“I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.“
“A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.“
“Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:2-16).
I am often asked how I defend wearing my head covering when women respond with “That was a Jewish tradition,” or “I’ve read that and my hair is my covering,” or “I’m not good enough yet,” or “My husband doesn’t want me to wear one,” or “It’s not for today,” or “My pastor doesn’t teach this.”
Holding to the Traditions
“I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you” (Verse 2).
Head coverings or veils are a Jewish tradition; however, Paul praises the Corinthians for “holding to the traditions” just as he taught them. Even Yeshua taught that all traditions weren’t bad; only the ones that nullified a commandment of God (Mark 7:7). Being immersed in the Jewish culture, Paul would have understood the head covering, veil, from a Jewish perspective, especially within the context of betrothal and marriage. However, Paul’s discourse about this tradition reveals deeper spiritual implications.
Rebecca veiled herself in Genesis 24:65 when she is about to meet her betrothed, Isaac. Leah was veiled when she married Jacob; and for this reason, Jacob didn’t note the switch of women on his wedding day (Genesis 29). Tamar covered herself with a veil so that Judah doesn’t recognize her as his widowed daughter-in-law (Genesis 38:15). In the Song of Songs, the Lover speaks of the beauty of his Beloved’s eyes behind her veil (Song of Songs 4:4).
As the apostle to the gentiles, Paul was speaking to a congregation in Corinth which was made up of gentile men and women. Whether or not there were Jewish men and women present, doesn’t matter. He didn’t need to teach them about the head covering for they already understood its purpose. This was a Jewish tradition being explained to gentile women who were being grafted into the ‘Commonwealth of Israel.’ Apparently, it was also a tradition that the women of Corinth were ignoring while the rest of the congregations in Ephesus, Galatia, Philippi, and Colossae practiced the tradition.
“However, if anyone wants to argue about it, the fact remains that we have no such custom [of unveiling], nor do the Messianic communities of God” (verse 16).
This verse is often used to argue that after Paul writes 15 verses about “holding onto a tradition” and the spiritual meaning for the “tradition,” he negates this whole teaching by stating that other congregations have “no such custom” as the woman’s head covering. What Paul actually says is that there is “no such custom” for a woman to remain unveiled, and corrects the Corinthian congregation accordingly.
“Is it appropriate for a woman to pray to God when she is unveiled? (verse 13).
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, his correction about the veil has been heeded. The women were not only covering, they were covering properly. The veil covered only the women’s heads, not their faces. This allowed for both women and men to reflect the glory of God.
“So all of us, with faces unveiled, see as in a mirror the glory of the LORD; and we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by the LORD of the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
It’s not for today.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Women in the Body of Messiah must address these verses in Timothy prayerfully and with a teachable heart. Do you honestly believe that all Scripture is God-breathed or only some Scriptures? Which Scriptures do you think were not given through the Holy Spirit? Do you desire to be trained in righteousness? Is obedience to a command more painful than Yeshua’s death on the cross?
We must willingly lay down our lives and pre-conceived ideas about the Word of God so that we can be transformed into the image of Yeshua. Obedience to any command in the Word of God begins in the heart. If you love God and believe in the inerrancy of His Word, then you should show your love to Him. Rooted in a love, every command of God falls into place and becomes easy through the strengthening power of His Spirit. Justification for sin through Yeshua is a free gift from God; sanctification, however, comes with a price.
As a parent who desires simple obedience from my children, my Father expects nothing less. He has precious lessons to teach us, but he can only do so after we stop justifying our disobedience. Yeshua says, “If you love me you will obey my commands and I will ask the Father and He will send another counselor –– the Spirit of Truth” (John 14:15).
With every command from the Father, we must become as a child; understanding the why of the command isn’t always apparent until we obey; and even then, the reason may not become obvious until we mature. According to Yeshua’s words, receiving the Spirit of Truth, follows our obedience not vice versa.
My hair is my covering.
Using Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, there are two different words used for ‘cover’ in 1 Corinthians 11. Verses 6-7 use the Greek word katakalupto which means ‘to cover oneself.’ This is a verb which implies an action or something the woman has to do. In verse 15, the Greek word peribolaion is used denoting ‘something thrown around.’ It is a noun, an object.
