Story & Lesson Highlights with Brooke Butterworth of Atlanta

Brooke Butterworth shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Brooke, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Brooke laughs softly, wrapping her hands around a mug of coffee. “Well, it usually starts with a big ol’ cup of coffee and my dog,” she says with a grin. “Then I jump right into whatever auditions I have for the day and check in with the freelancers I’m currently hiring or producing with through Butterworth Media. Once that’s handled, I’m answering my fitness clients’ questions and heading to the gym myself.”

She pauses thoughtfully, her eyes bright. “The rest of the day honestly depends on what adventures God has for me which varies besides making sure I read some scripture — sometimes it’s shooting on location, sometimes it’s remote work from home, or heading to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class or mma class before going to church. I really love the community I’ve built here in Atlanta. It’s full of creativity, faith, and passion — everything I could ask for. I also love Youtube so I’m either posting or watching some videos.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
“Sure! I’m first and foremost a professional actress — that’s been my heart and my craft for over twelve years now. I actually started acting on YouTube, back when people were just beginning to post short films online. I became a YouTube Partner, started creating my own projects, and eventually went on to study film in college. Since then, I’ve acted in over fifty professional films and commercials, and I’m currently represented by two wonderful agents.”

She leans forward, her enthusiasm unmistakable. “I’ve been blessed to win a few film festival awards and to tell stories that really mean something. I just wrapped a project called To the Love I Never Had, which I wrote, produced, and acted in. It’s a story really close to my heart — soulful and redemptive — and it’s exactly the kind of work I want to keep creating.”

“Here in Atlanta, we recently launched Butterworth Media, a creative company focused on producing life-giving and purpose-driven projects. I love this city — it’s brimming with art, talent, and heart — and I want to help build that up even more.”

Her tone softens. “Outside of film, I also run a Christian fitness company that was born from something very personal. After my dad passed away, I felt called to help people live longer, healthier lives — not out of vanity, but out of worship. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and taking care of them is an act of honoring God. We teach Christian fitness and mindset coaching to help people grow in self-discipline, faith, and health so they can live longer for their families, their missions, and the unique callings God has placed on their lives.”

She smiles again, sincere and grounded. “So really, everything I do — whether it’s in film, media, or fitness — comes back to that same mission: to tell stories and build spaces that give life, hope, and meaning.”

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
“I remember being in an acting class… So I was in an acting class, and I was a really sheltered kid. I really saw the world in black and white, and an acting teacher said, ‘You can’t play perfect characters. And if you don’t understand a character, and you don’t agree with their choices, that’s okay — you’re not playing yourself.’

“And then they said, ‘On your worst day, do you really think you would never cuss or curse? On your worst day, if the worst things you could possibly imagine happen, do you really think you wouldn’t yell at the Lord or forsake His name? Think about people on their worst days, in the worst situations, the worst circumstances. You’re imitating the heights and depths of life. Acting isn’t portraying people on their mundane days — most of the time, it’s their highest and lowest moments. So you can’t expect to play perfect characters.’”

She pauses, nodding slightly. “Likewise, if you look at life objectively, you are never perfect, you’ll never be perfect. So I think from that acting teacher, I really learned to empathize with people who aren’t like myself. And that’s carried me through life. I really seek to understand people first instead of judging them.”

“I think I was a really judgmental person going into college before becoming a really open-minded actor — and then an open-minded Christian. I have a lot of friends who don’t share any sort of religious beliefs close to mine, and it’s important to me that I not only respect people’s points of view, but really try to understand them. Especially if I’m going to act as a character who doesn’t share my personal beliefs.”

She leans back, her expression soft but sure. “Life isn’t black and white. Policies, rules — nothing is. Even Jesus looked at people’s hearts, not just their actions. The people who did that were the Pharisees, not Jesus. The Pharisees and religious leaders — they’re the ones who judged goodness by acts. But Jesus looks at the heart, and we are covered by His blood, which is the only reason we have any right to even approach Him with honesty.”

Her voice grows tender. “It’s my utmost honor to serve a God who said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength — and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. Do we truly love our neighbors? Do we truly do that? I think acting has helped me do that.”

