Zeresh about the Mordecai incident, they warned him: “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.”
God Reverses Evil (Esther 7: 1-8)
Esther dishes up sweet words to the King.
She knew when it was NOT time to speak and when it was time to say her request to the King.
She used the exact words from the edict so that the King knew he was hearing the truth.
Persian Culture
In Persian culture,
Diners eat at a table while reclining on a couch.
Men could not come within seven steps of a woman in the King’s charge or harem.
Haman approached Esther’s couch to beg for mercy – he had overstepped his bounds by 7 feet.
To the King, he was assaulting Esther. So, he orders a face cloth draped on Haman.
In the Persian culture, a facecloth covers an enemy of the King so the King would not have to look upon the one he condemned.
The Lord Loves Reversals (Esther 7: 9 – 8: 2)
Harbona, one of the King’s chief consultants, appears to know of Haman’s hatred for the Jews and of the gallows he built in his backyard to execute Mordecai. He suggests Haman hang on these gallows.
Oh, how the Lord loves reversals! His divine providence reversed three evil events for today.
The gallows built in Haman’s backyard for Mordecai are used to hang Haman.
The King removes the signet ring, indicating “a second in charge” position, from Haman and gives it to Mordecai.
Haman’s decree is reversed. Instead of plundering the property of the Jews, the King gives Haman’s property to Queen Esther.
What the study of literature calls peripety—an event that suddenly brings a reversal of fortune and dramatic change in circumstances, is what Christians call a miracle.
Personal Reflection
Romans 15: 4 reminds us: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” Let Esther give you hope. God can give you reversals too:
Which of the following principles do you find most helpful for you?
God can reverse the evils around us.
Gentle leadership with prayer and God’s discernment accomplishes much.
Teachers of drama or literature call a reversal “peripety,” but Christians call it a miracle.
What miracle or turnaround do you need today? Based on what you observed from Esther and Mordecai, how will you pray for one?
Read Psalm 37: 1-5 and notice all the phrases “do not fret” and “trust in the Lord” instead. Which will you do? The Lord will act as you delight in Him and commit your way to Him.
Ask Jesus to bring laughter and joy to your life as you pray for the reversal.
Links
Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy small group study that accompanies each podcast series, especially this one. Read more on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group. It’s free, and I will send you the materials you need for the weekly one-hour discussion and study over coffee.
Download Bookmarks from this podcast series: WRAPyourselfinJOY.com.
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here to find the book Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY
The post Esther for This Time #8 – Reversals Begin appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
12 min
March 25, 2024Esther for This Time #7 – God-Designed Comedy
Mordecai Led Through the City by Haman by Azor Masters, Painting, 1420 AD, The Hague
God-designed Comedy
God-designed comedy can reverse calamity! Don’t you wish every tragedy turned into a good laugh instead? Sometimes, we think God doesn’t have a sense of humor. Today in our podcast on Esther, we cannot help but see the comedy from the hand of God that reverses a tragedy.
In Between Dinner Parties
In our last study, Esther asked the king and Haman to a festive banquet dinner she prepared. At the end of the dinner, Esther invited the king and Haman to a second dinner the next day. She delayed the real request because her discernment through prayer and fasting told her the timing was not right. Between the two dinner parties, Haman bursts with pride to family and friends at being asked to dine twice with the king and queen of Persia. However, his joy disappears at the sight of Mordecai, who refuses to stand up in his presence. Today, we join the king, whose sleeplessness, ordained by God, leads to a reversal of circumstances. We cover these points:
The Sleeplessness of the King Results in a Peripety (Esther 6: 1-12)
The King can’t sleep, so he entertains himself by reading his annals – large volumes that record the history and accomplishments of a king’s reign.
The King’s sleeplessness begins with peripety (pronounced “pe-rip-e-tē”). The term is used in dramatic arts to define a sudden reversal of fortune with a change in direction.
In a tragedy, the plot turns a lead character’s fortune into ruin.
