Word of the Month- Protection

In this episode, we reflect on protection as the word for December, exploring how God’s care often appears as presence, guidance, and peace rather than the removal of hardship. 

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Chapters

• 0:29 Welcome And Word Of The Month
• 0:45 Advent And The Theme Of Protection
• 1:11 Protection As Presence Not Ease
• 1:51 Tender Hearts And Quiet Help
• 2:36 Psalm 121 And God’s Promise
• 3:00 December Practices And Reflection Questions
• 3:42 Blessing And Closing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:29

Welcome back to CC Airwaves. My name is Paige Matillo, and today we have another edition of The Word of the Month. Each month we take time to reflect on a single word, one that offers us a new lens to view our faith, our healing, and the season we're living in. For December, our word is protection. December is a month filled with meeting. It's the season of Advent, a time of anticipation, quiet, preparation, and hope. We wait for the birth of Christ, remembering how light came into the world in the most unexpected way. A baby born in a manger under a canopy of stars. And in that story, we see protection unfold in such gentle, powerful ways. Mary and Joseph were protected on their journey, not from hardship, but through it. The shepherds were guided by angels, the holy family fled danger and found refuge. Again and again, God's protection shows up, not always as safety or ease, but as presence, as direction, as peace in the middle of the unknown. Protection in the spiritual sense is not about bubble wrapping our lives. It's about trusting that God goes before us, behind us, and beside us. That even when the world feels uncertain, even when grief lingers or the days feel long, we're not alone. We're covered in grace. We're held. This is also the time of year when our hearts tend to feel more tender. Maybe it's the memories of holidays past. Maybe it's the absence of someone we love. Maybe it's the quiet ache that surfaces when the world around us is celebrating, but we're still healing. If that's you this December, know that God sees you and that his protection isn't always loud. It can be as simple as a moment of stillness, a kind word from a stranger, or a sense of peace that settles into your heart out of nowhere. Sometimes protection shows up through people, family, friends, or even someone who prays for you without you ever knowing. Sometimes it comes through scripture or through nature or through that deep inner whisper that reminds you to keep going. Psalm 121 says, The Lord will keep you from all harm. The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. This promise isn't that we'll never face storms, but that we'll never face them alone. That's the kind of protection we carry with us, especially in this season, the kind that surrounds us even when we don't see it. So as you move through December, lighting Advent calendar candles, decorating the trees, preparing your heart for Christmas, let this word echo in your mind. Protection. Ask yourself, where have I felt protected this year? What people or moments have reminded me that I'm not alone? How can I offer that sense of safety and care to someone else this season? And as we look toward the birth of Jesus, the light of the world, let's also remember that the same God who protected that holy family protects us too in quiet ways, in sacred moments, in every part of our journey. Thank you for being with me today. May this month bring you comfort, peace, and steady reminder that you are protected and deeply loved. We'll see you next time with a new word in a new year and a new way to grow.