It’s the holiday season! That means that there is shopping, gift-giving, and decorating that needs to be done. Unfortunately, in the midst of all the doing, we can miss out on having a Christmas heart. When that happens, we miss out on the true reason for the season. Today, we’re diving into how we can have a heart that longs for Jesus and holds tightly to Him by looking at Jesus’ mother, Mary.

Helping me explore this is my friend Jennifer Jackson. Jennifer is an author, speaker, pastor, and radio show host. Jennifer, along with her husband, Doyle, leads The Church Next Door in Columbus, OH.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The characteristics Mary displayed for us
• Practical ways that you can cultivate a Christmas heart
• How to hold tightly to Jesus during the holidays
• And more!

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas! I hope this conversation encourages you today.

Show Notes: https://jillsavage.org/jennifer-jackson-123

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Years ago, way back in the ’90s, Mark and I went through the Experiencing God study by Henry & Richard Blackaby. To say that study changed our lives would be an understatement, and I still recommend it to people today! I learned so much about how God speaks to and guides us, and I still use many concepts from that book in my personal prayer time.

I recently discovered that there is a brand new Experiencing God Study Bible out, and I had to know more about it! That is why I am so excited for today’s conversation with Dr. Richard Blackaby, who served as the editor of the new CSB Experiencing God Bible and is the President of Blackaby Ministries International.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The original inspiration behind Experiencing God
• What it takes to experience God in your own life
• How our reality changes when we see it from God’s perspective
• And so much more!

It was such a privilege to talk with Dr. Blackaby, and I truly hope it encourages you today!

Show Notes: https://jillsavage.org/richard-blackaby-122

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
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• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

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• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
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TW: Before we introduce you to my guest and the topic for this episode, I want to let you know that we discuss suicide and the circumstances leading up to it. If this could be a trigger for you, please consider listening with a friend or skipping this episode. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, text or call the Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Sometimes life can turn on a dime. Maybe it’s an unexpected diagnosis, a decision a loved one makes, or dreadful news delivered when we least expect it. When this happens, our well-ordered world is suddenly turned upside down. Everything can look dark, and the pain is tangible; you may even wonder if life can ever be beautiful again.

My guest, Kayla Stoecklein, can relate to this better than most. She is an author, speaker, and mental health advocate. Kayla became an unexpected widow in August 2018 when her husband, Andrew who was the pastor of their large church in California, died by suicide. With three young sons also grieving and a heart full of pain, it became her mission to bring hope and help to others who have faced unexpected hardships.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The importance of asking questions when someone shares their struggles
• How embracing your pain is good for you
• Steps you can take to rebuild beautiful
• And more.

My conversation with Kayla was powerful, and I am praying it encourages you no matter what your circumstances may be.

Show Notes:  https://jillsavage.org/kayla-stoecklein-121

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

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• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
• For Hurting Marriages
• For Marriages Where You’re the Only One Wanting to Get Help

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• Empty Nest...

Have you ever struggled to control your thoughts? Our mindsets hold a lot of power in our lives. In fact, what we think affects how we feel, what we believe, and what we do.

My guest, Michelle Nietert, agrees! Michelle is a licensed professional counselor, Christian life coach, and co-author of a new book, Make Up Your Mind. Michelle is passionate about helping people use God's Word to fight the battle of our minds and thoughts.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How to reframe your thoughts throughout the day
• The power of simple square breathing
• The unhealthy mindsets you may be carrying
• And so much more

This episode is full of wonderful encouragement and truth, and I hope you enjoy it!

Show Notes: https://jillsavage.org/michelle-nietert-120

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

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• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
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Has your life gone precisely as you would have chosen? In one way or another, we all would probably answer that question with a resounding “no.” It’s no secret that life can be unpredictable. The plans we dream about and make don’t always become our realities. When that happens, we can feel let down, disappointed, and lost.

My guest, Kristen Clark, understands this better than most people. She believes joy does not come from getting the life you always dreamed of. Instead, it comes from trusting God with the life He has for you and believing that His plans truly are good.

Kristen and her sister, Bethany Beal, are the founders of Girl Defined Ministries. They are also the authors of several books, including Girl Defined: God’s Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity, and their most recent book, Not Part of the Plan: Trusting God with the Twists and Turns of Your Story.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Kristen’s journey walking through several miscarriages, unexplained infertility, and overcoming expectations around adoption
• Why it is important to have a clear understanding of God’s character
• The danger and disappointments of expectations
• How we can trust God with the future
• And more!

I loved talking with Kristen, and this conversation is such an important one. Listen in!

Show Notes: https://jillsavage.org/kristen-clark-119

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

Marriage Resources:

• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
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• For Marriages Where You’re the Only One Wanting to Get Help

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Today, we are talking about a subject many of us struggle with in one way or another—boundaries. We ask ourselves: Is it unloving or selfish to set a boundary? As Christians, aren’t we called to be long-suffering and grace-giving? If you’ve ever wrestled with these questions and wondered how a boundary fits into your life or your Christian faith, this episode is for you.

