WALKING WITH JESUS: Musings for Hearts on Fire

By Larkyn Norris

Are you ready for the fire of desire to be ignited within your heart?

This book, musings from a heart on fire- FOR the hearts on fire, this is a devotional style book designed to inspire spiritual growth and intimacy with Jesus.

With journaling space in between chapters, writing prompts to ponder on, prayers, scriptures to dig into,

• Language: English
• Publisher: WrittenByLarky
• Release date: Nov 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088016268

Larkyn Norris

Larkyn Norris is a Spirit filled, Born again believer in her twenties. She loves cats, all things 1970s, and spending time in nature. A self-identified "deep feeler", she cries often, and laughs even more. She has a passion for prayer, early childhood education, home church gatherings, authentic relationships, and igniting hearts to burn for Jesus. Her goal in life consists of one thing: to know Christ and make Him known.

Book preview

WALKING WITH JESUS

WALKING WITH JESUS

WALKING WITH JESUS

Musings for Hearts on Fire

Larkyn Norris

This book is for my 12, for the ones who go up the mountain with me.

This would not have been possible without your love and encouragement.

Love you deeply.

Walking with Jesus is a wonderful insight into the love, care, and purpose that God has for each of us. He longs to bring us into deeper places with Him and this book encourages, propels our hearts, and helps us to meet Him there.

-Kayla B.

This book is beautifully captivating the heart of Christ. It will lead you deeper into the essence of God, and challenge you to walk deeper in your faith. I love how the chapters have poetry thrown in, it encapsulates the beauty of the gospel. I highly recommend giving this book a read, I think you will hear whispers of the Lord's heart throughout.

-Amber C.

Larkyn is truly a heart on fire. She writes with passion and honesty and invites you into the great narrative of what it looks like to walk with the Lord through the story of her own journey with Him. This book is timely, personal, and deep, and as you read it, may you find yourself in its pages.

-Natalie F.

A beautiful addition to worship nights. The author truly immures you back to the first emotions we experience while being saved and adds the sanctification process we endure. From my own outside perspective, this made me feel the need to cling to my Bible and wanting a better closeness with the Lord. This is pure motivation to push us to be more on fire for Jesus.

-Sammi M.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you Jesus for allowing this book to be so real and relatable. Larkyn does a good job of being open and honest about how God draws us to a deeper level. I love how she draws the reader in, but also puts real-life application to the text. God's Word transforms, and I believe He's given Larkyn this gift to use His Word and for it to change many people's lives. I believe the more we draw close to God, He draws closer to us. Larkyn does an amazing job of drawing us into wanting and desiring more of God's presence. I believe this book holds the transformative power of God, and it's real for today's age.

-Adam & Liz J.

If you want a devotional book that will encourage and challenge you to see through the lenses of His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven then this is the devotional for you! 

-Debbie S.

I'm five years into massive crushing pressing squeezing purifying...this book still lit me up! Wilderness, fruit, and pressure, all relating to God's will, are explained very well in here. New, medium, or seasoned believer needs to read. Applies to all levels of maturity. Invites and helps draw near to God.

-Brad W.

Copyright © 2023 by Larkyn Norris

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means for financial gain. Personal use and sharing of up to one full page is permitted. Songs may be sung and posted with proper recognition given. 

First Printing, 2023

Scripture marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ © 1982 by Thomas Nelson

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 

Scripture quotations marked NLV are taken from the New Life Version, Copyright © 1969 and 2003. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): KING JAMES

VERSION, public domain

The poem quoted in the Epigraph is The road not taken by Robert Frost. From The Poetry of Robert Frost by Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem. Copyright 1916, 1923, 1928, 1930, 1934, 1939, 1947, 1949, © 1969 by Holt Rinehart and Winston, Inc. Copyright 1936, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1953, 1954, © 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962 by Robert Frost. Copyright © 1962, 1967, 1970 by Leslie Frost Ballantine.

Contents

1 JESUS SONG(I LAY ME DOWN))

2 MY FORMATIVE YEARS

3 WHERE JESUS STEPPED IN

4 A HEART MET WITH FIRE

5 BEING A CRIER

6 A LIFE OF RADICAL SURRENDER

7 ARISE, MIGHTY WARRIORS!

8 HERE AM I, SEND ME

9 PURITY IS PERFECTION

10 LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

11 SEARCH MY HEART, O GOD

12 LIVING FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE

13 THE FAITHFUL REMNANT

14 THE NARROW WAY

15 ASCENDING THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD

16 BUILDING YOUR HOUSE ON THE ROCK

17 KINGDOM RELATIONSHIPS

18 THE MASTER GARDENER

19 THE WHEEL IS TURNING

20 MOLTING SEASONS

21 FIRST LOVE

22 HIS CHURCH, HIS BRIDE

23 ALWAYS(AND FOREVER)

24 LIVING ON THE ALTAR

25 ENGULFED

26 BEING A PERSON OF PRAYER

27 JOY IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM

28 THE MIGHTY ONE(THE HOLY ONE)

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by.

