No More Perfect Podcast with Jill Savage

We’re back for another special conversation, this time about the topic of accountability. When most people think of accountability, they imagine someone asking them tough questions—almost like it’s a police interrogation and they’re in the hot seat. The problem with that mindset is, if the other person doesn’t ask us the “right” questions, then we think we’re off the hook. We don’t have to offer u...

Whether you are experiencing a prolonged period of stress or just having a bad day, everyone experiences times of emotional strain. Our jobs can often overwhelm us with pressure-filled deadlines. Our family budget may be tight, which causes us to worry about making ends meet. Sometimes, our family relationships are tense and filled with conflict—whether that be with our spouse or extended family....

If you’re listening on the day this releases, then tomorrow (6/25/2025) is our 42nd wedding anniversary! We can’t believe that it’s already been more than four decades since we walked down the aisle to say our “I do’s”.  Would you believe that our first big argument occurred on our honeymoon? We had a lot of good times in those early years, but they were also the beginning of some recurring confli...

An estimated 100 million people in the United States have some sort of “step” relationship. This could be a stepchild, a stepparent, or even a stepsibling. These relationships are often part of what’s known as a “blended” family, where individuals come together from previous relationships to form a new, unique family unit. Blended families face many challenges and difficulties that other families...

We are doing another episode to answer your questions! Last time we did this, a listener asked to hear more about “Jill 1.0”. For this conversation, we have received a question for Mark! Here’s the message that came in via email: Dear Mark, I listen to every episode that you and Jill put out there. In one of the episodes, you described a “chaos” going on inside your brain and how you’ve experience...

If you’re familiar with the journey Mark and I have walked together, then you know that I spent a year “standing for my marriage” while Mark had an affair and separated. ( You can explore more about our story here. ) It was the darkest season of my life—and also the season that produced the most personal, emotional, and spiritual growth I’ve ever experienced. My guest for this conversation has a s...

Over the years, we’ve had our fair share of expectations that ended in disappointment—sometimes around big moments like birthdays, and other times over something as simple as how we spend a Saturday. It’s taken us a while to discover that what caused many of these conflicts was a lack of proactive communication, or as we like to say, a failure to “push information.” Pushing information is simply t...

Every marriage is an ongoing story with its own highs and lows, joys and difficulties. Depending on which season we are in, we may start to see marriage as the best thing that has ever happened to us or the source of our angst.  If you’ve been following our journey for a while, you know that my husband Mark and I share openly about the struggles as well as the victories in our marriage. God has us...

©2025 FamilyLife. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission. If we’re being completely honest, many of us enter into marriage with stars in our eyes and the hope that our spouse will live up to our every expectation. Isn’t it funny how we can spend months preparing every last detail for our marriage ceremony—yet we spend little, if any, time preparing our mindsets for what our marriage will actual...

Have you heard some variation of this before?  “ Marriage is hard. It’s unfair. One of you will always pull more weight. Marriage doesn’t make you happy; it makes you miserable. ”  I'd like to push back against that pessimistic mindset. Yes, it’s true that marriage can be challenging—but it can also be one of the greatest relationships you will experience! Marriage is certainly not easy, but...

When a loved one hurts, it can be hard to know how to respond and support them through the crisis or pain they feel. Our first response is often to jump straight into “fix it” mode or lighten the mood by offering platitudes. However, the key to true comfort lies in a few key areas that Mark and I are going to talk about in this conversation. In our story, we’ve had quite the journey of learning ho...

If you know my husband Mark and I, then you know we are passionate about moving people from a 1.0 version of themselves to a new-and-improved 2.0 version. We’ve taken this journey ourselves and know the difference it can make in your relationships, as well as how you view yourself. We want you to know that whether you are navigating a life transition, experiencing a relationship crisis, trying to...