In a comedy, the reversal changes tragedy into comedy.
In Esther Chapter Six, we see both kinds of peripety.
God’s Reversals (Esther 6: 12)
The king turns in his annals to an event that occurred five years earlier, only to discover that Mordecai’s service had NEVER been rewarded.
Just then, Haman arrives at the inner court after constructing a 75-foot-high gallows for hanging Mordecai.
Haman lusts for power and hopes to wear the King’s robe.
The ancients attached great significance to wearing a royal robe. It was considered a mark of great favor and honor.
Haman tells the king what could be done to the man whom the king wants to honor.
Haman Humbled (Esther 6: 13-14)
Haman hated Mordecai and was greatly humbled when he proclaimed his greatness while wearing the king’s robes and crown and riding the king’s horse.
God’s hand seems to create a peripety: Haman, once honored as second in power to the king, is humiliated, and Mordecai, in sackcloth and ashes, is exalted in the king’s robe and attire.
Haman’s friends and wife Zeresh realize that the Jews worshipped a God, who seemed to be intervening.
Haman did not know the warnings of Proverbs 16:18 and Matthew 23: 12.
Proverbs 16: 18. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. NRSV-CE or
Matthew 23: 12. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. NRSV-CE
The Greatest Peripety of All (Ephesians 2: 4-6)
The greatest reversal of all God planned since creation was our redemption from sin and eternal death through Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.
It was the greatest REAL peripety of all.
Personal Reflection
In Esther Chapter 6, we see God’s hand at work reversing many situations. Which of the following principles do you find most helpful?
Wait for God’s timing and guidance: He can intervene in your life with a miracle that changes everything.
God intervenes in history when His people call out to Him with prayer, repentance, and fasting.
Jesus Christ is your reversal of fortune—He died out of love for you to forgive your sins and offer you eternal life. Now is the time to accept His forgiveness as His plan for your life.
I will try to remember these verses to remind me of God’s ability to intervene in the worst of circumstances:
Isaiah 59:1. See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
Jeremiah 32: 27. See, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too hard for me? NRSV-CE
Links
Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy small group study that accompanies each podcast series, especially this one. Read more on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group. It’s free, and I will send you the materials you need for the weekly one-hour discussion and study over coffee.
Download Bookmarks from this podcast series: WRAPyourselfinJOY.com.
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here to find the book Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY
The post Esther for This Time #7 – God-Designed Comedy appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
13 min
February 17, 2024Esther for This Time # 2 - The Queen, the Refusal & the Bad Advice
Vashti Dethroned
Queen Esther ~Refusal of Bad Advice
What can you learn from Queen Esther? Do you need more wisdom and less bad advice in your life? Today, we will encounter the outrageous King Ahasuerus, who regrets the outcome of his bad decision based on bad advice! Join us as we discuss the true wisdom from God that does not disappoint.
The Party (Esther 1: 1-8)
Welcome to Esther for This Time: Prayer, Reversals & JOY Episode #2 based on my book Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals and JOY. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament was written so that even 2500 years later, we can still relate it to our culture. We can learn so much from Queen Esther.
Today, we continue in Esther Chapter 1 with our introduction to the pompous and extravagant King Ahasuerus and the opulent six-month party he threw in the capital city of Susa (modern-day Iran) in the third year of his reign. Ancient historians suggest over 15,000 men came to the party, which lasted 187 days. Amid the grand party, the king received and followed bad advice. In the podcast today, we will cover these points.
Vashti’s Refusal (Esther 1: 9-12)
Queen Vashti was throwing a grand party herself for the wives of governors, nobles, and officials who came to the king’s celebration when the king called her to appear before an unruly, intoxicated horde of men to show off her beauty.
She refused to come for reasons we might guess.
When she refused, she did not expect the king’s boiling rage!