And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Wow! A year ago, I never would have seen this day coming.

A childhood dream and passion for writing that was set aside were reignited by the Lord as this book has come together in His timing. I could never have written this book without knowing and walking with Jesus.

So, that leads me to the beginnings of my "thank you's" that are much needed.

First and foremost, I thank Jesus! This book couldn't exist without His great love and mercy over my life that inspired every word I have written. He has changed me, saved me, refined me, and is ever-sanctifying me. I'll never be able to adequately express my gratitude for who He is and the ways He has moved in my life. Before anything else, this book is a testimony of His love and a love letter for Him. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is all for you.

I also want to thank my people, who have encouraged me and spoken life to me every step of the way. People who have significantly impacted and inspired me in my walk with Jesus. Those who cheered me on during the writing of this book, who push me closer to the Lord in every conversation we have, and those whose lives lived for God are so inspiring.

Thank you to Lindsay for your help during this process. Thank you for your unwavering support, and for your encouragement throughout this whole process and in my life. Your authenticity encourages me daily, and I appreciate you so much.

Thank you to Natalie for always believing in me and cheering me on as I worked on this book. For walking alongside me and loving me even in my mess and the process. Your heart for Jesus inspires me so much, and I am so thankful for you.

Thank you to So-Young for letting me talk about my ideas, spending time with me in coffee shops as I worked on writing this book, having the best deep conversations, and faithfully making me laugh all along the way. My dude, I'm so grateful for you.

Thank you to Amber, Debbie, Kevin, Brooke, Liz, Adam, Abby, Janell, and countless others who have loved me and been with me on my walk. You guys are the best. I'm SO grateful for all of you.

Thank you to my family, for my parents, who nurtured my love of writing as a child and always encouraged my creativity. Thank you for all you have always done for me; I appreciate you more than you'll ever know.

Thank you to my Mamaw for teaching me how to laugh at myself and not take things too seriously. For faithfully attending art shows, open houses, and more throughout my childhood. Thank you for always embracing my weirdness.

Thank you to those who supported the vision behind this book through donations, moral support, late-night encouragements, and loving like Jesus.

Thank you to those who offered their help to get this off the ground. Thank you to Nate for helping me to film my book interview.

Thank you to all who offered social media tips and to everyone who blessed me in this process.

If you are holding this book in your hands, thank you.

Thank you for your hunger, for your desire to be ignited on fire for Jesus.

Thanks for taking a chance on this book from an unknown twenty-something.

I hope it impacts your heart in all the best ways.

I feel immeasurably blessed just to be publishing this book.

Thank you all, truly, from the bottom of my heart.

♡ Larkyn

PREFACE

The dream to write this book was born long ago. As a child, I was constantly writing- stories and poems, coming up with plot lines for future stories I planned to write… Everyone thought I was for sure going to be a writer when I grew up.

I honestly always planned on it as this dream that I would undoubtedly achieve one day. It was never thought of as an if but rather a when. "When I write a book one day."

As I grew up... and life happened... and dreams died down, as they often seem to do- my writing got set aside.

At the beginning of 2023, I was at a prayer gathering with my friends, and we were closing up in prayer for each other. Holy Spirit was moving as usual and guiding us as He is so faithful to do.

While my friend was praying for me, she shared that she felt that the Lord was highlighting my ability to dream again in this season. That a dream from childhood that had been set aside or pushed down for whatever reasons- would be able to reignite, and I would get to dream again with the Lord and have hope to believe in that dream again and to have faith to dare to step out into that dream.

In the moment, nothing really struck me about this, and I honestly just kind of set it aside in my memories. But then, a few months later… the pieces came together.

As I sat one-morning having coffee with a friend, we talked about all sorts of things- when I was talking about my writing, and suddenly that prayer came flooding back into my mind. I remembered every word of it as clearly as if it had been just the night before. "I’m supposed to write a book! I said, But it isn’t time yet."

I could clearly feel the Lord lighting the flame of this desire, but I could also feel Him saying- "Not yet. It’s not time yet."

So I sat on it, weighing it on my heart, and I prayed, and I trusted, and I waited.

And now- it’s time.

For these words to come forth, to be shared with the world- written straight from my heart, in precisely the same manner that I would speak them to a dear friend sitting across from me.

I write how I speak, with every ounce of passion, excitement, and emotion that I would convey