Last weekend my old friend MJ Cyr came to the Bay Area to perform the amazing songs she has been making based on the writings of the Baha’i Faith. I shot the above video at her last house concert in the area. It’s called “Fortress” and it uses words of a following prayer by ‘Abdu’l-Baha:
O compassionate God! Thanks be to Thee for Thou hast awakened and made me conscious. Thou hast given me a seeing eye and favored me with a hearing ear, hast led me to Thy kingdom and guided me to Thy path. Thou hast shown me the right way and caused me to enter the ark of deliverance.
O God! Keep me steadfast and make me firm and staunch. Protect me from violent tests, and preserve and shelter me in the strongly fortified fortress of Thy Covenant and Testament. Thou art the Powerful. Thou art the Seeing. Thou art the Hearing.
O Thou the Compassionate God. Bestow upon me a heart which, like unto glass, may be illumined with the light of Thy love, and confer upon me thoughts which may change this world into a rose garden through the outpourings of heavenly grace.
Thou art the Compassionate, the Merciful. Thou art the Great Beneficent God.
If you haven’t heard her album Canopy yet, you should check it out. As someone who openly dislikes most Baha’i music he hears, please know that I mean it when I say that Canopy is great. It’s available to preview, buy and download now on Bandcamp.
Here’s my very favorite track from the album.
Samuel Benoit 
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