If Greek is Greek to you, then read the passage changing the word ‘covering’ to ‘hair’ beginning with verse 4:
“Every man who prays or prophesies with ‘hair on his head’ dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies ‘without hair’ dishonors her head – it is just as though her head were shaved.”
If ‘hair’ was the katakalupto or covering, then every man should be ‘without hair’ or bald when he prays or prophesies. Concurrently, every woman who prays or prophesies ‘without hair’ should shave her head. How can a woman shave her head if she is already without hair? Neither concept makes sense because the Greek word for ‘covering’ is not ‘hair.’ It is an action verb, not a noun. In the American Standard Version Bible, verse 6 uses the verb form of the Greek correctly with the phrase “let her be veiled” because “let her have hair” makes no sense.
“For if a woman is not veiled, let her also be shorn: but if it is a shame to be a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled.”
Let’s use the same idea with verse 15 and the object noun peribolaion:
“But that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as “hair.”
In this verse, when the noun is used, ‘hair’ is given to a woman as ‘hair.’ This makes sense. This Greek word denotes that the object ‘hair’ is given to a woman as ‘something thrown around’ her literal head. There is nothing a woman has to do to let her hair grow. Hair is a natural occurrence.
God’s Creational Order
“But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Messiah, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Messiah is God…. A man ought not to cover his head since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man …” (verses 3, 7).
I put these verses together to show the divine order of God, Messiah, Man, and Woman in the creational order. Man was created first in the image of God in order to glorify his Creator (Genesis 1:27). Because he is the glory and image of God, he is not to cover his head. Woman was created from the flesh of man for the purpose of being the glory of man.
Praying and Prophesying
“But every woman who prays or prophesies” (verse 5).
Praying and prophesying are not cultural activities or even traditions. They are spiritual actions done by followers of Yeshua. What exactly is praying and prophesying? I heard a pastor speak on this passage and I thought he gave simple and logical definitions. I use them because I liked them: Praying is talking to God and prophesying is talking about God.
The Amplified Bible elaborates on ‘prophecy’ in this verse:
“Any woman who (publicly) prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, or comforts) when she is bareheaded dishonors her head; it is the same as (if her head were) shaved.”
Jewish men and women prayed and prophesied separately in the Temple with an outer court specifically designed for women. Even today, this separation occurs in ultra-orthodox synagogues as well as at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Men and women pray on different sides of a barrier or fence.
In Messiah, however, men and women become co-heirs together in the Kingdom, and there is no Jew or gentile, male or female. Worshiping God in a congregation that includes men and women, Jew and gentile praying and prophesying together needs physical, as well as spiritual boundaries.
“As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak” (1Corinthians 14:33-34).
Though this verse may sound harsh toward women, it is meant to avoid women publicly praying and prophesying, giving testimonies, leading worship, and teaching men. Many times the authority taken by women leads to having complacent, unspiritual men. Women, who desire to pray and prophesy publicly may do so, but are commanded to cover their heads. If they don’t want to wear a veil, they have that liberty, but then they should remain silent. This allows for men to lead as they are called in the realm where they are supposed to lead. If you are a woman and desire greater spiritual leadership from your husband, seek the Lord seriously about remaining silent when in a congregational setting or covering your head if you desire to pray or prophesy aloud.
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers … then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God” (Titus 2:3-5).
A woman’s place of authority is in the home where she is to be busy, teaching and training her children, and under the authority of her husband. By being busy in the home with her children, she will be praying for them and teaching the Scriptures to them. She will be blessing her husband as the helpmeet she was created to be. As she grows older and her children have grown into adults, she will have the opportunity to encourage the younger women God brings into her home.
What about women’s conventions, rallies, and seminars? Many of these gatherings are not about encouraging women to be set apart and holy for God, strengthening them in the wisdom of Scriptures. Most are emotional, feel-good milk toast formula messages with colorful sprinkles of comedy, mocking the woman’s soul, her home, her husband, and her children. Take a closer look at the women who lead these seminars. None of them are covered; most of them are shorn, something called “shameful” by God.
