Westside Podcast

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Everyone has that one person who's hard to love. But what if part of the problem is how we show up? This week on Midweek Motivation, Jess sits down with Nancy, a psychologist and coach, to unpack the question from the weekend message that hit a lot of us hard. Nancy shares five words that change how you handle difficult people, why the thing underneath anger is usually fear, and the surprisingly practical reason you should make your point and then head to the bathroom.


Discover:

• Why it only takes one person to change the dance in a relationship
• Five words for loving people who aren't like you: love, curiosity, humility, courage, and peace
• What it means to be curious, not critical
• How to recognize harmful behavior without dehumanizing the person
• How Jess is still learning new things about her husband after 20 years of marriage
• How to say what you need without starting a tug-of-war

You can love someone without agreeing with them. You can love someone without excusing their actions. And you can love someone without giving up healthy boundaries. When you see the person across the table as God's child, the whole conversation changes, even if they never do.



Key Takeaways:

• You can't control the other person, but changing your part changes the dance
• Ask what's underneath the anger, in them and in you
• Seek to understand before you seek to be understood
• Say what you need, then leave it to be thought about
• Don't let someone else steal your peace

Question for you to think about:
Who's the difficult person in your life right now, and what's one way you could show up differently next time?


If this gave you something to work on, send it to someone who's in a tough relationship right now. Drop a comment and tell us which of the five words you need most. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Scripture referenced: 1 John, Mark 12:31



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#MidweekMotivation #DifficultPeople #Relationships #WestsideCommunityChurch #HealthyBoundaries #Communication #Psychology #LoveYourNeighbor #ChristianLiving

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Welcome to Westside! Engage in the chat and Follow along with message notes at https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/notes-resources

Join us as Stephen Radie shares a message on loving difficult people.

#lovingdifficultpeople #thepeopleexperiment #Jesus #fullservice #fullchurchservice #christian #sermon #worship #westside #church #2026sermon #churchonline #stephenradie


Westside is a place made up of real people from all walks of life. We are a “come as you are” church that strives to be a safe place for people to investigate faith. No matter your story, questions, doubts or struggles, we’re glad you’re here today.

LINKS & RESOURCES:
SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommu...
To support this ministry and help us o reach people all around the world click here: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.c...

STAY CONNECTED:
Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/
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How many people have told you "call me anytime"? And how many times have you actually called? This week on Midweek Motivation, Jess sits down with Rachel to talk about hiding, being seen, and why confession might be one of the best gifts God ever gave us. Rachel shares how she went from wanting to be invisible to making friends at the grocery store, what clown classes taught her about going first, and the moment she sat in her car, picked up the phone, and stopped pretending everything was okay.


Discover:

• Why confession isn't a courtroom or a punishment, and what God actually meant by it
• The two steps of confession: to God, then to a safe person who can walk with you
• Why the things we keep in the shadows keep their power over us
• What Moses needing help to hold up his arms says about grace in community
• How clown and improv classes taught Rachel that someone has to set the tone
• Practical ways to find safe people and practice being vulnerable before it's urgent

Hiding feels safer. But whatever stays in the dark keeps messing with your thoughts, your emotions, and how you see yourself. When it's brought into the light with someone you trust, it starts to lose its hold. That's the freedom on the other side of the risk.


Key Takeaways:

• Confession is a gift, not a punishment
• Start by being honest with God, then find one safe person
• Safe people share your values, have earned your trust over time, and have permission to hold you accountable
• Practice vulnerability in low-stakes moments so you're ready when it counts
• Sometimes you have to go first

Question for you to think about:
Who is the one person you'd actually call, and what's stopping you?


If this encouraged you, send it to someone who's told you "call me anytime." Drop a comment and tell us what helped you take your first step toward being seen. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Scriptures referenced: 1 John 1:5 to 2:2, James 5:16-17, Romans 8, 1 John 4:18, Exodus 17


SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1


Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give


Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com

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#MidweekMotivation #Vulnerability #Confession #WestsideCommunityChurch #Grace #Healing #ChristianCommunity #StopHiding #SafePeople

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Follow along with message notes at https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/notes-resources

Join us as Gabe Kolstad delivers a message titled Drop The Act: The Authenticity Experiment.

#droptheact #theauthenticityexperiment #thepeopleexperiment #Jesus #fullservice #fullchurchservice #christian #sermon #worship #westside #church #2026sermon #churchonline #gabekolstad


Westside is a place made up of real people from all walks of life. We are a “come as you are” church that strives to be a safe place for people to investigate faith. No matter your story, questions, doubts or struggles, we’re glad you’re here today.

LINKS & RESOURCES:
SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommu...
To support this ministry and help us o reach people all around the world click here: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.c...

