Personal Testimonies part 3

The Blessings That Come From Obedience

Wearing a Headcovering

    My testimony begins in 1991. I was born again by God's grace into His family through the death burial and resurection of Jesus Christ. In the time since then I have grown in many areas. Recently I began searching through 1 Cor 11 to try to understand it more fully. I read it over about a year ago and read through the verse and I began to understand it was a literal cloth on top of the head. But I wasn't sure why or how or if the Lord was calling me to do it.

    A few months ago the Lord put it in my head to search more on the subject. So I did. Eventually I came to understand that I must obey. I was very afraid. Afraid of what others would think of me. But Prov 29:25 helped me. So I began to wear one.

    One of the first blessings I noticed was a change in me. Since I had it on my head I was reminded of how I should speak to and treat my husband. I also noticed that he looked at it when his voice began to rise. It also helped me to be more gentl when I witness to others. I don't want then to focus on the headcovering but on my hopefully CHristlike spirit.

     Another blessing I noticed is that men everywhere literally jump out of their seats to open doors for me. They want to help me with boxes and my stroller. This did not happen as much before. It seems it makes men feel more comfortable with themselves when they realize I am in the position the Lord has put me. Maybe they notice that I will not be out there competing with them for the position they need in order to support their families.

    I also noticed that I feel closer to the Lord since doing this. I live in a small town where no one wears a headcovering. No one in my church wears one either but that does not stop me from obeying and receiving the Lord's blessings for that.

Jeannine

May you be as a watered garden whose waters fail not!

God bless you, and give you peace. I began covering in my private prayer
closet in approx. June of this last year. By the unction of the holy spirit
that dwells richly in me, and found it to be a blessed journey, that brought
humility to my soul, and intimacy with my Holy Heavenly Father to my spirit.
This was a very private experience for me until October of 99, when my
beloved and I were assigned to read Watchman Nee's Book on Spiritual
Authority. I believe with my whole heart that as I obeyed the unction in
private the Lord moved it into my public life, and into my husbands heart, so
that it was so easily entreated to him as we read I Cor. 11 together. Thus
having the loving support (which I believe needful) of my beloved to cover,
in the assembly, in our home, and in public. I would like to express though,
that together, we both have the same understanding on this . It is truly a
heart issue. God does, in His word show symbolism often. For instance:
Baptism of water, is an outward sign and open confession of the inside new
birth that the Lord Jesus has accomplished for me. The manifestation of the
gift of holy spirit, is an outward expression of the inside work the Lord has
wrought by His infilling of His holy spirit within my earthen vessel. For me
personally , the covering is an outward expression, symbolic of humility to
my God and Creator, Jesus my LORD, my beloved, also my lord - headship
authority in our union, my Pastors Elders ect, that the Lord has delegated
His authority unto, to reign in this life over mine. This is, for me, a work
the Lord has birthed in my heart, and thus for me, it is a free-will offering
of reverance to God's sovereign and delegated authority. I do not feel I am
under law to do so, but for me it is a blessing to follow this conviction.
As in I Cor. 11:13 Paul states it as such: judge in yourselves: is it comely
that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Thus I feel it is a very personal,
very intimate walk with the Lord, as the Holy Spirit gives the guidance to my
spirit dwelling in me. Therefore, although I am the only one in my church
who covers, this does not give me cause to feel that my sisters are in
willful disobedience, only that they judge in themselves, and it is up to
Almighty God, by HIS Holy Spirit, to give them the unction, not up to me, but
should He use my liberty and delight in Him, to cover my head, to move in one
of my dear sisters hearts, then praise and glory to God. If not, being that
He is sovereign and a just judge, merciful, kind and slow to anger, I avoid
judging their faithfulness or obedience to the scriptures, in order that
prayerfully, I shall not fall into a snare of pride that I am somehow more
faithful in my Christian walk,
or more pious than other daughters of God. In May of 99 Father moved in my
heart to only wear dresses, and thus I do so, yet those of my sisters that
are free to wear comely pants to church, again, I am not compelled to judge
their hearts, and my beloved requested I keep at least one pair of pants for
our outdoor activities, ie. hiking and mountain climbing adventures, that I
not be immodest in the doing of these, and thus in honour to my beloved I
have done so. However when we went camping with our church, I did wear
dresses the entire weekend, or when we go to park, or put put golf, with our
children, then too, I wear my dresses, as modesty is still very much
available in such activities. As with all other posts that pertain to
personal convictions, I ask that you take whatsoever I share, to the Lord.
That which is easily entreated by the holy spirit dwelling in you - keep,
that you be blessed and enriched, that which is not, discard. May the Lord
guide you continually and make you as a watered garden, whose waters fail not.
agape'
linda

