On February 15, 2020, She Loves Out Loud prayer movement will be hosted by churches and small groups nationwide. It is a time for women to pray in unity for the healing of hearts, for the future of children and for America. Started by Diane Strack, She Loves Out Loud will host Christian leaders at strategic locations across the U.S. For more information, visit SheLovesOutLoud.org.

The Stream is profiling some of the women — women like you and me — who will be taking part in what is destined to be a powerful and profound day. 

“I am healthy. My husband and I run marathons and I eat spinach every day,” Christi Haag told The Stream. “We have no breast cancer in my family. None. I mean, there are no indicators, not one single. There was not one box checked on the breast cancer list.” And yet, in the spring this year, Christi was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Intimacy with Christ

The cancer phone call was “quite a phone call to get.” But her journey with cancer has been “terrible and wonderful.” Terrible, as no one wants cancer. Wonderful, because her experience has drawn her closer to God. A couple of months ago, Christi had a double mastectomy. Through the cancer treatment and the mastectomy Christi said that Jesus has been amazing. “I’ve just had a deep, deep peace and a strange, wonderful joy. He has carried me through this. … I’m 54 years old and I’ve never experienced this depth of intimacy with Christ as I have in these past few months.”

Christi has also had more opportunities to talk with others about Christ as her prayer life has deepened. She asked the Lord not to let her experience be wasted and to give her opportunities to share. “He has just answered 10-fold directly — my prayer to please not let this be wasted and please give me opportunities to share.” Christi explained:

I got to share a few days ago with a Buddhist lady and she was just overwhelmed with fear about death about breast cancer and dying. I got to just share why I have a hope. In this life and the life to come. …The hope I have with [Christ] in this life, and then to get to share the eternal hope I have. It’s opened door after door. So, in the midst of not wanting breast cancer, I thank Him for it because it has opened incredible doors.

Christi has thousands of people praying for her. “The body of Christ is such a beautiful thing,” she said. “I don’t know how people go through something without the body of Christ.” Knowing that so many others are praying for her gives her hope and peace. She wants that for everyone. 

She Loves Out Loud

Christi is the wife of Dr. Jerry Haag, CEO of One More Child. She is helping lead the She Loves Out Loud prayer movement. Prayer is “something that I’ve experienced and I want you to have it because it’s so powerful. This relationship with Christ and prayer. Pray without ceasing. All day I keep an ongoing conversation with Him. So when I heard what this was about … I said, ‘I’m in. I want to be in.’ And I’m so grateful to be a part of it.”

While some of the women who are heading up the event hope to get 1 million participants in the She Loves Out Loud prayer movement, Christi has a different prayer. “What I pray is that every woman would come to know Christ as their Savior. Every woman. And I pray big about that. … After that, that they would grow in their intimacy with Christ. … I pray big because I serve a big God Who does big things!”

For more information, please visit SheLovesOutLoud.org.

Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.