Midway through cancer treatment, the fatigue my doctor told me about caught up with me. I was still fighting off the effects of chemotherapy. The drugs not only destroyed cancer cells but also many good cells. At 75, I didn’t bounce back as quickly as in years past. Cancer isn’t kind. Neither is the treatment.
My husband tried to help around the house, but he was tired after work, and I was often too weak to cook. That’s when my friend Janie came by with a scrumptious bowl of soup she often made for others going through difficulties.
Janie shared with me the story behind the friendship soup before she left on her meal ministry. Years earlier when she went through a trial, Ana, a church member, heard of her troubles and showed up with a bowl of soup. As she prepared the soup, she prayed over the ingredients. Ana washed, scrubbed, and chopped each vegetable, asking God to use them to provide vitamins to the recipients. When she browned the meat, she prayed it would provide protein to the body. She even prayed while chopping the onion, asking that God would bottle up the tears of whoever received the soup. Because the recipe makes a huge pot, she would divide it and deliver the bowls to those who needed encouragement in their struggles.
Janie named it Ana’s Friendship Soup and continued Ana’s ministry. She knew that people facing trouble need to be ministered to both physically and spiritually.
After relaying the story with me, Janie said, “May I pray for you before I go?” I assured her I would love that. She petitioned God to use His healing power and nourishment from the soup to restore my energy. She gave me an air hug and headed to her car, promising to call soon.
When I lifted the cover from the bowl, the scrumptious aroma woke up my sickly taste buds. That evening I thought about the soup legacy and how it pleased Jesus. In Matthew 25:40, He teaches that whenever we visit those who are sick, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Of course, I knew the soup had no magical power — just nutritional value; it is God’s power that heals. In fact, the ingredients weren’t as important as the love and prayers which went into the making of it. I thanked God for my friend, and I renamed the delicious concoction Janie’s Friendship Soup.
You might find it enjoyable to adopt such a ministry as your own. If so, you can use Janie’s recipe or one of your own favorites. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you begin:
- Ask God to lead you to whomever needs encouraging.
- Pray for the person as you prepare the recipe.
- Pray with the recipient when you deliver the soup.
People facing trouble need to be ministered to both physically and spiritually.
JANIE’S FRIENDSHIP SOUP
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2–3 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, sliced
1 link smoked sausage
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey or beef
32-ounce carton beef or chicken stock
1 tablespoon of Better Than Bullion®
4 cups water
2 teaspoons sweet mesquite seasoning
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
15-ounce bag of mixed frozen vegetables
15-ounce can garbanzo beans
15-ounce can kidney beans
6 red potatoes, scrubbed & quartered
Directions
In a stockpot, add olive oil, onion, celery, and garlic; sauté till tender. Add carrots. Remove from heat. In a skillet, brown the smoked sausage, poking holes to let some of the fat cook out. Drain, cool, and slice. In the same pan, brown the ground turkey or beef and drain. Add the meat to the stockpot. Mix the beef or chicken stock and bullion in the water and add to the pot along with the remaining ingredients. Simmer just until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Do not overcook.
Note: Substitute potatoes with a cup of rice or pasta, if desired.
This article originally appeared in the August 2025 edition of Mature Living Magazine.
About June Chapko
June Chapko resides in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband, Nick. She is the author of two fictional series and a devotional for breast cancer survivors. She is a Bible study teacher, avid journaler, and breast cancer survivor.
