Never Perfect Faith

I am a psychologist, wife and mother of three teenagers. Three years ago I started a mental health podcast, called Never Perfect with an ADHD psychologist . It comforts me greatly to know that life is never going to be perfect, and we all struggle navigating this complicated life. As a Christian, my faith is one of my biggest struggles but it gives me more hope and peace than anything else. Being still and tapping into the unseen may be the most important thing we ever do, yet is one of my biggest challenges in life, Christians should be the most humble, compassionate and loving people, if they are modeling their lives after Jesus, and yet many aren’t. So many people are understandably turned off by Christians who are judging, self-righteous, or cold ( some call these people “assholes” and wonder if they’re actually Christians), and I am personally sad and angry about this, because Jesus was none of these things. Other people won’t crack open the Bible or the doors of the church, and many have misconceptions about what faith is or what it looks like. In this podcast, I will be interviewing people who are real and relatable Christians who represent Jesus well (in my opinion) and also sharing things that have inspired me and strengthened my faith and spark flames in my soul, from verses, passages, or stories to interviews with pastors, friends, and just anyone who inspires me to greater faith.  Music By Nate Capecchi Editing By Brock Rustand

  1. FEB 20

    When Faith Falls Apart: Dark Nights, Doubt & Finding God Again with Doug Lynam

    In this deeply honest episode of Never Perfect Faith, Dr. Beth sits down with Doug Lynam, a former Marine, former monk, financial advisor, and spiritual thinker—to talk about doubt, deconstruction, spiritual trauma, and rebuilding faith from the ground up. Doug shares his journey from evangelical Christianity to agnosticism, from the Marines to 20 years in a Catholic monastery—and the painful unraveling that followed. Together, Dr. Beth and Doug explore unhealthy or toxic Christianity, spiritual ego, tribalism, and why faith must mature beyond rigid rule-following if it’s going to survive real life. They also talk about the dark night of the soul, projection, judgment, grace, and how spiritual growth often follows the pattern: order → disorder → reorder. This conversation is thoughtful, vulnerable, and refreshingly nuanced. In this episode, you’ll learn How spiritual trauma and abuse can distort our image of God What “sin” originally meant—and why that’s actually hopeful How we project our parental wounds onto God The difference between tribal religion and mature spirituality Why deconstruction doesn’t have to mean abandoning faith How prayer, nature, contemplation, and gratitude can reconnect us What it means to move from believing in God “out there” to experiencing God “within” If you’ve ever felt disillusioned by Christians… hurt by the church… or confused by your own doubts, this episode is a reminder that faith isn’t about perfection, performance, or pretending certainty. It’s a journey.And sometimes falling apart is the most faithful step forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 3m
  2. FEB 10

    On Final Approach: Contemplation, Calling, and a Faith That Endures with Dick Crotteau

    What happens when you pray for years without an answer—and then God responds over lunch? In this episode of Never Perfect Faith, an unplanned Saturday morning hospital visit turns into a deeply meaningful conversation with Dick Crotteau—a beloved friend, Air Force veteran, husband, father, and man of deep faith. Recovering from strokes and surgery, Dick shares stories from nearly 85 years of life, reflecting on what he calls his “final approach,” a term drawn from his Air Force days that now carries profound meaning in this later chapter of life. You’ll hear about decades of service with adoption ministries like Bethany Christian Services, an unexpected calling into prison ministry, and mentoring a man released after 27 years in prison with nothing but a single box and a hopeful smile. Dick also shares his love of contemplation, the practice of slowing down, noticing God’s presence in creation, and even using the stars to navigate—a beautiful metaphor for how faith can guide us when we take the time to look up. In this episode, you’ll learn: How faith and service can unfold in unexpected ways. The quiet power of stillness, reflection, and noticing God in everyday life. That wisdom, purpose, and spiritual growth can deepen with age. Why the most meaningful conversations often happen in imperfect, unplanned moments. This episode is a reminder that God invites us into love, service, and presence in many ways—sometimes through action, sometimes through silence, and sometimes simply by being together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    21 min
  3. 12/23/2025

    A Life of Imperfect Faith: Remembering Jack Muller (Dr. Beth’s father)