STAY CONNECTED:
Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

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Half of American adults are measurably lonely, and the research says it's hurting our bodies as much as our hearts. This week on Midweek Motivation, Jess gets honest about why real connection feels so risky, especially if you're shy or introverted like she was. She walks through Acts 4 and what the early church called koinonia, and shares how two walks a week at work turned into a best friendship that has lasted through parenting, marriage, and ministry.


Discover:

• What the U.S. Surgeon General and AARP research say about the loneliness epidemic
• Why we lean on simulated connection instead of the real thing
• What koinonia means and what it looked like in Acts 4
• How a Tuesday and Thursday walking habit grew into a David and Jonathan kind of friendship
• Why a weekly growth group became something Jess misses when it's gone
• Why your body can tell when you're alone

Getting close to people is a risk. You might get rejected. You have to be vulnerable. But Jess has been on both sides, and from the other side she can say it's worth it. Most of the time the risk is bigger in our heads than in real life.


Key Takeaways:

• We weren't designed to do life alone
• Real friendship involves risk, and it's worth it
• Our fears usually make the risks feel bigger than they are
• Technology makes it easier to DIY life, but nothing beats real connection
• Your next step can be small: a walk, a coffee, a growth group

Question for you to think about:

What's one small risk you could take this week to get to know someone better?


If this hit home, send it to someone you'd like to be closer to. Drop a comment and tell us about a friendship that changed your life. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Scripture referenced: Acts 4:32-37

Statistics referenced: U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 Advisory on Loneliness and Isolation; AARP loneliness study of adults 45+


SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1


Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give


Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx


#MidweekMotivation #Loneliness #Friendship #WestsideCommunityChurch #Koinonia #Acts4 #ChristianCommunity #Connection #Fellowship

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Welcome to Westside! Engage in the chat and Follow along with message notes at https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/notes-resources

Join us as Gabe Kolstad brings a message about The Joy Experiment. 

#thejoyexperiment #thepeopleexperiment #Jesus #fullservice #fullchurchservice #christian #sermon #worship #westside #church #2026sermon #churchonline #gabekolstad

Westside is a place made up of real people from all walks of life. We are a “come as you are” church that strives to be a safe place for people to investigate faith. No matter your story, questions, doubts or struggles, we’re glad you’re here today.

LINKS & RESOURCES:
SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommu...
To support this ministry and help us o reach people all around the world click here: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.c...

STAY CONNECTED:
Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

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His car battery got stolen at a ski lodge. He called a friend he hadn't talked to in a while. That friend showed up, took one look at him, and said, "You need to follow Jesus." That was November 1976, and Tony still has the Bible he took from the nightstand that day. This week on Midweek Motivation, Jess wraps up the BLESS series with the final step: Share Your Story. She sits down with Tony, a long-time Westside volunteer, who shares one of the most raw and emotional faith stories you'll hear, and breaks down why your story is something nobody can take away from you.


Discover:

• The full story of how a stolen car battery at Timberline Lodge led to a life-changing conversation
• Why the Bible Tony took from a hotel nightstand in 1976 still means everything to him
• A simple three-part framework for sharing your faith story: before Jesus, your encounter, and after Jesus
• Why "because it's true" might be the most powerful answer to "why do you follow Jesus?"
• How Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey instead of a war horse, and what that means for how we share the gospel
• Why your story is your greatest tool and nobody can tell you it didn't happen
  
  

You don't need a theology degree. You don't need a script. You don't need to have all the answers. You just need your story, because it actually happened, and that's something no one can argue with. Tony's been sharing his for almost 50 years and it still makes him cry. That's how you know it's real


Key Takeaways:

• Your story is yours, and nobody can tell you it didn't happen
• Share your faith the way Jesus modeled it: gently, peacefully, kindly
• You don't need perfect theology to tell someone what Jesus did for you
• The BLESS framework puts sharing last for a reason: trust comes first
• Be bold, but come in on a donkey, not a war horse

Question for you to think about:

If someone asked you today, "Why do you follow Jesus?" would you have an answer ready?


If Tony's story moved you, share this with someone who needs to hear it. Drop a comment with your own story. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Series: The Wild Work of God at Westside Community Church

Framework: BLESS (Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Share)

Scriptures referenced: 1 Peter 3:15, Luke 19, Luke 10, Ephesians 6

Tool: Download the Westside app to use the BLESS tool

iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/westside-comm-church/id1479755097

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.pushpay.westsidecommunitychurchcc


SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1


Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give


Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx


#MidweekMotivation #BLESS #ShareYourStory #WestsideCommunityChurch #WildWorkOfGod #Testimony #Easter #HolyWeek #Faith #WhyIFollowJesus

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Welcome to Westside! Engage in the chat and Follow along with message notes at https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/notes-resources

Join us as Gabe Kolstad shares a message titled Unleashed: You Matter More Than You Think.

#unleashed #youmatter #wildworkofgod #godswork #Jesus #fullservice #fullchurchservice #christian #sermon #worship #westside #church #2026sermon #churchonline #gabekolstad

Westside is a place made up of real people from all walks of life. We are a “come as you are” church that strives to be a safe place for people to investigate faith. No matter your story, questions, doubts or struggles, we’re glad you’re here today.