The Bad Advice to the King (Esther 1: 13-21)
King Ahasuerus’ wise men, led by their spokesman Memucan, advised the king to dethrone and remove Vashti forever. Guided by his wounded pride, with no respect for his wife, the king followed this bad advice and dethroned Vashti.
The Scriptures teach women to honor and respect their husbands and men to love their wives (Ephesians 5: 25, 3). But the king was a pagan consumed with pride and self-indulgence who did not know God’s commands or God’s ways.
Greek Historian Herodotus records that King Ahasuerus won a great battle after this feast but later suffered a terrible loss to the Greeks during the four years that occurred between Esther Chapters One and Two.
The King returned home from battle and likely consumed himself with even more indulgence and sensuality, only to find he missed a lasting relationship with his lovely wife.
Personal Reflection
Where do you need wisdom today? Our historical story teaches us
Be cautious when taking counsel from worldly advisors who stroke your ego or are motivated by a desire for power.
Be courageous and maintain your integrity in difficult situations.
Anger and violence do not demonstrate strength in a husband or a leader.
Application
Read Proverbs 3: 5-7, James 1: 5, and Proverbs 3:17.
These verses instruct us to ask God for wisdom, who promises to give it generously and ungrudgingly.
So, ask God to lead YOU and clear the road for YOU to follow.
Links
Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy small group study that accompanies each podcast series, especially this one: Esther for this Time: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY. Read more on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group. It’s free, and I will send you the materials you need for the one-hour discussion and study. For questions, please email [email protected]
You can download Bookmarks from this podcast series at my website: WRAPyourselfinJOY.com.
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here to find the book Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals and JOY

The post Esther for This Time # 2 – The Queen, the Refusal & the Bad Advice appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
13 min
February 11, 2024Esther for This Time #1 - The Backdrop & the Party
Prayer, Reversals, and JOY
Have you studied the book of Esther? Do You Need Reversals in Your Life? Are you struggling to find faith and courage? Esther will show you how. Join our newest series based on the Book of Esther. It’s a wonderful study for Lent. It is about trusting in God, intercessory prayer, and receiving strength to stand firm amid life’s challenges. It is about gentle leadership, discernment, and how God can give you reversals and joy in situations and relationships. Esther is a book of faith, hope, and joy!
[Don’t forget the Joy podcast series here.]
This is the Time
Welcome to Esther for This Time: Prayer, Reversals & JOY Episode #1, based on my book Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY. When we wonder, “Where is God in our lives or our families or communities,” Esther reminds us that God never abandons us. He is faithful. Now is a good time to start if you have never read or studied Esther. You cannot depend on movies depicting Esther because some are more fictional than historically accurate. You will gain so much more by reading it yourself, as the lessons from Esther are so encouraging. And, of course, there is a JOYFUL ending. Today, we will cover these points:
The Backdrop for Esther (Esther 1: 1-3)
The days of Ahasuerus (Esther 1:1) refer to the reign of King Ahasuerus, who historically ruled the world as King of the Persian Empire from 486 to 465 BC. In Greek, his name was Xerxes.
The Persians, led by Cyrus the Great, the grandfather of Ahasuerus, had defeated the Babylonian Empire of King Nebuchadnezzar, who had taken the Jewish people captive to Babylon beginning in 605 BC. Cyrus the Great had a relaxed attitude toward the Jewish people and allowed them to return to Jerusalem or move to other places. Some went back to Jerusalem. Some scattered throughout Europe. Some stayed in Persia and learned to fit into its culture. This is where we meet Esther.
The Lavish Party (Esther 1: 4-8)
King Ahasuerus resided in Susa, one of the three royal cities in the Persian Empire.
He threw the lavish party, mostly to inspire patriotism and show off his wealth and splendor to his military leaders so they would support him for going to war against Greece, as history tells us.
An old tradition stated that the rest of the party could drink only as the king drank, but at his party, all were instructed to drink freely. The golden goblets used for serving the wine may very well have been the sacred goblets seized from the Jewish temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC (see Daniel 1). Now, they were being used in a very unholy way by a very pagan king!
