Dear Friend,

Please pull up a chair and join me for a TEA CUPP. What is your name? What do you like to do? Are you a friend of Jesus? As I write this book, I am praying for you and count you as a dear friend and sister in Christ. I hope that by the time you finish this book, you and Jesus are really close friends, meeting every day for TEA.

You might be wondering where the TEA CUPP originated, so please let me introduce myself and my story to you. I am the blessed wife of Kent and mom to our four children and three angel babies in heaven. My greatest delights are my children whom I home school. My husband and I raised our children at a church camp in south-central Montana, where together our family lived and worked. We continue to serve the Lord in this same part of Montana, while I work on My TEA CUPP Prayers. My interests include running, scrapbooking, and praying.

In 1994, I was blessed to be home with our two small children while my husband worked a wonderful nature center job that didn’t pay much. At this same time several of our friends were having babies. I wanted to send them special gifts, but we didn’t have any money. I decided to give them the gift of prayer. I wrote a poem and sent it to each one, but wanted to be certain I had really prayed.

A friend shared a “Focus on the Family” magazine with me. It had an article by Becky Tirabassi on prayer. Becky uses the technique of journaling her prayers. I loved it! Now I could write my prayers and be certain I had prayed for these babies. My list grew from babies, to family, to many other needs as the months and years went by. After our third child was born (a seven year prayer answered), I was reading my Bible and underlining verses. As I nursed my sweet baby, I used those underlined verses to pray. Soon God showed me how to categorize the verses using an acronym, and My TEA CUPP Prayers were born.

One January I journaled this – “a new year. It is time. I heat the kettle, pull out my Bible bag and notebook, find a pen, organize my corner of the sofa, pour myself a mug of hot water, and begin. O Lord, bless MY TEA CUPP ministry. O Lord, bless MY TEA CUPP Prayers. O Lord, use MY TEA CUPP that You have given me for Your glory. Amen.

And so I write so that others may drink from His TEA CUPP, but ultimately it is I who will come closer to Jesus, for that is His way. As we seek to serve the One Who is our Savior, He actually serves us. As I hope to teach others a way to pray, He actually teaches me. O Lord, what an exciting journey. Let’s go!!”

It took me several years, but here it is finally, My TEA CUPP Prayers for you!

My TEA time with God begins each day by reading a devotion and my Bible. Some years I read a One Year Bible and other years I read three chapters a day from my study Bible. God has the first opportunity to speak as I dig into His Word.

Before I read, I pray Psalm 119:18…

Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.Psalm 119:18 (NKJV)

After my Bible time, I pull out my journal and begin to write my prayers for the day. Some days I may write long paragraphs, while other times I make lists or draw pictures for Jesus. The parts of my prayers are…

T = Thanksgiving
E = Exalting His Name
A = Admitting my sins
C = Calling for my life
U = Understanding my story
P = Promises (claiming God’s)
P = Petitions (pouring out my heart)

For each part, I use a verse from God’s Word as a conversation starter. For example, when Thanksgiving I might pray…

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 118:1 (NKJV)

I pray, “thank you, Lord, for You are good! Your mercy endures forever!” I thank God for all the blessings in my life…my family, a home to live in, food to eat, friends, etc. Then I move on to Exalting the Lord with a verse such as…

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth. Psalm 57:5 (NKJV)

I tell God how much I love Him and how much I want Him to be glorified in my life, my family, my church and this world. I continue my prayers, Admitting my sins, talking to God about His Calling for my life, Understanding my story in light of His Word, claiming His Promises, and finally, pouring out my heart to Jesus as I Petition God for all the dear ones on my prayer list.

God called me to write.  He gave me a way to pray.  He put the desire in my heart to share it in a unique way with others.  But, this is not the only way to pray. No, it’s just one method that works for me, and I’d like to share it with you. Even if you don’t use My TEA CUPP Prayers, I pray that you are inspired to spend more time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer.  If the testimonies shared here move you to accept Jesus for the very first time, or to renew your commitment to Him, praise the Lord!

Using My TEA CUPP Devotions…

As you read through My TEA CUPP Prayers, I encourage you to read only one devotion a day, study the suggested Bible reading, and try praying or doing the recommended “Today’s TEA CUPP” activity. I’ll explain each part of the TEA CUPP as we go along, one week at a time. You can flip to the back of the book to look at the Appendix and Book Mark ideas. But please don’t feel you have to dive in and do the whole TEA CUPP at once. Instead of big gulps, savor little sips with the Savior!

My prayer is that as you read these words you will…

• Dig deeper into God’s Word,
• Come closer to Jesus by meeting with Him each day,
• Unleash the power of the Holy Spirit through your prayers.

 

May your life be blessed while using My TEA CUPP Prayers and to God be the glory!

Thank you for being my friend and having a TEA CUPP with me.

With love,

Jennifer Grace

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.