The Light of Faith Never Fades – The Tearful journey of Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt overcoming the ‘Storms’ of losing her husband and child, leaving the audience speechless!

Today’s guests help us see that even when life gets hard, we can keep going, knowing that God’s plans for us will always bring us exactly where we need to be: Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt and author Andy Andrews. Ainsley Earhardt is the co-anchor of Fox & Friends. Ainsley has a robust background in broadcast journalism. She recounts her journey up to network television, and tells us how she has been able to trace God’s hand through her life, and how her faith has sustained her during some of her darkest moments. Andy Andrews is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and consultant for the world’s most successful teams and fastest growing organizations. Andy encourages us to keep going, even when life gets hard, by using our imagination and trusting God’s timing to help us move toward the life God has planned for us.

Don’t Stop Now, God Has Plans for You: Ainsley Earhardt & Andy Andrews – Jesus Calling Episode #107

Narrator: Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast. Today’s guests help us see that even when life gets hard, we can keep going, knowing that God’s plans for us will always bring us exactly where we need to be–Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt and author Andy Andrews.

First up, we have Ainsley Earhardt, the co-anchor of Fox & Friends. Ainsley has a robust background in broadcast journalism. She recounts her journey up to network television, and tells us how she has been able to trace God’s hand through her life, and how her faith has sustained her during some of her darkest moments.

Ainsley Earhardt: My family still lives in South Carolina, and we grew up in a Christian home, going to church every Sunday. If we spent the night out, Mom and Dad picked us up and took us to church, or we went to church with that family.

I grew up in the public school systems in South Carolina, middle-class family. We cared about every dollar. We had to turn off the lights when we left the room. And some days I paid for my own gas money in high school. And some days I put in two dollars and seventy cents, just change from the ashtray in my car, just to make it to school. I hated asking my parents for money because I didn’t want to burden them. And I always had a job, had a job from middle school on. And so I used a lot of my own money.

I got a little bit of a scholarship to go to Florida State, out of state, and that was expensive tuition. I stayed there for two years. I changed my major. I was biology there and then transferred into the journalism school at the University of South Carolina. And that’s how I was introduced to broadcasting. Really, really enjoyed it. I grew up in the theater and grew up acting, and so this was an opportunity for me to still get a great education and be in front of the camera. So that’s how I ended up in television. And it was the best thing. And I knew right out of the gate, as soon as I transferred to the University of South Carolina, I was in the right spot.

My relationship with Jesus developed when I was in college. I was in a Bible study and still having a lot of fun on the weekends and sometimes during the week. And I just started to look at my life and slowed down a little bit, and hunkered down and started asking God to change my heart. And through this Bible study called Experiencing God, God used some of my Christian friends to model what He looked like and live the Christian example in my life. And so I wanted what they had.

“God used some of my Christian friends to model what He looked like and live the Christian example in my life. And so I wanted what they had.” – Ainsley Earhardt

I was at a fraternity party and looked around the room, and I just was sick of it. I was tired of living that life and I wanted more out of life, and I wanted to live for God.

Working Hard to Get Ahead 

So in broadcasting, you are going to start at the very bottom. And in school, I remember our teacher saying, “Do not walk into these job interviews and say you want to be the next news anchor. You have to start out as a reporter. You have to work the weekends. You have to work the long hours. You have to work the overnights.”

And so I did that for a long time. And in local news, I would see because I would work hard, because I would keep my head down, I wouldn’t complain, I rarely was in the boss’s office, and I just wanted to do the right thing and I always wanted to say ‘yes’. I wanted to be the one they called to go get the big story. So I tried to have a positive attitude and worked all the crazy hours.

Eventually I got a promotion. And then I got another promotion. Then I transferred to another station in a bigger market to get more experience and moved to Texas. Our show went from number two to number one. And so I saw success just by working hard and always saying yes.

And then I got the job at Fox News. And I was hired to work the overnight shift. And I stayed on the overnight shift—I thought it would be just for a few months, maybe a year—I stayed on the overnight shift for seven years and never complained, said yes to every opportunity.