Personal Reflection.
King Ahasuerus was trying to make himself a god in power, prestige, and more.
He did not know or refused to acknowledge the truth that God loves us dearly but as Proverbs 15:3 points out: “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good,” or Hebrews 4:13, saying: “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Consider these questions for reflection today:
Do you wonder where God is when you see the world focused on self-image, power, and prestige?
Do you get discouraged when it appears God is silent about all the evil taking place in the world?
When God seems silent, do you turn your attention to the party—that is, to the worldly distractions that draw you away from God, faith, and family?
Prayer Response
Read and pray with Psalm 103: 15-22. Try to memorize the verse that speaks most to you.
Seek God. When you think he is silent as the world parties on, open yourself more to God. Remember that only God, our heavenly Father, Jesus, our Savior, and the Holy Spirit can offer you the true Joy, Peace, Love, and Fulfillment that the world is seeking, as epitomized by King Ahasuerus.
Ask for your needs. When you are lonely, confused, or frustrated, talk to Jesus from your heart. Ask Him for what you need. Remember Jesus’ words in John 15: 11: As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. (You may want to listen to my podcast season #1 series, Finding JOY.)
Links
Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy small group study that accompanies each podcast series, especially this one: Esther for this Time: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY. Read more on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group. It’s free, and I will send you the materials you need for the one-hour discussion and study. For questions, please email [email protected]
You can download Bookmarks from this podcast series at my website: WRAPyourselfinJOY.com.
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here to find the book Esther For Such a Time As This: Prayer, Reversals and JOY

The post Esther for This Time: Prayer, Reversals & JOY – The Backdrop & the Party appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
16 min
January 27, 2024 A Cup of JOY for Lent – An Invitation
Invitation
You are invited to start a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering (men and women). A CUP of JOY small group is an easy way to gently evangelize and encourage others. It fosters fun, faith, sharing, and Scripture in small groups. All materials are free and accompany each weekly 15-minute WRAP Yourself in JOY Podcast with Karen Dwyer.
As a host-facilitator, you would get together weekly with friends over a cup of coffee (or tea) for one hour of thanksgiving, prayer, and discussion. Your small group will grow together in faith, hope, love, and joy.
The new Spring podcast series is Esther for This Time: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY, based on Karen’s book which has an imprimatur. The series will last eight weeks and is perfect for Lent. Go to Wrapyourselfinjoy.com to sign up.
Answers to common questions include:
Why coffee?
Inviting others for coffee (or tea) will make your invitation seem friendly and casual. As a host- facilitator, you will find the handout for each meeting and the format easy to use for the one hour over coffee.
Why meet only for one hour?
The weekly one-hour format encourages participants to know the meeting will be focused and not take up much of their precious time. Discussing the content covered in the questions and Scripture will help the Scriptures come alive.
Are other topics available?
Esther for This Time: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY starts the week of February 14. But if you choose, you could select the JOYFUL and Battle Ready podcast series with the accompanying Cup of JOY. This series focuses on defining true joy and putting on the armor of God from Ephesians. All series are eight weeks, plus a suggested wrap-up finale meeting. Go to Wrapyourselfinjoy.com to sign up.
What does the host-facilitator do?
Hosting a Cup of Joy Women’s small group is a beautiful way to gently evangelize and involve others in prayer, Scripture reflection, and discussion. Your main job as a host/facilitator is to arrange a meeting place, invite guests, prepare coffee, and facilitate the meeting. Your small group can meet at home or church, and it can include 2 to 10 women or more. You will receive weekly a prepared PDF worksheet that will guide your group through discussion, prayer, and study. As the host, you will make a copy of the worksheet for each person. All will listen to the podcast to prepare for the weekly meeting.
How do I sign up?
Go to Wrapyourselfinjoy.com to sign up as a small group host and for your small group members. Then, you receive an email with all the necessary information for your group.
