Covering Testimony: Amy Ericson
Name: Amy Ericson | Age: 41 | Location: Phoenix, Arizona | Date started covering: 2018
1) Introduce yourself to our readers.
My husband and I, both followers of Jesus Christ, were married in 2003 at the age of 23. We lived in Indianapolis until God invited us to live in Abu Dhabi, UAE (United Arab Emirates) in 2008. Our time there ended in 2019 when we then moved to our current city of Phoenix, Arizona. We have three kids – ages 11, 9, and 6 – all of whom we homeschool.
2) Where do you attend church? Tell us a little bit about it. Do others practice head covering there?
We currently attend Grace Church of Peoria, in a suburb of Phoenix. It is four miles from my home and filled with awesome, faithful followers – many of whom are similar to us in how they live and run their homes. I am currently the only woman who wears a head covering at my church. I’ve had one young, single gal ask me about my head covering. I believe, with a little bit of encouragement, she will want to start wearing one as well.
Remarkably, I just found out last Sunday that a new friend at church is considering donning a head covering! She’s been convicted about it and now she’s just getting comfortable with the idea. She was inspired to see me wearing one when they first started attending our church a few months ago.
3) What led you to start covering?
I had not heard a good sermon on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 before and thought that head covering was just something a certain, super-conservative denomination practiced. At first, I did not associate it with the authority structure that God has laid out in the Bible.
My husband and I had not had anyone come alongside us to tell us or show us what a biblical marriage was and what it should practically look like. It wasn’t until 2012 when our second child was born that my husband went back to reading what the Bible had to say on marriage and the roles of men and women, and set us on the right path to a God-glorifying marriage. I firmly believe that before you can understand 1 Corinthians 11:4-12 (head coverings), you must first understand 1 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Peter 3:1-7, Ephesians 5:22, and other key passages about marriage.
After we started working out what it looked like to practically obey God’s Word in marriage, I heard a great sermon on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 and after walking away from it said, “Yes! I identify with this passage.” The Holy Spirit convicted me that I should cover my head.
Well, my husband wasn’t at that sermon, but months later he heard another sermon on the same verses. I happened to be home with a sick kid that Sunday. So he came to me afterward, expecting to have to convince me. He said, “Honey, the sermon today was on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16” and I said, “Oh, the verses on head covering? I should wear one, shouldn’t I?” That was in 2018. Praise God for how He prepares our hearts for joyful obedience to His Word!
More than I want to see other women wearing a head covering, I want them to know, understand, and practice obeying the Word of God in marriage. And then when they read 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (or hear a sermon on it or even read a book about it), they will say, “Yes! That’s me! I want to obey this command in Scripture and now cover my head at the assembly.”
4) It appears that your time in the United Arab Emirates and when you began head covering overlap a little. Did your experience in a Muslim-majority country influence your head covering journey in any way?
My experience in the UAE did not influence my decision to wear a head covering. The church we attended there was a “Western” church and looked like many other Protestant churches in the USA except that people from all over the world attended it with us.
5) What was that first Sunday like when you showed up in a covering?
It was a little awkward for me the first Sunday, not knowing what kind of reaction I would get, if any. I was walking out of one service and a friend was walking into the next one and she said, “Oh. So you’re wearing one of those now?” I said, “Yep!” and that was the end of that.
6) When do you use your covering?
I cover my head while we are in the sanctuary, during service.
7) What counsel can you give to women that do not cover out of fear?
“You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him” (Deuteronomy 13:4). Make sure you have a solid answer for why you wear a head covering and then don’t fear what others may say or think. You’re doing this to bring glory to God and you never know who you will inspire.
8) What would you say is the best and the most difficult aspect of head covering?
The head covering sets my husband and I apart from those that don’t practice this biblical tradition. I sense that others may think we judge them for not living their lives the way we do. We would much rather come alongside others and encourage them to obey the Word of God in the primary & most important things, so that when the (seemingly) minor commands come up they are in a place to joyfully obey those commands as well.
Our Christian homes are to look different than the culture and this is one big way we can show that we not only look different but we live differently, too.
9) What kind of covering(s) do you use? Where did you get them?
I wear a long, thin scarf. It’s light and covers the back of my head completely. I chose the scarf I use because it’s the best article of clothing I had in my closet at the time that would double as a head covering.
10) How did you hear about the Head Covering Movement?
My husband heard about the Head Covering Movement from Brian Sauve and Eric Conn through Twitter. He purchased the Head Covering book and handed it to me recently. I thought, “They probably have a website.” And sure enough, you do.
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