Every circumstance we go through in life I believe God is using to show His power and strength. I know you have heard people say, “God won’t give you anything you can’t handle.”

But I believe that He often allows situations that are too much for us to handle–alone. It’s in these times that we realize how much we need each other and most importantly, our need for God becomes obvious. And, we learn to trust and rely on the one who created us.
One of my favorite definitions of faith is found in scriptures that says, “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” These are uncertain and unprecedented times, but just like with cancer, it’s important for us to remember to focus on the capability of God instead of the challenge before us.

Each day we have a choice to make. Will we give into the fear or will we live by faith and fight? How do I practically do this? I remind myself that God did not give me a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind. I remember that He promised me that He would never fail me or leave me. And, that He promises to be faithful EVEN when I am all but out of faith.Remember today that courage is not being fearless, but the ability to act in the face of fear.

Take the step to Believe God for big things in your life because He will turn our adversity into victory, our obstacles into opportunities, and our problems into possibilities.

The post Need Encouragement? first appeared on Believe Big.

Jo has been a longtime supporter of Believe Big as an advisory board member and volunteer. She also is a personal trainer and fitness and nutrition coach. Those who joined us experienced a hilarious and informative presentation and learned practical ways to live a healthy and fit lifestyle no matter what your fitness level is or how hectic your schedule can be. Guests were able to leave with dozens of at home and on the go workouts, recipes, tips, and tricks, too.

We hope you can join us next time!

The post Simple Fitness and Nutrition first appeared on Believe Big.

Sunscreen’s active ingredients may be minerals, chemical filters or even both. So, which one is the best?

While they each have their own pros and cons, mineral based sunscreens use titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These active ingredients go onto the skin but do not absorb completely into your blood stream. Mineral sunscreens provide the best protection as they do not break down in the sun and is a great protection from UVA rays.

The second group of sunscreens use a chemical filter as the active ingredient and contain 2 or more of oxybenzone, avobenzone, octocrylene, and so on. These ingredients are absorbed into the skin with measured amounts found in your blood stream, breast milk and urine.  CDC data suggests that the ingredients in the chemical filters can also affect hormones. Oxybenzone exposure has been found to lower testosterone levels in adolescent boys. It is also known to shorten pregnancies of male fetuses and lower birth weights for girls.

The third group say they are mineral-based but they are coated in the chemical ingredients listed above, so make sure you read the label!

One additional ingredient that is sometimes added to sunscreen that can be harmful is Vitamin A. While this ingredient has it great benefits in other forms, when it is added to a sunscreen, it can form into small molecules call free radicals which damage DNA. Make sure your sunscreen, moisturizers with SPF and lip products do not include Vitamin A as an ingredient.

Is a sunscreen higher in SPF better for you? Not necessarily. SPF 100 sunscreen indicates you should be able to be out in the sun for twice as long, before you start to burn. For example, if you burn in 30 minutes, you should be able to stay out for 50 minutes. However, using SPF to pick the best sunscreen is misleading. SPF does not protect you from all the rays. It does help protect you from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays but not from ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. UVA can penetrate your skin much deeper and cause more damage than the UVB. By using a higher SPF, people tend to think they can stay out in the sun much longer, but this causes much deeper skin health concerns.

One last thing to remember before you buy that sunscreen! The FDA regulations have been grandfathered in from the 1970s. That was almost 50 years ago and we have learned many new facts about what we put on our body so it is very important to research which sunscreen you purchase this summer.

For a look at which sunscreens are best, please go to EWG’ 2018 sunscreen report by clicking HERE.

https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/#.W0bMDP9MGhA

The post Sunscreen – Is it Safe? first appeared on Believe Big.

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Thank you for joining us at our 7th annual Believe Big Fundraising Dinner.

What an incredible night!

We were blessed with Jennifer Gilbert as our Master of Ceremonies, encouraged by stories of HOPE from both Lisa Engelke and Jeff Charles (videos will be on our website soon), excited to hear the latest information about intravenous mistletoe and the Mistletoe Clinical Trial from Dr. Paller and Dr. Winters, and laughed so hard with Kenn Kington that our sides hurt!

Our goal of the evening was to raise $200,000 and to gain 100 new monthly partners. Well, God showed off because we were able to raise $285,000! We also reached almost half of our monthly partner goal with 41 new partners!

As Jimmy shared, those who give are healthier, happier, and, yes, even better looking! LOL! I am thankful to not only have the best volunteers, staff, host committee, board members, corporate partners, but also the BEST LOOKING donors around!

In all seriousness, thank you. Thank you for coming alongside of us to help patients face, fight, and overcome cancer. Thank you for being a warrior for those that can’t fight for themselves. A warrior is committed to a purpose bigger than himself, fights so that others won’t have to, and rises up to challenges, never gives up, and is filled with overflowing faith, hope, and optimism when odds aren’t on his side. That is you, a true warrior.

Thank you for Believing Big with us!
Ivelisse Page
Executive Director & Co-founder of Believe Big

P.S. If you were unable to attend, we missed you. If you too would like to be healthier, happier, or better looking and come alongside of Believe Big with either a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation, below is a link to be a warrior with us in the fight against cancer.

Donate Today!

The post Thank you for being our warriors! first appeared on Believe Big.

written by: Rena LeBlanc
Just two years out from my battle with lung cancer, Russ was diagnosed with stage IV head and neck cancer. Our flesh was scared, angry, and exhausted, but our spirit had hope. We were once again on our knees asking God for healing, only to learn that God had already set relief, comfort, and HOPE in place for us.

For two years many had mentioned the hope and help for cancer patients found at Believe Big. One of Russ’ nurses happened to be a neighbor of Ivelisse Page. The nurse’s recommendation to contact Ivelisse was the final arrow pointing our way to Believe Big. Believe Big is a place of love and hope that led us to the gift of relief in mistletoe therapy. The mistletoe spared Russ from much pain and suffering during chemotherapy and radiation and aided in his recovery. Because of Believe Big’s grants and guidance, we were able to utilize mistletoe therapy and see an oncology nutritionist whose advice far surpassed anything offered at Russ’ hospital.

God nudged His people to pray for us, encourage us, and supply all our needs. Ultimately, He healed Russ of cancer, carrying and leading us through the darkest of times. These wilderness times can be frightening and harsh but they can also be the most beautiful as we see the Lord moving, hear His gentle promises, and feel His touch in our lives.
We “have learned to kiss the wave that throws us against the Rock of Ages.”
-Charles Spurgeon

The post Story of Hope – Stage IV head and neck cancer first appeared on Believe Big.

– Jeff Charles

Jeff Charles is a sports radio announcer for the Eastern Carolina University (ECU) Pirates. ECU is selling bobbleheads to commemorate Jeff’s 30th year with the university. All the proceeds from bobblehead sales will be directly donated to Believe Big to benefit cancer patients. You can read more about Jeff and purchase the bobbleheads here.

The post Story of Hope! Jeff Charles Beats Colon Cancer with Mistletoe! first appeared on Believe Big.

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