1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 Welcome back to Rising 365. This is episode 2, The Good Factor. 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,000 You know, knowing that rising each day is a struggle for so many is what encouraged me to bring you this podcast. 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Rising 365 is all about helping others rise 365 days a year, not in a begrudging way, but in a way that is fulfilling. 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:26,000 For me to begin Rising 365, I had to find what I started calling the good factor. 5 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:32,000 You see, for so long, even as a child, I was unable to see anything good possibly happening in the day to come. 6 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,000 As a kid, my siblings and I were left alone a lot. 7 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:42,000 I'm the middle child, but my older brother has special needs and I have a younger sister, so in reality, I'm the oldest. 8 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:50,000 We weren't left alone because we had neglectful parents. Well, my dad is neglectful, but my mom was doing what all hard-working single moms do. 9 00:00:50,000 --> 00:01:02,000 And that was working to provide for us, and she's still doing that to this day, which I can't explain how proud of my mom I am for all the hard work she did to take care of my brother and sister and I. 10 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:09,000 But I still didn't see anything good or exciting or had anything to look forward to in order for me to rise. 11 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,000 I knew I was going to have to work and take care of others. 12 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,000 Fast forward to me joining the US Coast Guard. 13 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,000 Now, for these 10 years, I had something to rise for. 14 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:28,000 I loved being in the Coast Guard, having opportunities to answer the call to go and help those in need or to stop drugs from coming into the US. 15 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,000 Man, that really gave me a reason to rise. 16 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,000 But after 10 years, all that came to an end. 17 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:41,000 Now, I find myself no longer surrounded by vast beauty of ocean, but endless miles of farm fields. 18 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:50,000 At first, getting up was easy, but six months later, no longer wearing a uniform, I find myself with zero motivation to rise up and meet the new day. 19 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,000 So I would just stay in bed. 20 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,000 This led to a deep slide into sadness and depression. 21 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:01,000 I couldn't see anything worth getting up for since I no longer saw a reason to bring anything good to get up for. 22 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,000 That's when I realized I was stuck. 23 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,000 I was stuck in what I once did. 24 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:13,000 And I had no longer looked at my life with excitement or with reason. 25 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:20,000 Since I no longer had what I once had, I had to find something else to get up for. 26 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,000 That is when God used His word to open my eyes to the reality of a new day. 27 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,000 And that was the verse Psalm 118, 24. 28 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:38,000 And it's just a reminder that each day is a rich and precious gift from God with new grace and new opportunities. 29 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,000 And it says this, this is the day the Lord has made. 30 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,000 We will rejoice and be gladdened. 31 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:49,000 After having God open my heart to this truth is when I started looking for the good factor of the new day. 32 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:57,000 This is not always some monumental thing, but can be the smallest of things that get you to rise from the freshly brewed cup of coffee, 33 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:04,000 breathtaking sunrise, a good book waiting for you to turn its pages, the smile of friends and family awaiting you. 34 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,000 Anything can be the good factor. 35 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:14,000 These things don't have to be something burdensome, something big. 36 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:19,000 There is always the good factor waiting you to help you rise. 37 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:20,000 So find that. 38 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,000 Let that inspire you to rise 365. 39 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:30,000 If you find yourself struggling and having trouble finding the good factor in your life, 40 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,000 let me encourage you to go get professional help and see a counselor. 41 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:42,000 You see, they're specially trained to help us find the smallest things in our life that can be the good factor. 42 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,000 Don't be embarrassed. 43 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,000 They're there to help you. 44 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:53,000 Because without the good factor, man, getting up and rising is very, very tough. 45 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,000 Well, that's episode two. 46 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,000 Thanks for pressing play. 47 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:04,000 I look forward to you finding encouragement each episode to rise each new day you are given to support this podcast. 48 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:11,000 You can do that by booking me as a speaker for your upcoming conference, school assemblies, youth group, Bible studies, 49 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:17,000 or any other special event where I can bring this encouragement of being able to rise 365. 50 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:26,000 Do that to shoot me a message or email at rising247365 at gmail.com. 51 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:48,000 Until next time, I'm Mike Pina, encouraging you to rise and meet the gift of a new day for you are meant for this moment.