    Dr. Beth’s father Dr. Jack Muller (retired professor of sociology) passed away in August 2025, leaving behind a legacy of "imperfect faith" that touched everyone from college students to inmates at Walker State Prison to the elderly at Thrive at Brow Wood. In this heartfelt and humor-filled episode of Never Perfect Faith, we sit down with two of “Diamond Jack’s” closest friends and colleagues: Dr. Ray Clark (professor and minister) and Dr. Ed Salter (minister). Together, they reflect on the life of a man who devoted his life to teaching and encouraging his students at a Covenant College, but after his retirement, he found ways to use his gifts of faithfulness and encouragement to serve his community in various ways. He wanted to spend his entire life, even when he was physically unwell, serving his Lord and Savior and loving God’s people, whether it was mentoring prisoners, co-facilitating a support group at a nursing home, calling to check on friends who were sick or grieving, and being known as the cookie man. He even brought meals to people in his late 70s, even though his culinary skills were not his strong point. Ray and Ed share intimate (and often hilarious) stories that paint a portrait of a man who was as frugal as he was generous, and as witty as he was humble. Join us as we celebrate a life of someone who was changed by God’s love which is “ so amazing, so divine, it demands my soul, my life, my all.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    51 min
  4. 11/18/2025

    Killing my Cuba with Lilli Meier

    About a year ago, Dr. Beth’s father  took her to hear Lilli Meier speak at the Thrive Senior Living community on Lookout Mountain, GA, where he volunteered up until the time of his death August 25, 2025.  He suggested that Beth interview her to hear about her story and her book….so this is the culmination of his sweet suggestion. Lilli was born in Cuba in 1949, which she describes as an idyllic paradise before Fidel Castro took over and imposed a totalitarian system on this beautiful country. Lilli shares about her trauma and grief she had to endure when school-aged kids were forced to do a morning chant every day, “We are pioneers for Communicatism and we will all be Chegavada.” She adds,  “Our family had a hard time for a long time and Catholicism felt robotic.” She and her family left her beloved country in 1961 to go to America and she wasn’t able to return for a visit until 2008.  She said “America will always be the beacon of freedom.” Lilli shares how her faith sustained her through all of this, saying, “ I found my freedom in Christ.” She adds,  “God takes a lot from us sometimes and we have to hold on to him. “ To order her book CLICK HERE Listen to this episode and more: ⁠⁠⁠neverperfect.org⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on instagram ⁠⁠⁠@neverperfectpodcast⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: ⁠⁠⁠neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    59 min
  5. 03/28/2025

    When Words Don’t Suffice: Knowledge too Wonderful

    Today’s episode is dedicated to Pastor Roger Gulick, who passed away March 21. He left a wonderful legacy which you can hear about on the last episode which was published February 13. Today Beth shares her journey of faith and her frequent struggle to tune into God and His Word, oftentimes going through the motions in a rote way, because she wants others to learn from her regrets and missed opportunities of knowing God and engaging with him in a deeper way. She encourages the listeners to find creative ways to engage with God and scripture, using their own unique minds and learning styles, whether that be through studying Scripture, creating art or poetry that represents biblical truths, Bible Studies, topical studies, etc. she emphasizes the importance of the Holy Spirit as a “tutor “or “illuminator” of Scripture. She shares strategies she has discovered to study the Bible in a more engaging an interactive way. see below for links to Bible Gateway and to some of the books Beth mentioned. See below for links to Bible Gateway and to some of the books Beth mentioned. Bible Gateway HERE Also, If you’d like to check out, Laura Pettit’s art, her website HERE    Instagram is @Laurapettitfineart Bible study on Philippians HERE Daily devotional HERE Listen to this episode and more: neverperfect.org Follow us on instagram @neverperfectpodcast Please rate and review this podcast. Send us an email with any feedback or requests: neverperfectbeth@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min
5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

I am a psychologist, wife and mother of three teenagers. Three years ago I started a mental health podcast, called Never Perfect with an ADHD psychologist . It comforts me greatly to know that life is never going to be perfect, and we all struggle navigating this complicated life. As a Christian, my faith is one of my biggest struggles but it gives me more hope and peace than anything else. Being still and tapping into the unseen may be the most important thing we ever do, yet is one of my biggest challenges in life, Christians should be the most humble, compassionate and loving people, if they are modeling their lives after Jesus, and yet many aren’t. So many people are understandably turned off by Christians who are judging, self-righteous, or cold ( some call these people “assholes” and wonder if they’re actually Christians), and I am personally sad and angry about this, because Jesus was none of these things. Other people won’t crack open the Bible or the doors of the church, and many have misconceptions about what faith is or what it looks like. In this podcast, I will be interviewing people who are real and relatable Christians who represent Jesus well (in my opinion) and also sharing things that have inspired me and strengthened my faith and spark flames in my soul, from verses, passages, or stories to interviews with pastors, friends, and just anyone who inspires me to greater faith.  Music By Nate Capecchi Editing By Brock Rustand

More From NEVER PERFECT NETWORK