Westside Podcast

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Join us as Gabe Kolstad brings us a message about our Lord who heals. 

#peace #godcanyouhelpme #thegodwhoseesme #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/
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What do you do when "past performance predicts future performance" starts to feel like a life sentence? This week, Gabe Kolstad unpacks the one shift that can take you from hopelessness to hope, even when your external circumstances haven't changed. He shares a real story from Westside of a man who walked in devastated and was visibly transformed just weeks later, then walks through 2 Corinthians 4 to reveal what might be happening behind the scenes of your struggle.

Discover:

• Why the business rule "past performance predicts future performance" is the wrong lens for your life
• The difference between your external scoreboard and your internal one
• What Paul meant when he said our light and momentary troubles are achieving eternal glory
• How to fix your eyes on what's unseen when the visible feels overwhelming
• A practical mindset shift you can make today

Sometimes the worst seasons produce the strongest internal growth. If your life doesn't look like a win right now, this episode might reframe everything. The scoreboard you've been reading might not be the one that actually counts.

Key Takeaways:

• You are not your own source of hope
• External loss does not mean internal loss
• What you can't see might be more real than what you can
• Hope is expectation, and expectation can be redirected
• God works in, through, and behind the hard stuff

Question for you to think about:

What if you stopped keeping score by what's visible and started paying attention to what God is building inside of you?

If this hit home, share it with someone who needs it this week. Drop a comment and tell us how you're processing this. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.

Scriptures referenced: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, Psalm 121, Jeremiah 29:11

Series: Hope and Future at Westside Community Church

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Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com

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

Join us as Gabe Kolstad brings us a message about When Your Faith is Being Tested. 

#peace #godcanyouhelpme #thegodwhoseesme #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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Both of them knew something was wrong, but neither could name it. The surgery was scheduled. The doctors were ready. But there was no peace.

The morning of the operation, a blood clot sent David to the ER instead of the operating table. The surgeon came to their room and told them he would have lost David in surgery. That was the answer: the missing peace was God saying no.

This week on Midweek Motivation, Jess sits down with Rita, a long-time Westside member who walked through her husband's cancer diagnosis, years of treatment, full-time caregiving, and ultimately David's passing earlier this year. Rita shares how Philippians 4 became the anchor she carried into every doctor's appointment, every scan result, and every hard day, and how peace became something she could access even when the world said she shouldn't be okay.

Scriptures referenced: Philippians 4:4-9, Matthew 6:25-34, Psalm 139

This conversation ties into Pastor Ken's weekend message on peace at Westside Community Church.

CONNECT WITH WESTSIDE
Website: https://www.westsidechurch.cc
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WestsideCommunityChurchpdx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidepdx
Sunday Services: 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM

NEED PRAYER?
https://www.westsidechurch.cc/prayer

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Join us as Ken Wooten brings us a message about asking, God, I need peace. 

#peace #godcanyouhelpme #thegodwhoseesme #Jesus #fullservice #fullchurchservice #christian #sermon #worship #westside #church #2026sermon #churchonline #kenwooten

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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What do you do when your whole life, the people closest to you have made you feel invisible, judged, and written off? Leslie spent years carrying anger so heavy that her honest prayer was for God to just destroy everyone who hurt her. But God had something different in mind. Jess sits down with Leslie to hear how one revelation about darkness and light, one God-given name for her son, and one church community changed everything about how she sees herself and the people around her.

Discover:

• The moment God reframed darkness and light in a way Leslie had never considered
• How God named her son Isaiah as a personal promise of salvation and visibility
• Why Leslie kept "looking in the cupboards" while God's blessings were already on the table
• The raw journey from wanting violence to learning to love the people who hurt her
• How the Names of God series at Westside deepened a faith that was already on fire

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt unseen, unbelieved in, or too far gone. Leslie's story isn't polished or tidy. It's a real woman, still in process, still learning to hand God her anger one piece at a time and watching Him replace it with peace, joy, and purpose. If you've been focused on the dark, this conversation will remind you: the light never moved. You just turned away from it.

Key Takeaways:

• Darkness doesn't choose to exist. It can only occupy the space where light is absent. When you feel surrounded by darkness, check your focus.
• God sees you in the billion-person crowd. The small, personal provisions (the parking space, the timing, the community) are proof.
• The blessings you're looking for might already be on the table. They just don't look like what you expected.
• You don't have to be strong to step into what God's calling you to. He's made strong in weakness.
• Relationship with God is not religion. It's not checking a box on Sunday. It's friendship, conversation, and daily trust.