If you choose to attend a woman’s gathering, make sure the leaders are virtuous women, preaching and teaching the Word of God, encouraging you to become a Proverbs 31 woman warrior. Make sure they don’t tell you what you want to hear or justify bringing a carnal culture into your spiritual life and home. Any woman who leads, teaches, trains, and rebukes, according to the tradition, should cover her head.
I’m not submissive enough.
Many years ago, a woman who didn’t cover told me that I needed a covering because I wasn’t submissive to my husband. At first I was hurt by her accusations; I didn’t want to be falling short of submitting to my husband (Ephesians 5:22). However, if women didn’t have a problem with submitting to their husbands, God wouldn’t have commanded them to do it. Even though the head covering is not called a ‘sign of submission,’ it became a reminder to honor my husband as I would the Lord. It wasn’t long after this woman judged my life that she began attending a church that taught the woman’s head covering. She was suddenly faced with a decision: she had to choose whether or not to wear what she considered ‘a sign of submission.’
The verses in 1 Corinthians 11 don’t give any prerequisite holiness for wearing a covering. Moreover, 1 Corinthians 11 doesn’t even suggest that the woman’s covering is a ‘sign of submission’ to her husband or that she has to be in perfect ‘submission’ to wear it.
Sign of Authority
“It is for this reason [creational order] that a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head” (verse 10).
The Spirit of God taught me a deeper truth of the head covering after I put one on my head. My understanding didn’t come until I grabbed ‘hold of the tradition.’ At this point, let me make it clear that wearing a head covering has nothing to do with being justified before God. Covering is a step in the sanctification process. It becomes a blessing only after exercising faith.
Taking the creational order to its literal conclusion, a woman would have to take her prayers to man, man to Messiah, and then Messiah to God. In Messiah, however, a woman is a spiritual co-heir with man, and she can pray directly to God ‘in the name of Yeshua.’ She can prophesy about God to those He brings into her life. She can make disciples and take authority over the enemy (Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 10:19). Because the woman has been given equal authority in the spiritual realm, she is asked wear a physical ‘sign of authority’ to show that she respects the creational order.
In the realm of my life, as I teach my children at home, I wear the ‘sign of authority’ so that they know God, Yeshua, and Daddy have put me in the position of teaching and training them. It also shows them that I don’t have to ask permission for every little thing that I say and do. ‘Authority’ has been given me by my husband and we’re both under the ‘authority’ of Messiah and God. When I have had to do spiritual battles for my children, I am wearing the ‘sign’ of authority; I not only honor God’s creational order, but also the authority He has given me as a woman warrior.
Some versions of the Bible translate katakalupto as ‘sign of power.’ What kind of ‘power’ does a woman, a prophetess, have when wearing a veil? The prophet Ezekiel gives a glimpse into the power behind the veil and how it was misused in Israel.
“Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives’” (Ezekiel 13:20-22).
God says that he will tear off the veils of false prophetesses in order to save His people from their ‘power.’ Because the women falsely prophesy, tell lies, and encourage wickedness (lawlessness), God removes their veils. Up until the 1960s, women wore hats in church. When the women’s equality movement upheaved western society, it also infiltrated the western church. As women sought equality in the workplace, they left their place of authority in the home. As they usurped men on the ladder of careerism; they usurped men in God’s creational line of authority. Could the fact that the head covering is missing from American churches today suggest that God Himself removed the ‘sign of power’ from western women following after false gods? He didn’t tolerate false prophetesses in Israel; He isn’t going to tolerate them in His Kingdom.
Because of the Angels
“For this reason and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head” (verse 10).
“For this reason” follows the outline of creational order already established. ”And” adds a more significant spiritual dimension to the reason for a woman’s covering –– because of the angels.
Angels are created beings (Colossians 1:16). They ascend and descend from heaven (Genesis 28:12). They stand in the presence of God (Job 1:6). They obey God’s will (Psalm 103:20). They minister to those who inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14). They will separate the wicked from the righteous (Matthew 13:49). They never die (Luke 20:36). They submit to Yeshua who is at the Right Hand of God (1 Peter 3:22). They long to know the good news as it has been given to mankind (1 Peter 1:12). They guard the congregations of Yeshua (Revelation 1:20). They will be judged by men (1 Corinthians 6:3). They give ‘signs’ and need ‘signs’ (Luke 2:12, 1 Corinthians 11:10).