Everyone has baggage. We carry it around with us everywhere–into marriage, adulthood, and every aspect of our lives. It’s part of being human, and while there’s no shame in having baggage, it’s important to take the time to consider how the behaviors we’ve picked up over the years could be potentially harmful to ourselves and others. The question we are addressing in today’s conversation is: how d...

What does your morning routine look like? A typical morning may look like rolling out of bed, getting ready, and grabbing breakfast to feed your body before you tackle the day. But how often do you prioritize feeding your soul as well as your physical body? My guest for this conversation discovered that there is no better way to start her day than by sitting with Jesus. Tera Elness is a writer and...

Have you ever had a conversation where it seemed like you and the other person kept misunderstanding one another? At some point, it may have even felt like you were speaking two different languages. This is a challenge that pops up in many marriages—after all, there’s a reason why people say men and women could be from different planets! Teaching others how to have safe conversations is a passion...

Dear Mark & Jill, I listen to your podcast every week and I love it. It seems like when you are talking together, we hear a lot more about what Mark did wrong before and during your marriage crisis. I identify more with Jill’s personality before your marriage crisis. I would love to hear more about “Jill 1.0” when you are discussing problems in your marriage. What were some of the things you (...

As a coach, one of the things I do most often is help people learn how to manage their emotions in a healthy way. The human capacity to feel is God-given. However, when our feelings go unchecked, that’s when emotional ups and downs can start to steal our peace, sabotage our relationships, and fill our minds with self-defeating thoughts. So how can we manage our emotions instead of letting them man...

Mark and I are excited to bring you another special episode with just the two of us! In this conversation, we are talking about confirmation bias. It’s something we have experienced in our own relationship and we see it time and time again in the couples we coach. Confirmation bias occurs when we look for evidence that “proves” what we have already decided to believe about ourselves or others. It’...

As Christian parents, we do our very best to help our kids develop deep and lasting relationships with Jesus. However, despite our efforts, they will sometimes still choose to walk away from their faith. If you’re navigating this struggle with your own child, I want you to know that you are not alone and that this episode is for you . Many parents are experiencing the pain of watching their childr...

The topic of this episode was inspired by a question submitted by one of our listeners: What does it take to heal a family after trust has been broken? How do you acknowledge the wider influence of pain, and where do you go from there? As marriage coaches, we often talk about healing your relationship with your spouse. However, after a betrayal, your husband or wife isn’t the only person you need...

One of the things we say time and time again is that the “perfection infection” happens when we compare our insides to other people’s outsides. When we do this, we often come up with inaccurate conclusions about ourselves AND others. Falling into the trap of the perfection infection is especially easy when you’re on social media. Not only are your favorite influencers putting the best parts of the...

What is a “Midlife Marriage”? It’s the season of life that begins after the whirlwind of kids’ soccer practices, dance recitals, and endless extracurriculars comes to an end—when the nest is empty, and it’s just you and your spouse, rediscovering life together. As parents, it’s natural to focus all your energy on raising your children, and while this journey is so rewarding, it can take a lot out...

After 20 years of youth ministry, my son-in-law recently completed a much-needed, four-month sabbatical. It’s encouraging to see that, more and more, both employees and their employers are valuing the soul-satisfying, replenishing healing that comes with taking a break from your normal routine. God invites us to a weekly Sabbath, a one-day rest. My guest today agrees that Sabbath is important—and...

What role does prayer play in your marriage? For us, prayer has been a profoundly positive force in our lives—both as individuals and as a couple. When it comes to strengthening your marriage, there are many tools and strategies to explore, but prayer is one you simply can’t overlook. It’s a powerful way to invite God into your relationship and deepen your connection with one another. This is an e...

Have you ever felt out of sync with your spouse? Some days it can feel like you are on two different planets and you just can’t seem to get on the same page. Our guests for this episode can relate! They are the authors of The Rhythm of Us and co-hosts of a podcast by the same name. Chris and Jenni Graebe understand the ups and downs of marriage and are passionate about helping married couples step...