Question for you to think about: What are you holding onto (anger, bitterness, frustration) that God is asking you to hand over so He can replace it with something better?

If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who needs to hear Leslie's story today. Drop a comment and let us know: what's one area where God has shown you He sees you? Subscribe so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

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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Welcome to our 11am service at Westside! Engage in the chat and Follow along with message notes at https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/notes-resources

Join us as Gabe Kolstad brings us a message about the question, God, can you see me? 

#godcanyouseeme #godcanyouhelpme #thegodwhoseesme #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

A skyscraper in midtown Manhattan was inspected, signed off on, and certified safe. Days later, construction workers watched two steel columns buckle under 16 stories of weight. In this final episode of the Firm Foundation series, Jess unpacks what "falling bricks" look like in a human life, and the four things engineers did to save that building that mirror exactly how God builds strong people.

Discover:

• The NYC Pfizer building collapse and what went wrong beneath the surface
• Why "certified safe on paper" isn't the same as actually being strong
• Four engineering responses that map directly to spiritual growth: inspect, stabilize, investigate, rebuild
• How 10 minutes a day in the Word functions as structural steel under your life

Most of us don't collapse all at once. We just keep adding floors. New responsibilities, new pressures, new seasons on top of a frame nobody's checked in years. This episode is a gut-check invitation: not to panic, but to let God walk the floors of your building before a crisis forces the inspection. It's practical, it's honest, and it might be the nudge you didn't know you needed.

Key Takeaways:

• Falling bricks (short fuse, skipped prayer, defensiveness) are symptoms, not the problem. They're clues to something deeper.
• Daily time in the Word isn't homework. It's shoring. Ten minutes placed under your life every day, floor by floor.
• Schedule your spiritual foundation like it holds up your life, because it actually does. Put it in your calendar before you pick up your phone.

Question for you to think about:

What's the four-inch sag in your life that you've been calling normal?

If this one hit home, share it with someone who's been adding floors without an inspection. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and drop a comment telling us: what does your "falling bricks" moment look like?

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 #FirmFoundation #WestsideCommunityChurch #SpiritualGrowth #FaithAndLife #DailyDevotion #ChristianPodcast #DiscoveryBibleStudy #Matthew7 #BuildOnTheRock #SpiritualStrength #PortlandChurch

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Join us as Stephen Radie brings us a message about what's beneath the surface. 

#strongroots #steadyfaith #trustbible #yourhands #firmfoundation #builddaily #yourstory #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/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

Send us Fan Mail

Ever open your Bible with the best intentions and still hit something that just… doesn't make sense? You're not behind, and you're not alone. In this Midweek Motivation, Jess walks through what to actually do when Scripture leaves you confused — and why pushing through that moment is some of the most worthwhile work you'll ever do.

Discover:

• Why confusion in the Bible is often a sign of growth, not a reason to quit
• How to pray for wisdom and understanding before you dig in
• Simple tools for going deeper into context, culture, and language
• Why community and honest conversation unlock passages you can't crack alone
• What Matthew 7:7 teaches about being persistent — ask, seek, knock
• How trusting God's character carries you through what you can't yet understand

Reflection:
God's Word is alive, and it's meant to change you — but transformation rarely happens in one sitting. Sometimes the passage that stops you cold today becomes crystal clear two years down the road, after a little more obedience, persistence, and life. The hurdle isn't the end of the road. It's often the doorway to something God wants to teach you.

Key Takeaways:

• Confusion is worth working through because the Word is worth it
• Start with prayer — ask God for wisdom and understanding
• Use good tools (a solid study Bible, Bible Hub, multiple translations) to understand context
• Bring your questions to people a step ahead of you, and be that person for others
• Stay persistent; clarity is often built, not handed over in one shot
• When understanding runs out, trust the character of the God who loves you

Question for you to think about:
What's one passage that's confused you lately — and which step could you take this week to lean in instead of skip past it?

If this encouraged you, subscribe so you never miss an episode, drop a comment with the passage you're wrestling with, and share this with a friend who could use it. And if you're local, come visit us at a Westside service this weekend.

• LINKS & RESOURCES:
  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
• STAY CONNECTED:
  Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx

#MidweekMotivation #WestsideCommunityChurch #BibleStudy #HowToReadTheBible #FaithPodcast #ChristianPodcast #GrowingInFaith #Scripture #BibleStudyTips #ChristianEncouragement #SpiritualGrowth #TrustGod #FaithAndLife #PortlandChurch