Psalm 91 says, “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” Perhaps this is the reason angels need the ‘sign of authority’ on a woman’s head. Angels cannot know or discern what is in our hearts or minds. Perhaps they need the ‘sign of authority’ so they recognize a woman who has placed herself willingly in God’s creational order? When angels separate the wicked from the righteous, maybe the righteous woman’s head covering sets her apart from the wicked? What if the angels are put into a state of confusion when an ‘uncovered’ woman prays or prophesies? What if they can’t battle for her in the heavenly realm leaving her prayers unanswered?
There is another group of angels to whom Paul may be referring. Could “because of the angels” have something to do with fallen angels?
“And the angels who did not keep (care for, guard, and hold to) their positions of authority (own first place of power) but abandoned their own home (proper dwellings) – these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day” (Jude verse 6, The Amplified Bible).
These angels did not keep their place of authority, but abandoned their proper dwelling place and went somewhere else. They didn’t value their “first place of power” and “abandoned their own home.” Because these angels left the angelic realm, they are being “kept in darkness and bound with everlasting chains” waiting for judgment.
Jude quotes from the Book of Enoch because Enoch was part of the Hebrew Scriptures. According to Enoch, the fallen angels are those who left the heavenly realm and came to earth. They had sexual relations with women and gave birth to giants.
“Bind Semjaza and the others who are with him, who fornicated with the women, that they will die together with them in all their defilement…Bind them for seventy generations underneath the rocks of the ground until the day of their judgment and of their consummation, until the eternal judgment is concluded” (1 Enoch 10:11-12:).
“Go and make known to the Watchers of heaven who have abandoned the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women” (1 Enoch 12:4).
“For what reason have you abandoned the high, holy, and eternal heaven; and slept with women and defiled yourselves with the daughters of the people … I did not make wives for you for the proper dwelling place of spiritual beings of heaven is heaven” (1 Enoch 15:3, 7).
Could the woman’s head covering be a ‘sign’ to the offspring of the fallen angels, the Nephilim, that this woman is off limits to their evil designs? Could the head covering be a woman’s protection as the world enters the ‘days of Noah’? Could the covering actually protect the angels that didn’t fall, but still may be tempted?
Women need to understand what abandoning their ‘place of authority’ means to God. He uses the angels as an example to those who refuse to accept their first place of authority. Believing they have been liberated from the bondage of God’s creational order, women lack discernment and live in darkness. The become bound by spiritual chains that may eventually cost them and their daughters divine protection. “Because of the angels” gives the woman’s head covering spiritual significance in these last days.
The Glory of God, Man, and Woman
“A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God …does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her?” (verses 7, 15).
The Hebrew word for ‘glory’ is kavod and means ‘something heavy’ or ‘falling down upon.’ In Greek, the word ‘glory’ is doxa and means ‘great honor, praise and splendor,’ specifically in reference to people. It also means ‘delight.’ Combining the Hebrew and Greek definitions, ‘glory is the honor, praise and splendor falling down upon the people of God bringing Him delight.’
Man is the delight and splendor of God; woman is the delight and splendor of man; the woman’s hair is the delight and splendor of woman. In the natural realm, God gives women hair in which to delight. And, we do delight in it! How many women spend unending hours and wads of money fixing their hair? For church? What are the motives behind beautiful hair during worship?
When a woman wears a head covering, she chooses to cover her glory, protecting the men around her. God wants men, His glory, to pray and prophesy without distraction. Long hair on a woman is seductive to men and enticing even to the angels! Women with ‘uncovered’ long hair are probably leading some man into ‘lust of the flesh’ or ‘testing’ the ministering angels. Is that what a godly woman should be doing during worship? Is it worth stumbling a brother because you are glorying in your glory and you don’t want to cover it? How many men are distracted during worship because of a woman’s unwillingness to follow a simple ordinance?