The post A Cup of JOY for Lent – An Invitation appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
1 min
January 01, 2024Seeking Consolation and JOY? Join Anna & Simeon at the Presentation – A JOY-Filled Advent & Christmas #7
The Presentation in the Temple, Philippe de Champaigne. 1648; Join Simeon & Anna at the Presentation of Jesus
Seeking Consolation and JOY? Ann and Simeon Show Us the Way.
Are you seeking consolation or more joy? Join us today at the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, where Anna and Simeon show us JOY. They offer us ten ways the Holy Spirit can help YOU.
Off to the Temple
Welcome to Advent JOY Podcast #7, based on my book The Joy Of Advent: Journey With The People, Events, and Prayers At The First Coming Of Jesus Christ. Today, we travel with Mary and Joseph to the Temple and the Presentation of the Lord. There Anna and Simeon will join us at this very special event as we cover the following points:
Circumcised, Redeemed, and Purified (Luke 2: 21-23)
At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Old Testament Mosaic Law required every firstborn Jewish male to be circumcised at 8 days after birth
The naming of the baby took place at the same time as the circumcision.
Mary and Joseph by divine appointment knew what the Child was to be called. And so “He was named Jesus” which means the Lord saves- the name told to both Mary and Joseph via an angel (Luke 1: 30 and Matthew 1: 20).
Jesus Came to Fulfill All the Law (Luke 2: 23-24)
Now, forty days after Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary again follow the Mosaic Law for the Presentation of Jesus in the temple and Mary’s Purification. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said He came to “fulfill the law,” which begins at His birth.
For Mary’s Purification, the sweet Blessed Mother of humble means offers “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” which Leviticus 12: 8 prescribed for a new mother who could not afford a sheep to offer.
The Presentation or Redemption of Jesus (Luke 2: 25-38)
This “redemption of the firstborn” meant that the parents redeemed Jesus or bought Him back from God. Isn’t it amazing that almost 33 years later, it would be Jesus who would pay the price for our redemption by dying on the cross?
The Catholic Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord on February 2 every year.
Simeon & Anna
Although their lives differed, Simeon and Anna had much in common.
Both Simeon and Anna were described as deeply spiritual people. They loved the Lord, practiced their faith, and did not allow themselves to become bitter or decrepit with the times.
Both were “senior citizens” active in serving God. Pope Francis says of the Presentation: It is a meeting between the young, who are full of joy in observing the Law of the Lord, and the elderly who are full of joy in the action of the Holy Spirit. It is a unique encounter between observance and prophecy, where young people are the observers and the elderly are prophets! (The Feast of the Presentation, Vatican, 2-2-2014).
Both knew the Scriptures.
Both believed in the Scriptures and were looking for the Messiah. Bible scholars and theologians say Jesus has fulfilled at least 300 Old Testament prophecies.
Both were looking forward with HOPE. The words looking for indicate they were actively waiting for the Savior with hope.
Both worshiped, prayed, and adored God. Their eyes went more to God than to the news of the day. That brought consolation.
The Spirit of God guided both.
Both Simeon and Anna recognized the Messiah.
Both received Jesus and were changed.
Both Simeon and Anna received a message about Jesus from the Holy Spirit, and they shared it.
Simeon’s Prayer – The Nunc Dimittis Reflects Isaiah’s Prophecies (Luke 2: 29-32)
Simeon’s prayer is one of the Church’s great prayers, or canticles (little songs). It is called the Nunc Dimittis because v. 29 in the Latin translation of the Bible begins with the words “Nunc Dimittis,” which means “now dismiss your servant.” In other words, Simeon was saying to the Lord, “Now I am ready to die; you can dismiss me, Lord; I have seen the Savior.”
Every evening, all priests, religious, and laypeople who pray the Liturgy of the Hours pray the Nunc Dimittis prayer.
Today and every day, you can pray the Nunc Dimittis from Luke 2: 29-30.
