The Ministry Of Armpits

Here I am with Erika & Kendall. ( Yes I am blonde in this pic ). They are two of my armpit buddies.

I know you are all wondering what in the world this post will be about. I'll cut to the chase. I got to talk to one of my best friends today. Her name is Erika & she lives in Haiti. It was so nice to catch up and really let her in to all the things going on in deep inside.

Amazing how powerful the simple act of letting people in is. Sharing with them the unimpressive, broken and humiliating parts of you. Not just telling them, but allowing them to get in there with you & hold you up. Much like Aaron & Moses. Moses was tired, but Aaron held his arms up until the battle was won.

That is what true community does. They get in there & support you when the battle feels like too much. We love the idea of being vulnerable and supporting each other. It is an idea often talked about but rarely done. The reason for that is quite simple. For someone to hold me up, really hold me up, they would have to support me under my arms. In the armpits.

For someone to support me I will have to be incredibly vulnerable. If I want to support someone else, I will have to be selfless and get in there. Into the sticky, smelly, and gross parts.

I have to let go of hiding my weakness. I have to let go of feeling impressive and embrace my need.

My guess is that most of us have lost battles. Perhaps a battle with sin, fear, discouragement, a battle in marriage... In my life I can tell you a key to whether I won or lost a fight was directly related to my allowing someone to hold me up.

If you are in a fight, let someone in. They can't hold you up by your smile or your manicured nails. Let them hold you up under your arms. Tell them the ugly bits. Confess the sin you are embarrassed by. Admit the failures that haunt you. Be unimpressive. Need God more than you need an image.

Loose your shame & win your battles.