Best known for his role as Brick Heck on the hit NBC show The Middle, actor and YouTuber Atticus Shaffer shares the profound lessons learned from living with the chronic pain and the medical challenges of osteogenesis imperfecta. He also reflects on his moving caretaking journey, discussing the role reversal of supporting his mother through her own health struggles and how their shared hardships deepened his capacity for compassion.

Later, we speak with content creator Ariel Fitz-Patrick. Raised in a strict, rule-bound home, Ariel grew up hiding her mistakes out of shame. As an adult, she learned to run toward God instead of away, transforming her perspective on grace. Today, she leverages her social media platform to promote a healthy lifestyle for Gen Z.

 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview:Lisa Harper

Upcoming interview: Bill and Gloria Gaither

Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season

 

Atticus Shaffer 

osteogenesis imperfecta

The Class

The Middle

AtticusShafferVlog

 

Ariel Fitz-Patrick

Imma See for Myself

 

Interview Quotes:

“There are many times in this life where God does not give a direct answer immediately. Sometimes He doesn’t give a direct answer at all. But we as Christ followers are in need of still pursuing the upward call of Christ, despite what we may or may not understand, because we need to remember who God is and who His character is.” - Atticus Shaffer

“My respect for [my mom] as a nurturer, as a caretaker, and quite frankly, that of those who truly and genuinely are caretakers and have a nurturing spirit within them, has only quadrupled because of the work and the care and the dedication and the love that is truly had.” - Atticus Shaffer 

“I’m very grateful for all of the different things that I have been able to do in my life thus far, namely The Middle, and being able to be one of the leads on a now going-down-in-history family sitcom.” - Atticus Shaffer 

“I’m realizing every step of the way is important in developing who I am, my strength, and how I will be able to deal with the opportunities coming my way—making sure I don’t compromise, making sure that I know who I was before I even got on social media. It was all so necessary.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick 

“It’s always been important to me, especially when I became a young adult, to humanize the Christian walk. Because the way I grew up, there’s this disconnect with reality.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick

“Most of us know the message of forgiveness—you go to God, you confess your sins, He forgives you. But then we end up in this loop sometimes of being repeat offenders. And it’s kind of like, Well, if I’m a repeat offender, I can’t just keep going back to God because now He’s mad at me. And I think that’s what’s missing in so many of our walks. There’s nothing perfect about humans. The only thing that makes us perfect is when we are fully in Christ.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick 

“I think it’s important for me, and creatives like me, to use our imaginations to paint the picture that the Bible is singing, because not everybody’s going to pick up [the Bible]. So I think that’s the importance of using social media and imagination and creativity to reach the generation that’s here now.” - Ariel Fitz-Patrick

________________________

Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!