My guest today has wrestled with these questions herself during her own relational struggles. After many hours of study (and literally writing the book on boundaries!), she is committed to loving people well without compromising her own well-being. My guest, Lysa TerKeurst, is the president of Proverbs31 Ministries and a New York Times bestselling author. Her latest book is all about boundaries and is titled Good Boundaries and Goodbyes.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The connection between therapy and theology
• Biblical references to placing boundaries in our lives
• Some of the biggest mistakes we tend to make when it comes to boundaries
• And so much more!

This conversation was so fun and full of wisdom. I’m praying you’ll benefit from it!

Show Notes:  https://jillsavage.org/lysa-terkeurst-118

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

Marriage Resources:

• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
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• For Marriages Where You’re the Only One Wanting to Get Help

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Here in "No More Perfect" land, we talk a lot about the many different relationships in life—marriage, parenting, friendships, and even extended family relationships. However, we have never had an episode where we talk about our relationship with ourselves (until today!). As women, we are bombarded with messaging that tells us that we should be confident with very little information on how to actually do it. Thankfully, my guest today is changing that!

Nicole Kalil is a speaker, leadership strategist, and coach who specializes in helping women build internal trust and reclaim confidence. She believes confidence is built from the inside out as we learn to trust ourselves and who we are meant to be.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The connection between your relationship with God and confidence
• The most common confidence derailers
• How to start building confidence
• And more!

I really enjoyed this conversation, and I'm praying it is an encouragement to you today.

Show Notes: https://jillsavage.org/nicole-kalil-117

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

Marriage Resources:

• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
• For Hurting Marriages
• For Marriages Where You’re the Only One Wanting to Get Help

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Welcome to another bonus episode of the No More Perfect Podcast! We like to bring you some extra podcast goodness every once in a while that's quick to listen to and helpful for your life. Just to say thank you!

Do you ever look back at a situation in the past and think, I wish I would have handled that differently? Or do you ever get frustrated with yourself for repeating patterns you've struggled with throughout your life?

Today, Mark is joining me to talk about what it looks like to give yourself the grace of growth. The reality is that you're a different person than you were yesterday, one year ago, twenty years ago, etc. That means that you can forgive yourself for your past, embrace who you are now, and leave shame behind.

We hope this bonus episode is a support to you this week!

Show Notes: https://jillsavage.org/give-grace-growth/

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

Marriage Resources:

• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
• For Hurting Marriages
• For Marriages Where You’re the Only One Wanting to Get Help

Mom Resources:

• New/Preschool Moms
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• Empty Nest...

It's no secret that I love to read! I often share what I'm reading on social media, I love to read before bed, and I usually can get through a few books while on vacation. A love of reading can come naturally, but it can also be nurtured and developed at home. No matter your children's ages, as a parent, you are the best person to help them learn and develop a love for books.

My guest today firmly believes that a love of reading starts at home. Sarah Mackenzie has made it her mission to help families create meaningful connections through reading books. She is the author of The Read-Aloud Family and Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace. She is also the host of the Read-Aloud Revival Podcast.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• 5 tips on how to create a habit of reading in your home
• How to start reading with your pre-teen and teenage children
• The benefits of reading aloud with your children
• And more!

No matter your relationship with reading, I pray that this episode is an encouragement to you today!

Show Notes:  https://jillsavage.org/sarah-mackenzie-116

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

Marriage Resources:

• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
• For Hurting Marriages
• For Marriages Where You’re the Only One Wanting to Get Help

Mom Resources:

• New/Preschool Moms
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• Empty Nest...

Welcome back to another episode of the No More Perfect Podcast! Have you ever struggled to find close girlfriends? Do relationships with your guy friends seem much less complicated? Or have you always felt on the outside of girlfriend groups? If so, then this episode is for you!

If you’ve read any of my books, you know that I was a latecomer to the world of having close friends (can you relate?). I talk about this a lot in my book Better Together, which is all about making friends. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I finally met my group of girlfriends. Those three friends and I have maintained our relationship through the years, but it has taken intentional effort on all our parts. I want to share a conversation all four of us had on our most recent girls’ trip where e talked about what it takes to make and keep friendships. I hope it will encourage you today!

Show Notes:  https://jillsavage.org/keeping-friends-115

You're invited to our Transform Weekend October 24-26, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Check out our other resources:

• Mark and Jill’s Marriage Story
• Marriage Coaching
• Marriage 2.0 Intensives
• Speaking Schedule
• Book Mark and Jill to Speak
• Online Courses
• Books

Marriage Resources:

• Infidelity Recovery
• For Happy Marriages
• For Hurting Marriages
• For Marriages Where You’re the Only One Wanting to Get Help

Mom Resources:

• New/Preschool Moms
• Moms with Gradeschoolers
• Moms with Teens and Tweens
• Moms with Kids Who Are Launching
• Empty Nest...