day eight
“Verily I ask God to protect thee from the waves of tests and storms of trial until thou becomest firm in the Cause of thy Lord—a firmness whereby thou be enabled to withstand all nations and peoples. When thou art thus confirmed by God, with firmness and solidity in His Covenant among the people, thou wilt see the hosts of the Kingdom shelter thee from all sides with banners whereunto all heads bow.
O maid-servant of God! It is incumbent upon thee to be firm! It is incumbent upon thee to be steadfast! It is incumbent upon thee to be steadfast! It is incumbent upon thee to be steadfast in the Cause of the Light which hath shone forth unto the world with great brilliancy!“”
“We, of a certainty, have had no purpose in this earthly realm save to make God manifest and to reveal His sovereignty; sufficient unto Me is God for a witness. We, of a certainty, have had no intent in the celestial Kingdom but to exalt His Cause and glorify His praise; sufficient unto Me is God for a protector. We, of a certainty, have had no desire in the Dominion on high except to extol God and what hath been sent down by Him; sufficient unto Me is God for a helper.”
sholeh loehle/left (wilmette, u.s.a.): I feel like I am at the center of a tornado during this Fast. I keep remembering ‘Abdu’l-Baha as He encouraged and helped the friends, His patience and love in the midst of exhausting travel. The 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette is less than two months from now. How much has changed since that time, and how much has stayed the same!
adrienne warren/right (edinburgh, scotland): I love the Fast, and how it keeps our true purpose in this life ever-present in our minds. With every physical pang we are reminded of our spiritual reality, and with that, we are humbled as well as uplifted. It is the most perfect closing to our year, and most purifying and promising entre into the next—confirmed in the knowledge that we are immeasurably blessed, no matter the tests we face.
nineteen days 
I love the shapes. All the shapes.
So, so lovely!
So true! Much food for thought, including the first quote, which feels completely new to me. Thank you for this and for the photos.
‘…death don’t come in vain,
not for us to remain enslaved
or our spirits to remain in cages.
It comes so we might be courageous
to fulfil our obligation to our God and all creation,
stand in determination,
able to look death right in the face
and say we made it,
we made it.’
Hey, Liam! Sunni Patterson–I love that poem.
I cry every time I see her perform it in Def Jam.
yeah, I remember 🙂