In an era of victimhood, Ainsley Earhardt, a co-host of “Fox & Friends” on Fox News, personifies grit, grace, and gratitude — and is a role model to many.

Earhardt (shown above, reading her children’s book, “Take My Heart, My Child” to her daughter, Hayden) has a non-combative style, a friendly smile, and firm grasp of not only the latest political news but its relevance to daily life.

Close

That’s a refreshing antidote to the anti-Trump snark the other cable news networks serve up on a regular basis, and viewers appreciate that. It’s paying dividends for Fox News, too.

In Nielsen ratings for July, “Fox & Friends” beat the competition with an average of 1.46 million total viewers. “Morning Joe” on rival network MSNBC came in second with 1.04 million total viewers, while CNN’s “New Day” took third place with 504,000 total viewers, according to Mediaite.

Since Earhardt joined the morning show in early 2016, ratings have climbed steadily from 1.1 million viewers.

It’s safe to say her sunny disposition and easy manner have played a role in the show’s success.

So has her faith, she is quick to point out in a feature in this month’s Elle magazine.

Her third book, “The Light Within Me: An Inspirational Memoir,” about the role faith has played in her life, was released in April, and she shared some thoughts on God’s importance in her life.

“I’m blessed to have written a book about faith that’s become a number-six New York Times best-seller,” she told a crowd at a Northvale, New Jersey, bookstore reading recently, as Elle reported.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

“But it’s not about me; it’s about God.” She said she hopes her story “will help change people’s lives.”

The crowd responded to her positivity and honesty. “She’s such a role model for women and moms, for people who want to put their faith out there,” said fan Donna Chiappa, who attended the event with her daughter. “It’s hard to be a Christian these days.”

Each chapter of Earhardt’s new book begins with a passage from Scripture, and for chapter eight, “Fox News Comes Calling,” it is Psalm 37:4: “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

President Donald Trump is a fan. He tweeted in early May that Earhardt — “a truly great person,” as he called her — “just wrote a wonderful book, ‘The Light Within Me,’ which is doing really well … Bring it to number one!”

Despite her strong faith, Earhardt, 41, has also experienced her share of heartbreak, including a divorce and a miscarriage. Currently she juggles mothering her toddler daughter Hayden, her full-time career, and tending to her own mother, who suffered a stroke recently.

The nonjudgmental Earhardt doesn’t have time for bitterness, however. And her success did not come overnight.

“I do want everyone to be happy and safe. I want to contribute. But I try not to focus too much on the negative.”

After graduating from college, the South Carolina native worked as a general assignment reporter in that state, followed by a stint at the CBS affiliate in San Antonio, Texas.

In 2005, she landed at Fox News in New York City.

“All I could think was how did I get here?” she writes in her book of sitting in Roger Ailes’ office overlooking Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan. “It had to be God,” she noted, according to Elle.

In June of 2017, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump sat down with Earhardt in their first joint interview after the election. That same month, Earhardt also interviewed first daughter Ivanka Trump. To date, President Trump has appeared on “Fox & Friends” four times.

Related: Look Who Gave a Tearful and Touching Goodbye to ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’

Earhardt is grateful for all that she has.

“Honestly, I just love my life,” she told Elle. “I have my dream job. I have this wonderful schedule where I work full-time and also get to be a full-time mom. All I really worry about is my little world. I do want everyone to be happy and safe. I want to contribute. But I try not to focus too much on the negative.”

She also said this: “If God tells me to write another book, then I will. Though I hope He doesn’t for a little while. I just really want to spend some time with my daughter, maybe go on a vacation.”

See Earhardt talk about her book in the video below.

Elizabeth Economou is a former CNBC staff writer and adjunct professor. Follow her on Twitter.