Our Response
Why not spend some time with these verses? Using your holy imagination, see yourself receiving Jesus from Mary’s arms as Simeon did.
Look into the face of Jesus and give Him your shame and sadness.
In exchange, receive His Love and JOY. He has come for YOU. You can’t help but be consoled.
Then like Anna, praise God because you have seen the Savior of the World. He has come to give You peace, as John 15 says, Peace I give you, but not as the world gives. He has come to give the world peace as Luke 2: 14 says, Peace on earth, good will toward to men. He has come to give you His love.
Remember Lamentations 3:22-25. (ESV) … His mercies are fresh every morning. Great is His faithfulness 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
Links
Join me for my next podcast series, starting in February: Esther for this time: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY.
Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy small group study that accompanies each podcast series, especially this next one: Esther for this Time: Prayer, Reversals, and JOY. Read more on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group. It’s free, and I will send you the materials you need for the one-hour discussion and study. For questions, please email [email protected]
You can download a Bookmark of prayer points from A Joy-filled Advent Podcast #1 at my website: WRAPYourselfinJOY.com.
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here for the book: The Joy of Advent: Journey with the People, Events and Prayers at the First Coming of Jesus Christ.

The post Seeking Consolation and JOY? Join Anna & Simeon at the Presentation – A JOY-Filled Advent & Christmas #7 appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
19 min
December 26, 2023Needing more JOY or Peace? Join the Chorus of Angels & Shepherds! – A JOY-Filled Advent & Christmas #6
Jesus Christ is Born – Join the Chorus of Angels & Shepherds!
Needing More JOY and Peace?
Do you need a message that brings MORE JOY and Peace? Join us today for the birth of Jesus and meet the Angels and the Shepherds who have a lot to share. Uniting your heart with the Angel’s Gloria and the Shepherd’s praises will help you know more JOY and peace.
Traveling to Bethlehem
Welcome to Advent JOY Podcast #6, based on my book The Joy Of Advent: Journey With The People, Events And Prayers At The First Coming Of Jesus Christ. Today, we return to the book of Luke. There we join Blessed Mary and Joseph on their 80-mile journey to Bethlehem. When they arrive, they find it crowded with people, who like Mary and Joseph, had come at the command of Caesar Augustus.
Join us today for these points:
No Home for the Creator of Creation (Luke 2: 1-7)
Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, in the City of David, as prophesied by the Old Testament prophet Micah over 700 years earlier and recorded in Micah 5: 1-3.
Emperor Caesar Augustus, a master bookkeeper and statistician, likely wanted to keep track of his subjects and kingdom by public enrollment.
Joseph had to go to Bethlehem, as he was a descendant of King David. Mary went along too – she may have been required to register, or Joseph wanted her with him.
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen explains: Joseph “searched in vain for a place where He, to Whom heaven and earth belonged, might be born. Could the Creator not find a home in creation? … A stable would be the last place in the world where one would have looked for Him. Divinity is always where one least expects to find it. (Life of Christ, 1958, p. 13-24.
Jesus, God Incarnate and the Savior of the World was born and then tightly wrapped in bands of cloth by his mother, Mary, and laid in a manger where animals ate.
The Good News (Luke 2: 8-11)
The angel’s message of “Good News” is summarized (v. 10-11): “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the
We can say with assurance that Jesus is our Savior, who delivers us from sin and makes us right with God. He is our Messiah, the anointed one who will reign as KING forever.
The Fields Outside of Bethlehem (Luke 2: 12-20)
Amazingly, God chooses shepherds—the little, the lowly, the less important of the world (1 Corinthians 1: 28), but also calls himself a shepherd (e.g., “I am the Good Shepherd,” John 10:11). In Ezekiel 34:12-16, God describes himself as one who “shepherds right.” He tends sheep, rescues them, leads them, gives them rest, brings back the lost, binds up the injured, and heals the sick.
