Covering Testimony: Stephanie Wiseley
| Name: Stephanie Wiseley | Age: 38 | Location: Illinois, USA | Started Covering: Feb 2014 (2nd time) |
1) Introduce yourself to our readers.
I am 38 yrs old and married to my high school sweetheart. We have been married 17+ years and have a 16 yr old son. I love nature, simple living, gardening, canning, walking nature trails, sewing, baking, sitting on the porch listening to the wildlife here in the country, and even target shooting with my husband.
2) Where do you attend church? Tell us a little bit about it.
I attend a church called New Beginnings Church of God. It is a church of over 900 people. We have been going there for 13 yrs now. It is a pretty laid back church dress wise. People can wear jeans and shorts, etc. It is mission oriented. I have been on several mission trips with my favorite being to Venezuela.
3) What led you to start covering?
I am a covering Christian that does not come from an Anabaptist background. I was convicted to cover full-time about 6 yrs ago after discovering and wrestling with 1 Corinthians 11 and did for a year or so. At first I thought our hair was the covering and wrestled back and forth on it until I realized that didn’t make sense. If the hair was the covering, then all men who prayed should be bald. During that time I made my covering and cape dress and visited a Mennonite friend’s church. I did not attend her church permanently, but continued in my home church (church of God). I was the only one who covered there. It was a very hard time. Lots of people talked about me behind my back, etc. I gave up the covering and cape dresses. My pastor told me it was just a cultural thing.
Fast forward to this year. I am in a heart change stage where I am becoming more aware of my sin (pride, fear, control, disrespect of husband) and I am in a deep process of change. I am learning again about submissiveness, respect, kindness, trust, etc. I stopped wearing jeans and sweaters and returned to skirts only (so freeing). I was drawn again to 1 Cor 11 and felt inclined to study it again. I researched several articles on the internet (including the ones from The Headcovering Movement), concordances, and topical studies. In my studies, the scales were dropped and I was able to see that it is in fact NOT a cultural thing and is timeless. So after discussion with my husband, I have returned to covering during prayer. He doesn’t want me to cover full-time, so I just cover when I pray. It is a joy to do and not feel legalistic about it or that God won’t hear my prayers if I lay in bed and pray at night uncovered.
4) What was that first Sunday like when you showed up in a covering?
I am again the only one in our church of over 900 that covers. I was quite anxious to start covering again at the same church where everyone talked about me, but God has given me the courage to lay aside my fear of man. This past Sunday was my first Sunday back at church covering and during our prayer time, the pastor had the light turned off. 🙂 It tickled me that it seemed like God allowed me to ease back in to covering without anyone really seeing me do it. I was able to have one Sunday to get used to covering again before all the chatter begins. 🙂
5) You recently wrote a post called “Courage to Cover“. What counsel can you give to women who are lacking courage to take this step of faith?
You may very well be afraid and anxious at first thinking about what others may say or think. That’s normal. But, I encourage you to picture the whole congregation invisible and picture just you, God, and the angels there while you worship. Try not to think about what the people behind you are thinking, but only what God is thinking about your obedience to Him. Don’t let fear of man overcome you. Have courage! He gives us not a spirit of fear…:)
6) What kind of covering(s) do you use? Where did you get them?
I use a mantilla style covering as that is what I prefer and feel represents the translated word “covering” best. It is very comfortable, feminine, and soft. I got it from http://veilsandmantillas.com.
