S ~ Steady, stable, staying,
T ~ Tried and true to stand,
E ~ Everlasting Faithfulness,
A ~ All flowing from His Hand.
D ~ Destined to give Him glory,
F ~Forever He’s my stay,
A ~ All honor, praise, thanksgiving,
S ~ Sound songs unto His Name.
T ~ To Jesus King always!!
……….to be settled securely and soundly in Him,
Jesus! My Hope, Anchor, Stay.
Aspire and Aim that my life may show forth,
a glowing delight every day!
At the beginning of 2017, I flipped open a spiral of index cards and I wrote the word Steadfast across the first card in loopy, twirly handlettering.
Around the edges, I penned synonyms for Steadfast. Words, attributes, qualities I want etched into the very bones of my character.
loyal * steady * abiding * constant * enduring * fixed * resolute * sure * dependable * dedicated * stable * faithful * reliable * intent * persevering * wholehearted * true * staunch * unfaltering *
Then I began to choose verses for Scripture Memory {SSMT at The LPM Blog} with the word or theme of steadfastness.
2017. It’s been a year. Good things. Hard things. Unexpected things. Learning a little more what it means to remain steadfast, faithful and to persevere.
Something I didn’t think about at all as I sat in the twinkle lights of my Christmas tree and prayed and penned the beginning of this spiral, was the testing and the tactics that my desiring to go deeper in a steadfast faith was most likely going to bring forth.
Sometimes I think I give the devil more credit and think he has more power than he does. Other times I think I get lazy or forgetful about his schemes and lies. I don’t want to camp out in either place. Jesus has already defeated Him. Jesus holds the power. Power in the name of Jesus! Yet, Satan still prowls around like a lion looking for whom he can devour. And he doesn’t like it when any of God’s children want to grow and become more like Christ. No sirree! That ole trickster and liar doesn’t want any of us to take on more of a Christ-like countenance.
Sooooooooooo, I shouldn’t have been surprised at some of the bumps and setbacks and flaming arrows {figurative, not literal} 😉 {thank goodness} {but still burns badly at times} tossed my way as 2017 progressed.
But, I was.
I really was.
And you know what makes me exceedingly grumpy about the devil’s lying, deceiving ways? How devious he can be! Because a couple of events that really shook me came from very unexpected places. I still don’t have it all sorted out in my mind. But I’m praying over it and one thing I do know for certain sure. My Father is FAITHFUL to the core. His steadfast love never fails.
If you have a few minutes, please pray a little prayer for me, right here, right now. Pray for truth to prevail and for God to grow His steadfastness and dedication and resoluteness in my life. Thank-you ever so immensely!!
Here’s my list of verses. Because I want to type them all out as this year draws to a close and because I want to preserve them here.
I can’t recite them all from memory. But I’ve been over them a lot and these words are working their way into my mind and spirit and hopefully will pour out in my life.
{You’ll find my SSMT 2015 here.}
{You’ll find my Word of the Year 2017 post here along with pictures of my word on my necklace from Creative Carmella.}
Emphasis on STEADFAST in these verses is my emphasis!!!
1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be STEADFAST, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
James 1:12 ESV
Blessed is the man who remains STEADFAST under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
Psalm 119:41 ESV
Let your STEADFAST love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to Your promise;
Ruth 2:7 NIV
She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.” She went into the field and has WORKED STEADILY from morning till now except for a short rest in the shelter.
Lamentations 3:22
The STEADFAST love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end.
Joshua 23:8 HCSB
Instead, REMAIN FAITHFUL to the Lord your God as you have done to this day.
Colossians 2:5 ASV
For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the STEADFASTNESS of your faith in Christ.
2 Kings 18:6 ESV
For he {King Hezekiah} HELD FAST to the Lord. He did not depart from following Him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses.
Psalm 57:7 NIV
My heart, O God, is STEADFAST, my heart is STEADFAST; I will sing and make music.
1 Peter 5:10 NIV
And the God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and STEADFAST.
Proverbs 4:26 NIV
Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be STEADFAST in all your ways.
Psalm 119:5 ESV
Oh, that my ways may be STEADFAST in keeping your statues!
Isaiah 26:3 NIV
You will keep you in perfect peace those whose minds are STEADFAST because they trust in You.
Psalm 107:43 ESV
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the STEADFAST love of the Lord.
Luke 21:19 The Message
STAYING WITH IT-that’s what is required. STAY WITH IT to the end. You won’t be sorry, you’ll be saved.
Job 11:15
then free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will STAND FIRM without fear.
2 Timothy 3:14 NIV
But as for you, CONTINUE IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED and have become convinced of because you know those from whom you learned it.
Hebrews 3:14 KJV
For we are made partakers in Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence STEADFAST unto the end.
Exodus 14:13
But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. STAND FIRM and see the Lord’s salvation that He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.
Proverbs 11:19 NASB
He who is STEADFAST in righteousness will attain to life. And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
Be on your guard; STAND FIRM in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.
Hosea 2:19 ESV
And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in STEADFAST love and in mercy.
2 Peter 3:17-18
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard, so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own STEADFASTNESS, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen
Ephesians 6:14
STAND FIRM then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.
…………………………………………………………………………….
Something I like to do with my spiral and verses is to flip over the card and pen a prayer on the back of each verse pertaining to the verse itself or something from the verse that I want to draw into my life.
The end of 2017 finds me with twenty-four verses and twenty-four prayers catalogued into this Wal-Mart spiral of simple index cards. Simple cards containing POWER. Containing Words of life and prayers of my heart. I know, I know, I can’t even fathom the game changer, the difference maker, the impact they are for me.
I’m a mess. Mostly a mess, most of the time. Yet, my Jesus, He is magnificent at making moments out of messes and molding miracles from the unmiraculous.
I don’t know where I’d be without Him. I DO know, sort of, where I’d be. I don’t even really want to see the condition I’d be in without His Word steadfastly sowing seed and growing fruit in me.
I am eternally grateful for His unending grace, amazing love and steadfast faithfulness!
As 2017 begins to wrap up according to how we catalogue time and we prepare to hang up 2018 calendars, I find my Steadfast focus from 2017 flowing into an Aspire&Aim arrow for 2018.
Wishing you a bright ending to 2017 and abundant blessings in 2018!
THANK-YOU for reading along, dear friends. For each of you who shows up to share this space of mine. Whether you read every blogpost or pop in a few times a season, or once or twice a year. I’m grateful for every way God plays out in our lives and in each of the individual journeys He has us on.
May 2018 pour out happiness on YOU!!!

I just prayed for you! This is a beautiful post and it sounds like you are heading into 2018 stronger in your faith and love for God! Happy New Year!
Thank-you so much, Beth!! Wishing a wonderful New Year to you and your family!