Jesus is our Shepherd: If at times you feel “lowly,” please know that Christ is YOUR Savior and Shepherd. He came for you! You are His little lamb, and He loves you.
Some shepherds around Jerusalem took care of the temple lambs used in the temple sacrifices. Shepherds would wrap lambs born without blemish in swaddling cloths and place them away from the others (e.g., Leviticus 4-5). Amazingly, the shepherds caring for the temple lambs used for sin offerings would be the first to recognize Jesus Christ, who came as our sin offering forever!
The Angel’s Gloria and the Shepherds Praises (Luke 2: 14-20)
We find two beautiful choruses in Luke 2:14-20. First, there’s the Angel’s “Gloria” (v. 14), which is so-called because the first word in St. Jerome’s Latin translation is “Gloria.”
This song of the angels proclaims peace to a world that needs peace as we do now. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; the peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27, NABRE). The only place of true peace is in Jesus; today, we must remind ourselves of this. We can join the angels in praise: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward all.”
The second chorus includes the shepherds’ praises (v. 20). They praised God for the good news from the angel and the song of the heavenly host of angels. From them, we learn that praising God for His goodness is a wonderful way to evangelize and get other’s attention on our Savior.
Mary Treasured and Pondered God’s Words (Luke 2: 19)
Mary “treasured and pondered” these things in her heart.
She gives an example for us in treasuring, pondering, and delighting in the things God has revealed, especially because we have God’s Word in Scripture.
Our Response
Try to put yourself in the scenes with Mary, Jesus, the angels, and the shepherds. Then prayerfully ask:
Am I praising God for sending Jesus, like the angels and shepherds did?
Am I making a “manger” for Jesus in my heart, allowing Him to be my Savior and Lord?
Am I receiving the true joy and peace that Jesus offers?
Am I treasuring God’s Word in my heart as Mary did?
Links
Please consider hosting a weekly one-hour CUP of JOY Women’s small group. Karen provides studies and discussion questions to accompany each podcast and each series. In February and for Lent, we will start the new series: Esther for This Time: Prayers, Reversals, and JOY. It is an exciting podcast series about how God answered prayer and sent mighty reversals for a family, people, and nation. Click here to read about hosting a CUP of JOY Women’s small group. For more information, email [email protected].
Free Bookmarks: You can download a Bookmark of prayer points from A Joy-filled Advent Podcast #1 at my website: WRAPYourselfinJOY.com.
More Podcasts: Check out more podcasts here!
Advent book: Click here to get a copy: The Joy of Advent: Journey with the People, Events and Prayers at the First Coming of Jesus Christ.
The post Needing more JOY or Peace? Join the Chorus of Angels & Shepherds! – A JOY-Filled Advent & Christmas #6 appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
17 min
December 26, 2023Perplexed? Exchange Your Plans for God’s Plans! - A Joy-Filled Advent #5
Perplexed? Exchange Your Plans for God’s Plans!
Do you find changing plans perplexing? Mary and Joseph changed their plans often as they listened to God. Why not ask God to help you lean into change? God can help you most when you are willing to exchange your plans for God’s plans!
Advent JOY
Welcome to Advent JOY Podcast #5, based on my book The Joy Of Advent: Journey With The People, Events, and Prayers At The First Coming Of Jesus Christ. Today, we travel with Matthew’s Gospel, meet some unexpected members of Jesus’ ancestry, and hear of Joseph’s dream and his faithfulness to Mary. Matthew fills us in on details of Mary’s return home to her betrothed Joseph after she visits Elizabeth.
The Family Record (Mathew 1: 1-7, 16-17)
So, we start with Matthew 1. At the time of Jesus, families kept a genealogical record (or family tree) to distribute inherited property and other rights under Jewish laws.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI points out that Matthew 1 is not a perfect historical account that includes every single member of the ancestry of Jesus Christ, saying: ”This was not Matthew’s goal.“ (Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, 2012, p. 8).