I had a man in church ask me why I covered my head when I had such beautiful hair. I responded, “Why are you looking at my hair when you should be worshiping the Lord?” He was embarrassed and remained silent. And, my hair was covered!
I met an elderly Jewish woman who was the wife of a rabbi. She was blessed by my head covering. She was awed that I, a gentile woman, would cover myself in the presence of a holy God. It actually brought tears to her eyes. I had never really been enlightened to that aspect of the head covering. To me, it suddenly became symbolic of Moses who wore a veil because the glory of God was so powerful that no one could look at him. My head covering touched her heart enough for me to share Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, with her.
Some women have asked the age or marital status when a covering should be worn. For the answer, I looked up woman in my Greek lexicon, but it wasn’t listed for 1 Corinthians 11. So, I am depending on the Spirit of God to show me the answer to this question. Logically, I would think the covering should include all women, not just married women. I say this because divine order shouldn’t just apply to married women. Divine order is a command for all women who are part of God’s Kingdom. If the passage were only for married women, single women would be free to live out of God’s divine order. This is foolishness because a woman should always be (or at least used to always be) under the authority of a man, whether it’s her husband, father, or brother. The sign that a single woman knows and accepts the order of headship is just as important as a married woman accepting that order.
God doesn’t want our glory to be shining in the sanctuary. He wants His, and man is His glory. There is something transcendent about acknowledging God’s glory by covering our glory, and allowing His glory to fall powerfully on the Body of Messiah.
My husband doesn’t want me to wear a covering.
Most women have read 1 Corinthians 11, but want to continue in their rebellion. They love their hair and don’t want to cover it. They may have tried to wear one, but it slips off. Maybe they are praying for the ‘right time’ that never comes. Many times, however, women use their husbands as the excuse.
Quite frankly, your husband doesn’t want you to cover your hair. You are his glory, his delight. He loves your long hair. It is attractive to him. This is good and right and natural. However, when it comes to the glory of God, it is your husband’s flesh that keep him from allowing you to obey. This is sin.
From what I read in 1 Corinthians 11, wearing a covering is not up for discussion between pastors and the congregation, men and women, husbands and wives. God wants obedience in all areas of our lives and this area is no exception. Though women are commanded to submit to their husbands, should husbands encourage their wives to disobey an ordinance if his wife is being convicted by the Spirit of God?
I was blessed that my husband bought my first covering. This is not always the case. Most husbands shy away from the woman’s covering for the reasons already mentioned and many others. If you truly desire to cover, I suggest you earnestly pray for your husband’s eyes to be opened to the spiritual depth of the passage. Pray for his heart to be changed regarding this tradition given uniquely to women.
My husband asked if I would not wear my head covering when we’re just hanging out at home. He does enjoy my hair and as his wife, I honored his request. However, when we have guests or I leave my home, I wear a head covering because I have no idea if God is going to call on me to pray or prophesy; I want to be prepared with His ‘sign of authority.’
My pastor doesn’t teach this.
The majority of pastors in American churches don’t and won’t teach 1 Corinthians 11. Why? Simply put, feminism in the Body of Messiah. Feminism is as old as Eve picking the fruit, taking it to Adam, pressuring him to do what she wants, and he submits. They both suffer the consequences of disobedience.
A woman’s carnal nature is fed by a culture of women’s rights, even in the church. Feminism or the ‘divine feminine’ is Satan’s stronghold in the western church. Most pastors are weak like King Ahab when it comes to spiritual warfare with the idolatrous Jezebel. They do not want to lose their job battling feminist women over the woman’s head covering and God’s creational order. Paul teaches the Corinthians that rebelling against governing authorities established by God will incur judgment. The creation order is one such governing authority and there is a ‘sign of authority’ that shows it is being honored.
“He who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:2).
The Age of Accountability
Some women have asked the age or marital status when a head covering should be worn. I looked up ‘woman’ in my Greek lexicon, but there was no listing for 1 Corinthians 11. I believe that the covering includes all women, not just married women because creational order shouldn’t just apply to married women. Creational order is for all women who are part of the Kingdom of God.
