Covering Testimony: Deborah F.
| Name: Deborah F. | Age: 39 | Location: Central Virginia | Started Covering: Feb 2015 |
1) Introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello! My name is Deborah, I am a stay at home wife and home-schooling mother of three (ages 11, 9, and 5), who resides in central Virginia. When school is done for the day, I sporadically work from home on graphic design and websites as co-owner of silvermaplemedia.com. I also enjoy digitally designing religiously-themed word art in my spare time. When I am not on the computer, I fancy playing the piano, which is a fulfillment of a life long dream. (I began learning at the same time my oldest child started lessons 6 years ago.) I occasionally have opportunity to sculpt with fondant for special occasion cakes as well, which is loads of fun!
2) Where do you attend church? Tell us a little bit about it.
I attend a Reformed Baptist Church in Central VA, which adheres to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of faith. We are a small rural church of only 30 members. As such, we are like one big family. Only one other wife practices head covering in our church and her family just moved here in 2014. The Lord used her as the catalyst to my conviction.
3) What led you to start covering?
I have been enamored by the head covering ever since I was a little girl. I did not grow up in a Christian home, nor was I taught anything spiritual in the days of my youth, so I can only assume the affection was planted there by the Lord. After my Christian-conversion in the year 2000, I followed a read-the-Bible-in-a-year schedule. When I first read through the 1 Corinthians 11 passage, red flags immediately went up in my mind. I inquired to my pastor at the time about it and he conveyed a very reasonable explanation as to why it is not relevant to today’s Christian woman (based on the culture argument) which I accepted. Since our church (until last year) rarely saw anyone walk through its doors with a covering, I remained basically content with our position on it (unless I read the passage… or randomly encountered a woman wearing one, which would produce in me a desperate inward groaning, and usually prompted me to deliver a significantly pitiful look to my husband!). 😉
In the spring of 2014, I mustered up the courage to approach the newcomers to our church in order to hear their side of the “head covering argument.” The wife handed me a tract, written by Robert Spinney, titled, Should Christian Women Wear Head Coverings Today. Even though I found myself agreeing with that document, I still felt conflicted about going against the position of the church, so I put it “on the back burner.” Then, after the start of the new year, I came upon that pesky 😉 1 Cor 11 passage yet again in my daily reading. This time my conscience (quite heavily) prompted me to follow through with additional research. I found many fantastic resources on the internet, most-notably headcoveringmovement.com; I also consulted one on one with several people who advocated for the practice and those who did not. What I found most compelling about the head covering debate is that Paul never connects the wearing of the head covering to culture in the passage. Instead he very poetically paints a beautiful illustration about the creation order, which seems (to me) to be relevant to all believers!
I was also inspired on my journey to “covering conviction” by reading the blogs of other Christian women who cover. Because of this, I decided to start one of my own and hope that someday my words, too, will offer some sort of consolation to women searching for encouragement or help to convict others to view the passage as trans-cultural. If you want to learn more about my conviction to cover, or would like to drop me a note of encouragement (yes, I still need it!), please stop by! The website is creationorder.wordpress.com.
3) What role did your husband play in your decision? Was his story different than yours?
My husband’s story was different than mine, mainly due to his respect for our leadership’s opinion. He was very supportive of my research, though. When he realized how passionate I was becoming about it, and subsequently saw how my conviction to cover was positively affecting our marriage, he threw his full support behind me. I cover full time (a personal conviction), and he tells me almost every day now that he finds me more beautiful with it on than without. I believe that is the symbolism at work in his heart!
4) What was that first Sunday like when you showed up in a covering?
The first two times I wore “a covering” went quite unnoticed because it was winter and I wore a crocheted hat. The first Sunday I wore a cloth cover, however, I was really on edge, but even so, I felt like a weight (or burden) had been lifted off my shoulders. Interestingly, no one said a word to me about it. I am honestly not sure if my brethren are still “waiting to see” if I continue to come with one, afraid to inquire, or if I am simply “catching a break” thanks to the other family in our congregation who covers. Only time will tell! Lord-willing my decision will not arouse any negative feedback or feelings.
5) What counsel can you give to women that do not cover out of fear?
I should mention I was “shaking in my boots” that first Sunday I wore a cloth cover! I am a total introvert so whenever possible I will fly under the radar to go unnoticed. Wearing a covering is going so far outside of my comfort zone that I can’t even see my comfort zone anymore! 🙂 That being said, this is a commitment I made in the fear of the Lord. If you are convicted to cover, but haven’t been out of fear, consider (with me) Galatians 1:10, which reads, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Fear of man is a powerful force, but one which is a snare to our walk with the Lord. When I am afraid, I often meditate upon one of my favorite quotes by an exceptional author, which reads, “No one ever said at the end of his course that he had lived too holy or too close to God.” ~J.C. Ryle
6) What would you say is the best and the most difficult aspect about head covering?
The best aspect about head covering is that I feel less vulnerable wearing one; no words can adequately explain why I feel this way, quite possibly it is the consequence of obeying the passage as an apostolic command and therefore my conscience is at ease. It also humbles my vanity and serves as a constant (and tangible) reminder that I belong to my husband, have no one else to impress, and am expected to lovingly submit to him.
The most difficult aspect about covering is doing something that is contrary to the opinion of my beloved brethren and respected teachers. Therefore, I am frequently second-guessing myself, wondering, “who am I to interpret this passage differently than my elders do?”
6) What kind of covering(s) do you use? Where did you get them?
I went on a shopping spree at garlandsofgrace.com! I also found some lovely crocheted hats on etsy.com.
While it is unclear (to me) as to what type of cover Paul is talking about, I personally prefer something that covers to (or close to) the base of the head, in my humble opinion, headbands are too commonplace and therefore have no special meaning.
