The Shepherd

The L-rd's strength is made perfect in weakness. Your failures have prepared you for what you are not called to do. Spending time with the Father is more desirable than anything in this world. Just being with Him was on my mind night and day. He became my life and this is the foundation of a shepherd's life. you will only lead and care for His people well if you are walking with the L-rd and getting closer to Him. When you stop getting closer to Him you will begin to fail in your leadership of His people, because your purpose is to lead them to Him. He is their green pasture. He is their living water. He is their rest. He is their life. Smile at your people that makes them feel so good, so accepted, and valued, and maybe that is the only smile they ever get.
You must have the joy of the L-rd (Neh. 8:10), it is not a gift, but fruit. It is the fruit of walking with the One who is the greatest desire of every heart. The closer you walk with Him the more joy you will have. The joy that you have in Him then becomes a joy in His people, in His creation, and in everything He calls you to do.
This is because you will be doing it with Him. Getting closer to Him will change you into who He made you to be. When you get closer to the consuming fire, then the warmth of His fire will be in you. Everyone is a priceless treasure.
It is while you are walking with Him and doing His work that the innermost springs of your heart are open. Though you were called as one form the beginning, you did not come here a shepherd, but you will leave here as one. You must always stay close to the living waters, stay on the right path, if you can not find living water under your feet than you know you have strayed from your course. The higher you go, the slower you must go, because you must go slowly enough to see all that you are called to see.
When the whole earth will be restored to paradise it was created to be, and all people will know and serve the L-rd. Then all mourning and pain will be over, and the joy of the L-rd will be everyone's portion - the secret of true joy is walking with the Father.
What you become in your life on earth will be who you are forever, without the carnality of course. If anyone on earth realized how much their life on earth impacted their eternity they would be in pursuit of the fruit of the Spirit more than any earthly treasure or accomplishment. Scripture says that we should 'count it all joy when we encountered trials because the testing of our faith was more valuable than gold.
Love, is the foundation of true joy and peace, G-d is love, and if you walk with Him as you are called to, this will be your portion.
Seasoned Warrior