Audio Interviews: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 

Video Interviews: https://bit.ly/4f79RAW 

Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx 

Scripture Series: https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU 

Celebrity Readings: https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ 

Video Devotionals: https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb 

Sleep Meditations: https://bit.ly/4w0xu37 
Shorts: https://bit.ly/3RHFubh 

________________________ 

Connect with Jesus Calling

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

YouTube

Website

TikTok

Best known for his role as Brick Heck on the hit NBC show The Middle, actor and YouTuber <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2557831/">Atticus Shaffer</a> shares the profound lessons learned from living with the chronic pain and the medical challenges of <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/osteogenesis-imperfecta">osteogenesis imperfecta</a>. He also reflects on his moving caretaking journey, discussing the role reversal of supporting his mother through her own health struggles and how their shared hardships deepened his capacity for compassion.
Later, we speak with content creator <a href="https://www.arielfitzpatrick.com/">Ariel Fitz-Patrick</a>. Raised in a strict, rule-bound home, Ariel grew up hiding her mistakes out of shame. As an adult, she learned to run toward God instead of away, transforming her perspective on grace. Today, she leverages her social media platform to promote a healthy lifestyle for Gen Z.
&nbsp;
Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/">Jesus Calling Podcast</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/">Jesus Calling</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/jesus-always/">Jesus Always</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/books/jesus-listens/">Jesus Listens</a>
Past interview: <a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/theres-hope-in-the-residue-of-our-heartache-lisa-harper-richard-gamble/">Lisa Harper</a>
Upcoming interview: <a href="https://gaither.com/">Bill and Gloria Gaither</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400254671?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback">Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season</a>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2557831/">Atticus Shaffer</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/osteogenesis-imperfecta">osteogenesis imperfecta</a>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2557831/">The Class</a>
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442464/">The Middle</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AtticusShafferVlog">AtticusShafferVlog</a>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.arielfitzpatrick.com/">Ariel Fitz-Patrick</a>
<a href="https://us.amazon.com/Imma-See-Myself-Stubborn-Trusting-ebook/dp/B0G4LWX56W">Imma See for Myself</a>
&nbsp;
Interview Quotes:
&ldquo;There are many times in this life where God does not give a direct answer immediately. Sometimes He doesn&rsquo;t give a direct answer at all. But we as Christ followers are in need of still pursuing the upward call of Christ, despite what we may or may not understand, because we need to remember who God is and who His character is.&rdquo; - Atticus Shaffer
&ldquo;My respect for [my mom] as a nurturer, as a caretaker, and quite frankly, that of those who truly and genuinely are caretakers and have a nurturing spirit within them, has only quadrupled because of the work and the care and the dedication and the love that is truly had.&rdquo; - Atticus Shaffer&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very grateful for all of the different things that I have been able to do in my life thus far, namely The Middle, and being able to be one of the leads on a now going-down-in-history family sitcom.&rdquo; - Atticus Shaffer&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m realizing every step of the way is important in developing who I am, my strength, and how I will be able to deal with the opportunities coming my way&mdash;making sure I don&rsquo;t compromise, making sure that I know who I was before I even got on social media. It was all so necessary.&rdquo; - Ariel Fitz-Patrick&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always been important to me, especially when I became a young adult, to humanize the Christian walk. Because the way I grew up, there&rsquo;s this disconnect with reality.&rdquo; - Ariel Fitz-Patrick
&ldquo;Most of us know the message of forgiveness&mdash;you go to God, you confess your sins, He forgives you. But then we end up in this loop sometimes of being repeat offenders. And it&rsquo;s kind of like, Well, if I&rsquo;m a repeat offender, I can&rsquo;t just keep going back to God because now He&rsquo;s mad at me. And I think that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s missing in so many of our walks. There&rsquo;s nothing perfect about humans. The only thing that makes us perfect is when we are fully in Christ.&rdquo; - Ariel Fitz-Patrick&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s important for me, and creatives like me, to use our imaginations to paint the picture that the Bible is singing, because not everybody&rsquo;s going to pick up [the Bible]. So I think that&rsquo;s the importance of using social media and imagination and creativity to reach the generation that&rsquo;s here now.&rdquo; - Ariel Fitz-Patrick
________________________
Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel!
Audio Interviews: <a href="https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7">https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7</a>&nbsp;
Video Interviews: <a href="https://bit.ly/4f79RAW">https://bit.ly/4f79RAW</a>&nbsp;
Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: <a href="https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx">https://bit.ly/4q5iTCx</a>&nbsp;
Scripture Series: <a href="https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU">https://bit.ly/4wAVGKU</a>&nbsp;
Celebrity Readings: <a href="https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ">https://bit.ly/4bIS5BJ</a>&nbsp;
Video Devotionals: <a href="https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb">https://bit.ly/4fG1kFb</a>&nbsp;
Sleep Meditations: <a href="https://bit.ly/4w0xu37">https://bit.ly/4w0xu37</a>&nbsp; Shorts: <a href="https://bit.ly/3RHFubh">https://bit.ly/3RHFubh</a>&nbsp;
________________________&nbsp;
Connect with Jesus Calling
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JesusCalling/">Facebook</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/Jesus_Calling">Twitter</a>
<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/Jesus_Calling/?eq=jesus%20calling&amp;etslf=5858">Pinterest</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/Jesuscallingbook?sub_confirmation=1">YouTube</a>
<a href="https://www.jesuscalling.com/">Website</a>
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jesuscalling?lang=en">TikTok</a>

Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.

Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.

Jesus Calling

Choosing Authenticity in a Curated World: Atticus Shaffer & Ariel Fitz-Patrick

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/c617436e-181a-4f89-84f7-b4c700ed1619/transcript