LINKS & RESOURCES:
SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommu...
To support this ministry and help us o reach people all around the world click here: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.c...

STAY CONNECTED:
Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

Send us Fan Mail

"No, but I will." That's what Jess said to her grandma when she was asked to wash the dishes as a kid. Snotty, ungrateful, and she still cringes thinking about it. This week on Midweek Motivation, Jess unpacks why that attitude is the exact one most of us bring to service without realizing it, and what happens when we flip it. She walks through John 13, where Jesus literally took off his crown and picked up an apron, and makes the case that serving the people right in front of you might be the most powerful thing you can do for them and for yourself.


Discover:

• Why Jesus chose the lowest job in the room at the Last Supper, and what it meant to the disciples
• Three ways Jesus modeled service: in proximity, personally, and in God's power
• The story of a deaf and mute man healed in Mark 7 and what it teaches about meeting people where they are
• The psychological and social benefits of serving (endorphin release, stress reduction, combating isolation)
• How service builds the kind of trust that opens the door to sharing your faith
• What reciprocity and gratitude have to do with transformational community

Our bodies are literally made to feel good when we serve. But more than the chemistry, there's a spiritual connection that forms when you step into someone's life with no agenda other than meeting a need. That's how trust gets built. That's how people start to see something different in you. And that's when they want to know why.


Key Takeaways:

• Service starts where your feet are: your home, your neighborhood, your workplace
• Jesus served people personally, the way they needed, not one-size-fits-all
• Your body is designed to reward you for serving others
• Being served combats isolation, builds self-esteem, and opens people up emotionally
• Service creates the trust and permission to share your story

Question for you to think about:
Who is one person in your life right now that you could serve this week, not because you have to, but because they're worth it?


If this challenged your approach to service, share it with someone who needs the push. Drop a comment and tell us about a time being served changed how you saw someone. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Series: The Wild Work of God (Acts 1-6) at Westside Community Church

Framework: BLESS (Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Share)

Scriptures referenced: John 13:1-17, Mark 7:31-37

Tool: Download the Westside app to use the BLESS tool

iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/westside-comm-church/id1479755097

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.pushpay.westsidecommunitychurchcc



SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1


Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give


Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx


#MidweekMotivation #BLESS #Serve #WestsideCommunityChurch #WildWorkOfGod #ServiceMatters #John13 #ChristianLiving #FeetWashing #Faith

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What if the most powerful thing you could do for someone spiritually was just eat with them? This week on Midweek Motivation, Gabe and Melissa Kolstad sit down together to unpack why sharing a meal is one of the most underrated tools in the Christian life. Gabe shares the story of meeting a homeless man at a shelter and getting coffee with him every Friday for a year, a simple habit that completely changed the man's life. Melissa breaks down what she's learned from years of leading IF:Tables gatherings. If you've been praying for someone but don't know what the next step is, this might be it.


Discover:
- Why Jesus's first move with Matthew was accepting a dinner invitation, not delivering a sermon

- How weekly Friday coffee at a Portland Starbucks changed a homeless man's entire trajectory

- What IF:Tables taught Melissa about how food lowers every barrier in a room

- The story of a Filipino family, karaoke, lumpia, and two people coming to faith

- Why the BLESS framework puts eating before sharing your story (and why that matters)

- How a simple Halloween s'mores tent turned into a neighborhood ministry moment



Eating together isn't fancy. It's hot dogs in a cul-de-sac, coffee at a Starbucks, pizza on a weeknight. But something happens around a table that no sermon or bullhorn can replicate. Barriers drop, trust builds, and people start to feel like they belong somewhere.



Key Takeaways:

- You have to earn the right to be heard, and meals are how you earn it

- Eating together is biblical: Jesus did it, the early church did it, and it still works

- You don't always have to be the initiator. Say yes when someone invites you.

- Hospitality doesn't require perfection. Takeout, a picnic, or a shared lunch all count.

- Love without a required outcome is the point


Question for you to think about:

Who is one person you've been praying for that you could invite to grab coffee or share a meal this week?


If this inspired you to take a simple next step, share it with someone who needs the push. Drop a comment and tell us about a meal that changed a relationship. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Series: The Wild Work of God (Acts 1-6) at Westside Community Church

Framework: BLESS (Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Share)

Tool: Download the Westside app to use the BLESS tool
 iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/westside-comm-church/id1479755097

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.pushpay.westsidecommunitychurchcc&pcampaignid=web_share

Scriptures referenced: Luke 5, Acts 2, John 6


SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1


Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give


Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx


#MidweekMotivation #BLESS #EatTogether #WestsideCommunityChurch #WildWorkOfGod #Evangelism #Hospitality #ChristianCommunity #SharingMeals #Faith