It all began about June/July of 1999, when the Lord moved in my heart to cover my head with a scarf as I prayed during my quiet times with the Lord in my prayer closet. He had made the provision, as a friend had given me this beautiful royal blue/purple, lightly patterned scarf, with golden threads going through it, in April of this same year. Even though I did not understand it, it just somehow made me feel more humble in His presence. Upon returning from a "Woman Thou Art Loosed Conference," a dear friend Margarett, whom I met there, asked me if I had a scarf with which to cover my head during prayer and praise, I felt a confirming spirit with mine. I began doing it all the time in my prayer closet, yet in the beginning I was so nervous about it, and so unsure even why I was doing it, that I locked my prayer room door, so that I could keep this part of my spiritual walk with the Lord in secret. Then in October of 99, our Pastor asked that my beloved and I read a book by Watchman Nee, Spiritual Authority as a course study for the ministry positions we were presently holding and are yet to step into. These ministries include, Nursing Home and Veterans Hospital Outreach, as well as a monthly Newsletter. We gladly submitted to this course, and although I had read the book almost 4 years ago now, knew I would need to read it again, to answer the test questions. Thus we began the course, and what turned out to be a quest for the truth. In Chapter 7 page #67 "Obeying Authorities Instituted by God" Watchman Nee, covers I Corinthians chapter 11 and the veiling of the woman. Although I had missed the veiling part as I read it years ago. This time it was truly like a lightbulb being turned on in my perception. I finally grasped what it was the Lord had been leading me to in my prayer closet. I asked my beloved to read it with me, and he experienced the same revelational truth being opened to him, and I instantly received my husbands love and support on this issue. A specific scripture comes to mind: Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. I had been praying to Father covered in secret, and when His perfect timing arrived I was able to walk out in this boldly with the love and support of my beloved husband, oh what a sweet reward. The Father had already given me the blessings of an entirely new wardrobe complete with only dresses, and I had been blessed to feel his provision in my life, and to be a daughter of God Almighty, now the covering was to be revealed as His next plan for me on this journey. As I read the scriptures over and again, I felt compelled to find out when women stopped wearing head coverings in the market and in church. My next step was to search the internet on history of American women and their apparel. When I searched for time period when women stopped wearing a covering on their head, the response of suffragette came up, so I searched the issues on the movement in our history. I was appauled and even felt ill as I read the accounts of what birthed such disdain for women in America. As a school girl I had read about Susan B. Anthony, yet I didn't know anything more than she fought for women's right to vote. Further research proved that the initiator was a woman called Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Ms. Stanton rebelled against her parents and married a man outside of their wishes, and insisted also on the words "to obey" be taken out of her vows. She not only worked diligently on womans movement rights, but she worked hard to allow women in the pulpit, for change in women's attire, and other issues that directly related to birth control, which in her time was not even allowed to be discussed. She also authored a blasphemous book called the "Woman's Bible" which is what caused her name and leadership rolls to be swept under the carpet, and Susan B. Anthony's to come into the forefronts. As one follows the history of this movement and the different waves as it is referred to, in the history archives I looked at; offspring and friends in the following generations of these ladies were the ones that continued forward into the realms of dress, clergy and birth control , to include support for the Roe vs Wade case, in which it was then decided women had a right to decide what they would do with their own bodies, seeming to forget, there was another little body entrusted to that woman in her womb, not just a lifeless blob. The more I read the more I became disgusted at how much the world had seeped into our lives, without realizing it. The man was ordained by God to be a covering for the woman, whether it be as a father or a husband. 1 Peter 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. What I found in this research is, that rebellion is what has undermined not only woman but the morality of our country. The reason women were not able to vote was simple and clear. At this time in history it was necessary for property ownership, in order to be able to cast your vote in elections or other political issues. Women were not able to enter into contract, or own property, it was in the husbands name, as they were also not to be taken to the law, which any contract per say, can at diverse times be subject to. Thus the husband was the covering for her, and was to provide, protect and honour her. For the founding Father's of this country did their utmost to preserve liberty in Christ, and fulfill the will of God in the forming of our laws and rights. I felt so much the more convicted after looking at this history and the route of the rebellion and the effects of this supposed good cause for women's rights. Realizing in hindsight, that it seems to me that women in general, fought real hard to loose so very much. A place of honour in their home and in society, under the protective covering of God and man. And this daughter of Sarah, would gladly give up my right to vote, if only the clock could be turned back, and all of God's daughter's could be raised with the knowledge and understanding of what blessings abound, when we are in alignment and harmony with the creative purpose of God the Father in our lives. I personally believe with all of my heart, that the Lord created "me" to be a daughter of God, woman of God, wife-helpmeet to my beloved, mother to my children and in subjection and submission to His authority and His delegated authority here on earth, and that this is a privilage and a joy. This is a journey that is not completed, but truly the trip is filled with delightful treasures along the way, and jewels of truth and peace in the knowledge of the Lord's will for me, and the unfolding of His purpose and plan.
L.J.