Covering Testimony: Jessica Lovely
Name: Jessica Lovely | Age: 31 | Location: Gypsy, Kentucky | Starting Covering: Summer 2015
1) Introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello, my name is Jessica Lovely. I am 31 years old and I live in Gypsy, Kentucky, a small community nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. For the most part things are fairly simple around here. My husband goes to work in the log woods every day to provide for us. I home school all four of our children, all of which are in different grades. I love being a wife and a mother, God has truly blessed me with a wonderful family. I enjoy cooking for my family and taking evening walks with my kids and the dogs. I enjoy making lye soap and homemade chemical free deodorants and cleaners. Above all and most importantly I am a devoted child of God and feel very blessed at every opportunity (including this one) He gives me to spread the Gospel.
2) Where do you attend church? Tell us a little bit about it. Do others practice headcovering there?
I am blessed to attend Little Rachel Church, which is in the Waldo, Kentucky area. I attend services on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings. There is one other lady that practices head covering there besides myself and my daughter. We have become good friends and encourage one another and both agree that it feels nice not to be the only one there doing it, although if need be we would most defiantly stand alone in doing so. On occasions there are 2 other ladies that attend services that cover also. About 2 services ago, there were 5 of us, counting myself and my daughter there that were wearing head coverings, I must say that was a blessing to me.
3) What led you to start covering?
I began covering in the summer of 2015. My entire life I was taught and believed that my long hair was the only covering I needed. It wasn’t until one day I was reading 1 Corinthians chapter 11, as I had done several times throughout my life, that God put it on my heart to dig deeper. So I did. I read the verses over and over, I prayed every day for God to show me what He would have me to do, and I researched YouTube videos and multiple articles on the web. By doing this I found videos and articles by “The Head Covering Movement” that proved to be very enlightening to me. I also found a very helpful article here . I found the information on this site to be very compelling. It covered all of the arguments one would have against head covering, and proved through the Word of God why head covering is without a doubt to be practiced, even today.
4) What was that first Sunday like when you showed up in a covering?
I was nervous about it, but I shouldn’t have been. I was in obedience to God which is all that mattered. No one commented on it, or let on like they even noticed it.
5) When do you use your covering?
I wear my covering all day every day. One may ask, “Do you not only need to wear it while praying or prophesying”? The answer I would give is yes. But 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing. I pray, sing praises, and talk about the Lord (prophesy) several times throughout each day; so I like to keep my cover on and not have to go looking for one each time I decide to do any of the before mentioned things as I do not wish for the absence of my covering to hinder my relationship with God in any way. I also keep a scarf by my bedside each night, to have easy access to it when I say my night time prayer.
6) What counsel can you give to women that do not cover out of fear?
I would encourage them to put all that aside and stay focused on Jesus. It is a beautiful thing to be in obedience to God. Head covering, though it may cause fear, confusion and controversy, is a very uplifting symbol. It is a constant reminder to yourself and others that you are a child of God. I too struggled in the beginning, but since have conquered my fears through Christ’s love and my obedience to Him. I would also encourage them to study and learn about why we are called to cover. Because knowing what to tell others in case I was asked was a big weight off my shoulders. Keep your faith sister, and do not worry about the world, but strive to please our Lord, He will see you through.
7) What would you say is the best and the most difficult aspect about head covering?
I would have to say that the best would be it has given me a sense of meekness. It reminds me that I am under my husband’s authority and I am in submission to him. The fact that we are in observance to God’s ordained headship has really blessed our marriage and brought us closer. It is also a constant reminder to me to pray and give praise and testimonies more often. As for the most difficult aspect, I would say for myself that would have to be the fear I had in the beginning of what my husband and close family would think. I was very nervous when I told them I was going to begin to wear a head covering and when I began to cover around them.
8) What kind of covering(s) do you use? Where did you get them?
I use a few different styles of coverings actually. I use tichels, wide head bands, a lace style head band that goes down the back of my neck, and even your average bandanna at times. But, if I had to choose, I would have to say tichels and my super wide head bands are my absolute favorites. I buy the extra wide and long scarfs from the local Goodwill stores and tie all my hair up in them for my tichel covering. I also buy the versatile tichels that can cover only part of your head like a head band or can cover all of your hair like traditional tichels do, these come from Jerusalem and are sold on eBay. My super wide head bands, as I often refer to them, come from Wal-Mart and come in multiple colors and designs which makes it easy to match them up with pretty much every outfit and are very easy to quickly slip on and go about your day. Feel free to check out the YouTube video I made that shows my favorite coverings, where to purchase them and how to apply them. Although my favorite way to apply a tichel scarf is down low without a volumizer/shaper, where I just wrap the scarf around the bun of my hair and it is not shown on the video but is however pictured on the cover of this interview.
9) How did you hear about the Head Covering Movement
I came across videos posted on YouTube. I found these during my initial studies when God directed me to dig deeper on the subject of head covering. I watched several of the videos a few times a piece, then ventured on to your Facebook page and website. They all proved to be very helpful in my journey to head covering.