Matthew wrote to appeal to the Jews by placing Jesus first and foremost as the Son of Abraham—the Patriarch and Father of Israel promised as part of an everlasting covenant with God (Genesis 17: 6-7), and as the Son of David—the priestly King of Israel, whose ancestors were prophesied to reign forever (2 Samuel: 7:13).
Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba in the Lineage of Jesus
Jewish lineages, at the time of Christ, usually did not contain names of women. Christ’s ancestry lists five women in Matthew 1. Of course, we would expect the Blessed Virgin Mary to be named. But there were four others listed—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba who came from foreign ancestry or had a reputation for immorality that could have disqualified them from inclusion in the lineage of Jesus Christ. All were Gentile women who turned away from immoralities or idolatries to become faithful to God in their circumstances.
Even if your past life or “family tree” seems dishonorable, Jesus offers you forgiveness, grace, mercy, and a new beginning when you turn to Him. You are part of the family of God, and every day you can have a new life in Christ. Hebrews 2: 11: G”od is not ashamed to call them [or you] brothers and sisters.”
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote on the deeper meaning of the genealogies of Jesus and said:“[T]hose who believe in Jesus enter through faith into Jesus’ unique new origin, and they receive this origin as their own…Joseph did not beget Jesus but was truly born of the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary, so it can now be said of us that our true ‘genealogy’ is faith in Jesus who gives us a new origin and …to birth ‘from God” (Jesus of Nazareth, p. 12-13).
Found with Child (Matthew 1: 18-25)
Dreams were a common way God communicated with His people in the Old Testament. Joseph did not hesitate in his response to the angel in the dream. He trusted God to work everything out. He willingly exchanged his plans for God’s plans. We could say he leaned into God’s plans.
Joseph, from the tribe of Judah and the house of David, a carpenter by trade, became the legal head of this precious family (Abbott Ricciotti, The Life of Christ, 1947). Joseph is a role model to families—looking for God’s plans and leaning into them. This was the beginning of Joseph’s mission for life. Some have said it this way, Joseph was born for this vocation — to be the father of Jesus and Mary’s most chaste spouse. Like Mary, Joseph said “yes” to his vocation. His entire happiness was in knowing what God wanted him to do and carrying it out to the end ( Fernandez, Conversation with God, Vol. 1, 1997). He was devoted to God and his family.
Our Response
Lean into God’s Plans. Can you picture Joseph’s perplexity when his plans suddenly changed? He was likely building the house, planning the wedding, or earning extra money for the marriage, but he was unprepared to hear Mary’s announcement. Then God gave him more direction through an angel in a dream. He leaned in the changes. You can ask yourself: Am I open to changing my plans to fit God’s plan? Talk to Jesus about how you can stay open to God’s plans. What changes can you lean into?
Accept Your Place in God’s Family. If you feel unworthy or unqualified to be part of God’s family, remember Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. These women changed direction to follow God, joined God’s family, and are part of the lineage of Jesus. It is not too late for your family to come to God. Ask Jesus to forgive you and your family. Ask him to help you change directions. Then do what he tells you.
Links
Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy small group study that accompanies each podcast series, especially this one: A Joy-filled Advent: Journey with the People, Events, and Prayers. Read more on hosting a CUP of JOY Women or Cup of JOY Gathering small group. For more information, please email [email protected]
You can download a Bookmark of prayer points from A Joy-filled Advent Podcast #1 at my website: WRAPYourselfinJOY.com.
Check out more podcasts here!
Click here for the book: The Joy of Advent: Journey with the People, Events and Prayers at the First Coming of Jesus Christ.
The post Perplexed? Exchange Your Plans for God’s Plans! – A Joy-Filled Advent #5 appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.
15 min

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Join award-winning speaker, teacher, and author Karen Dwyer as we search for joy. We will explore how to find true JOY, awaken JOY, defeat JOY Busters, and create a JOY-filled prayer life – from a…

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