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Division is everywhere—politics, social media, opinions, and constant noise competing for our attention. And if we’re not careful, that division doesn’t just stay “out there”… it finds its way into our marriages.

In this January 2026 episode of Marriage Monthly, we talk honestly about how couples can stay united in a divided world. We explore why so many marriages are being discipled more by headlines than Scripture—and how refocusing on shared values, respect, and intentional connection can bring strength, peace, and unity back into your relationship.

This conversation is practical, faith-filled, and deeply encouraging for couples navigating today’s cultural tension together.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why division outside your marriage often creates division inside it
• How shared values matter more than shared preferences
• Practical ways to respect differences without letting them divide you
• Ground rules for healthy conflict that protect unity
• Why bonding memories are one of the most powerful tools for marriage
• How to be proactive instead of reactive in strengthening your relationship

What is one step you and your spouse can take this week to focus more on what unites you than what divides you?

If this episode encouraged you, take a moment to like, subscribe, and share it with another couple who could use it. And let us know in the comments—what helps your marriage stay united in a divided world?

#MarriageMonthly #ChristianMarriage #MarriageAdvice #FaithBasedMarriage #MarriageUnity #HealthyMarriage #BiblicalMarriage #StrongMarriages #MarriagePodcast

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Do you ever feel like the harder you try to stay in control, the more anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed you become?

In this week’s Midweek Motivation, Jess uses the picture of roller coasters and the truth of Philippians 2 to explore our deep desire for control—where it comes from, why it’s so human, and how it can quietly move us away from peace. From the very beginning of Scripture, we see this struggle play out, and we still wrestle with it today. This message invites us to pause, reflect, and discover how humility and surrender lead us into the peace we’re actually longing for.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why our need for control is wired into us—but how it can become unhealthy
• How humility opens the door to peace and freedom
• Practical questions to help you identify what you’re carrying that isn’t yours
• What Scripture teaches us about surrender, obedience, and self-control
• How letting go of control can realign your heart with God’s purpose

About Westside

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/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/?hl=en

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

Send us a text

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

Join us as Gabe Kolstad brings us a message about The Kind of Heart God Blesses.

#king #blessings #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/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/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

Send us a text

Grief doesn’t come with a schedule. It doesn’t wrap up neatly after a few months. And it doesn’t disappear just because the world thinks it should.

In this deeply honest conversation, Gabe sits down with Stephanie Tripp and Lauren Bumbarger to talk about grief, loss, and what healing really looks like when life has been turned upside down. From sudden loss to long-term sorrow, anger, faith, and the slow rebuilding of hope, this episode creates space for the reality that grief comes in waves — and that God meets us in every one of them.

If you or someone you love is walking through loss, this conversation is a reminder that you’re not alone, your feelings are valid, and healing doesn’t mean forgetting.

🔍 Discover

• What grief actually is — and why it doesn’t “go away”
• Why phrases like “you should be over it by now” can be deeply harmful
• How community plays a critical role in healing
• The connection between faith, honesty, and emotional health
• Practical first steps for those at the beginning of a grief journey
• How God’s peace shows up in the middle of sorrow

💬 Reflection

Grief has a way of reopening wounds when we least expect it. A song on the radio. A sunrise. A memory. This episode gently reminds us that grief isn’t a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of love. And while the pain may not disappear, healing happens when we stop trying to carry it alone and allow God and others to meet us where we are.

✅ Key Takeaways

• Grief is not linear and does not follow a timeline
• Every emotion you feel in grief is valid
• Healing often begins with honest community
• Faith doesn’t remove grief — it sustains us through it
• God’s peace is different than the world’s peace, and it lasts

❓ Question for You

Where have you been putting pressure on yourself to “be fine” instead of giving yourself grace?

🤝 Next Steps & Resources

If you’re walking through grief or supporting someone who is, we strongly recommend GriefShare, a faith-centered support group designed for people navigating loss.

• Find a group near you at griefshare.org
• If you’re local, GriefShare is also available through Westside Community Church as part of our Growth Groups

And remember — you don’t have to walk through grief alone.

📢 Calls to Action

• Subscribe so you don’t miss future Midweek Motivation episodes
• Share this episode with someone who may need encouragement
• Like the episode to help others find this conversation
• Join us in person or online at Westside Community Church

Send us a text

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

Join us as Gabe Kolstad brings us a message about What to Do With a Broken Heart.

#king #cultivating #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/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/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

Send us a text

In this week’s Midweek Motivation, Jess sits down with Bart Hafeman, Weekend Experience Director and worship leader at Westside Community Church, for an honest conversation about surrender, identity, and what happens when we loosen our grip on control.

Bart shares his journey from becoming a Christian at 16, to decades of success leading the band Hit Machine, through a long spiritual “dry spell,” and into a season where everything came crashing down during COVID. Through loss, uncertainty, and deep wrestling, Bart learned what it truly means to seek first the Kingdom of God—and to allow faith and calling to come back together as one integrated life.

This conversation explores fear, obedience, dual identity, and the courage it takes to trust God with outcomes we can’t control.

Discover:

• Bart’s early faith story and how music played a role from the beginning
• The tension between public success and private surrender
• How COVID became a turning point that redirected his calling
• What it looks like to integrate faith and vocation without fear
• Why “less of me, more of Him” is more than just a phrase

As we continue the King of Hearts series, this episode challenges us to examine where control, fear, or divided identity may be keeping God from being at the center—and invites us to trust Him with what’s next.

Key Takeaways:

• God often uses loss to realign our priorities
• Fear doesn’t disappear before obedience—it follows it
• Living integrated faith brings freedom, not restriction
• Letting go of control creates space for God to move

Question for You to Think About:

Where might God be inviting you to loosen your grip and trust Him with the outcome?

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope this week, and consider joining us in person or online at Westside.

Send us a text

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

Join us as Gabe Kolstad brings us a message about Cultivating Your Heart.

#king #cultivating #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/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/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx/

Send us a text

As we step into a new year, many people are carrying uncertainty, unanswered questions, and heavy situations they didn’t plan for.

In this week’s Midweek Motivation, Jess sits down with Rachel for a deeply honest conversation about hope—what it really is, how God meets us in hard moments, and how to recognize His presence when life feels overwhelming.

This episode explores what it looks like to rest in God instead of striving, how worship reshapes our perspective, and why hope isn’t found in having answers—but in trusting the One who does.

Discover:

• What biblical hope actually means (and what it doesn’t)
• How God meets us in moments of fear, silence, and uncertainty
• Why resting in God often comes before clarity
• How worship re-centers our hearts when life feels heavy
• Practical ways to recognize God’s presence in everyday moments

Hope doesn’t mean everything turns out how we want.

It means we’re not walking through it alone.

Key Takeaways:

• Hope is rooted in God’s presence, not outcomes
• Rest often creates space to see God more clearly
• Worship shifts our focus from the problem to God’s faithfulness
• God meets us differently—but always intentionally
• You don’t need all the answers to take the next faithful step

A Question for You to Think About:

Where might God be inviting you to rest and trust Him instead of striving for control?

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find it.