And eventually, years later, it led to me launching Fox & Friends First at 5:00 a.m. And then eventually, that led to me getting this job at Fox & Friends, and I’ve been here for almost three years.

The Light Within Me

Narrator: Ainsley tells us about her new book, The Light Within Me, where she offers a look into her spiritual journey and reflections on her family, faith, and career.

Ainsley Earhardt: It’s called a memoir. And I was a little bit taken aback by that. I said, “Are you sure we want to call it a memoir, because aren’t you supposed to be like 80 years old and really have this long, rich life?” But I do feel like I’ve had so many rich, wonderful moments with God and that’s what this book is about. It’s about my walk with God. And it’s not to be self-righteous. I don’t want all the praise. I want people to read this and I want them to see God, not Ainsley.

God says you will have trouble. John 16:33 says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” So He promises us that we will all have trouble. And if you haven’t had trouble in your life, you will. And I don’t say that to be negative. I say that because you have to rely on God, and God will get you through those valleys. He will walk you all the way up to the top of the mountain, and you will look down at your journey, and you will be glad you went through those struggles.

“God will get you through those valleys. He will walk you all the way up to the top of the mountain, and you will look down at your journey, and you will be glad you went through those struggles.” – Ainsley Earhardt

I am constantly trying to remind myself who is in control and that I’m going to be okay, that everything is going to be alright because I’m walking with God. And I know He has me.

I lost a marriage. I lost a baby. And those were some really really hard times in my life.

But now look where God’s taken me. Now I have my dream job Monday through Friday, and I have weekends off so that I can be a mom to my daughter. And I’m just so grateful. And I know that when I get through struggles in the future, that God will get me through, just like He did in the past.

“I am constantly trying to remind myself who is in control and that I’m going to be okay, that everything is going to be alright because I’m walking with God.”  – Ainsley Earhardt

Remembering Whose I Am And Who’s In Charge

I love Jesus Calling. I get it on my phone and every single day. My routine is I get in the car, I put on my earphones—and I don’t drive, so I’m not driving while I do this—I listen to Pandora, and I push “hymns” and I always listen to hymns. And then I push this app right here, Jesus Calling, and I go to today’s devotional.

I read the devotion every single day. It’s always something I feel like that is hitting home for me that day. It’s so amazing how God does that. I feel like He wrote it just for me. It’s something I really need to hear and then it gives you three scriptures, two to three scriptures at the bottom every day.

And it’s just a great tool. It’s an easy way to get a quick devotion into your system early in the morning, before you talk to anyone else, before you get your day going. And it just reminds me whose I am and who’s in charge.

“[Jesus Calling devotional] is just a great tool. It’s an easy way to get a quick devotion into your system early in the morning, before you talk to anyone else, before you get your day going. And it just reminds me whose I am and who’s in charge.” – Ainsley Earhardt

In my Jesus Calling devotion this morning, it talked about God holding your hand. And I physically put my hand out in my lap when I was riding to work this morning and could feel or imagine Jesus’s hand on top of me saying, “I’ve got you, I’m I’m pulling you, I’m carrying you.” Some days He’s carrying me, some days He’s just right next to me, holding my hand. Other day other days I’m just dragging behind. But I always know that God is in control, and He’s leading me through this glorious life.

“I always know that God is in control, and He’s leading me through this glorious life.” – Ainsley Earhardt

Be Bold, Be Real, Be Authentic

What I have seen, and no matter what you do, you have to be authentic, you have to be real, and you have to be genuine.

And I just want to be myself.

“No matter what you do, you have to be authentic, you have to be real, and you have to be genuine.” – Ainsley Earhardt

I feel it’s important to be bold, no matter what your faith is. I think that you can love others and share God’s love just in your daily walk, and you don’t have to walk around with Bible. You don’t have to recite scripture all the time. Just do it in love, and love other people. Love your neighbor as yourself.