Covering Testimony: Amy Larry
Name: Amy Larry | Age: 37 | Location: Missouri | Date started covering: Fall, 2021
1) Introduce yourself to our readers.
I live in the Midwest with my husband and four children. I own an in-home daycare and write during naptime. As a member of the cancer community, I try to encourage others in their walk with Christ by giving tips on how to see God’s blessings in every situation. You can read more about my cancer story in my book God Above Cancer: Faith When It’s Ugly.
2) Where do you attend church?
I grew up attending a Southern Baptist church, and I currently attend Antioch Bible Baptist Church.
3) What led you to start covering?
You would have thought I started head covering when my hair began thinning from the chemotherapy. Clumps of hair fell out whenever I washed and dried my long brown strands. It would have been a perfect excuse to cover my shame and claim it for the Lord. However, I did not start covering during church services until two years after my cancer diagnosis and one year after I completed my chemotherapy, when my hair was already getting thick again.
Growing up in a Protestant Christian family, we attended a church where no one practiced head covering, and I reached my mid-thirties without ever hearing a sermon about the first half of 1 Corinthians 11. Actually, I knew the second half of 1 Corinthians 11 well because it was read several times a year when we took the bread and the cup for the Lord’s Supper. I’ve even read the entire Bible a few times, but I never questioned the section about head covering.
However, over the past few years, I noticed that some preachers and Christian influencers posted about head covering on social media. I ignored their content. Then, a preacher who had posted a certain podcast episode before mentioned this one was his most listened-to episode. It was about head covering. Really? That many Christians are interested in something none of us do?
He read verse-by-verse, explaining the passage. I was able to understand Paul’s reasoning for men to uncover and women to cover during prayer and prophecy. It made sense. The part about a woman’s shaven head being disgraceful resonated with me. The worry about losing all my hair during my cancer treatments was real. What a shame that would be!
At my church, I thought I’d be covering alone. All eyes on me? No, thank you. During my cancer treatments, my thinning hair looked bad, so I had it cut shorter. A covering or wig would draw too much attention to me. Similarly, I didn’t want to be the center of attention for this. Was there a way to avoid covering? Maybe the head covering was meant for only the Corinthians. In that case, I wouldn’t have to do it. But the Holy Spirit was pressing on my heart, causing war with my mind.
Research began! My husband, family, mentors, friends, and a few pastors shared their knowledge with me. I read seven books, watched at least twenty sermons on the subject, and found articles arguing both for and against the practice. Everyone was gracious through my questioning, and I found out that a couple of other ladies in my church practiced covering. After a month of prayer and study, my husband and I concluded the correct interpretation was that the head covering practice is a transcultural command to be obeyed by all Christians everywhere.
4) What was that first Sunday like when you showed up in a covering?
On that first Sunday, I wore an extra large headband and received a few compliments on it. I have since bought a few longer covers from Garlands of Grace, which I don every time I attend a Christian gathering intended to have prayer and/or prophecy.
5) What kind of reaction did you get from your church, family, and friends when they saw you in your covering?
I’ve only had a handful of people say anything to me about it. Most of my friends know I began covering about a year ago, and all of my interactions with others have been positive.
6) How do you feel God has used head covering in your life?
God has used covering to convict me of my sin. I had never thought of myself as vain, but wearing a cover showed me that I did care about my appearance. Hair was such a focus in getting ready for church. Now, when I cover, my mind goes to the headship order God created, giving me an opportunity to serve Him and my husband. This heart check is great preparation to go meet with fellow believers to worship the Lord, pray, and learn more about Him.
Also, my sin of pride was made clear. My pride was reversed from the arrogant look-at-me personality I had associated with that sin. Selfishly, I wanted to stay hidden in case I messed up and exposed myself as a hypocrite in any way. An outward display of my beliefs has been humbling, and God led me to be seen. He put the light of Christ in me, not to hide but to shine glory for His name.
God could have shown me the head covering Scriptures when I was going through cancer treatment, but He led me there in His perfect timing. This made sure I knew the choice to cover wasn’t just because I vainly wanted to hide my thinning hair. It was to give God glory through obedience to His command. That’s how God uses normal humans, like you and me, as part of His grand story.
7) Are there any practical head covering tips you have found useful that you would like to share with other ladies?
Keep an extra neutral-colored cover in a purse or the car, just in case you forget to put one on at home before going to church.
8) How did you hear about the Head Covering Movement?
The Head Covering Movement website was one of the first I visited while I was researching head covering online because it was the top result on Google. I would read an article from the articles page, research the arguments against it, and continue that pattern with every objection I had. In the middle of my research process, I found the Head Covering Movement Community Group on Facebook and decided to join so I could see what people were saying about head covering in an informal and friendly way.
- Covering Testimony: Allura Lightfoot - October 20, 2023
- Why I Cover My Head // plus Headcovering Tutorial - July 17, 2023
- Covering Testimony: Amy Larry - March 26, 2023
