Share Your Chicken Stew

Guest Post by Joyce Harrell

When my husband and I first got married, we were college students. Actually, Mike was finishing his ministerial degree, and I put off finishing my education to work full-time while he was completing his. Those times were financially tight. My salary was $600 per month working full-time and he brought home about $50 a week.

Hard times

I remember how we needed to account for every dime. Grocery shopping was a challenge. I remember getting a lot of Banquet frozen food boxes. At that time, you could buy slices of frozen turkey or beef in gravy. There was one serving per box, and the cost was two for a dollar. I would purchase a big bag of rice, and we would heat those single servings of meat, pour it over the rice, and I would heat up a can of green beans or corn.

Change the menu

One day we received extra money in the mail, probably from one of our parents. I went to the grocery store and purchased ingredients to make Brunswick stew. This was a southern meal I had learned to make from Mike’s mother. The stew is chicken-based, with a nice base of stewed tomatoes, potatoes and other yummy vegetables. I worked on that meal all Saturday. We would have enough to last all week.

To share or not to share

That Saturday night was a church function. This was a potluck social gathering, which the church had once a month. Mike mentioned that we could take the stew. I was opposed to that idea, because we were finally able to eat something different and honestly, I didn’t want to share it. I had a poverty mentality.

We took a Corning Ware dish (anybody remember these?) of canned green beans. I had to leave the lid cracked on the pot to let the stew cool down while we went to church. Whether this was needed or not, it’s how my mother-in-law did it. She said because of the cream corn inside, you had to let it cool down before placing it in containers and putting it in the refrigerator.

Lesson learned

When Mike and I got home from the social a few hours later, I went to the kitchen to put up our stew. The smell was horrible. In just those few hours, the stew had cooled down and spoiled.

God spoke very gently to me that night. “Joyce, do you not trust me enough to give provision for your needs?” A valuable lesson was learned that night. God opened up our hearts to be cheerful givers. We give in our abundance and in our lack.

Business flow

In our businesses, we use budgets and plans to direct financial flow. There have been times when God speaks to give to a cause or to an individual. With my business being in the start-up stage, I want to hold on tight to incoming resources. We need to be prudent and faithful with our resources.

How many times though, have we made our “stew” and held on tight, when God is whispering to let go and trust Him? There is a time for sowing and reaping, a time for sowing and harvest. When God speaks for us to give, are we listening?

I’ve been praying about a local, non-profit Christian organization, which supports young girls who have been rescued from sexual slavery in remote parts of the world. These young girls make jewelry and purses with resources from their country.

I’m in contact with the organizer, who’s helping me to place these products on my website. All profits would go to this organization. My wealth isn’t about me. God has anointed and appointed my spiritual gifts and talents, not only to meet my financial needs, but to share with His children and to make a difference in this world.

Joyce Harrell, RN, OCN is a Christian holistic nurse who provides natural solutions to common health problems. Joyce utilizes the art of nursing by implementing essential oils, enzyme therapy, vision boards, wellness coaching, and nutritional therapy to help you create an environment for your body to best heal.

Joyce is a wife, mother, nana, author, holistic healer, and above all committed to her relationship with God. You can find Joyce at www.NurseCoachOnline or email her at joyce@nursecoachonline.com.