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Brooke takes a deep, grounding breath, her expression shifting from lighthearted to deeply thoughtful. “Honestly, the defining wounds of my life came from seasons where I placed my worth in all the wrong things—achievement, appearance, approval—instead of the unshakable truth of who I was in Christ. For years, I battled exhausting cycles of burnout, struggled with body image, and felt that constant, crushing pressure to ‘do more’ to feel like I was finally enough.”

She leans forward slightly, her voice earnest. “My healing didn’t happen overnight, and it certainly wasn’t a solo journey. It came through radical surrender—through letting God rebuild me from the inside out and surrounding myself with a community of likeminded professionals. And that, truly, is how Faithformed was born. I realized that true transformation—the kind that lasts—starts in the spirit and in the mind before it ever shows up in the body.”

“Through what we now call the Faithformed Method,” she continues, a passionate conviction entering her tone, “I began integrating Scripture, mindset renewal, and science-backed fitness training to create a rhythm that honored both my physical health and my spiritual life. It taught me how to treat my body as a temple, not a project—and to pursue progress, not perfection. God took those very wounds that once broke me and turned them into my mission: to help others find the same freedom and unshakable confidence in Him—to become strong in body, sound in mind, and rooted in an unshakable faith that lasts longer for their God-given missions in life.”

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Brooke pauses, her gaze becoming distant and deeply thoughtful, as if reflecting on a truth much larger than herself. “The belief that underpins everything I do—my acting, Butterworth Media, and Faithformed—is the core context of the entire Bible: God’s pursuit of us.”

“Honestly, I want people to know that the whole story is about God continually making a way back to Him. It’s the story of us not choosing Him and Him pursuing us anyway, giving us free will so we can choose to love Him—not be robots. He is fundamentally a God of consent.”

“That historical and spiritual context shows us God’s relentless love and grace. It brings to mind that famous anecdote, often attributed to C.S. Lewis, who was walking through a deans and professors meeting… perhaps at Oxford? I’m not remembering every detail, but it was said the professors there, who were all having a very hearty debate about the differences between Christianity and all other religions, stopped him and asked, ‘What makes Christianity different?’ I believe the story goes that the debate had been happening for quite a while, which makes his simple answer more entertaining.”

“It goes to say that He paused for a moment, asked to define the difference between Christianity and all other religions. His immediate answer was simply, ‘Grace.’ And that’s that! There was no elaboration on the day, so the story goes, although he expands on it in his phenomenal writings. Basically, I want everyone to know they are loved by God—freely! It’s not about earning it; it’s about accepting the unmerited favor that has already been offered. That message of grace changes absolutely everything.”

“So, I guess that would be my project for every day: living for all humans to hear that from me, if anything. For Christians specifically, though… that belief is why I’m absolutely committed to the project of Faithformed for the rest of my life. My mission is to redeem the fitness industry by focusing it for Christians specifically to be focused for Christ. Faith + Science = Redeemed Fitness. Grace is the key.”

“Meaning, we could just guess all day long at what workout is best, but science—which I believe is the study of God’s creation—and God (in the book of John) being called Logos, the name for Logic itself, makes it very clear that we should be logical. We use science-backed training and proven methods to train sustainably and safely (which is key), not based off fads or restrictive dieting, but training smart. We teach that physical health is an act of worship—a way to honor the temple of the Holy Spirit, not a vanity metric.”

“When a believer sees their body as made in His image, yes, but also a powerful, God-given tool to be disciplined, honored, kept healthy so we live longer for our unique missions, and used for His glory, living healthier and happier physically—that’s when real healing begins. That’s the commitment… all because of the grace of Jesus. A gift, a good news that we didn’t earn—it was freely given to us!”

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
“I hope the story people tell about me isn’t about the number of films I booked or the awards I won—though I’m grateful for those experiences. I hope they say that Brooke was a woman who was relentlessly obedient to her calling and who lived by grace and loved people fiercely. Maybe also that she didn’t preach perfection, that I helped people find freedom and longevity so they could live out their life to the fullest.”

“But above all, I hope they say that I embodied the belief that I took the broken things in my life and allowed God to redeem them.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.faithformedapp.com/faithformed
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookebutterworthofficial/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ButterworthMedia