If the passage was only for married women, single women would be free to act out of creational order. This is foolishness because a woman should always be, or at least used to be, under the authority of a man, whether it’s her husband, father, or brother. A single woman knowing and accepting the creational order of headship is just as important as a married woman. A single woman wearing the ‘sign of authority’ may actually attract a godly man who will be the perfect headship husband.
A single woman should begin to wear a headcovering when she enters womanhood. In Jewish culture, a girl became a woman between 12 and 13. I would present the Scripture to a young woman and let the Spirit do His work in her heart. She needs to be convicted by God and changed by His Spirit. If we force or require a young woman to wear a head covering and the conviction isn’t in her heart, then one day she will rebel.
My Walk and Testimony
Wearing a head covering brings attention, but that is part of my witness to what God has done in my heart and life. People should not just know, but see I am a follower of Yeshua.
Wearing a head covering has not been an easy road for me. I have been attacked by women, men, and especially pastors. I have been called names and have been accused of being a heretic. I have had moments of rebellion and disobedience. Sometimes Yeshua gently reminded me that I was falling away and brought me back; other times He had to jolt me with guilt and sorrow.
I’m sure at times that I had an attitude of self-righteousness and judgment because I became weary of walking alone. I am not to make my sisters in Yeshua stumble into sin, but I am to challenge them. If I have stumbled anyone through my covering, I ask forgiveness. My prayer has always been that women of God would be convicted by His Spirit to have a deeper desire to be Yeshua’s pure and holy bride by wearing a ‘bridal’ veil.
Iron Sharpens Iron
Judy and Shelley, you blessed me on Tabernacles. Mr. African pastor (God knows your name), your encouragement was at the perfect time. From you I learned that in the Body of Messiah around the world, my sisters cover. Carol, you blessed me in ways that you will never completely know. Divine intervention happens when we submit to the Word of God. The sword is most definitely two-edged. Pam, it was a joy to meet someone through the early days of the internet, nearly 30 years ago, who willingly wore covered in a church that taught the ‘tradition.’ The heart of your young daughter inspired me. Thank you, Kathy, for receiving my Passover gift and wearing it expectantly. Thank you, Kay, for the beautiful silk head covering. I know the gift came from your heart. Lucette, you were the first woman to tell me to “stand firm.” I know there will be times when I am persecuted, challenged, and even discouraged by men, women, and pastors because of my head covering. Theresa, your numerous questions became a watering can. Renee, what can I say? Praise God for your conviction that took me deeper into this walk. Referring to me as a faithful sister in your book was an honor. Teresa, it was worth the wait for a like-minded sister. Pastors Dave, Doug, and Greg, thank you for all the persecution. Your cruel words and unholy actions challenged me to pray and ask why the head covering incites judgment, mockery, and disrespect among male leaders in church. I bless you with revelation, understanding, wisdom, and true discipleship in the Word of God. Finally, Yeshua, thank you for never leaving me and giving me such a unique walk of faith and testimony.
I have the answer for anyone who asks why I wear the head covering. Simply, I obey the Word of God.
Another beautiful testimony for the head covering.
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Julie, thank you for sharing this! This article is the best answer and explanation for a woman’s head covering that I have ever heard. I was raised Baptist and started questioning this scripture when I was very young, maybe 13 or 14. I never covered my head because my grandmother, my spiritual mentor poopooed my questions. I turned my back on spiritual things, rededicating my life to the Lord when I was in my early 30’s. My grandmother was still with us at that time and she has always been the one I trusted with anything. The questions brought the same response. Every time I have questioned a Christian woman with the exception of Teresa Smith who is my neighbor and good friend, I have received similar responses. I have received every response that was written in this article and now I know why the Holy Spirit has flooded my soul with this question over and over and over again. I don’t expect to run out and buy a new head covering. I don’t even know how to wrap one. I do expect that I will have a lot more questions and request some help from Teresa. She has no idea what the Lord is bringing her direction!!! My walk has faltered since I married and moved to Nebraska. I just hope I can get back on track. Thank you for your words of encouragement!
Thank you for your encouragement. I was told many years ago when moving to podunk, nowhere that living in the wilderness, God has lots of time to work on us. After 19 years, I will attest to that truth.